Consider what you want the plaster and/or textured coating to do. If a wall or ceiling is basically in good condition, but has a few holes or hairline cracks, there are many different wall fillers that you can use to make the surface smooth for decorating.
Where an area of plaster is seriously damaged or has come away from the wall ('blown'), you can use a 'repair' plaster (a DIY plaster undercoat) once all the old loose plaster has been removed. This has a good enough finish for papering or tiling, but if you want to paint it, apply a DIY plaster finish (also known as plaster skim) first.
DIY plasters are ideal for repairing the damage to walls created by holes made for electric wiring and plumbing waste pipes.
If you have rough or uneven walls, and using a wall filler will not be good enough, the whole wall can be given a coat of DIY plaster finish (it can be applied up to 3mm or 1/8in thick). Alternatively, you could apply a textured coating, with or without a patterned finish.
A new masonry wall can either be covered with plasterboard (often the best choice for a DIYer) or can be plastered using DIY plaster undercoat followed by DIY plaster finish. Only when you have had success with the DIY products should you attempt to use the professional products, though the technique is basically the same.
Any wall can be covered with textured coating to provide a patterned decorative finish. It has the advantage that it covers up damaged and unsightly walls, but can equally well be used on a wall in good condition if you want the decorative effect. Textured coatings are available in smooth, fine-textured and coarse-textured finishes.
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