Putty is one of the most affordable and quick ways, allowing you to prepare the surface of the walls for wallpaper. With the help of putty, you can perfectly level a wall with potholes, cracks and other defects, so many people want to know how to properly putty walls under wallpaper in order to achieve maximum effect. Glue wallpaper on smooth walls much easier than on curves - the glue is absorbed evenly and the risk of wrinkling of the canvas is reduced. In addition, the putty eliminates minor irregularities that will be clearly visible under the wallpaper, especially when sunlight. In order to renovation work were carried out quickly and efficiently, it is necessary to observe certain important rules, including when choosing material for puttying.
To putty the walls before wallpapering, you will need the following set of tools:
- Drill with mixer attachment. The putty mixture is most often sold in dry form, and to bring it to the required consistency it must be diluted with water. The mixture can be ideally mixed to a homogeneous mass without lumps only with the help of such an attachment. If you don’t have a mixer, you can purchase ready-made putty, which does not require pre-mixing.
- Spatulas of different sizes. For corners and other hard-to-reach areas, use a small spatula, and for the rest of the surface, use a tool 40-50 cm wide.
- Brushes and foam rollers. These devices allow you to perform high-quality priming of walls. It is not recommended to skip this step, since a thin layer of primer ensures good adhesion between the wall and the wallpaper.
- Rule. This tool is necessary when working with uneven walls
- when the putty is applied in a thick layer and the likelihood of uneven distribution of the material over the entire surface increases. Sandpaper.
Used to eliminate transitions between layers, small bumps and depressions. Fine-grained paper and a manual sanding machine are best suited for these purposes, which makes the sanding process easier.
VIDEO:
Selection of material for putty work It depends on the quality of wallpapering general form
Most often, the following grades of materials are used for puttying surfaces under wallpaper:
For those who have decided to putty walls on their own for the first time, experts recommend using a ready-made water-polymer mixture, which is sold in plastic packaging, has an optimal consistency and is easy to apply.
Primer as an important stage of puttying
Primer is a special composition that forms a waterproof film, so the wallpaper adheres better to the surface.
The following types of primer solutions are distinguished:
- Acrylic. Suitable for any surfaces, including concrete, cement, wood, brick, plywood and plastered. The material does not have a specific odor, dries within 5 hours and is most often used for wallpapering.
- Alkyd. Used for finishing wooden walls V country houses. The drying time of this primer is no more than 15 hours.
- Glypthal. Designed for finishing wood and metal surfaces in rooms with low humidity levels, drying in about a day.
- Perchlorovinyl. Suitable for concrete, metal, brick and plaster walls, drying time at room temperature is 1 hour.
Preparing the surface for putty
To successfully refresh the interior, you need to clearly understand how to putty walls under wallpaper, otherwise all efforts will be reduced to zero.
Before you start puttingtying with your own hands, you need to thoroughly clean the walls of grease, paint, dust, falling layers of plaster and wallpaper residues. When removing paper wallpaper There are no difficulties; all you need to do is moisten them well. But situations often arise when removing old wallpaper becomes a real problem, this applies to glass wallpaper or canvases glued to drywall. If the material fits tightly to the wall and does not form voids or bubbles, you can putty on old wallpaper, but the layer should not exceed 1 mm, otherwise the hardened putty may peel off along with the wallpaper.
Important! If fungal damage and mold are found on the walls, it is necessary to treat the surface with an antiseptic solution. Sharp protrusions and bumps should be cut off with a metal spatula, and large depressions should be pre-plastered.
The final stage preparatory work is to apply one thin layer of primer, after which you need to wait for the solution to dry completely and begin puttying.
Starting putty
Even if at first glance the walls seem smooth and need only partial processing, at least two layers of putty should be applied. For plasterboard walls One layer will be enough, but first you should carefully seal the joints of the material.
Starting puttying is intended to eliminate significant differences in walls, hide grooves and holes, the layer thickness is in this case can reach 1.5 cm. For the initial finishing, a special putty is used, which is intended for filling joints, sealing breathing cracks and joints of floor slabs.
