Since ancient times, stucco has been used in interiors on wallsis the most popular decorative element. If earlier volumetric figures on the walls were made of soft stone, now more and more preference is given to cheap materials - gypsum and polyurethane. Modern volumetric elements are made in factories. However, stucco molding on the wall with your own hands will be a very original and exclusive design solution.
DIY stucco on the wall— is a very original and exclusive design solution in the interior. A huge selection of stucco figures and ornaments on the construction market will satisfy anyone's taste. Here are figures of various artistic trends: classical, baroque and modern. Stucco can be made with your own hands. This will give the interior uniqueness. Making stucco figures yourself can be an exciting activity where you can show your imagination and ingenuity. The result will be an element of decor that is unlike any other. Exclusive stucco in the interior, made with your own hands, can be in the form of columns, ledges, decorative vases and ornaments, various reliefs, as well as entire paintings. Gypsum stucco elements are very popular for decorating walls. Gypsum has high strength characteristics, high resistance to mechanical stress. It is a natural and environmentally friendly material. Stucco elements made of gypsum are resistant to fungus and mold. However, this material has a drawback — its weight, which creates some inconvenience when installing the decor on the wall.
Selecting the appearance of the element and creating a sketch
Sketch of stucco work on two walls.Before you start working, you should carefully consider the shape, size and style of the future stucco figure. After that, you need to draw a sketch. It is important to remember that the selected decorative element should fit harmoniously into the interior. If you have artistic abilities, you can draw a sketch of the stucco molding, but if you do not have such talents, you can print it from your computer. The drawing should correspond to the size of the decorative element. After choosing a sketch, you need to create a plasticine model. Its dimensions should be slightly larger than the real decorative element. To make stucco molding and a mold for it, you will need the following materials and tools:
- plasticine;
- gypsum;
- scapula;
- brush;
- furniture varnish;
- Building glue;
- sandpaper;
- primer.
The next step will be to make a moldfilling with gypsum mortar. To do this, an initial layer of gypsum diluted to the required consistency is applied to the plasticine model with a brush. The layers following the initial layer are usually applied with a spatula. The resulting form is left to dry for an hour, after which it is removed from the plasticine model. If the decorative element for the wall is of significant size, after applying the first layer of gypsum to the model, reinforcement made of copper mesh is installed. The last step in creating the form will be to cover it from the inside with furniture varnish without color. This is simply necessary, as it prevents the gypsum from sticking during molding casting. Return to contents</a>
Making of stucco: recommendations
After the mold for making the productis ready, you can start casting it. The plaster should be diluted to the consistency of sour cream. First, a small amount of material is poured into the mold and distributed with a brush, filling small cracks. It is important not to allow air bubbles to form in the solution. To prevent this from happening, the mold with the filled gypsum mixture must be shaken periodically during the manufacturing process. Then the mold is filled to the very end, leaving no empty space. The resulting surface is leveled with a spatula. It is very important that the back wall of the molding is even, because this determines how the product will be attached to the wall. The hardening time of the plaster is 24 hours.
Tools for creating a molded figure.After the plaster has completely hardened, the finished product can be removed from the mold. If there are minor flaws in the molding, they can be removed with sandpaper. Ready-made molds for making molded plaster figures can also be purchased. They can be metal or silicone. Metal molds will last a very long time. The resulting products do not need to be adjusted. Latex-based molds are a cheaper option. However, the finished products are unfinished and need to be refined. If you have no experience in making plaster figures, it is better to practice on smaller products first, and then start creating large-scale decorative ornaments and paintings. Return to contents</a>
Mounting of the stucco mold on the wall
Before installing the plaster element, the wall,selected for decoration must be prepared. It must be cleaned of wallpaper, whitewash and other dirt. The next step is to mark the location of the decorative element on the wall. After marking the location, it is necessary to make notches on the stucco and on the prepared section of the wall. This can be done using a tool such as a chisel. Notches are needed to improve the adhesion of the adhesive mixture to the product and the wall surface. To attach the stucco to the wall, use a gypsum solution with the addition of wood glue. The percentage of glue in the gypsum solution should be 3%. The surface of the wall and the product must be moistened with water, after which the gypsum solution must be applied. The stucco is installed in place. Excess solution must be removed with a spatula. Particularly large decorative elements are attached to the wall using self-tapping screws. The joints of the composite products are coated with a gypsum composition. Return to the table of contents</a>
Finishing of the stucco element
Gypsum moldings are pure whitesurface, which does not always fit into the interior. Most often, the decorative element needs to be painted. This can be done with the same paints that were used for the walls. They can be acrylic or water-based. Before applying paint, the surface of the stucco figure must be primed. The paint must be applied with a long-bristled brush. This will not leave unpainted areas. If required by the chosen design solution, the stucco on the wall can be decorated. It can be artificially aged, covered with gilding, create scuffs or other effects. You can also create an imitation of various textures, for example, marble or other natural stone. Stucco figures and ornaments created with your own hands will be a unique and original element of decor. With the help of plaster, you can create entire pictures on the wall. Here you can show your imagination and create an exclusive stucco figure or picture. Stucco in the interior of the room will give it a finished and beautiful look. Stucco elements can be created with your own hands. This will require some time and minor material costs. But the result will exceed all expectations. In addition, stucco molding created according to your own sketch will be an exclusive decorative element that no one else has.
