Using Plaster.....

[Xabia Jim]

Spanish builders use plaster during construction for all types tasks. It comes in two versions, Yeso rapido and Yeso controllado. (Quick set and slow set)

It is not for exterior use but if covered with cement, it's fine outside. (I believe it to be powdered gypsum or "plaster of paris") I think it is a good option to cover an interior oven with stucco since it's cheap, easy to use and also has insulating characterists.

When I was covering my oven, a builder told me to use yeso as opposed to cement because cement cracks with heat but yeso tightens up and gets harder with the heat. On my recent firebrick hearth, the old timer at the brickyard told me to use yeso, some sand and a little cement. I tried this mixture and we'll see how it holds up.

Quick set is used extensively for holding temporary forms, bars, fixtures, etc. until the final cement is used around it. Once the final structure is in place, the plaster is knocked out and the form removed.

Just another building material option to consider.