Any work begins with preparation, be it pouring a foundation, wallpapering walls or plastering. The final result depends on this important stage. That's why you need quality training walls under decorative plaster. Step-by-step instruction will help you cope with this task.
Preparing the necessary tools
Even a novice builder can complete the preparatory stage. The process itself is at least responsible, but not complicated. Here's what you'll need in terms of tools:
- set of spatulas – narrow, medium, wide;
- a plumb line and level to control the evenness of the surface or a laser level;
- piece sandpaper, grinder with cutting and polishing wheel;
- wide brush for applying primer;
- hammer drill;
- polyethylene film, tape (preferably masking tape);
- screwdriver;
- hammer;
- mixer attachment for drill;
- plastic bucket for kneading;
- rags and sponge.
You need a few materials, these are:
- primer to improve adhesion;
- putty for leveling the surface;
- solvent to remove old paint.
If the walls that need to be prepared have wallpaper, you will need a sprayer. With its help, wallpaper is torn off by soaking it. When everything is prepared, you can start working.
Stages of work
A clear understanding of further actions will help simplify the task. This is not a set of actions, but an ordered one step by step process. Preparing walls for decorative plaster includes the following steps:
- Surface cleaning.
- Surface priming.
- Putty work.
The technology implies the correct and precise implementation of these stages. To do this, it is important to consider each of them in detail.
Surface cleaning
It doesn’t matter whether the surface is being prepared in a new building, or whether it is living room, in which it is done redecorating. The primary task is to ensure high-quality adhesion to the surface. To do this, it is cleared of all unnecessary things. Step-by-step instruction:
The walls have been cleared, but that's not all. Further work depends on the circumstances. If the walls are smooth and plastered, then you can start priming. If it's naked and uneven walls, then leveling plaster is needed.
Alignment of walls
For a new building, there is no need to remove the old coating, since it simply does not exist yet. However, the walls are also cleaned of dust and dirt. All that remains is to apply the base and finishing layer plaster. After all, any wall, concrete, wood, or brick, has flaws. Plaster will help get rid of them.
If the plumb line and level show that the deviations are small, then a leveling layer of plaster is sufficient. Mixtures are not suitable for decorative work, as they are calculated for a layer of no more than 1.5 mm. And from a financial point of view it is not profitable. Therefore, plaster is an ideal option. You can see how to apply the leveling mixture yourself here:
There is another option called dry. To do this you will need to sheathe the surface plasterboard sheets. You just need to determine which method to use:
Padding
The surface needs to be treated with primer before applying any material. The mixture improves adhesion between materials and reduces cladding consumption. Therefore, the operational layer of decorative plaster will be increased significantly.
You can find a large number of different primer compositions in the store. They have their own purpose and scope of use. For example, if the room is quite damp, then there is a risk of mold and mildew. Therefore, it is better to choose a primer containing antiseptic substances. You can also find compositions for decorative plaster on sale. Usually implied Venetian plaster. Once the composition has been purchased, you can begin to work.
Advice! How much primer will be needed? The mixture is applied to the surface of the walls without gaps. It is recommended to apply two layers. First, find out the area of the walls. For example, two walls have a length of 3 m and a height of 2.2 m, and the other two have a length of 4 m and a height of 2.2 m. The total area of the walls is: (3 × 2.2) × 2 + (4 × 2.2) ×2= 30.8 m2. If the primer consumption is 200 ml per 1 m2, then for application in 2 layers you need: (30.8 × 200) × 2 = 12320 ml of composition.
There are three ways to apply the primer:
- roller;
- brush;
- spray gun.
The fastest way to work is with a spray gun. But the equipment is expensive, so not everyone can afford it. Middle method for simplicity and speed - using a roller. On flat surfaces it does an excellent job. And here hard to reach places better processing paint brush. The primer layer should be uniform. The entire surface of the wall is processed without exception. When the first layer is applied, you need to wait for it to dry. The packaging indicates how long it will take. And only then the second layer is applied. At this point, the preparation of the walls is almost complete. All that's left is the basic putty.
putty
- Using a wide spatula, apply a layer of putty to the wall.
- After drying, the wall is sanded with sandpaper, or excess and sagging putty is “trimmed” with a spatula.
- The finishing layer of putty is applied.
- The wall is being sanded.
Attention! To ensure that the wall does not crack, it is recommended to cover the surface with fiberglass before filling.
You need to understand that puttying is necessary if thin-layer decorative plaster like Venetian plaster is subsequently applied to the wall. The surface must be perfectly flat, without cracks, crevices or other defects.