Used to eliminate transitions between layers, small bumps and depressions. Fine-grained paper and a manual sanding machine are best suited for these purposes, which makes the sanding process easier.
Advice! To perform the starting putty as efficiently as possible, experts recommend installing a special painting mesh on the wall and evenly distributing the mixture over it.
Each subsequent layer is applied after thoroughly drying and sanding the previous one. If there are no significant defects on the walls, the starting putty stage can be skipped.
Applying the finishing layer
If the wall is relatively flat, then one finishing layer will be enough; if the surface was previously plastered, then 2-3 layers of putty will have to be applied. The drying period for each layer can be up to 10-12 hours, after which the surface is sanded to eliminate sagging and other irregularities. The final layer before wallpapering must be applied with a wide spatula, from 30 cm, in a crosswise motion with an overlap on the already treated area. So that the layer has optimal thickness 2-3 mm, and the putty did not leave any bumps or uneven edges, the spatula must be held at an angle of 25-30 degrees to the wall, and all movements must have the same pressure. After each layer, it is necessary to check the surface for evenness using a rule and a flashlight, and eliminate any identified defects with the next layer.
Another way to treat corners is to apply a little more mixture to them, and after drying, remove the excess by sanding.
Afterwards, the wall dries for about a day until the material finally hardens, after which the entire surface must be treated with sandpaper or an abrasive plane.
Used to eliminate transitions between layers, small bumps and depressions. Fine-grained paper and a manual sanding machine are best suited for these purposes, which makes the sanding process easier.
It should be noted that finishing putty is advisable for leveling old walls with significant unevenness and cracks, as well as before applying single-color paint, which makes wall defects more noticeable. In new houses, as a rule, such a need does not arise, and minor unevenness is eliminated by re-plastering. Besides, modern wallpaper They are thick enough to independently hide existing imperfections and level the walls.
Repairs always require huge capital investments, even when we're talking about about the simplest cosmetic work, and if now you have to putty the walls, doing it yourself is much cheaper, so we’ll figure out all the pitfalls.
Applying putty to the wall - when will such work be needed?
Putty refers to both the surface leveling process itself and the material through which this is accomplished. It can be in powder or paste form. In the first case, it must be diluted to the desired consistency, in the second, it is immediately ready for application. Wall putty will help to perfectly level the surface being treated and eliminate all cracks, chips and other defects.. It is very easy to apply due to its plasticity and sands perfectly, so no problems will arise, even if you have gone too far with it somewhere, the excess layer will be removed easily and quickly. A good quality mixture is white in color; after it dries, the surface becomes even, smooth and quite durable.
Someone may say that there is no need to putty the walls before wallpapering, because they will still be covered, and it hardly makes a difference what color the wall was, and whether it had microcracks or not. This opinion is in most cases wrong, at least before gluing non-woven fabrics or the walls definitely need additional treatment with putty. Previously, this decorative material was made of paper, and the strips were glued mainly overlapping. Today this technology has changed, and modern views Wallpaper is glued end to end, so increased demands are placed on the quality of the surface. And there are often cases when it is generally impossible or extremely difficult to glue wallpaper onto unputtyed walls due to large differences in height or extensive defects.
Types of putty materials
The choice of material plays a huge role, since it determines how easy the process itself will be and the quality of the treated surface. There are three main ones: cement-based, gypsum and polymer. The former, due to their water resistance, can be used in rooms where there is often a humid microclimate. However, you should prepare for the fact that the solution will not be very elastic, after drying, shrinkage will appear, and possibly even microcracks will form. Gypsum putties, unlike those described above, are not prone to shrinkage and can be applied in a very thin layer of two millimeters. However, its use is strictly prohibited in rooms with unstable humidity and temperature conditions. The polymer mixture has the most high quality, but the same can be said about its cost.
In addition, putties can be dry or liquid. The advantages of the former include a fairly long shelf life, ease of transportation, it becomes possible to regulate the viscosity of the mixture, low price. The disadvantage is additional stage associated with the preparation of the working solution. It is also necessary to strictly follow the technology when mixing it. And the prepared mixture must be processed immediately, since it does not last long. Liquid putties are of very high quality; in addition, there is no need to spend time on preparation, and ready solution can be stored for quite a long time. But these characteristics are reflected in their cost.
