Preparing walls for plaster is an intermediate procedure between leveling the walls and applying a decorative layer. This stage is considered one of the most important, since the future appearance of the surfaces, their service life, as well as the strength and resistance to moisture, temperature changes, and so on, depend on the quality of the work. Most decorative plasters do not require perfectly smooth walls, but their surface must be clean.
It should be noted right away that preparing walls for decorative plaster is practically no different from preparing for painting or wallpapering. With the clarification that such a plastic material as decorative plaster can smooth out some irregularities and close cracks or small potholes. Before you start preparing the surface for plastering, you need to stock up on the necessary tools and materials.
Preparing walls for decorative plaster requires the following tools and supplies:
Tools needed to prepare walls for decorative plaster - spatulas;
- building level and plumb;
- sandpaper, grinder with polishing and cutting wheels;
- paint brush;
- drill with impact function (hammer drill is too heavy and powerful for these jobs);
- plastic wrap, masking tape or adhesive tape;
- sponges and rags;
- screwdrivers;
- mixer nozzle;
- container for mixing;
- putty;
- solvent;
- primer.
A sprayer may also be required. If the walls were previously covered with wallpaper, then they may have to be soaked with this product.
How are the preparations carried out?
It should be said right away that these works should be carried out among the last. That is, in the apartment at the time they begin, double-glazed windows and door frames should be installed, the flooring should be laid and ready for use. In general, all works that can be directly or indirectly displayed on wall surfaces have been completed.
The room must be completely ready for decorative finishing. Preparation of walls for decorative plaster includes the following steps:
- The first step is to remove the remnants of the old coating, such as wallpaper, paint or putty. The wallpaper is removed with a spatula after pre-soaking, the paint is washed off with a solvent, and the putty is beaten off with an impact drill. Then you should remove all fasteners from the wall. Self-tapping screws and dowels are removed with a screwdriver, nails - with a nail puller. Also, after removing the old coating, reinforcement elements may appear, they must be cut off with a grinder.
Removing old wall covering - After that, you should tap the wall with a hammer to identify weak points. If potholes and cracks appear, then they are sealed with putty. If they are deep and wide, then their termination is carried out in several stages.
- The next step is to apply a primer with strengthening properties, after which you need to wait about 4 hours for it to dry. If we are talking about bathrooms, kitchens or other areas with high humidity, you need to treat them with a special antifungal agent and wait again for about 4 hours.
Applying a primer to the wall with a roller - After the primer dries, they begin to putty the surface. This procedure is carried out using wide and narrow spatulas. After applying the putty, it is necessary to check the evenness of the surface with a building level and a plumb line. The putty layer is the basis for decorative plaster, so it should be carefully leveled. At the end, it is necessary to grind the surface with sandpaper or a grinder, while its surface should also be fine-grained.
Putty layer - the basis for applying decorative plaster - Next, you need to apply a layer of deep penetrating primer. For this, a paint brush is used. Most decorative plasters do not have a high level of adhesion, so over time the material may simply fall off. To ensure tight contact, a primer is needed. It is required to apply 2 layers with an interval of 3-4 hours to allow them to dry.
This completes the preparation of the surface for plastering, you can start decorating the walls.
On a note! If it is planned to apply a thick layer of textured or textured plaster, then surface finishing with putty is optional. But for thin layers of the above types of finishing materials or for the "Venetian", puttying is carried out without fail. The fact is that a small layer will not be able to fill cracks and potholes, which, after the decorative material has dried, will appear, which will affect the appearance of the walls and their service life.
Some types of decorative plaster require obligatory wall puttying.
Preparation of walls for plastering should be carried out taking into account the following nuances.
Before starting work, it is recommended to cover the floor surface, windows and furniture with plastic wrap. The ceiling area near the wall and skirting boards must be sealed with masking tape. For each layer of putty, at least 48 hours must be allowed for complete drying, while it is forbidden to use heaters or hair dryers to speed up the process. Otherwise, the surface may crack.
