It's best to wait until the plaster is completely dry before painting it. The plaster needs around four to six weeks to dry once applied. Wetness can seep into new plaster because it is porous. In most cases, paint will peel if applied to damp plaster.
Unless special measures are taken to maintain cement plasterwork at a temperature of at least 4.4 degrees Celsius during application and for 48 hours after that, plaster should only be put when the outside temperature is at least 4.4 degrees Celsius or higher.
Finish plaster shouldn't be mixed too thickly, because otherwise it will be difficult to maintain flat and you'll have a sore arm from spreading it. It has to be thin enough to form peaks and be the consistency of thick yoghurt. It will spread more easily, producing a thin, even layer of no more than 2 millimetres thick.
The first layer is the rendering coat. "floating coat" describes the second coat. The setting coat, or the finishing coat, is the third and final coat.