plaster and brickwork drying times

[col]

I have just filled in an old doorway using brickwork. I intend levelling the surface with cement then applying one or two layers of one coat plaster. How long should the brickwork and be left to dry before applying cement then how long before plaster.

Thanks, Col

[Grunff]

Why cement then one-coat? If this is inside (which I assume it it, because if it's outside you shouldn't use one-coat) then just use one-coat straight onto the brick.

As for how long, a couple of days is sufficient.

[dg]

You dont need to wait for it to dry, only for it to go off enough to enable you to apply moderate pressure with the plastering trowel.

You could plaster it next day.

The idea of one coat is precisely that - you dont need two coats. If you are doing two coats then use bonding and finish, which will give a much better surface than one coat. But practically, one bag of one coat will be better than two bags and some wasted bonding and finish.

And this leveling with cement- I presume you mean sand/cement render with rendering sand and not building sand or just plain cement?. But again this is unnecessary with one coat plaster.

One 25kg bag of one coat should do 2m2 of wall.

If plastering is not your thing, then I would fix plasterboard and then skim that - its easier to get a flat finish

dg

[col]

Thanks for the reply. The rest of the wall has cement then the two plaster layers and I was matching that I guess. Was also thinking it might be prone to cracking if too thick. It needs to be about about 1

1/2" thick on one side though the plaster says it can be up to 2" so perhaps it'll be okay.

[Grunff]

One thing one-coat is very good at is not cracking, just don't mix it too wet.

Having said that, applying a 1.5" coat to a wall in one go will be hard work, and need a large quanity of mix. You may well be better off doing it in two coats. I guess it depends how big the wall is.

[col]

Thanks for all the tips and advice. Went for 2 layers of one-coat (!?) with just a day's drying between and turned out well. Colin