If we are talking about work on the facade or basement, then it is necessary to first strengthen the wall with a reinforcing mesh, inside the room - with a sickle. Ideally, the primer layer must be reinforced with a special liquid impregnation. If it was decided to use this composition, care must be taken that the surface to be treated is able to absorb liquid. Therefore, do not use materials based on alabaster or glue.
The primer layer, which is applied to the walls under decorative plaster, must be at least two centimeters thick. Otherwise, you will have to apply a larger layer of decorative coating to achieve a smooth and uniform surface, which leads to additional expenses. After applying the primer, it is necessary to wait about 7 days, during which the layer is regularly moistened with water (for this purpose, an ordinary kitchen sponge is used).
Test application of plaster
Masters with many years of experience can skip this step, but inexperienced people are strongly advised to conduct a trial application. To do this, choose a small section of the wall closer to the corners or use a drywall sheet that has been pre-finished in the same way as the wall surface. After the test layer has dried, it is necessary to evaluate the quality of the resulting surface, its texture and color. If everything suits you, you can safely start plastering.
Test application of decorative plaster allows you to evaluate its texture and color Material preparation and consumption
The modern construction market offers customers ready-made mixtures in plastic containers and dry powdered substances that must be diluted with water. In the first case, it is enough to simply open the container and mix the composition with improvised means (a long screwdriver, a wooden plank, and so on). In the second, you must first study the instructions indicated by the manufacturer, and then prepare the solution in the required proportions. To do this, you will need a mixing container and an electric drill with a mixer attachment.
Preparation of a solution of decorative plaster with a mixer
Consumption of the main types of decorative plaster:
- Structural compositions - approximately 3 kg of material per square meter of surface.
- - an average of 1.5 kg per square meter.
- Venetian plaster - about 150 g per sq. meter for one layer, the total consumption must be calculated based on the number of layers.
The data above is approximate. The actual consumption depends on the method of application and the desired result.
Preparatory work is both a simple and critical part of the finish. In order for the stage of surface preparation for plastering to be successful, and the coating to last for many years, it is necessary to follow the above instructions and recommendations from manufacturers.
Finishing plaster is started at the end of all construction work; when choosing compositions for these purposes, preference is given to decorative grades containing marble chips, colored or textured fillers. Almost all modern ready-made mixtures have high adhesion, stability and have a long service life, their only drawback is the price. Important nuances of the plastering technology with decorative marks include the need for preliminary surface preparation, the degree of its complexity depends on the material of the walls or ceilings and the type of future finish. This process takes a lot of time, in order to save money, it is recommended to do it yourself.
The main stages of preparation
There is no universal instruction, the nature and sequence of actions depends on the base material. At the initial stage:
- For prefabricated smooth concrete slabs, surface preparation consists of notching or sandblasting to improve adhesion to the finish.
- Brick walls and masonry from blocks are cleaned of excess mortar in the seams, if necessary, notches are also made on them.
- Wooden planes are upholstered with shingles - narrow strips with a thickness of 2 to 5 mm. For fastening, ordinary nails are used, directed towards the floor at an angle of 35-40 °. The material is nailed with an overlap, subsequently this mesh holds the leveling layer of the mortar.
The plaster is applied to even, dried and clean surfaces. Ideal smoothness is necessary in exceptional cases (when working with thin-layer grades), when using composite (bark beetle and its analogues), acrylic or silicone compounds, a level deviation of 5-10 mm per 1 m of length is allowed, the exact value is usually indicated by the manufacturer. But there should be no obvious chips, defects and cracks. Almost all types of decorative plasters are not suitable for installation over oil paints, the same applies to walls with grease or oil stains. The obvious requirement is the stability of the base - regardless of the brand, finishing compounds are used on planes cleaned of old building materials and any peeling particles.
1. Cleaning surfaces from dust, dirt, waste layers of old building materials, removal of large debris. Dedusting and, if necessary, degreasing.
2. Assessment of the condition, checking the horizontality and verticality of the walls, the curvature of the corners. When working with smooth brick or concrete - a notch with a grinder. Particular attention is paid to cracks, if they exist, clearing to a non-crumbling state and filling with special fillers is required.
