The Many Uses and Forms of Plaster

Plaster is a simple powder that can be made in various forms and used for different purposes. The usage varies from smoothening walls and ceilings to decorating them to make castings of art works.

Plaster is a commonly used material that enjoys varied uses. The most common usage is in construction to give a smooth surface to coarse walls and ceilings. There are various kinds of plaster – like cement, lime and gypsum or even clay. Plaster is basically a dry powder with one of the above materials being used as a binder. It is mixed with water to form a workable paste. It slowly solidifies on exposure to air to form a hard and stiff covering on the external or internal walls.
Apart from this, plaster is also used to make false ceilings and in decorative architecture. Complex shapes and carvings can be created on walls and ceilings using plaster of Paris. This is basically gypsum deposits mined in Paris, and hence the name.

Plaster enjoys great patronage in the art world too. It can be used to replicate art works and make casts using quality products like CastRite Art Casting Stone. Art plaster is a special type of plaster – regular plaster cannot be used for casting as it does not hold details well and will also tend to become chalky and flaky over time. Moreover, it is hydroscopic in nature and will turn into an irreversible solid form on the slightest exposure to moisture.

Casting calls for a hard casting plaster that can capture the fine details from the mold and set fairly quickly. Yet, it will allow carving and tooling as needed. What’s more, this type of plaster can also be used to make molds.

Plaster can be cast into various mold materials like clay, alginate, rubber, cement, wood, etc. However, care should be taken as the chemical reaction of plaster with water tends to release heat. This is why plaster is not usually used directly on the skin. Plaster infused bandages are a good option for making basic body molds and shell molds.

CastRite Art Casting Stone can be easily sourced from the EnvironMolds website, Artmolds.com.

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