How Much Does Plastering Cost? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $2,000 - $8,000
Plastering walls costs $2,000 to $8,000 per room, with the average project costing around $5,000.
Plastering walls costs anywhere between $1,200 and $10,000 for an average-sized room, with most homeowners spending $5,000. The cost largely depends on the size of the space—around $2 to $10 per square foot—and whether you’re also plastering the ceiling.
Plaster is a common material used for interior finishing. Traditionally, plaster smoothes the surface—or creates a texture—to form an even look before painting. Some homeowners prefer the vintage look of textured plaster and like to leave it as a finish on its own.
- Average
- $5,000
- Low end
- $1,200
- high end
- $10,000
Cost of Plastering per Square Foot
The table below illustrates the plastering wall cost by the size of the area. You can estimate the cost of the project using the square footage.
| Cost by Coverage Size (Square Feet) | Minimum Cost | Maximum Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 200 | $400 | $2,000 |
| 500 | $1,000 | $5,000 |
| 1,000 | $2,000 | $10,000 |
| 2,000 | $4,000 | $20,000 |
Plasterwork usually costs between $2 and $10 per square foot.
The cost depends on whether you want resurfacing work or not. Expect to pay at least $10 per square foot with resurfacing; otherwise, plastering a wall usually costs between $2 and $5 per square foot.
Plastering Cost Factors
Several variables affect the cost of plaster application, including application materials, plaster type, and labor.
Materials
The material to apply plaster costs between $2 to $10 per square foot.
Plaster materials are relatively inexpensive. A 5-gallon bucket of lime plaster costs around $60, while a 25-pound bag of plaster used for decorative plaster costs $10 to $30. However, some luxury types of plaster might cost up to $400 or more for a 5-gallon bucket.
Labor
Expect to pay labor costs between $2 and $5 per square foot to apply plaster or $4 to $10 per square foot for refinishing, which requires more work to prep and remove existing plaster. The average cost to plaster a room of four 10-by-10-foot walls can run from $800 to $4,000.
The average cost to plaster a ceiling is about $600, although you could pay as little as $400. If the ceiling is taller than average, you’ll pay $800 or more. If you want ornamental designs or the ceiling has a vaulted shape, you could pay up to $4,000 for the entire job.
Plaster repair contractors charge by the hour, so when hiring, expect to pay $60 to $80 per hour.
Skim Coat Plastering
The cost to skim coat a wall is between $1.10 to $1.30 per square foot.
Skim coating is a type of plastering that involves applying a couple of thin layers of plaster to create a smoother finish or to repair a surface. Skim coating allows for a new look on your walls and can be less time-consuming and expensive than redoing drywall.
"Plaster has a smooth and seamless look with fewer or no visible seams. The texture of plaster walls can be whatever you decide with the last coat of plaster applied. It can be smooth like glass or contoured with bumps and ridges, just like drywall mud."
— Brandon Walker, Superintendent at ASAP Restoration LLC, Phoenix, AZ
Texturing
Adding any special texture may cost an extra $1 to $3 per square foot. One of the greatest things about choosing plaster is the ability to add designs and texture, creating unique and interesting walls. There are many different ways to make texture, such as the dash, lace, and stucco plasters, which vary in difficulty and require professional and artistic skills.
Finishes on a plaster wall can change the entire feel of a room. They often give a home a particular style—like pebble dash, which can be great for a beach house—or sand or cement finishes to provide a more rustic feel.
Prepping and Repairing Existing Plaster
Budget an extra 10% to 30% for prep work, which ranges from $1 to $3 per square foot. Prepping the wall is an essential part of plastering and costs extra, depending on the condition of the surface. During prep, a plaster contractor fills holes in the wall, applies a primer, and sands the surfaces.
“When we restore a historic home, we have a lot of plaster repair,” says Bob Tschudi, Expert Review Board Member and Raleigh, N.C.-based general contractor. “A lot of the work is repairing the wood lath strips behind the plaster. Without this prep work, the new plaster will probably crack in a short period of time.”
Ceilings vs. Walls
Plastering walls costs less than plastering ceilings because ceilings are less accessible. Expect to spend $0.50 to $2.00 more per square foot to plaster your ceiling. Most homeowners spend between $390 and $900, depending on the height of the ceiling. The price will significantly increase if you add ornamental designs or have an unusual ceiling shape.
Asbestos or Lead Paint Removal
You’ll commonly find plaster walls in older homes since most modern homes use plasterboard (or drywall) of varying sizes. Unfortunately, this increases the chance of asbestos contamination and lead paint. Plaster products made between 1920 and 1970 contain asbestos, and lead paint is common in homes built before 1978.
Here's how much you can expect to spend if you need to remove asbestos or lead paint before plastering your walls.
| Type of Removal | Cost (Per Square Foot) |
|---|---|
| Asbestos removal | $5–$20 |
| Asbestos encapsulation | $2–$6 |
| Lead paint removal | $8–$17 |
| Lead paint encapsulation | $4–$8 |
Cost of Different Types of Plaster
When you hire a pro, the cost of materials for nearly all types of plaster is between $10 and $15 per square foot. Each type delivers slightly different benefits and will work for a wall or ceiling.