3. Alignment is the main stage of preparation. For its successful implementation, marking is carried out - installing beacons or pulling the threads along the level with nails starting from the upper corner in increments of 30-50 cm. Exactly the same marks are placed from below, a cord is pulled between them. The resulting space under the thread shows the minimum thickness of the leveling layer. With significant differences (over 40-50 mm), to fix the solution, you will need an armature mesh - wire or fiberglass.
4. Ground treatment - when working with leveling compounds and decorative plasters with low permeability, preference is given to antiseptics with deep penetration, when finishing smooth factory slabs - Betonkontakt and its analogues, which increase roughness.
5. Wetting the surface with water using a construction vacuum cleaner, broom or brush. It is carried out in case of a large gap between the preliminary stage and the plaster itself.
6. Mixing and applying the leveling solution. When doing the work with your own hands and lack of experience, it is easier to close small portions, but in general this stage requires a fast pace, especially when using gypsum-based mixtures. Plastering directly includes three steps: preliminary spraying of a more liquid composition with a trowel or plastic scoop and spreading it evenly on the walls, applying 1-2 layers with a pasty consistency and finishing with a solution resembling sour cream. Between these steps, a gap is expected, sufficient for setting, but not allowing complete drying.
7. Leveling and grouting: with a wide spatula immediately after application, with a wet sponge after 1-2 hours and with a wooden float after complete drying. Grinding with fine-grained sandpaper is required only when working with Venetian decorative plasters, in all other cases the surface remains rough.
8. Removal of debris and dust, preferably with construction vacuum cleaners.
9. Treatment with a primer to improve the quality of adhesion.
The main questions arise when choosing leveling compounds. At the stage of surface preparation, both DSP and gypsum are used. Significant defects and gaps are filled with ordinary mortar (cement and sand in a ratio of 1: 3), it is also used with a large level difference. But with small deviations, it is more convenient to work with gypsum mixtures, they are elastic, dry faster and rub off without problems.
Plastering Tips
The above scheme of actions is relevant when the wall difference is within 5 cm. If it is necessary to apply 2 or more thick leveling layers, a reinforcement mesh is required. Before throwing the next layer, the previous one should set well (in the case of cement compositions, this period is measured in weeks). With a large thickness, not only the base is primed, but also each leveling layer.
Decorative finishing is started no earlier than 2 days after applying the finishing putty. In the preparation process, all the manufacturer's recommendations are taken into account: installation and drying conditions, thickness of the applied at a time and the maximum allowable layer, mixing proportions, pot life, they are always indicated in the instructions. The latter indicator is extremely important when doing work on your own: you can use the finished solution only within the specified time frame.
To simplify the preparation process when doing it yourself, it is recommended:
- Use beacons at the leveling stage (they must be taken out).
- Place a thin interior mesh under the layer of finishing putty.
- When working with crumbled or old surfaces, harden with deep penetration compounds.
- Increase the adhesion of each applied layer with primers.
- Remove construction debris and dust with a vacuum cleaner.
The thickness of the applied layer depends on the size of the filler grains: from 0.5 mm for Venetian, to 3.5 mm for Bark beetle and other structural-composite species. Thin-layer marks can be translucent; when using white or light gray leveling compounds, there are no problems; in other cases, the walls are covered with primer paint. At the same time, their compatibility with the finishing material is monitored: the use of oil or alabaster varieties is attributed to violations and technology errors. The more expensive the plaster, the higher the requirements for the soil. To eliminate errors, the bark beetle or other species is first applied to a small, well-lit area, after which it is easier to choose the thickness of the layer, spatula and the direction of the patterns.
Preparation of walls for decorative plaster is required. Plaster is durable only if it is properly prepared for the plastering process.
There are different types of plaster, and each of them requires its own preparation. Therefore, first you need to choose what you will apply to the walls. Here it is necessary to take into account not only the expected result, but also possible costs - there are both budget options for decorative plasters and more expensive ones.
