Guide to Portland

Cement-Based Plaster
Reported by ACI Committee 524
ACI 524R-16
 First Printing
March 2016
ISBN: 978-1-942727-71-2

Guide to Portland Cement-Based Plaster

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 ACI 524R-16

Guide to Portland Cement-Based Plaster

Reported by ACI Committee 524

Timothy S. Folks, Chair

Andrew J. Boyd Russell T. Flynn Frank E. Nunes Consulting Members

Paul W. Brown Gregory C. Garrett Robert C. O’Neill Robert Drury
Boyd A. Clark Damian I. Kachlakev Paul H. Owen John M. Melander
David A. Crocker Jeffrey M. Kohlhas David A. Rothstein Edward K. Rice
Jonathan E. Dongell Christopher Kerry Little Larry Rowland Claude B. Trusty Jr.
Randy Dukes Michael M. Logue Kim A. Skinner Dean J. White II
James A. Farny Mark R. Lukkarila Terry J. Willems

This guide provides information on the plastering process, CHAPTER 2—DEFINITIONS, p. 3

including prequalification of materials, plaster tool and equipment
suggestions, mixture proportions, application procedures, finish CHAPTER 3—DESIRABLE PROPERTIES OF
types, and troubleshooting and repair. This guide is intended for PORTLAND CEMENT-BASED PLASTER, p. 6
architects, engineers, designers, specification writers, contractors,
3.1—Fresh plaster, p. 6
plasterers, laboratory personnel, and public authorities. Portland
3.2—Hardened plaster, p. 6
cement-based plastering processes and properties differ in many
ways from those used in the concrete trade. The equipment used
to mix plaster, the methods of curing, preparation of substrates, CHAPTER 4—PORTLAND CEMENT-BASED
mixture design components, material application, finishing tech- PLASTER MATERIALS, p. 7
niques, and methods of controlling cracking are only applicable 4.1—General, p. 7
to plaster and are not appropriate for concrete. Likewise, litera- 4.2—Cements, p. 7
ture specific to concrete trade practice should not be assumed 4.3—Lime, p. 7
exchangeable or applicable to common plastering trade practice. 4.4—Aggregates, p. 7
Differences in plastering terminology are of key importance and, 4.5—Water, p. 8
therefore, an extensive list of them is provided in this guide. 4.6—Admixtures, p. 8
Keywords: base; bonding agents; brown coat; cracking; finish coat; fresh
4.7—Fibers, p. 8
plaster; furring; hardened plaster; scratch coat; sheathing; stucco; texture. 4.8—Bonding agents, p. 8
4.9—Polymers, p. 9
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 5—DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR
CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE, p. 2 PLASTER BASES, p. 9
1.1—Introduction, p. 2 5.1—General, p. 9
1.2—Scope, p. 2 5.2—Ceilings, p. 9
5.3—Spacing considerations for supports, p. 9
5.4—Sheathing, p. 9
ACI Committee Reports, Guides, and Commentaries are 5.5—Stress relief, p. 9
intended for guidance in planning, designing, executing, and 5.6—Design considerations for reduction of water intru-
inspecting construction. This document is intended for the use
of individuals who are competent to evaluate the significance sion, p. 12
and limitations of its content and recommendations and who 5.7—Plaster sustainability, p. 13
will accept responsibility for the application of the material it
contains. The American Concrete Institute disclaims any and
all responsibility for the stated principles. The Institute shall
not be liable for any loss or damage arising therefrom. ACI 524R-16 supersedes ACI 524R-08 and was adopted and published February
2016.
Reference to this document shall not be made in contract
Copyright © 2016, American Concrete Institute.
documents. If items found in this document are desired by All rights reserved including rights of reproduction and use in any form or by any
the Architect/Engineer to be a part of the contract documents, means, including the making of copies by any photo process, or by electronic or
they shall be restated in mandatory language for incorporation mechanical device, printed, written, or oral, or recording for sound or visual reproduc-
by the Architect/Engineer. tion or for use in any knowledge or retrieval system or device, unless permission in
writing is obtained from the copyright proprietors.

