In recent years, the construction sector has witnessed a number of new trends, technology advancements and innovations across applications, all aimed at making construction faster and delivering higher performance.
However, very few would have imagined that the substitute for the generations old method of sand cement surface plastering will be an even older method of plastering i.e. gypsum plastering. Gypsum has proved to be a miraculous material aiding interior construction. Gypsum surface plaster is one form that has caught the attention on the sector and is growing in popularity.
The oldest example of usage of gypsum as an internal plaster is found in the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt which were lined with gypsum stucco plaster centuries ago and are still intact, which is proof of the durability & performance of this product.
What is Gypsum?
Gypsum is a light weight material which is formed as the result of evaporating sea water in massive prehistoric basins. In terms of its chemical composition, it is Calcium Sulphate Di-hydrate (CaSO4.2H2O) and inherently contains 21% water by molecular weight.
Gypsum products have been used for centuries in the construction space and are the material of choice because of gypsum’s unique properties. It has excellent insulation properties both thermal and acoustic and can offer very good passive fire protection, moisture resistance, impact resistance and vapour control when used in combination with the right systems.
What is Gypsum Plaster?
When a wall is constructed with brick or block, they are finished with a coat of plaster which is called internal plastering. Internal plastering has traditionally been done through a process of sand-cement plastering finished with POP pruning.
This is a two stage process and involves multiple elements like sand, cement and water which is mixed onsite. This form of plastering is being slowly replaced by a direct single coat application of gypsum plaster.
So gypsum plaster is actually a replacement of two processes i.e. sand cement plastering & POP punning. Gypsum plaster is produced as a result of calcinations of the raw gypsum in an automatic kettle under controlled temperature.
In the last few years, gypsum plaster has become the solution of choice for all leading builders especially in Mumbai and Pune and is now starting to catch on with developers in other cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi.
Many builders such as Lodha, Hiranandani, K Raheja, Magarpatta, Oberoi, Rohan, HCC, Rustomjee to name a few have adopted this method of plastering for a majority of their projects for its sheer convenience over traditional plastering and aesthetic appeal.
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