For example, mineral coating is the cheapest material, because it is based on cement. It is diluted with water using a mixer. But, firstly, the base must also be mineral (stone, brick, plaster, concrete, etc. walls), and secondly, in order to make an interior masterpiece out of this simple coating, you need to be a real artist.
A completely different matter is acrylic plaster. This is the optimal choice. It is based on acrylic resin. Such a coating is more expensive, because. it is sold ready-made and does not need to be diluted, and it is also easy to apply and easily form a structure. But it will be necessary to prepare the base and primer very well, which, of course, will increase costs.
The most expensive, but also durable and versatile - silicone plaster. It is sold ready-made, and you can choose any color. It is easy to work with even a non-specialist. But keep in mind that the primer for it must also be silicone, and this is an expensive product.
Plaster can be given a variety of textures. It can resemble any surface. This effect, in particular, is helped by the type of filler of the selected decorative coating.
So, textured plaster may include very small stones, wood fibers, etc. materials, making the surface look three-dimensional. Structural also contains various inclusions, but even smaller ones - the size of a grain, which makes the surface more uniform.
One of the most popular is Venetian plaster. It is based on marble chips, so small that the wall after plastering looks smooth and shiny, resembling marble.
Wall preparation
For decorative plaster, the preparation of walls is the main condition for quality. The process is similar to the preliminary work with the walls before painting or wallpapering them. Moreover, for some types of decorative plaster it is not necessary to achieve absolute smoothness. Possible flaws will hide a layer of material.
The most capricious from this point of view Venetian plaster. It is applied in a fairly thin layer, so it needs a perfectly flat surface. That is, the preparation of walls for Venetian plaster requires the highest quality pre-treatment. Otherwise, even very small defects will be noticeable.
To achieve this, you need to apply not only a primer to the wall, but also putty. And not just one layer. But, for example, when applying textured plaster, you can do without putty at all, applying the composition directly to the primer. A thick layer of such a coating will easily hide small wall irregularities.
Consider how to prepare the walls for Venetian plaster. This is the ideal option for the highest quality pre-treatment. It provides for a thorough primer and putty of the base. Knowing this, you can prepare the walls for other types of decorative plaster, excluding, for example, their putty.
First step
Preparing walls for decorative plaster involves removing old wallpaper or paint. After that, the surface must be thoroughly washed with detergents, and then allowed to dry well. Repair cracks in the wall (usually a repair compound is used for this purpose).
If the wall could not be completely cleaned of old wallpaper and paint, experts advise first applying a special strengthening impregnation that fixes the base. A primer must be applied over the cleaned wall (or strengthening impregnation). The primer will provide adhesion and prevent absorption, which will prevent the next layer - putty - from peeling off.
But it's important to get it right. If the walls are, for example, made of concrete, brick or wood, i.e. have a porous surface, a deep penetration primer should be used. It will provide a strong adhesion of the plaster to the base (wall). In addition, it contains components that prevent the formation of fungi or mold in case of high humidity in the room.
Priming technology
For a primer for decorative plaster, it is important to remember one rule: there must be at least two layers. Each layer must be at least 10 mm thick. This is necessary because plaster is a rather heavy material. Such a two-layer base will allow it to be held.
Use for priming you need a wide paint brush or roller. It is not recommended to use spray guns, because. this will degrade the quality of the coating. After a two-layer primer, wipe the surface. This will make the layer more dense, which will increase its adhesion to the putty (or plaster, if it goes directly on top of the primer).
Putty technology
It is important to choose the right putty materials. They should not be based on oil-glue, alabaster, etc., which block absorption. Also, you can not start puttying until the primer dries out. On average, this may take from 3 to 6 hours.
You need to apply at least two layers of putty. If the wall has significant irregularities, then you will have to putty in 3 layers. Moreover, before applying the next one, each layer must be allowed to dry for 6 to 10 hours, having previously been primed (a universal primer is used for this).
Do not force dry the surface. Drying should take place at room temperature. Then it is important to carefully sand all surfaces with fine-grained sandpaper. And finally, apply decorative plaster.