Fortunately, because of the similar costs for each type, you can select a plaster type based on the needs of the project rather than settling for an option that fits your budget.
| Plaster Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Gypsum | $10 to $11 per square foot |
| Venetian | $10 to $25 per square foot |
| Cement | $11 to $12 per square foot |
| Acoustic | $13 to $14 per square foot |
| Takelakt | $15 to $16 per square foot |
Gypsum
Gypsum plaster consists of soft sulfate materials. It’s a good material to use over rough materials like brick and plasterboard. When you want to create a smooth finish for painting, gypsum plaster is an ideal choice.
It is less likely to shrink and crack than some of the other types of plaster. It’s the most common type of plaster in use and has one of the lowest prices.
Venetian
You might know Venetian plaster as lime plaster. It consists of limestone, sand, and water, but some manufacturers add fibers to it to make it bind tightly. Depending on the formula in use, the cost of Venetian plaster can range from a wallet-friendly option to one of the most expensive options.
It’s one of the oldest types of plaster formulas, providing a soft appearance when it dries, which results in a pleasing appearance.
Cement
Cement plaster works as an outdoor type of plaster consisting of cement, sand, and water. It often goes directly over masonry, concrete, or metal lath. It has a low initial cost. However, it can require multiple coats, which can increase the price of outdoor plastering.
It isn’t suitable for painting because it doesn’t create a perfectly smooth surface. If you want to paint it, you might place a layer of gypsum plaster over cement plaster.
Acoustic
Acoustic plaster is one of the more expensive types of plaster and uses a special formula to provide sound absorption. It consists of gypsum plaster mixed with fibers designed to absorb sound. An installer often will apply it in layers to improve performance.
In addition to sound dampening, newer formulas deliver impressive aesthetic designs resembling marble or stone. This makes it ideal for a home recording studio, but it also often appears in museums or commercial buildings that need perfect acoustics and a high-end look.
Tadelakt
You might know Tadelakt plaster as Moroccan plaster. It uses lime as the base, but its formula provides waterproof capabilities, allowing for its use in bathrooms and kitchens.
It is an expensive plaster, but it has an impressive look when it dries. Its rustic finish is hard to duplicate with other plaster types. You can often select from multiple colors with Tadelakt plaster.
DIY Plastering vs. Hiring a Pro
Those with basic skills can handle small plaster repairs. However, plastering an entire room may require the assistance of a professional with the tools, skills, and materials to get the job done. A professional plasterer is familiar with plaster applications and can produce a much smoother and even layer.
If you want to plaster a room yourself, you need tools like a plastering trowel, a plastering float, a spirit level, a jointing knife, a corner trowel, and more that you may not normally have. These tools can cost $100 to $300 on their own.
You then have the cost of the materials. Depending on the thickness of the plaster, the number of coats, and the type of plaster, you can expect 1 pound of plaster mix to cover ½ to 5 square feet. You may pay $0.50 to $5 per pound of plaster mix, depending on the type of plaster and the size of bag you select. Just for the bags of plaster, the average cost to plaster a room and the average cost to plaster a ceiling could be $100 to $1,000.
However, even the best-intentioned DIY attempt could damage walls. To repair any errors, you may pay even more to fix or resurface the area. Cracks in plaster can occur over time as the house settles, but cracks immediately after creating a new plaster wall or ceiling are worrisome. At that point, it may be time to call a pro, who will charge $10 to $100 per square foot for plaster repair costs.
If you don’t have the tools or experience, you may receive a better value by hiring a local plaster repair contractor. Buying all these tools for a one-time DIY job may not be the best investment. However, if you plan to do a lot of plastering in a home remodel and are willing to take the time to master this skill, you certainly can learn how to plaster a wall yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both drywall and plaster provide a long-lasting and durable wall finish. However, a plaster application requires more specialized skills than drywall installation, and plaster takes longer to install. Drywall ships in premade sheets that you screw to the wall studs. Plaster is a paste-like substance that goes over lath, complicating the installation. While the material costs are similar, labor can run higher with plaster. Installing drywall costs between $1 and $3 per square foot, while wall plastering costs anywhere from $2 to $10 per square foot.
Drying alone can take 1 to 4 hours to dry to the touch per plaster layer, but some types of plaster take several hours longer to dry. However, this doesn’t mean the job is done because plaster doesn’t fully harden until it cures, which can take a few days to a couple of weeks. It may take even longer if you’re building a new, pretty thick plaster wall. Allow the plaster to cure before painting it.
You can paint over plaster, but repair any damage to the plaster first, or the paint will crack and bubble. You should also prepare the surface of the plaster to accept paint, which gives your paint job the best chance of looking good and lasting a long time. Before applying the color you want, apply a coat or two of primer. Additionally, use latex paint, and choose a latex paint with a satin finish for areas with dampness, like bathrooms.