Features of wall putty
The technique of applying putty to walls does not require any special skills or abilities, however, in order for the surface to be perfectly smooth, some nuances should be taken into account. So, for example, you should first eliminate large unevenness; for this it is more advisable to use a starting putty, which has a larger fraction. Then the solution can be applied in a fairly thick layer (up to 1 cm), and there is practically no chance of it spreading. Minor defects are eliminated with a finishing solution, which, accordingly, has a smaller grain size. At the same time, you should not hope that it is enough to treat the surface only once; usually, to achieve the desired result, two or even all three layers are applied.
And keep in mind that applying putty to the wall is a rather painstaking task that cannot be rushed. Despite the fact that this process is not overly complicated, you still need to prepare for long and rather dusty work. In addition, if you plan to glue wallpaper to the walls in the future, then there will be a minimum of difficulties, since the surface simply needs to be leveled. But there will be problems with painting more problems, because then a layer will simply be applied to the result of your work water-based paint, so the place should not only be level, but also perfectly smooth.
To level walls with very heterogeneous and large defects, stock up on two types of putty - starting and finishing.
Wall putty: do it yourself without a single mistake
Since we've talked about the features, it's time to get down to business. The detailed procedure for plastering walls is described below, so let’s try our hand.
How to putty walls with your own hands - step-by-step diagram
Step 1: Preparing the Tool
Pledge successful work– properly prepared workplace, so we collect all necessary tool. We will need two spatulas (narrow and wide), building code, a drill with a “mixer” attachment, a container in which you will mix the solution if we are talking about dry mixtures, as well as sanding meshes of different fractions. All instruments must be perfectly clean and dry.
Step 2: Surface Preparation
We carefully clean the walls from the previous coating; this requires special removers. Then we let the room dry for about a day and carry out a visual inspection; if there are remnants of wallpaper, paint or other finishing material somewhere, they are removed using construction knife or putty spatula. We check the relief of the wall, this is done very easily, you just need to apply the rule and shine a flashlight on the walls, then all the unevenness will be clearly visible. We immediately clean off the lumps, and outline the holes with a pencil.
When carrying out renovations in an apartment, a significant part finishing works, especially such as painting walls or gluing wallpaper requires careful preparation and leveling of the surface. For these purposes, wall puttying followed by sanding is usually used. However, when renovating their apartment, not all residents know how to apply putty to the wall in order to obtain a flat and smooth surface as a result.
The final result of wall leveling largely depends not so much on the quality putty composition, and mainly on how competently the work of applying it will be done.
Self-leveling walls
In this article the reader will be invited step-by-step instruction, which describes in detail how to properly apply putty to walls when making repairs in a house or apartment.
In addition, you can find answers to questions that often arise during repairs: what tools should be used, how many layers of putty should be applied, how long it takes to dry, etc.
Surface preparation
Before proceeding directly to puttying work, it is necessary to properly prepare the surface. The quality of the final result and the durability of the applied coating will largely depend on how competently this work is done.
For good adhesion or, in other words, strong adhesion of the putty to the base of the wall, its surface must be thoroughly cleaned of old coating, crumbling plaster, grease stains, rust, dirt and dust.
- or use a scraper to remove remnants of wallpaper, old paint, tiles, crumbling plaster. Surges cement mortar can be cut down using a hammer drill.
- Open long narrow cracks in the wall and clear them with a metal spatula to a width of 5 mm.
- Clean the entire surface to be treated from debris using a steel bristle brush, and then remove dust using a vacuum cleaner. To remove dust from crevices, the hose must be switched to the outlet of the vacuum cleaner.
- Moisten the cleaned wall with water and cover it with one layer of primer, the purpose of which must correspond to the material of the surface being treated.
Application of primer helps to reduce the porosity of the surface, which in turn reduces its water absorption, thereby ensuring lower consumption and more uniform polymerization.
Before use, the primer must be thoroughly stirred and, if necessary, diluted with water. It must be applied in one layer in one pass using a wide brush or paint roller.