Actions before applying decorative plaster can be done by hand. It is important to remove large defects, clean old paint, wallpaper residues, whitewash. The article describes the work plan, the secrets of preparing various surfaces.
How to do it yourself, the secrets of preparing different surfaces for plaster
Even high-quality finishing material will crumble if laid on unprepared walls.
Actions before applying plaster are not supernatural, they can be done with your own hands.
It is important to remove large defects, clean old paint and wallpaper residues, whitewash. The plaster itself will correctly and accurately hide the small irregularities that exist on the surface to be treated.
Do you need wall preparation?
Preparation is necessary if this is not the first repair, that is, there are already old wallpapers, paint, whitewash on the walls. You will also need to remove defects if the walls, even if the room is put into operation for the first time, have irregularities.
Decorative plaster is applied both inside and outside the premises. Also on sale are various types: textured, structural, Venetian, latex and others.
Since the plaster is designed for different conditions of use, and also gives a different effect, its composition changes. Therefore, the preparation of concrete, plasterboard, brick, wooden walls will be different.
Features of the work
You should not be zealous in preparation, because decorative plaster is applied in a thick layer and hides minor defects. A perfectly flat surface is not needed, it is important at the initial stage to remove all cracks, debris, severe convex or concave areas.
If you leave noticeable defects, they will show through the decor. In this case, it will be necessary to apply a larger layer of decorative plaster, which is significantly more expensive than it would be to initially level the walls.
How to properly prepare an old uneven wall
Finishing with decorative plaster is the final chord of the repair. Work is carried out after the installation of plumbing, doors, removal of construction debris. Laying is carried out in clean and tidy conditions, construction debris and dust that may appear during unfinished repairs will settle on the decor and spoil its appearance.
Work on the preparation of the walls begins a month before applying decorative plaster. The walls must stand for at least 4 weeks, so that it is possible to verify the quality of the work carried out. Plan for preparing an old uneven wall:
- removal of layers of putty, paint and wallpaper (you can do it manually or use a construction fan);
- removal of oil stains (they are removed with a soapy solution or solvent);
- work with cracks (expansion with a grinding machine, filling with a building compound);
- primer treatment (if the walls are normal, then you can take the usual one, if they are prone to cracking - with a restoring effect);
- treatment with an antifungal compound (if the walls are outdoors, that is, exposed to climatic conditions, indoors with high humidity).
The principle of operation and the sequence of actions depend on the type of surface.
Preparation for decorative plaster of different surfaces
Different surfaces require the use of different tools. So, for processing:
- cinder block chisels and brushes with steel bristles are suitable;
- concrete use sandblasting or the same as for cinder block;
- wooden shingles with a tape width of up to 30 mm and a thickness of up to 5 mm are suitable;
- bricks use first the technology of creating sagging at the seams, and then scraping with a brush with steel bristles.
Surface leveling is fast as the material sets. In this case, the surface must be moistened.
When to plaster
Most masters advise applying decorative plaster no earlier than a month after leveling. This is due to the fact that during this period it will be possible to consider defects, if any.
But, in fact, if the worker is confident in the quality of the completed task, the plaster can be used immediately. It is necessary to wait until the humidity is optimal - the walls that have become damp from work lead to crumbling.
The application technology does not differ from the plasterboard surface. Venetian is applied in several layers, while it is important to wait for each to dry. Textured is heavier, so when applied to drywall, consider whether the surface can withstand it. Structural and mineral are not so demanding on the surface, but you also need to take into account the load.
Recommendations will allow you to get an ideal and long-term result. Adviсe:
- if drywall is used, then it must be moisture resistant;
- the surface, if there is a risk of liquid ingress, is treated with a moisture-resistant primer;
- during the repair, cleanliness and temperature conditions must be observed, otherwise the appearance will deteriorate.
You can prepare the walls for decorative plaster with your own hands. It does not take much time. If you take a responsible approach to the issue, then the decor on drywall or a puttied wall will retain its appearance for decades.
