Nowadays, almost anythingconstruction or renovation of a house cannot be done without plastering the walls. The main task of this work is to level the surface of the walls and prepare them for further finishing. In addition, in our time, decorative plaster is increasingly used as a full-fledged wall covering, which has not only good performance characteristics, but also a beautiful appearance. That is why it will be useful for each of us to know what wall plastering is and how to do it correctly.
Using plaster, you can level the surface of walls and ceilings and eliminate minor defects.
Manufacturing of mortar for plaster
To perform plastering of walls, asAs a rule, cement-sand or lime-sand mortar is used. Preparation of cement-sand mixture requires the following materials: Portland cement grade M400, lime flour and quartz sand with very fine fractions. These components must be mixed in a ratio of 1:1:2 and filled with warm water. The required amount of water can be determined both by calculation and by trial mixing. This solution is used in performing such construction tasks as:
Proportions of plastering solutions.
- sealing of seams between panels and blocks in the staircase;
- covering internal slopes during the finish of plasterboard;
- rastov in the place of joints of panels on ceilings;
- application of a covering to the ground in case if too large sand was used in the preparation of the solution.
To prepare the lime-sand mixture,it is necessary to use such components as: ground quicklime, quartz sand with small fractions and lime flour. During the preparation of the mixture, the proportion of 1:2:1 should be observed. In this case, the amount of water should be 44-45% of the total volume of the dry mixture. That is, for 40 kg of dry mixture you will need about 18 liters of water. After mixing, the finished lime-sand plaster will need to be left for 30-35 minutes so that the lime slaking process can be completely completed. This solution is used for the following purposes:
- when performing a normal wet plaster;
- for grouting the surfaces of panels or blocks.
Return to Contents</a>
Materials and Tools
For the work you will need the following tools and materials:
Plastering building mixtures.
- sand;
- cement;
- water;
- perforator;
- roulette;
- metal grid;
- level;
- plumb bob;
- lighthouses;
- pencil;
- drill;
- a set of putty knives;
- capacity.
Return to Contents</a>
Preparatory work
Before we proceed directly tothe plastering process, the surface must be properly prepared. To do this, it must be cleaned of dirt and all old coatings, such as plaster, whitewash or paint. If this is not done, the new plaster will peel off very quickly. In addition, if the plaster is planned to be applied to a concrete surface, then small notches should be made on it beforehand. This will help the material to adhere better and make the coating stronger. In addition, all dust will need to be removed from the wall surface and it will need to be primed well.
Plaster mesh is used not only forgiving a smooth and aesthetically beautiful appearance, but also to strengthen and protect surfaces. There are several ways to prevent plaster from cracking. The best way to do this is to cover the wall surface with a reinforcing mesh. This method of strengthening the plaster layer will be especially relevant if there are any cracks or joints from various building materials in the wall. In addition, the use of a mesh will help improve the quality of work if the plaster is applied to the wall in a fairly thick layer. If a fiberglass mesh is used, it will need to be literally drowned in the solution. But a metal mesh will need to be attached to the wall surface using dowels. In addition, before applying the solution, it is very important to check for possible vertical deviations. This can be done using a rule with a level or a plumb line. It is important to note that applying plaster to the wall surface will be much easier if you use special guide beacons placed on the same plane at a distance of approximately 1-2 m from each other. In addition, before plastering the walls with your own hands, it is necessary to wet the surface with clean water. This is of great importance, since if you leave the walls dry, they will absorb all the water from the solution, which is why over time the plaster will lose its strength and begin to crumble. Return to contents</a>
Basic stages of plastering
Scheme of preparing a wall for plastering.Proper plastering of walls with your own hands includes three stages: splash, primer and cover. They can be applied in two different ways, namely: by winding or throwing the solution. Winding is a simpler technique, but it is used only for primer mixtures and a cover layer. As for splash, it is always thrown and here you need to have some experience. If you plan to plaster a brick or concrete wall that has a smooth surface, then in this case you should start by applying a very thin layer of the mixture, which must be rubbed as hard as possible into various roughnesses. Splash is the first layer of plaster, which should cover the entire surface of the wall being treated. When doing this type of plastering yourself, you must ensure that the solution completely fills all the irregularities and cracks in the surface. To spray, you need to prepare a solution that has the consistency of thick sour cream, and then use a spatula or trowel to throw it onto the wall, moving from the bottom up. This layer of plaster does not need to be leveled, since this way the solution will adhere more firmly to the wall surface. You should not make an excessively thick layer of the mixture, its optimal thickness should be about 5 mm. If the spray is done on a wooden wall, then the thickness of this plaster layer should be 1 cm.
Application of single-layer plaster and schemeinstallation of a frame with a grid. The primer is the second layer of plaster, the main purpose of which is to level the wall surface. Before starting this type of work, be sure to check how well the first layer of plaster, that is, the spatter, has hardened. To achieve a perfectly flat wall surface, it is often necessary to apply not one such layer, but two or more. Each layer of primer must be leveled most carefully, especially the last layer. The mixture is applied to the wall surface by spreading from the bottom up. During the work, you need to use a large float, which is best suited for applying the primer. The solution should be thicker than for the spatter and have a doughy consistency. Upon completion of this work, you should get a fairly smooth and even surface. Now, while the primer has not yet hardened, you need to make small notches no more than 2 mm deep over the entire surface of the wall. This will allow the final cover layer to adhere well to the surface. Cover - This is the finishing layer of plaster, which should have a creamy consistency. The thickness of this layer of mortar should be 2-4 mm. The mixture for the cover should be prepared according to approximately the same rules as for the primer. However, in this case, only very clean quartz sand should be used, carefully sifted through a fine sieve. The cover should be applied only to a perfectly smooth primer layer without any defects. If the primer layer has completely dried before the final plastering, then it must be thoroughly moistened with clean water. However, it is best to start this work before the primer has hardened, when it has already set, but has not yet had time to dry. This will ensure the best adhesion to the surface and obtain a more durable plaster coating. The thickness of the cover directly depends on how smooth and even the surface is under the primer. When the final layer of plaster has dried a little, you can begin to rub the surface. This procedure must be performed with a special wooden float covered with felt upholstery. Rubbing should begin from the top of the wall, gradually moving downwards. If any depressions are found on the wall surface during this work, they must be immediately eliminated by adding a little solution. Plastering walls is a rather complex job that requires certain knowledge, skills and considerable experience. Therefore, before you start applying a layer of plaster to an entire wall, you should practice a little on smaller objects.</ ul>
