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Is there a difference between plastering vs marbeliting?

I have been in this industry for many years and there has always been this plastering vs marbeliting debate so anyone who tells you they can marbelite because they are a plasterer is lying.

There is a similarity between the two yes such as the technique used to trowel but but the dry time is quicker with marbelite where you have much more time with plaster.

The thickness is a huge difference, when you plaster something the thickness is usually between 7 and 10mm where marbelite should be between 25 and 35mm.

The mixing process is the same accept that you use a lot less water with marbelite and bonding agent is always used in the mix where plaster you seldom need to use bonding liquid and use slightly more water.

I have had many plasterers in the past work for us and they have failed terribly when put onto a marbelite job and why? because let me tell you something the education level in South Africa is so pathetic that almost 60% of plasterers here do not have the qualification and have been shown by a brother or freind. Any moron can be a plasterer, hell even I knew how to plaster when I was 16 years old but marbelite is a far more skilled job and you need to know what you are doing or you will sit with problems. There are things you need to think of when marbeliting, things like the weather tempurature. You cannot marbelite in tempuratures less than 10 degrees and more than 30 degrees or the marbelite will fail. If you trowel to quick it can cause air pockets in the plaster which will seem like hollow spots. It is also very easy to trowel more in one direction than the other which will cause the marbelite to appear extremely uneven. Another thing to mention that the secret in marbeliting is to keep your trowel clean and always wet.

Should you wish to review a full list of the do and donts please click this link