Advice! For treating walls in poorly ventilated rooms with increased level humidity, it is recommended to use special primers that contain antiseptic and antifungal drugs.
Preparation of putty composition
Mixtures to perform minor repairs and puttying of small surfaces are sold ready-made, packaged in packaging of various sizes. However, for a full-scale renovation of an apartment, their use is not economically feasible, since the price of ready-made putty is much higher than the cost of a dry putty mixture, so it is wiser to make it yourself in the required quantities.
To properly prepare the putty solution, the following conditions must be met:
- The amount of working mixture must be prepared in such a way that it is consumed within 30 minutes.
- For preparation, it is convenient to use a plastic container of the required volume with a width-to-depth ratio of 3:1, for example a large household bowl or a wide paint bucket.
- The dry mixture must be mixed strictly in accordance with the instructions, being sure to gradually add the powder to the water, but not vice versa.
- When stirring with an electric mixer or a drill attachment, perform the work at low speeds of the tool to avoid the entry of air bubbles and, as a result, foaming of the mixture.
- Before using the solution, it must be allowed to stand for 5 minutes, after which you can begin to work.
Applying putty
Wall leveling is usually done in two stages. Before applying the finishing putty, a starting putty mixture is used, which has a coarser structure. With its help, large potholes and cracks are filled, and pronounced unevenness in the wall is eliminated.
After it has dried, a control check is made using a level and a rule or a long ruler. If you are satisfied with the result, go ahead starting mixture a layer of finishing putty is applied, which fills all unevenness and, after drying, forms flat surface suitable for grinding.
To perform puttying work, it is convenient to use two metal spatulas - one wide and one narrower. By scooping up the putty in small portions, you need to apply it to the wall, pressing the spatula at a certain angle to the surface. By adjusting the angle of inclination and the pressing force, you can evenly dose the amount of mixture and control the thickness of the applied layer.
- Place on a shallow tray that is comfortable to hold in your hand. a large number of ready solution.
- First of all, use a small spatula to fill all the cracks, crevices and cavities in the wall.
- For wide gaps and cracks, it is necessary to apply a reinforcing fiberglass painting mesh, and if it is not available, you can use ordinary gauze or a medical bandage. The wall around the gap needs to be lubricated with the solution, a strip of mesh should be placed on top, and after it sets, the area should be filled with putty using a wide spatula.
- After this, you can begin leveling the walls. It is necessary to apply the putty gradually, distributing it over the entire surface, step by step, treating the entire wall in small areas.
- You can control the result using a long ruler or a metal rule, as well as visually observing the glare of light and shadow on the wall. In sunlight, significant irregularities are clearly visible.
- Final grinding of the surface can be done only after the starting and finishing layers of putty have completely dried.
Advice! In case of insufficient sunlight You can visually monitor the quality of the work performed using electric lamps, directing the light parallel to the wall surface.
Conclusion
After reading this article, we can conclude that self-leveling of walls is quite within the capabilities of any home craftsman. However, it should be recalled once again that before applying putty to the walls. It is necessary to carefully prepare the surface ().
For more information, you can watch the video in this article or read similar articles on our website.
When carrying out repairs or construction work at their final stage it is necessary to putty the walls. Leveling the walls with putty is necessary if you want to get smooth and beautiful walls for painting or wallpapering. All work is carried out in several stages, each of which can be completed even by a beginner. Of course, without having practical experience When leveling walls with putty, you cannot do without flaws. But by adhering to the recommendations below, you can reduce errors to a minimum.
When planning to level the walls using putty, you should decide in advance on the type of putty. The choice of one or another putty is influenced by the type of materials for finishing, the original quality of the wall surface, as well as the intended purpose of the room. Based on these parameters, you should choose a putty.
Today on the market you can find many putties from various manufacturers. But all putties can be divided into ready-made and dry. The fundamental difference between them is the need to prepare dry putties on site. Otherwise they are similar. But it should be noted that ready-made putties are characterized by higher quality, since they are prepared strictly according to technology directly at the enterprises.
When choosing a putty, you need to pay attention Special attention her type. There is a starting (leveling), finishing and universal putty. Each of them is intended for a specific type of wall leveling work.