When using textured compounds, puttying is not performed. Why is that? A texture mixture such as fur coat, rain or Leonardo should be applied in a thick layer. After application, the surface is further processed using a shaped roller or rubber stamp. They betray the desired structure on a surface. This means that this decorative layer is from 3 to 5 mm. In addition to the decorative part, the layer can hide all the minor imperfections of the wall.
There are some tips and nuances that are important to consider when preparing walls:
- Each layer of putty must dry thoroughly before it can be worked on further.
- To prevent cracks from occurring during operation, serpyanka mesh is used when filling drywall seams.
- Before applying the decorative layer, the surface must be treated with primer.
- Masking tape and polyethylene film needed to protect untreated areas. For example, it covers windows, doors, pipes so as not to cover them during work. You can also lay the film on the floor. This will make it easier to remove the old cladding that has been removed.
Here's what you need to do before preparing the walls for decorative plaster.
Conclusion
Having been patient, having prepared the right tool and materials for work, you can easily cope with the task. Step-by-step instructions will help you correctly complete each of the preparation stages.
To obtain original surfaces, it is not at all necessary to purchase expensive decorative plaster. It can be made from simple gypsum putty or plaster used to level the walls. This article will talk about techniques for obtaining decorative textures and their most interesting types. 
What kind of putty can I use?
To create decorative surfaces, all types of gypsum putty are used. Perfect option– finishing type Knauf Uniflot, Knauf Rotband, Ceresit ST127 or their analogues.
- A high-strength composition similar to adhesive, called Knauf Uniflot, is intended only for interior works. It has a low degree of shrinkage and is practically not susceptible to cracking.
- Knauf Rotband plaster is used for plastering concrete walls and ceilings - its adhesion (stickability) is excellent. The surface is very even and smooth. The mixture has reduced consumption and is used even in rooms with high humidity.
- White polymer putty Ceresit ST127 is suitable only for interior work. It can be applied to many types of bases, including concrete, cement-sand and gypsum.
The price for regular putty is:
finishing putty
Acrylic, silicone and other types of polymer putties are well suited for creating decorative surfaces. Fillers (sand, flock, stone chips, etc.) introduced into them are distributed evenly. Cheaper cement-based plaster is used for finishing facades.
Preparing the walls
It is advisable to apply decorative plaster to leveled walls. This could be rough plastering over beacons or the use of drywall. If textured plaster is planned, then minor defects walls are not critical.
After leveling the wallprime.It is better to use a primer deep penetration– it ensures uniform application of the subsequent layer. Drying time differs depending on the brand - for compositions Knauf, Starateli, Optimist, Ceresit it is 2-3 hours.
A smooth base for finishing (gypsum board sheets, OSB, etc.) is treated with an adhesive primer with quartz sand of the “Betonokontakt” type.
Mixing putty
Polymer compositions are sold ready for use, but are slightly more expensive. If a dry mixture is used for work, then it is diluted with water according to the recipe specified by the manufacturer. It should not spread, but also not be too thick.
You can mix the solution either manually or using a mixer or drill with an attachment. When adding color, you need to remember the proportions of the materials in order to subsequently prepare putty of the same shade. Otherwise, the color will be uneven, and color joints will form on the surface. When making structural plaster with filler (sand, stone chips, flock, etc.), no more than 10-15% of them are added. Otherwise, the adhesion of the solution will decrease and it will not hold firmly.
Applying the base layer
Learn to work with decorative surfaces It’s better with the simplest patterns. Let's describe the application process textured plaster step by step:
- If when creating decorative panels and covering only part of the wall is involved, it is marked and glued required areas masking paper tape.
- At the beginning ready mixture Apply with a trowel or spatula and spread evenly over the surface. The layer thickness for this type of plastering is up to 10 mm.
- After the solution has set slightly, begin decorating section by section from top to bottom.
Creating a decorative surface
Using a roller
Roller, “bark” texture
An original decor can be achieved using a special embossed roller or a regular one with long pile. Range decorative tools with a patterned surface are very large, and they are inexpensive. But even with an ordinary foam roller with large pores you can get original grainy textures. If you wish, you can use it sharp knife cut out your own patterns.
Do it yourself decorative roller You can by wrapping a tight cord or clothesline around the instrument. When imprinted, it forms an unusual pattern on the wall. You can attach to a roller, for example, a crumpled plastic bag. Any textures can be combined by changing tools.
