Different categories of building finishes

There are various types of building finishes like plastering, varnishing, dis-tempering, white-washing, coloring, etc which offer the following advantages :-

* Provide a preventive coating to the surfaces for safeguarding them from weather effects like rain water, frost, heat etc,
* Provide elegant effects which enhance the look of the surfaces and building completely.

1. PLASTERING: Under this method, various plastic materials like cement mortar, lime mortar or composite mortar are used to wrap the external portions of the structure for making the surface uniform, flat, regular, spotless and long-lasting. Plastering hides low-graded materials and imperfect craftsmanship as well as offers a preventive coating toward climatic effects. Besides, it offers a base for applying other elegant finishes like painting, white washing, etc.

2. POINTING: This refers to the method of finishing of mortar joints in uncovered brick or stone masonry, that is done with two processes. Initially, masonry joints in brick or stone are excavated to a depth of about 15 mm and then these spaces are packed with a proper mortar of richer mix. Pointing provides a nice look to the masonry work as well as checks the penetration of water into the wall.

3. PAINTING: Under this process, a final finish with coating of paint is given all surfaces like walls, ceilings, wood work, metal work, etc with the purpose of safeguarding them from weathering effects to resist decay of wood and corrosion in metal, as well as to maintain a clean, vivid and good-looking surface.

4. VARNISHING: In this method, varnish is applied to the wooden surfaces and to the painted surfaces to enhance their look as well as and safeguard them from atmospheric effects.

5. DIS-TEMPERING: Under this process, distemper is used over the surface already been plastered with reduced cost as compared to paints and varnishes, to defend them toward weather effects and make their look better. A distemper as water paint, includes whiting (i.e. powered chalk), glue or casein which function as a binder, and appropriate proportions of quick color pigments. Distempers come in various shades in the form of a stiff paste or dry powder in sealed tins.

6. WHITE WASHING: In this system, a combination of pure fat slaked lime diluted with adequate quantity of water is initially arranged. It is then checked with coarse cloth and a mixture of boiled gum with rice in specific proportions included with it. The produced solution is termed as white-wash that is then applied with brushes to a certain amount of coats, generally three.

7. COLOUR WASHING: It is same as white washing excluding a coloring pigment of preferred shade and nature, that is not affected by lime, is included with white wash. Color washing is used by one or two coats only.

Ref: civilblog.org & Image Courtesy: fernridge.k12.or.us