Skirting boards can cover an air gap at the bottom of a plastered wall.
Lime plaster is commonly used for coating walls to create a smooth surface for decorating. Drywall often is used in place of plaster because it is relatively quick and simple to install, but when drywall alone is not enough, or the drywall has been damaged and needs to be repaired, coating the drywall with a layer of lime plaster will help to reinforce it, making a sturdy, lightweight wall that will last a lifetime.
Description
Drywall is a combination of gypsum and water between sheets of thick paper. Drywall often is used as a base surface on which other materials are placed, such as paint, wallpaper or plaster. Lime plaster provides a strong, smooth surface for decorating.
Thickness
Because drywall has already covered the wall and produced a mostly flat surface for decorating, only a thin coat of plaster is required to finish off the wall. The process of coating a wall in a thin layer of plaster is known as skimming. Drywall should be skimmed on the front face only, which usually is the side that has no printing on the paper surface.
Primer
The paper surface on drywall requires a primer in order for the lime plaster to adhere successfully. A chemical bonding agent such as polyvinyl acetate reacts with the paper and the plaster to form a strong adhesive surface. This prevents the plaster from drying out too quickly, through moisture absorption into the drywall, and falling off the wall.
Warnings
Where drywall and plaster are used on the ground floor or anywhere the wall is at risk of rising damp, it is important to leave a gap of 3 inches between the drywall and the floor. This air gap prevents the drywall from absorbing moisture and degrading. When plastering the drywall, you must ensure this gap is left open in order to prevent damage due to rising damp.
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