Using a Notched Spatula and Trowel
You can use a spatula with U-shaped or V-shaped teeth. Depending on the size of the stroke and its direction (with a spatula you can make straight, wave- or arc-shaped or chaotic movements), unique patterns are obtained on the walls. Rubber ones are available for sale curly spatulas with teeth that allow you to imitate the texture of wood.
Figured rubber spatula"wood texture"
But even with a standard trowel you can create decorative patterns. For example, by pressing and moving the trowel away from the wall, they create a “fur coat” type texture on the putty. Then, if part of the relief is smoothed out, you get stone-like plaster.
Available means
The most unusual means are often used as a tool for drawing at home: a crumpled sheet of paper or film, combs, pieces of foam rubber, etc. For example, using crumpled film, you can achieve the effect of silk. If you “comb” the wet surface with a comb, you will get original weaving. The blotting movements of the foam sponge create a grainy texture.
The result obtained also depends on the grouting method - the movement of the hand can be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal, circular or spiral.
Putty with filler
Sand can be added as a filler to create the texture of the plaster (several fractions of sand grains of different sizes are added to one solution), stone chips, flocks (chips), synthetic fibers, foam balls, sawdust, etc.
Such mixtures of simple putty should be spread evenly over the wall. If desired, the design can be complicated by using a notched trowel or a roller with a pattern.
Stencils and stamps
There are many stamps (silicone molds) on sale for creating embossed decorative plaster. They are quite simple to work with. The putty is slightly moistened with water. The stamp (seal) is pressed against the wall and an impression is left on it. This is how various patterns and textures are obtained: stone, wood, brickwork, leather, leaves, etc. As a rule, the stamps are made in such a way that the subsequent pattern can be matched with the previous one.
Working with stencils is a little more difficult. The drawings are applied as a second layer onto already dried plaster (and sometimes already painted). The stencil sheet is pressed against the wall, and putty is placed in its slots, which is smoothed with a small spatula.
After the mixture begins to set, the stencil is removed. If you need to cover the entire wall decorative ornaments, then the sheet is transferred to the next section and everything is repeated. You can also create individual drawings that complement the finish.
Painting, varnishing
Colored plaster can be used to create stylish interiors premises and façade finishing. Before painting, the surface is coated with a primer and left until completely dry.
The putty can be painted in one tone or several. The following method will help you highlight the texture well:
- First, the wall is evenly painted in a single color using a brush or long-haired roller.
- After the paint has dried, the second shade is applied with a short-haired roller, painting only the protruding parts of the relief.
- The painted wall is coated with acrylic varnish to fix the dye and add gloss. You can add glitter (sparkles) to it.
Photos of created textures
Using the techniques described above, you can create many textured surfaces from the simplest to the most complex. Interesting examples can be seen in the photo below.
Creation beautiful interior in the house requires certain preparations. For everyone finishing material The wall surface must be prepared in a special way. In this article we will look at how walls are prepared for decorative plaster, because this type of finish is the most popular.
Why prepare the wall
Decorative plaster gives the room an unusual and very aesthetic appearance. In order for the walls to shine and the coating itself to be durable, the surface must be prepared before starting work. Otherwise, the finishing layer will not adhere firmly and will soon require additional repair and restoration work, which will not be cheap. Therefore, before applying the final layer, the walls must be properly treated.
Video “How to prepare the base for decorative elements with your own hands”
In this video, the expert will show you how to prepare the foundation for decorative painting on one's own.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of this finish include:
- durability, strength and practicality;
- resistance to various types of mechanical stress;
- masking irregularities and cracks;
- the material can be applied to any surface: concrete, wood, brick, metal, etc.;
- can be used for external or internal work;
- moisture resistance, frost resistance and sound insulation;
- Only natural ingredients are used for production.
Among the disadvantages of this finish, it is worth noting the following points:
- high price;
- difficulty of dismantling. Removing such a coating will require a lot of effort and time;
- Before installation, the surface must be properly treated.
Despite the disadvantages, this finish is becoming more and more popular every year.
Step-by-step instruction
Before applying decorative plaster, certain steps must be performed. Let's look at each stage of preparation in more detail.
Preparation for plastering
The work itself is not difficult. At this stage you should do the following:
- The surface must be cleaned of old coating: paint, wallpaper, etc. Do not leave areas that have begun to peel off or become loose.
- Next, remove all protruding elements (for example, screws).
- The walls are well washed from dust and any kind of dirt. Oily stains cleaned with soapy water.
- Mold must be removed. Next, the area affected by the fungus must be covered with antifungal compounds.