1
2 GUIDE TO PORTLAND CEMENT-BASED PLASTER (ACI 524R-16)

CHAPTER 6—METAL LATH PLASTER BASES, p. CHAPTER 16—TROUBLESHOOTING AND REPAIR,

14 p. 34
6.1—Lath, p. 14 16.1—General, p. 34
6.2—Water-resistive barrier, p. 15 16.2—Cracking, p. 34
16.3—Weak plaster, p. 36
CHAPTER 7—LATHING ACCESSORIES, p. 15 16.4—Debonding and delamination, p. 36
7.1—General, p. 15 16.5—Discoloration of plaster, p. 37
7.2—Outside corner reinforcements, p. 16 16.6—Long-term deterioration, p. 38
7.3—Inside corner accessory, p. 16
7.4—Casing beads, p. 16 CHAPTER 17—REFERENCES, p. 39
7.5—Screeds, p. 17 Authored references, p. 40
7.6—Stress-relief joints, p. 18
CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE
CHAPTER 8—METAL LATH INSTALLATION, p. 18
8.1—General, p. 18 1.1—Introduction
8.2—Installation of metal lath plaster base, p. 18 Portland cement-based plaster is a versatile and weather-
8.3—Attachment of metal lath to framework, p. 19 resistant surfacing material. Portland cement-based plaster
8.4—Attachment of metal lath to solid base, p. 19 can be applied to flat, curved, or rusticated bases made from
concrete, clay masonry, concrete masonry, woven or welded-
CHAPTER 9—SOLID SUBSTRATE PLASTER wire mesh, or expanded metal lath. It can be applied by hand
BASES, p. 19 or pumped directly from a mixer hopper and sprayed onto a
9.1—Substrate preparation, p. 19 vertical or horizontal surface. Portland cement-based plaster
9.2—Concrete, p. 20 has a long history of satisfactory performance (Technical
9.3—Concrete masonry, p. 20 Services Information Bureau 2015). Proportions and work-
9.4—Clay masonry, p. 20 ability of the plaster mixture allow for a variety of shapes,
9.5—Surface-applied bond coatings, p. 20 designs, and textures to be created. When plaster hardens,
9.6—Surface-applied bonding agents, p. 20 these features are preserved in a rigid, permanent form.
9.7—Integrally mixed bonding agents, p. 20 Plaster is categorized by the type of cement binder,
number of coats, and total thickness. Traditional materials
CHAPTER 10—PROPORTIONING AND MIXING OF include portland cement and lime, blended cement and lime,
PORTLAND CEMENT-BASED PLASTER, p. 21 masonry cement, or plastic cement mixed with sand and
10.1—Mixture proportions, p. 21 water. Additives to control setting time, reduce shrinkage
10.2—Batching and mixing, p. 21 cracking, increase workability, or increase durability can
also be present.
CHAPTER 11—APPLICATION OF PORTLAND Portland cement-based plaster is intended to perform as a
CEMENT-BASED PLASTER, p. 23 coating and not as a load-bearing element of the structural
11.1—Approval and acceptance of plaster base, p. 23 system. The terms “stucco” and “portland cement-based
11.2—Plaster application, p. 23 plaster” are often used interchangeably in the trade. This
11.3—Application of coats, p. 23 guide, however, refers to stucco as plaster that is applied to
an exterior surface, and Portland cement-based plaster as
CHAPTER 12—PLASTER FINISHES, p. 25 plaster that is applied to either an interior or exterior surface.
12.1—General, p. 25
12.2—Color finishes, p. 25 1.2—Scope
12.3—Finish-coat textures, p. 25 This guide provides information and recommends
minimum expectations for satisfactory lathing and plas-
CHAPTER 13—CURING, p. 31 tering. Architects, engineers, designers, specification
writers, contractors, plasterers, and public authorities can
CHAPTER 14––PAINTS, SEALANTS, AND use this guide to familiarize themselves with the plastering
CAULKING MATERIALS, p. 32 processes and also as an aid in specification writing. Stricter
14.1––Paints, p. 32 requirements based on long-term successful field service or
14.2––Sealers, p. 32 controlled laboratory experimentation and documentation
14.3––Sealants and caulking, p. 32 can be imposed when warranted. This guide also addresses
the prequalification of plaster materials, tool and equipment
CHAPTER 15—TESTING, p. 33 requirements, mixture proportions, application procedures,
15.1—General, p. 33 types of finishes, and troubleshooting and repair.
15.2—Evaluating materials, p. 33 Exterior insulation and finish systems are exterior wall-
15.3—Test methods for evaluating hardened plaster, p. 33 cladding systems that consist of an insulation board covered
15.4—Evaluating workmanship, p. 34 with an integrally reinforced base coat and a textured

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