Plastering sand is plastering sand, not concrete sand
Why — act while you have leverage
This is one of the commonest substitutions on an Indian site, and it is nearly invisible. Concrete-grade M-sand used for plaster gives a rough, weak, crack-prone finish that everybody blames on the mason.
What to look at
- The delivery note naming plastering sand, not just "sand"
- Separate stacks for concrete sand and plaster sand on site
- A test against IS 1542 where a supplier claims one sand does both
Documents to ask for
- Delivery note naming the sand as plastering sand
How to check it yourself
Plaster sand has its own standard — IS 1542 — and its grading is FINER than IS 383 Zone II. So concrete-grade M-sand does not automatically qualify for plastering just because it passed for concrete; it has to be tested against IS 1542 separately. P-sand is the trade name for sand graded for plaster. Ask which sand is going on the wall and get it in writing on the delivery note.
Where this comes from: IS 1542:1992 — Sand for plaster; IS 383:2016 for the concrete grading it is often confused with (indian standard or building code)
More plastering checks
- Photograph before this is covered
- Plaster thickness and mix as specified, on a wetted surface
- Plaster cured before any finish goes on it