After this treatment, the area should dry well.
After the preparation has been completed, you can proceed to the next stage - applying leveling plaster.
Leveling plaster
Before applying decorative plaster, a leveling layer must be applied to the prepared surface. For these purposes, a regular gypsum putty. It is enough to cover the wall with one leveling layer of starting material.
If you plan to use Venetian decorative plaster, then you should apply 2 layers and finishing putty. The result should be a perfectly flat surface.
It is worth noting that plasterboard walls It also needs to be treated with putty to avoid the appearance of stripes and joints of the material. There is no need to level with putty just wooden surface. It can simply be treated with a special primer designed for woodworking.
Stripping the wall
After the leveling putty has been completed, the surface is cleaned. The fact is that without proper experience it is very difficult to apply such a layer perfectly to avoid the appearance of unevenness. Therefore, after the putty has completely dried, you should go over its surface with sandpaper (one). You can also use a sander.
This cleaning will remove all significant irregularities that could negatively affect the final finish. In this case, minor irregularities will be hidden by the decorative plaster itself without any negative consequences.
Primer
After finishing putty dried (at least 24 hours must pass), the walls must be primed. To complete this stage efficiently, you should stock up on quality tools. To work, you will need a spatula with raised edges. It does not leave streaks or stains behind.
A primer must be carried out, since decorative plaster will be applied in the form of a solution that contains water. Applying a primer to the walls will avoid uneven distribution solution on the working surface.
After application, the primer should dry on its own. For better adhesion, this solution should be applied in two layers. Each layer should dry for about 12 hours.
putty
This step is skipped if a textured composition (for example, Leonardo) will be coated. In other cases, a thin layer of putty is applied, which after priming should lie perfectly, smoothing out any existing unevenness. After completing this stage and completely drying, you need to sand it again a little.
As you can see, preparing walls for applying decorative plaster to them is a simple process. However, for the entire finishing to be successful, all stages should be performed consistently and efficiently, allowing each layer to dry thoroughly.
You can do the steps before applying decorative plaster yourself. It is important to remove large defects, clean old paint, remnants of wallpaper, and whitewash. The article describes the work plan and the secrets of preparing various surfaces.
How to do it yourself, secrets of preparing different surfaces for plaster
Even high-quality finishing material will crumble if you lay it on unprepared walls.
The steps 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 remnants of wallpaper, whitewash. The plaster itself will correctly and accurately hide minor irregularities on the surface being treated.
Is wall preparation necessary?
Preparation is necessary if this is not the first renovation, that is, there is already old wallpaper, paint, and whitewash on the walls. You will also need to remove defects if the walls, even if the room is being put into operation for the first time, have unevenness.
Decorative plaster is applied both indoors and outdoors. Also on sale are different kinds: textured, structural, Venetian, latex and others.
Since plaster is intended for various conditions use, and also gives a different effect, its composition changes. Consequently, the preparation of concrete, plasterboard, brick, wooden walls will be different.
Features of the work
There is no need to be overzealous 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 to remove all cracks, debris, and serious convex or concave areas at the initial stage.
If you leave noticeable defects, they will appear through the decor. In this case, you will need to apply a larger layer of decorative plaster, which is significantly more expensive than it would cost to initially level the walls.
How to properly prepare an old uneven wall
Finishing with decorative plaster is the final chord of the renovation. Work is carried out after installing plumbing, doors, and removing construction waste. Installation is carried out in clean and tidy conditions; construction debris and dust that may appear during unfinished repairs will settle on the decor and ruin it appearance.
Work on preparing the walls begins a month before applying decorative plaster. The walls must stand for at least 4 weeks to ensure the quality of the work performed. Plan for preparing an old uneven wall:
- removing layers of putty, paint and wallpaper (you can manually or use a construction fan);
- removing oil stains (they are removed with a soap solution or solvent);
- work with cracks (expansion grinding machine, filling with building composition);
- primer treatment (if the walls are normal, then you can use a regular one, if you are prone to cracks, it will have a restorative effect);
- treatment with an antifungal compound (if the walls are outdoors, that is, exposed to climatic conditions, indoors with high humidity).
The operating principle and sequence of actions depend on the type of surface.
Preparation for decorative plaster of various surfaces
Different surfaces require use different instruments. So, for processing:
- For cinder blocks, chisels and brushes with steel bristles are suitable;
- concrete is used sandblasting or the same as for cinder blocks;
- wooden shingles with a strip width of up to 30 mm and a thickness of up to 5 mm are suitable;
- brick ones first use the technology of creating beads on the seams, and then scraping with a brush with steel bristles.
