METHOD STATEMENT

FOR
EXTERNAL PLASTERING
WORK
 EXTERNAL PLASTERING WORK

General:
Cement:
For external plastering, following checks are important.
1) Cement shall be OPC 43 Grade or PPC and not more than 8 weeks old. 53 Grade if used shall be
adequately blended with fly ash. PPC or OPC-Fly ash combination is recommended since reduced
water demand and low heat of hydration reduces shrinkage and thermal cracks.
2) Cement shall be free from lumps.

Natural Sand:
Sieving of sand should be done for mortar of plasters. Gradation of sand for use in plaster mortar as
per IS 1542 is given below for reference.

IS SIEVES Percentage passing by mass

10 mm 100
4.75 mm 95 to 100
2.36 mm 95 to 100
1.18 mm 90 to 100
600 microns 80 to 100
300microns 20 to 65
150 microns 0 to 15

If grading of sand falls outside the specified limits as above, the required grading may be obtained by
screening and / or blending together natural sand and crushed sand having required size particles in
appropriate quantities.
Silt content should not exceed 8 % by volume (3% by weight) and fineness modulus may vary from
1.2 to 2.2. However it is preferable to have minimum Fineness Modulus around 1.5.

Crushed Sand:
For external plastering, following checks are important:
1) Fineness Modulus can vary between 1.2 to 2.2. However it is preferably to have minimum FM
around 1.4.
2) If grading of crushed sand falls outside the specified limits as above, the required grading may be
obtained by screening and / or blending together natural sand and crushed sand having required size
particles in appropriate quantities.
Fly ash:
For internal plaster works, following checks are important:
1) Sources of fly ash must be standardized as per test reports and fly ash must meet the
requirements of IS 3812. Further retention on 45 micron sieve after wet sieving should be less than
20%.
2) Fly ash should be free from lumps.
3) If mortar mix design is made using fly ash, mechanical mixer shall be used while preparing mortar.

Water:
Water must meet the requirements of IS 456:2000 and should be tested at a third party laboratory
to check the compliance before use.

Admixtures:
For admixture following checks are important
 Brand and type of admixtures must be approved & standardized
 Density and chloride content should be checked before approval.
 Revalidation of mix design shall be done in case of any change in brand or type of admixture.

TOOLS :
A. Trowels, Line Dori, Level Tubes, Plumb Bobs, Measuring Tape, Spirit Levels, Aluminium Straight
Edge, Right Angles.
B. Chipping tools, Mason Trowel, Mason hammer, Levelling thread, Mason Brushes, Mortar Boxes.

Procedures to be followed for External Plastering Work:

