POINTING & PLASTERING

POINTING
 POINTING
• Final treatment with cement or lime mortar made to the joints of the
masonry to provide neat appearance is termed as pointing.

• The joint on the face of stone or brick masonry are roughly filled in
while the walls are being raised. They are after wards neatly finished
off to make them water tight.

• The joints thus finished, give a better appearance to surface and

prevent rain water from entering the interior of the masonry.
 SUITABILITY
Pointing is preferred to plastering under following
conditions.

• When a smooth and even surface is not essentially

required.
• Where it is desirable to exhibit to view the natural beauty
of the materials (bricks or stones) used in construction.
• When the workmen ship is neat and good.
 TYPES OF POINTING

FLAT OR FLUSH POINTING

•In this pointing, the mortar is pressed tightly and the
joints are filled up and made flush with the face of the
wall.
•This is the simplest type of pointing and is provided
extensively.
• It is economical and durable because it requires less labor than all other pointing.
• It does not give good appearance but is durable as it doesn’t provide any space
for accumulation for dust, water, etc.
 STRUCK POINTING
•In this pointing the face of the mortar
joint instead of keeping it vertical, its
upper side is kept about 12 mm inside the
face of the masonry and the bottom is kept
flush with the face of the wall.
•This pointing has a better effect of
throwing rain water.
•This is also known as ruled pointing.
•This pointing is the best in ordinary
circumstances.
 RECESSED POINTING
•In this pointing, the face of the mortar joint
is pressed inside by means of a suitable tool
and is left vertical instead of being made
inclined.
•This pointing is provided when face work
of good textured bricks with good quality
mortar is used.
•Not suitable for buildings in exposed
situations because they do not readily shed
water.
 V-POINTING
•This type of pointing is provided by
forming a v-shaped groove inside the
mortar of the joint with a special tool
(steel or iron jointer).

•This pointing is commonly

recommended for brick work in case of
governmental buildings.
 WEATHER POINTING
•This is similar to V-Pointing but in this
case instead of pressing a V-shaped
groove inside, it is provided by forming a
V-shaped projection outside the wall’s
surface.

•This pointing is generally recommended

for superior brick work.
 KEYED OR GROOVED POINTING
•In this case, the joints are first filled up flush, and
then a circular piece of steel or iron is pressed in and
rubbed in the middle of joints.

•Keyed pointing gives an attractive appearance to the

structure and is generally used for superior work.
 TUCK POINTING
•In this pointing, the mortar joints are filled with
the face of the wall. Then 6 mm wide and 3 mm
deep groove is immediately and carefully formed
in the centre of the joint and the groove is filled
with or tucked in with white lime putty.
•The lime putty is given a maximum projection of
6 mm.
•Tuck pointing has a neat attractive appearance.
But the lime putty is not durable and in due course
of time becomes defective.
 Plastering
• Plastering is the process of covering rough surfaces of the walls, columns, ceilings and other
components of buildings with thin coat of cement mortars to form a smooth durable surface.

• The coating of wet mortar (lime + Fine aggregate (IS 1542) + water or
Cement/Cementitious material (OPC/PPC) + Fine aggregates + water or Gypsum + water )
is called as plaster.

• Site Mixed

• Ready Mix Plasters or Dry Mix Mortars

• Classified as Internal Plastering and External Plastering

• Plastering on external exposed surfaces is called as rendering.

 PURPOSE OF PLASTERING
• Appearance: Plastering provides smooth, regular and clean surfaces to walls,
beams, etc., to improve the appearance.

• Durability: Plastering improves the durability of the exposed surfaces of walls.

 REQUIREMENETS OF GOOD PLASTER
• Should adhere to the background, and should remain adhered during all
variations in seasons and other atmospheric conditions.
• Should have less rebound.
• Should possess good workability.
• Should be hard & durable.
• Should be possible to apply it during all weather conditions.
• Should be economical.
• Should effectively check penetration of moisture.
• Should be free from cracks.
 TYPES OF MORTAR FOR PLASTER
LIME MORTAR

•Equal volumes of lime and fine sand are thoroughly mixed.

•Either fat lime or hydraulic may be used in lime mortar.
•Fat Lime is preferred since it yields good putty after slaking. On other hand,
hydraulic lime contains particles which slake very slowly as it comes in contact
with atmospheric moisture; such slaking may continue for 6-8 months.
•If unslaked particles remain in plaster, blisters are formed during the process of
slow slaking and thus damaging plastered surface.
•Mix proportion (lime : sand) varies from 1:3 to 1:4 for fat lime and 1:2 for
hydraulic lime.
 CEMENT MORTAR

•It is a mixture of ordinary Portland cement and sand (as per IS 1542) in
predetermined proportions.
•Best mortar for external plastering work as it is practically non-absorbant.
•It is much stronger than lime mortar.
•The proportions of cement and sand depends on the nature of plastering work.
•The usual mix for cement mortar for plastering varies from 1:3 for the surfaces in
contact with water to 1:4 to 1:6 for other surfaces.
 LIME-CEMENT MORTAR

•Cement lime mortar is prepared by first mixing cement and sand in a dry state in
the requirement proportions.