Leveling the surface occurs quickly as the material sets. In this case, the surface must be wetted.
When can you plaster?
Most craftsmen 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 examine defects if they appear.
But, in fact, if the worker is confident in the quality of the completed task, the plaster can be used immediately. You need to wait until the humidity is optimal - walls that are damp from work tend to crumble.
The application technology is no different from a plasterboard surface. Venetian is applied in several layers, and it is important to wait for each layer 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 the load also needs to be taken into account.
Recommendations will allow you to get an ideal and long-term result. Adviсe:
- if drywall is used, it must be moisture resistant;
- the surface, if there is a risk of liquid ingress, is treated with a moisture-resistant primer;
- During repairs, cleanliness and temperature regime, otherwise the appearance will deteriorate.
You can prepare walls for decorative plaster with your own hands. It does not take a lot of time. If you approach the issue responsibly, the decor on plasterboard or a putty wall will retain its appearance for decades.
Useful video
Interesting effects in the interior created with plaster are considered very attractive by many. The desire to decorate your home in this way is stopped only by ignorance of how walls are prepared for decorative plaster and whether this preparation actually needs to be carried out. This seems to be an extremely complex and time consuming process.
Work begins with leveling the wall. Before this, it is recommended to remove dust and treat it with a primer.
Decorative plaster
First of all, it’s worth understanding what decorative plaster is.
This is a coating of several layers that form a certain decorative texture.
What texture you get depends on the type (size and shape) of the filler in the material, the method of applying the plaster to the surface and the tools that were used.
The use of decorative plaster is allowed both indoors and outdoors. Thanks to it, unique coatings of any color, relief or texture are obtained. Decorative plaster can be divided into several types:
Wall straightening diagram. If you plan to make a leveling layer of plaster more than 4 cm, then perform preliminary reinforcement of the wall.
- Textured - a mixture based on synthetic binding materials, May be various colors. Contains various fillers, for example, flax or cotton fibers, crumbs natural stones. After drying, it takes on the texture characteristic of the filler.
- Structural - granular heterogeneous mass with the addition of some granules, for example, pieces of quartz or mica, wood fiber. Can be manufactured on mineral based or based on synthetic latexes.
- Stone, consists of crumbs natural stone and binding materials. After drying it forms interesting fine-grained coatings.
- Based on artificial latexes. It is very durable and is not afraid of mechanical damage. For example, silicate does not swell and gets dirty a little. Apply exclusively to surfaces containing quartz.
- Venetian is a transparent material based on marble flour, which, after application, creates the effect of a marble wall.
Since these materials create different effects and have different compositions, the preparation of the wall surface before applying them varies. This especially applies to Venetian coating.
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How to prepare walls before applying structural plaster
Professional designers and builders prefer structural plaster over others. The fact is that such plaster can be applied to any surface, from concrete and brick to wood and metal, it is resistant to mechanical damage and is waterproof, but at the same time allows the surfaces to “breathe” and has a long service life.
Once the cracks have been repaired and the wall surface has been primed, begin applying a base layer of putty.
Processing walls for decorative plaster of this type is mandatory, but it does not include leveling them to perfect condition. The fact is that structural plaster well masks minor defects, for example, microcracks or swelling.
The application of decorative plaster is preceded by cleaning the surface of old coating, such as wallpaper, paint and peeling plaster. There should be no oil stains on the walls; if any are found, they are removed with a solvent and then washed with a weak soap solution.
If there is high humidity in the room where you will apply decorative plaster, then the walls must be treated with an antifungal compound. If there are cracks, they need to be opened and sealed well, perhaps in several steps if the cracks are very deep. After the solution has dried, it’s time to prime the walls well.
After the primer has dried, a base coat of putty is applied to the walls. This is necessary in order to smooth and level the wall, and the putty is also the basis for decorative plaster. If you apply the mixture in a thick relief layer, then it is not necessary to putty the surface. If decorative coating will be applied in a thin, smooth layer, then it is necessary to putty, and quite diligently, because under thin layer decorative plaster, all irregularities will be visible.
The base layer of putty must dry for at least 24 hours, after which the walls are covered acrylic primer, which improves the adhesion of layers. When it dries, you can sand the walls using fine-grain sandpaper. If, when making repairs, you carried out serious work on leveling the wall with ordinary plaster, then at least 4 weeks should pass before decorative finishing.