- So starting putties Correctly used to eliminate deep irregularities. This type of putty can be applied in a thick layer from 10 mm to 30 mm, without fear of cracking the surface.
- Unlike starting putties finishing are applied in a thin layer up to 10 mm and have a finer grain size.
- Universal putties They have the strength of starting putties, but at the same time they are fine-grained and can be used for finishing leveling.
Having decided on the type of putty, choose its type. It can be gypsum, polymer, cement or lime putty. Each of the listed putties is applied according to the final finish coat and intended purpose premises. Let's look at each of them in more detail:
- Gypsum putty. Can be used for any finishing Decoration Materials. Practically does not shrink. Can be applied in a layer of more than 2 mm. But the main drawback is the ban on use in rooms with high humidity and sudden temperature changes. Therefore it does not apply to external works and for decoration in the bathroom, toilet and kitchen.
- Polymer putty. Can be used for any finishing materials. Doesn't shrink. Can be applied in a thin layer. Does not depend on temperature changes. The disadvantages of these putties are very high price and a high risk of purchasing defective putty.
- Cement putty. These putties are suitable for any finishing materials. Most often, this type of putty is used for rooms with high humidity. Unfortunately, the main disadvantages are surface cracking, low elasticity, a long hardening period and high shrinkage. As a result, repeated puttying is required.
- Lime putty. These putties contain both sifted quicklime, as well as cement or various polymers, therefore they have all the advantages and disadvantages of cement putties. They are most often used for finishing facades and walls plastered with lime plaster. This type of putty is recommended for use when finishing with lime paints.
Important! Calcareous and cement putties The only ones that are suitable for painting with lime paint. This is due to the fact that they have an alkaline reaction and are able to ensure the “breathing” of the wall, especially if used for finishing aerated concrete vapor-permeable walls. Gypsum putties, on the other hand, have an acidic reaction and can be used for finishing concrete walls, drywall, etc.
It should be noted that when leveling walls with putty, the cost of all work largely depends on the volume of putty used and its price. To save on this item of the estimate, you need to carefully read the brand of putty you are purchasing and find out its consumption per 1 m2. Of course, you have to pay for quality, but if the budget is too small, then you will have to seek a compromise on the issue of price/quality.
Regarding the volume of putty consumed, on average, about 15 kg of putty is used for a wall with an area of 9 - 10 m2. The layer thickness ranges from 2 to 5 mm. At the same time, after the first layer has dried, additional puttying of individual areas may be required, which means another couple of kilograms of putty. Applying a second layer of putty for final leveling is especially important when preparing walls for painting.
Tools and additional materials
To complete all work on leveling walls with putty, you will need certain tools and additional materials. Everything you need can be easily purchased at any hardware store. From the tool you will need:
- spatula 15 - 20 cm;
- spatula 45 - 60 cm;
- corner spatula;
- rule;
- container for mixing putty;
- drill and mixer attachment;
- a special grater with a holder for sandpaper and the paper itself of fine and medium grain. You can also add petals here to protect against dust.
From additional materials You will need a primer and rollers to apply it. It will also not be superfluous polyethylene film on the floor to protect it from accidentally falling putty.
Work on leveling walls with putty begins with preparing the surface of the walls. There are no special secrets here. If you have to putty the brick walls of a newly built house, it is best to do this after plastering them. For concrete walls, plastering is not so important.
Cleaning walls from old coating
In a house where the walls had any finishing coating, you will have to remove it first. An example of the preparation of such walls can be following photos, demonstrating the cleaning of walls from old water-based emulsion and gypsum putty.
The process of cleaning the walls itself is quite simple. As in the case of removing old wallpaper, the surface of a water-based wall with old gypsum putty is moistened with a small amount of water and then scraped off using a spatula. But unlike removing wallpaper, it is best to wet a small area with water.
After a couple of minutes, as soon as the putty has absorbed water, it can be cleaned off.
In cases where the walls have been painted acrylic paint or alkyd paint, everything is somewhat more complicated. First, you will have to remove the paint itself using a special remover. Of course, this is not the most nice way cleaning, especially in enclosed spaces. Therefore, you can simply knock the paint off the wall with a hammer.