Pre Plaster Checks:
1) Minimum gap of 7 days shall be maintained between brick masonry and external plaster.
2) Sequence of plastering shall be decided in advance. Joints of plaster shall be kept on centre of RCC
members such as beams / columns.
3) It shall be ensured that scaffolding material to be used for the plastering should preferably be
double scaffolding. H- Frames or equivalent is recommended for the same. Both steel scaffolding as
well as wooden scaffolding is applicable up to 12 to 15 storey height. For larger heights, scaffolding
shall be designed from the designer and the same shall be used.
4) No holes shall be made in masonry for supporting scaffolding.
5) Bulges from concrete surfaces on external beams shall be chipped of so as to bring entire masonry
surface as well as outer surface of members in one line.
6) Joints between masonry and concrete members shall be filled with non-shrink mortar e.g. CNS –
50 or equivalent or rich cement sand mortar in proportion 1:3 with fibre (polypropylene/
polyethylene) added to it, 2 days in advance of starting of plastering and then cured for next 2 days
till external plastering work starts.
7) Curtain cloths or plastic sheets may be provided on external sides to prevent rapid drying and
shrinkage cracks of plastered surfaces due to wind or sunlight.
8) Pegs are driven diagonally at the corner edges on each floor starting from the top most floor of
the plastering area and line dori shall be fixed on pegs keeping it fully stretched.
9) Similar line dori stretched over entire surface at 6’ distance apart horizontally by driving pegs at
every floor. Line dories shall also be stretched horizontally at 6’ distance apart vertically to form a
grid.
10) In addition, line dories also stretched horizontally as well as vertically along the sills, soffits and
jambs of openings, windows, ventilators , chajjas, and any projections kept for architectural effects,
11) Level pads of size not less than 2”X2” in size at 6’ c/c (i.e. at every vertical line dori.) both
horizontally and vertically shall be made on the wall to serve as reference level surface for base coat.
Levels pad shall be checked for plumb and right angles.
12) Drain spout in toilet and sunk shall be fixed.
13) Plumbing pipe holes shall be made in masonry, diameter of hole being 1” more than the pipe
diameter all round.
14) All terrace outlets (bends) as well as other plumbing outlets shall be placed within the holes, and
holes shall be renders with non-shrink grout.
15) Chicken mesh /fibre mesh /expanding metal shall be applied on joints of Brick / Block Masonry
and concrete. Chicken wire mesh shall be of 20 gauges, with 12mm hexagonal holes and minimum 6”
wide in the form of strip, Chicken mesh after stretching shall be fixed at 9” intervals by drilling /
punching holes in masonry and concrete and then nailing with metal washers. Minimum overlap for
chicken mesh shall be 4”
16) Surface Preparation
 All the nails, binding wire, concrete projections, and wooden pieces shall be removed from
concrete surface and brick masonry.
 All the dust, oily spots, and green algae, if any, shall be cleaned from concrete and brick masonry
surface using wire brush.
17) RCC / PCC coping for all sills and parapet tops shall be completed before commencement of
external plaster.
18) Masonry chiselling for electrical conduits or any other purpose shall be sealed with non-shrink
material with chicken mesh fixed over it, well before plastering of the surface.
19) The brick masonry shall be wetted thoroughly from outside on the day prior to day of application
of external plaster so that masonry surface is moist at the time of external plaster.

During Plaster Checks:

1) Mortar for plaster shall have minimum strength 3.5 MPa.
2) Cement sand mortar shall be used as specified and it is recommended to carry out batching of
sand by weight as per mix design.
3) In case volume batching is adopted, calibrated boxes of required correct sizes shall be used.
Batching shall be done as per recommended proportions in mix design.
4) Mortar required for plaster work shall be mixed in half bag or full bag mechanical mixers only.
5) While preparing mortar mix, cement, fly ash and sand shall first be dry mixed and then water is
added to it in appropriate quantity. Wet mix shall then be mixed thoroughly in mixer for a minimum
period of 3 minutes. Fibre, if added in mortar shall be well separated by hand before putting them in
rotating drum.
6) Water cement ratio shall be such as to obtain mortar mix of optimum workable consistency.
7) Water-proofing compound shall be added to mortar in adequate quantity as recommended by
water-proofing compound manufacturer. If water-proofing compound is in powder form, the same
shall be added to mortar during dry mixing of mortar and if in liquid form, the same shall be added to
water during wet mixing of mortar.
8) Mortar shall be used before initial setting time of mortar which is approximately 90 minutes.90
minutes of
9) External plaster shall be applied in two coats. Thickness of first coat shall not exceed 15 mm.
10) Empty cement bags / plastic sheets shall be kept on ground near the face of building and
rebound mortar collected on bags shall be poured in the mixer for reuse by adding 10 present extra
cement. The entire process shall not exceed 90 minutes.
11) In no case, joint of external plaster shall be kept on parapet wall, since that joint is highly
susceptible for seepage of rain water through parapet wall and ultimately to the rooms below.
Parapet top plaster shall continue at least 1’ inside the terrace.
12) Thickness of plaster on parapet top shall not exceed 20 mm and plaster top shall be given slope
15 mm inside to drain off rainwater inside the terrace.
13) First coat of plaster shall be sufficiently roughened for bonding of second coat over it.
14) First coat shall then be cured for minimum 3 days to maximum 5 days and then finishing coat
shall be applied over first coat.
15) If the time gap between application of first coat and second coat exceeds 5 days, cement slurry
shall be applied over first coat before applying second coat. Instead bonding agent as approved by
QA/QC Department can be applied for the same.
16) Grills, wherever provided, shall be fixed prior to application of second coat.
17) Bonding agent shall be applied to horizontal joints of first coat and finishing coat for proper
bondage. It prevents seepage of rainwater through horizontal joints. Horizontal joint as well as
vertical joint should be strictly kept on RCC members.
18) Thickness of second coat shall not exceed 8 mm and the same shall be finished as per
requirement.
19) Grooves, if any, shall be of uniform depth and width throughout.
20) Finishing coat shall be applied in such a way that all vertical lines of windows, balconies, common
dividing walls shall match at all levels. Also sill and soffit levels of openings / windows / ventilators at
any floor shall be in one line.
21) Window reveals (external horizontal portion of window sill) shall be given outward slope to drain
out the rain water.
22) Drip moulds (Pani Patti) shall be provided to all the chajjas as well as projections. Pani Patti shall
be at 5 mm thickness and 35 mm in width or as per details given in the drawing.
23) Chajjas shall project minimum 6” beyond the window openings on both sides. If the drawing
does not show such projections, then such requirement shall be posed before the concerned
architect and work shall proceed with his suggestions or alterations.
24) Chajjas top plaster shall be rounded to merge inside the external plaster to prevent ingress of
rain water providing cut patti or as specified on drawing.
25) All external ornamental features shall show equal offsets, line, level, right angles etc.
26) In exceptional cases, where extra thickness of plaster is required (2” to 3”), the same shall be
applied in 2 to 3 layers, with proper anchoring by nails / chicken mesh / expanded metal etc.

