Plaster Of Paris (POP) - What You Should Know, My Experience & Personal Research

I first heard of plaster of paris (POP) while I was still relatively young, and it was only referenced in the context of medicine. I can still clearly recall that day. I had just returned from school in primary school and was playing football with some neighborhood kids when one of our neighbors broke his hand during the game, requiring an urgent trip to the nearest hospital for emergency care. He came back with a large, whitish object on his hand that was very large. I asked my mother what it was, and she told me it was called POP.

The second time I heard the word "POP" was in a high school chemistry lesson. Our chemistry teacher was talking about the chemistry of calcium on this particular day when she casually stated that hydrated calcium sulfate, also known as Plaster of Paris (POP), is used in bone rehabilitation.

Recently, the phrases reappeared in relation to building construction. I had the good fortune to see plaster of Paris being used to create ceilings for one of my uncles' homes as it was being constructed. Plaster of Paris is currently preferred over the more common asbestos for building ceilings, which is obviously the current fashion. They believe change is a constant in life.
When asked to evaluate the work, the POP worker calculated the entire amount of materials that would be needed in addition to their skill. They claim that it is usual to charge around 10,000 naira that's around 60 STEEM (current price of STEEM) per square meter for ceiling work.

The POP worker came over with some items, one of the items is Cement plaster which happens to be the main material. The cement plaster is similar to the normal cement used in building concretes and walls, but it is white rather than the typical ashy hue of the normal cement. The cement plaster comes in 50 kg bags, same like normal cement. The POP worker claimed that 50 kg of cement plaster cost around 8,000 naira that's around 49 STEEM (current price of STEEM).

_{The Plaster Cement, The Fillas (Fiber) and other materials}

Fiber, popularly called fillas by the POP expertise, was also among the materia, this material is another important material as it works together with the cement plaster and act as support more like a steel or iron in a concrete. This fillas is used in creating the POP cast, there's always a suggested quantity of fillas (in kg) for high-quality products for each bag of cement plaster.

The POP man set to work, the first thing he did was making the casts of the ceiling using a casting board with the proper size was the first step. A lubricant was applied to the board before it was set up on a high stand. Then, a measured quantity of cement plaster was combined with a defined quantity of water to create a fine paste. A layer of paste was carefully applied to the lubricated board, and then a certain amount of fillas were evenly distributed on it before more paste was added to cover the fillas. The fillas, as I mentioned earlier, operated like the iron or steel in a concrete, so if you've ever witnessed where a concrete slab or beam was being cast, you'll understand what I'm saying.

_{The Casting Process}

The cast was then taken off the board and let to dry for a few minutes. The lubricant made it quite simple to separate the cast from the board. The same process was carried out until all of the casts needed for the ceiling were finished. The casts were then gradually begun to be hung to the ceiling in accordance.

_{A dried-up casting that is prepared to be hung}

A temporary standing podium has to be built in order to make it simpler to reach the ceiling in order to hang the cast across it. The castings were hung one by one in accordance with the pre-decided design for the ceiling after medium-sized tornado nails were placed throughout the ceiling level surrounding the apartment's walls. Using binding wire, the casts were hung one after the other, and a thick cement plaster paste was used to cover the spaces in between each cast. As this was the first time I had ever seen such an interior design masterpiece, it was, overall, an educational experience for me.

_{Putting The Casts Up In The Preferred Layout}

The POP's usefulness extends beyond its usage in ceiling construction in a single structure. TV stands, office and book shelves, and other decorative artworks all make use of it.

Like always, whenever I learn something new or read something interesting, I conduct my own extensive research on Plaster of Paris (POP). Below are some of the intriguing findings I discovered:

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Overview Of Plaster Of Paris (POS)

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POP is a term used to describe calcium sulfate hemihydrates that are produced chemically when gypsum is heated. It is a white powder that, when combined with water, creates gypsum crystals that harden into a mass.
Research indicates that it was used in the construction of buildings in the early days of Paris. This is because of the frequent fire incidents; because the buildings were made of wood, the king ordered that they be plastered over to stop the spread of fire. Because of this, there was extensive gypsum production going on all over Paris, thus, the name Plaster of Paris came through.

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What Is Plaster of Paris Used For?

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It is useful and applicable in a wide range of fields. I'll discuss a handful of them below, ranging from construction, interior design, and the arts to medicine and dentistry

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• Building Construction

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Construction workers and architects utilize plaster of paris as a building material; as I've mentioned, it's used to create ceilings; it can be cast into any design or shape; and it can also be used to create office or book shelves. Additionally, it provides a smooth surface and helps to prevent fires.

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• Medicine

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In medical facilities like hospitals, it is frequently applied to broken cases. It is used in orthopedics to encase broken bones in casts. This promotes the bone's ability to recover by providing support and rigidity.

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• Prevent Fire

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Since it is fire-resistant, plaster of paris is utilized in construction, fireproofing materials, and fire prevention systems.

In the event of a fire, the plaster coating releases water vapour, preventing the spread of the flames. This was a common practice in Paris to stop the spread of raging fire.

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• Teeth Casts/Moulds

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Plaster of Paris is used by medical centers and dentists to create casts or moulds of the teeth. It is utilized to create replicas of tissues and teeth, and they are frequently employed for temporary purposes. Additionally, it serve as wax which is utilized to create fake teeth.

In addition to the points listed above, Plaster of Paris is also used by mortuaries and a number of funeral homes to mend the damaged tissues, fill in wounds, and reattach the cut-off sections of deceased bodies.

You should be aware that Plaster of Paris has a drawback in that it is not environmentally friendly, meaning that it takes a long time to decompose, which is bad for the environment.

_{The written article was solely based on my personal experience and proper research; the sources for the data and information are correctly credited below.}

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Reference Source

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_{https://www.britannica.com/technology/plaster-of-paris}

_{https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_hydroxide}