If you want to make fun DIY crafts, here comes the new idea of making Plaster of Paris at your home. All you need to make Plaster of Paris is water and Plaster of Paris powder. Once you are done, you can make it using plaster casts or molds. Read through this article to get some information about Plaster of Paris.
1. Plaster of Paris Powder
Mix 2 Parts of Plaster of Paris Powder with 1 Part of Water
In a mixing bowl, add water and sprinkle the Plaster of Paris in it. You should mix the Plaster of Paris and the water in a ratio of 2:1, as mixing in the right ratio is crucial.
Ensure you mix the plaster using a disposable bowl and disposable spoon. This is to avoid getting difficulty washing dishes. When sprinkling the plaster powder, you must tap the sides of the container continuously to avoid dispersing the powder.
Some people use hot water to speed up the process of drying. To heat the water, use the normal stove or microwave to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are free to spend your time with this process, you can use normal room-temperature water too.
Mix The Plaster Powder & Water to Get A Smooth Paste
To get a perfect Plaster of Paris, ensure no lumps in your wet mixture. So, you need to stir the mixture continuously until you can see an even distribution of plaster powder and water. However, you should avoid stirring more which causes air bubbles in your plaster mix.
While doing this procedure, you need to wear an apron and gloves to avoid getting any splashes or spills. Thus, you can place a newspaper or waste cloth before you start working. Furthermore, add any color to this plaster mix to get colored Plaster of Paris. Add only 4.9 ml or 1 tablespoon of food coloring to this mixture.
The chemical name of Plaster of Paris is Calcium Sulfate Hemi-hydrate. So, the plaster of Paris is manufactured from dehydrated gypsum.
Use Petroleum Jelly for Molding The Plaster:
Petroleum jelly is the best way to easily get your dried plaster from the mold. It will prevent the sticking of the plaster to the mold, and you can get a clean removal of it. Thus, it would help if you coated the mold using petroleum jelly before preparing the Plaster of Paris. Some non-stick agents you can use include cornstarch, talcum powder, or Vaseline.
It’s Time to Add The Plaster Mixture into Your Molds
When Plaster of Paris gets dry easily, and thus, you need to pour them into the mold quickly using a disposable spoon. Clean the bowl and spoon soon after you are done with the process. Soon after 10 minutes, you will see the mixture getting hardened slightly. Also, ensure you wash your hands immediately after touching the chemicals.
The drying process of the Plaster of Paris may take around 20 to 30 minutes. Before removing them from the mold, at least leave a gap of half an hour. Finally, you will get the hard and cool plaster of Paris.
The best way to dispose of the leftover Plaster of Paris is by allowing them to dry in the mixing container. After getting dried, you can throw them away into the trash.
2. Making Plaster of Paris Using Flour
Take All-Purpose Flour & Water
First, mix the three cups of all-purpose flour with 2 cups of water. Now, use a spoon to stir the mix continuously. You can use a disposable container and spoon to carry out this process. The same procedure you will follow here is heating the water before adding it to the all-purpose flour.
Get A Thick White Paste
After adding hot water to the flour:
- Stir the mix continuously.
- Ensure that there are no lumps in the mixture.
- Continue adding the flour into the mixture until you notice a thickened mixture.
Soon after 10 minutes, you will notice the plaster mixture getting solid at room temperature. After you finish stirring the mixture, you can move to the next step of molding the mixture.
Pour The Plaster Mixture into The Molds
You can start doing it when you find the mixture is ready to pour into the molds. Wait at least 2 days for the mixture to get dried in the molds. Finally, you can remove the plaster from the molds once ready.
3. Making Plaster of Paris Using Glue
This is a simple procedure for which you need water and white glue. Firstly, you need to take a mixing bowl to add one part of water and two parts of white glue. This plaster recipe will work great if you add too much glue to the water. For instance, mix 240 ml of water with 470 ml of white school glue.
Again, use hot water to speed up the drying process or go with the normal water. Moreover, one needs to get a plaster mixture that is a medium thick and smooth paste. Stir the mixture continuously by adding small splashes of water. Within 15 minutes, you need to finish preparing the plaster mixture to avoid getting dried quickly.
Preparing plaster using wet glue may require some extra time to get drying. But you should still prepare the plaster mixture as soon as possible and pour them into the mold for drying. Allow the plaster mixture to dry thoroughly in the mold for 2 to 3 days. Never use any parts of the body as a mold, as getting out of the plaster from the body parts is difficult and dangerous.
The Bottom Line
To sum it up, this article provides the easiest methods to prepare Plaster of Paris at your home. Try doing the above methods by following safety measures carefully.
Also read: What Exactly is Masonry Restoration and How Exactly Does It Work?