•Fat lime is mixed with water and is added to the cement sand mix.

•Cement mortar as such does not possess sufficient plasticity. Addition of lime to it
imparts plasticity, resulting in smooth plastered surface.

•Mix proportion (cement : lime : sand) that is generally used are 1:1:6, 1:1:8 or
1:2:8.
 WATER-PROOF MORTAR

•Water proof mortar for plastering is prepared by mixing 1 part of cement with 2
parts of sand and pulverized alum at the rate of 12 kg/m 3 of sand.

•Of late, ready mix plasters (dry form) are available in the industry with premixed
water proofing agents.

•Ready mix plaster are also referred as Dry mix mortar.

Source: B.C. Punmia ,
“Building
Construction”
 TYPES OF PLASTER FINISHES
Smooth Cast Finish

•In this finish, smooth and levelled surface is obtained.

•Mortar is made using cement and fine sand in the ratio of 1:3
•Mortar is applied using wooden float.
•Steel float are not recommended for external rendering since they give a very
smooth finish which is liable to crazing and cracking under exposure to
atmospheric conditions.
Sand faced Finish
• Obtained using plastering in two coats.
• The first coat is applied in 1:4 cement-sand
mortar for 12 mm thickness. It is provided
with zig-zag lines. After curing it for 7 days,
second coat (1:1 cement-sand mortar) is
applied with 8 mm thickness.
• Sponge is used in the second coat while it is
still wet.
• The surface of final coat is finished by
rubbing clean and washed sand of uniform
size by means of wooden float which results
in surface having sand grains of equal and
uniform density.
 Rough Cast Finish or Spatter Dash Finish
•In this mortar for final coat contains fine sand
as well as coarse aggregate in the ratio of
1:1.5:3 (cement : Fine aggregates (sand) :
Coarse aggregate)
•The size of coarse aggregate up to 12 mm.
•The mortar is dashed against the prepared the
plastered surface by means of large trowel and
then the surface is then roughly finished using
wooden float.
•Such a finish is water proof, durable and
resistant to crazing.
 Pebble Dash Finish or Dry Dash Finish

•The final coat is applied using 1:3 cement-sand mortar in 12 mm

thickness.
•Clean pebbles of size varying from 10 to 20 mm are then dashed against
the surface so that they are held in position.
•The pebbles are lightly pressed into the mortar using wooden float.
Depeter Finish
•It is similar to pebble dash finish in which 12 mm coat is applied and while it is
still wet, the pieces of gravel or flint are pressed with hand against the surface.
•Flints of different colours can be used to obtain beautiful patterns.
 Scrapped Finish

Final coat of 6 to 12 mm thick is applied and after it has stiffened for few hours, the surface
is scrapped in patterns for a depth of 3 mm.
For scrapping, steel straight edge, old saw blade or any other such tool may be used.
Such surfaces are less liable to cracks.
 Textured Finish
•It is used with stucco
plastering.
•Ornamental patterns or
textured surfaces are made
on the final coat of stucco
plastering, by working with
suitable tools.
 DEFECTS IN PLASTERING
Blistering of Plaster Surface
Formation of small patches of plaster swelling out
beyond the plastered surface, arising out of late slaking
of lime particles in the plaster.
Flaking
Formation of very loose mass of plastered surface, due
to poor bond between successive coats

Peeling
Complete dislocation of some portion of plastered
surface, resulting in formation of patch.This also
results from imperfect bond.
Cracking
Reasons for formation of cracks in plaster resulting form
• Imperfect preparation of background
• Structural defects in building
• Discontinuity of surface
• Movements in background due to its thermal expansion or rapid drying
• Movements in the plaster surface itself, either due to expansion (gypsum
plaster) or shrinkage (lime sand plaster)
• Excessive shrinkage due to application of thick coat
• Faulty workmanship
• Usage of high grade cement
• Lack of curing
Efflorescence:
• Whitish crystalline substance that appear on the surface due
to presence of salts in plaster making materials as well as
building materials like bricks, sand, cement, water, etc.
• Gives bad appearance and effects the adhesion of paint with
the wall
• It can be removed to some extent by dry brushing and
washing surface regularly.

Crazing:
• Formation of series of hair cracks on the plastered surface
due to same reasons which cause cracking.
 References and relevant standards
• B.C. Punmia, Ashok Kumar Jain & Arun Kumar Jain, “Building Construction”
• S.K. Duggal, “Building Materials”
• R.C. Smith, “Materials of Constructions”
• IS : 1661 Code of Practice for Cement and Cement-lime Plaster Finishes on
Walls And Ceilings
• IS : 2394 Code of practice for application of lime plaster finish
• IS : 2402 Code of practice for external rendered finishes.
• IS 1630 Specification for Mason`stools for plater work and pointing work
• IS 2542 Methods of test for Gypsum plaster, concrete and products, (Part 1)
• IS 1542 Sand for plaster - Specification