Having cleaned the wall, you can proceed to the second stage of preparation - covering it with a primer. This is a mandatory step and should not be neglected. Deep penetration primers will not only increase surface adhesion, but will also penetrate deep into the wall, filling cracks and partially repairing minor damage. The primer is quite easy to apply. First, it is poured into a special container, into which a brush or roller is dipped and then rolled out onto the wall. To increase the adhesion effect, the primer can be applied in two layers. After applying the primer, leave the walls to dry for 6 - 10 hours. After which you can begin leveling the walls with putty.
But first you need to learn a few simple recommendations that will allow you to putty the walls efficiently and without any problems.
- It is best to putty the walls in one step. This is dictated more by necessity than by any rules. The thing is that the putty dries quickly enough, and after 20 - 30 minutes it will no longer be possible to properly apply it to the wall. Therefore, you should make several small test batches to determine at what speed you are producing them.
- If you had to take a long break, then before proceeding with further puttying, you should generously moisten the edge of the putty and then continue puttingtying.
- If it is necessary to level the walls by applying several layers of putty, you can use universal or starting putty for the first layer. And already last layer apply finishing putty.
Leveling walls with putty yourself
Having prepared the walls, you can proceed directly to leveling the walls with putty. All work will take place according to a certain scheme. The algorithm of actions is as follows.
1. Before you start mixing the putty, you must check the evenness of the walls. To do this, take the rule and apply it to the wall under different angles. Vertically, horizontally and diagonally. By applying the rule in this way, you can notice all the unevenness of the wall. Where there is a gap between the rule and the wall, you will have to fill it with putty.
Important! After checking the walls for unevenness and noting these places for yourself, you need to consider the following. If most of the protrusions are located vertically, then the putty should be applied from bottom to top. And if horizontally, then from right to left or vice versa.
2. After checking the walls for unevenness, let's start mixing the putty. As already noted, the first two or three batches must be done as test batches, gradually increasing the amount of putty. For the convenience of collecting dry putty from a bag, you can use a special plaster ladle.
On average, for a more or less uniform production of the solution, a beginner will need 4 - 5 ladles of putty. The amount of water for one batch must be checked on the packaging. It may be different for different manufacturers.
Mix the solution using a drill and a mixer attachment. Bring the solution to the consistency of thick sour cream. So that the putty can be easily removed from the spatula and at the same time does not slip or flow off it itself. When mixing putty, it is necessary to achieve a uniform solution, without lumps. If there are any, we try to break them up and mix them.
3. Using a narrow spatula, apply putty to a wide one.. We try to evenly distribute the putty along the edge of the spatula. Then we apply the spatula to the wall at an angle of 50 - 60 degrees and stretch the putty over its surface. You can hold the spatula different ways. An example of how this can be done is shown in the photo.
The main thing is that the spatula is securely fixed in the hand, and when applying the putty, enough force is applied to spread the putty over the surface. We start putting putty from the corner of the room. To create smooth and neat slopes and corners we use a special corner spatula.
4. Having developed the first spatula, repeat the whole procedure with a set of putty and applying it to the wall. But we do this on a new section of the wall, next to the already applied layer of putty. At the same time, we partially step on it, as if continuing the previous layer. Keep in mind the unevenness of the wall and apply the putty accordingly.
5. Having processed a section of the wall about half a meter in area, take the rule and apply it at an angle to the wall. Then, with a little effort, we draw along it, removing excess putty.
6. We repeat the entire puttying algorithm until we have worked out the entire batch. Then we repeat it.
After the walls have been plastered, we leave them to dry for two days. After drying, it will be possible to more carefully evaluate all the shortcomings and flaws during the first puttying. We apply the rule again to the wall and find irregularities, if any. Then you can go in two ways.
First- fill the recesses with a new layer of putty. Second- smooth out the protrusions using a trowel, and then, if necessary, apply a finishing layer of putty. Let's consider the second option, since it will allow the walls to be leveled with finishing putty in the most efficient manner.
- Take a grater with pieces of sandpaper attached to it.