Post Plaster Checks:

1) Wherever tiling is to be done at a later stage, roughening of plastered surfaces shall be carried out
for better bonding of tiles.
2) Window frames, sills, door frames, electric switch boxes, taps, plumbing fittings, glass etc. shall be
cleaned immediately.
3) Date of plastering shall be clearly marked on the plastered surfaces to monitor curing period.
4) Curing of final coat shall be done, so as to keep plastered surfaces continuously wet for a period of
7-10 days depending on type of cement and climatic conditions.

Value added Parameters / Cost affecting Parameter:

1) Pure sand bags or equivalent can be used in place of river sand. It has advantages over river sand
such as weigh batching and volume batching can be done as required. Also graded sand will give less
wastage and easy storage & stacking can be done as required. The mix proportion with graded sand
recommended by manufacturer is (1:6) which is cost effective as compared with river sand.
2) Cement mortar in river sand is highly recommended to be used for the first coat (1:6) and richer
mortar for second coat (1:4).
3) The cement mortar mix used in plastering of duct (wall having plumbing/drainage pipe lines)
should be (1:4) for first coat as well as second coat and water proofing admixture is highly
recommended for the same.
4) Fibre are preferred to be used in first coat to reduce the rebound losses, shrinkage and prevent
development of crack formation over plastered surface.
5) Water proofing compounds used in plaster works will reduce permeability and give waterproof
coat over plaster surface. It is very essential especially in case of dead walls and long walls with lesser
openings.
6) Liquid polymer modified mortar can be used for plasters. It has added advantages such as
enhanced cohesion & adhesion, water repellence and strength. It reduces the rebound loss and
increase the rate of application of the plaster. It reduces the requirement of water for curing. It also
reduces the time the application of external plaster if second coat applied as soon as the first coat
set. That means both the coats can be done in same day and cured simultaneously.
7) It is recommended to use bonding agent to all joints of plasters (horizontal or vertical) to avoid
leakages through joints in future.
8) Sponge finish plasters are cost effective but uniformity in texture will not be maintained where as
gudgudi coat finish over plaster is comparatively costly but it gives uniformity in texture and has
better resistance to weathering effect.
9) It is recommended to carry out external plastering before internal plastering to prevent rapid
drying and shrinkage of internal plastered surfaces.
10) It is essential to provide curtain cloths (hessian cloth curtain or plastic sheets curtain) on external
sides to prevent rapid drying of plastered surfaces due to wind and sunlight
Tolerances: Refer QA card for external plaster.

Type of Defect ( By visual Observation ) Tolerance

Finishing and visible defects in plumb /right angles Nil
(Horizontal/Vertical)/edges/offsets/jambs
Undulations on wall surfaces Nil
Cracks at masonry and concrete joints and on Nil
parapet top
Visible difference in level of parapet top Nil
Difference in level of grooves Nil
Efflorescence Minor
Top surface of cornice/chajjas Made Round
Edges (vertical and horizontal) of openings / In perfect line for each floor when viewed
windows / ornamental features from outside
Windows / ornamental features As per drawing