In the plastering industry, the word “efflorescence” refers to the crystalline deposit, usually white, that may develop on the surface of portland cement plaster walls. Efflorescence is the end result of water dissolving the salts that are naturally present within cement-based products. This salt solution migrates to the finished surface and a salt deposit remains after the water evaporates. Efflorescence often occurs during periods of wet, cold weather and can occur on the surface of any cement-based product such as masonry, concrete, brick, and stucco. Typically, efflorescence occurs shortly after the completion of the building project, but this is not a definite rule as efflorescence can occur and reoccur at anytime as long as the conditions for its cause are not eliminated or reduced from the wall.