Useful video
Decorative plaster is one of the easiest finishing materials to apply to walls. Although the advantages of this material are many. For example, high strength characteristics, the ability to withstand high humidity and temperature changes, dust does not settle on it, dirt does not linger, and the color of the plaster does not fade over time. Moreover, on the surface of the wall you can create a truly real masterpiece with your own hands. Let's add one more positive characteristic - decorative plaster is applied in a small layer, which can hide small defects and flaws on the base surface of the wall.
But whatever you say, it is necessary to treat the preparation of the wall surface in the same way as in the case of its finishing with wallpaper or paint. Although it is not necessary to bring the surface to maximum evenness. Therefore, let's look at how the walls are prepared for decorative plaster.
Wall preparation steps
Let's talk about the walls to be repaired. But at the very beginning, we note that the application of decorative plaster is a finishing, finishing process, therefore it is recommended to start it only after all work on the repair of the ceiling and floor has been completed, the garbage has been taken out and pieces of furniture and the floor itself have been covered with foil.
So, what will need to be done to prepare the walls?
Now you need to pay attention to what is the difference in the plane of the wall. To determine it, you can use different methods, but the most effective and simplest is to install a long rule with a level bubble on the wall and draw it along the plane. The deviation of the bubble indicates that there is a drop. And the further the bubble deviates in the flask, the greater the difference. You need to get rid of him. With the help of decorative plaster, the difference can also be removed, but if it is not more than three millimeters. In other cases, you will have to putty and level the plane.
Attention! If the difference is large enough, then it is recommended that the leveling be carried out in several layers, and each layer must be primed after drying.
Plasterboard wall preparation
Plasterboard partitions, various niches and cabinets made of this material are not uncommon in modern interior design. Yes, and the walls are often leveled today, especially when there is a question of insulation. Is it possible to apply decorative plaster on drywall? No problem. And how, in this regard, is the preparation of walls for decorative plaster being decided, meaning drywall walls? Everything is the same as with conventional structures.
True, it should be noted that drywall sheets are themselves a leveling material, so preparation is reduced with them. And yet, what needs to be done?
- Treat the joints of drywall sheets with a primer.
- Fill joints with putty.
- Lay the fastening tape along the joints.
- Apply another layer of putty.
- Coat the places where the self-tapping screws are installed.
- Dry it all and prime the sheet itself.
- After that, a complete alignment of the plane of the drywall construction is carried out. By the way, different putties are used to fill the joints and level the plane. In the first case, it is recommended to use the Fugenfüller brand, in the second Uniflot, all materials from the Knauf company.
- The putty layer is dried and a primer is applied.
Everything, the plasterboard wall is ready for applying decorative plaster.
Wood wall preparation
Probably, the question of whether it is worth covering wooden walls with decorative plaster sounds somehow strange. But different situations happen in life, so it is worth considering the option of preparing wooden walls for this finish. What needs to be done first? As always, determine the degree of defects.
If there are more defects than the plaster can cover with itself, then the wooden wall will have to be faced with either drywall, or plywood, or chipboard, or OSB. If there are not very many defects, then you need to cover the plane in three layers with a primer liquid. In addition, each layer must first be dried. On this preparation can be considered completed.
Brick wall preparation
Finishing work in a brick house that has just been rebuilt is much more difficult than if the house were concrete. The thing is that the brickwork must be plastered. Not the easiest process, but without it, applying decorative plaster, and other finishing materials, will simply be impossible.
How is the preparatory stage carried out in this case?
- A plaster mesh is installed on the brickwork, it can be metal, it can be plastic or fiberglass. Fastening is carried out with self-tapping screws with a wide cap or with a wide washer.
- Putty mortar is being prepared. This is a dry mix based on gypsum or cement. It is simply diluted in a certain ratio with water. In this case, it is necessary to pour the mixture into water and stir with a construction mixer, and not vice versa.
- Putty solution is applied. If necessary, the application is carried out in several layers, it all depends on the difference in the plane of the brick wall.
- After drying, the plane is primed.
- You can apply decorative plaster.
This is how different walls are prepared for decorative plaster.