Modern stucco is made of Portland cement, sand, and water. As a building material, stucco is a durable, attractive, and weather-resistant wall covering. It serves as both an interior and exterior finish applied in two or three layers directly over wood framing, metal framing, metal buildings and solid masonry surfaces.
Exterior Insulation Finishing System, or EIFS, is a synthetic version of "stucco" that includes foam plastic insulation and thin synthetic coatings. EIFS can be used on a wide range of buildings, including homes, apartments, condominiums, high-rise buildings, offices, malls, shopping centers, hotels, motels, clinics, government buildings, and so on. It can also be used to create facades and for decorative purposes.
In the building trade, plaster is a mixture of lime or gypsum with sand and water. When it hardens, it turns into a smooth solid. It is most often used to cover walls and ceilings to give that classic look. Plaster may also be used to create complex detailing for use in room interiors.