- Using gentle circular movements, we clean off excess putty in those places where sagging or bumps have formed.
- At the end, we fix the sandpaper with zero grain and go through the cleaned areas again.
- Upon completion, we check the surface of the wall and, if necessary, apply a finishing layer of putty. Before applying the finishing layer, the wall must be moistened with water or primer to soften the previous layer and increase adhesion. Finishing layer should be applied with special care, so that there are as few flaws as possible.
Leveling walls with putty: video tutorial
Work on leveling walls with putty is one of the simplest and easiest in construction. Of course, without experience it will be difficult to make perfectly smooth walls the first time, but a little practice will quickly give you positive result. If you are not at all comfortable with the instrument or do not want to get dirty, then you can find good craftsmen for quite reasonable money. Moreover, the price for leveling walls with putty is not high, around 125 - 130 rubles per m2. Which is quite cheap compared to, for example, plaster.
You started the renovation and decided to putty the walls. But you don’t know at all where to start, what material to choose, and in general the whole process is shrouded in mystery and darkness. First, let's figure out what putty is and why it is needed.
The difference between plaster and putty
Starter plaster is a coarse powdery mixture that builders use to level walls. Before plastering, measurements are taken using a level and the degree of deviation of the wall from the ideal vertical is determined. In other words, this is done to ensure that the wall is level. The maximum thickness of the applied layer is about 5 cm. After drying, this mixture has roughness.
Putty is a powder used after plastering. Hence the name – finishing putty. It is plastic and makes the wall smooth. You can apply it in a maximum layer of 1-2 mm (and you won’t be able to do more). Finishing putty fills small irregularities in plaster, preparing it for painting or wallpaper.
Which putty is best for walls?
The putty is available both in paper bags in powder form and as a ready-made mixture in plastic buckets. It is hardly possible to say which one is better, since this can only be understood through personal experience. The only difference is that ready putty is already ready and you cannot adjust its thickness.
Therefore, to begin with, it is better to use a powdered composition, and at the same time learn from your own experience how to dilute the mixture.
Depending on the composition, there are several types of putty: gypsum, cement and polymer.
- Cement putty consists of sand and cement. This composition tolerates moisture well, but does not have plasticity. This means that cracks may appear over time. The surface will be rough after drying, so sanding is necessary. But it is great for outdoor work. She is not afraid of rain and snow.
- Gypsum putty. If you're going to use gypsum putty, be prepared for the fact that it dries very quickly, so don't mix it too much. As it dries, there will be a stone in the bucket instead of putty.
- Polymer putty has high elasticity and stretches well. It can be used for both external and internal work. With this composition you can achieve perfect smooth surface, but it is not cheap.
When choosing putty, it is important to consider what will be on the walls. Putty on gypsum base consists of many small grains that are visible after the surface has dried. Also, you can see characteristic stains due to certain properties of gypsum. Gypsum putty comes in beige, gray and even Pink colour. If you try to paint it, for example, white, you will have to apply several layers. This type of putty is difficult to paint over light colors. But it will fit perfectly under wallpaper.
Glue applied to the wall helps soak the composition. Because of this, the wallpaper may not stick well to the wall and stick in pieces. Wet wallpaper is problematic to trim from the bottom and top. Gypsum putty is not saturated with moisture as much as polymer putty. Better to use for painting polymer putty. As a rule, she white, soft consistency and looks perfectly smooth on the wall.
Is it possible to putty the walls yourself?
Puttying walls with your own hands is possible, but requires some practice. The first knowledge can be gained by watching a video or watching how specialists do it. Of course, at first it won't work out very well. But there is a silver lining: you can always count on polishing. Therefore, if it does not immediately turn out perfectly smooth, stripes and stains form, sandpaper will hide these defects.
What tools will you need?
In order not to run around looking for the necessary things in the midst of work, it is better to prepare everything right away.
- drill with mixer;
- plastic containers;
- latex gloves;
- roller with long handle;
- narrow spatula (5-7 cm);
- wide spatula (25-35 cm);
- serpyanka;
- respirator;
- stepladder (or table);
- work clothes;
- newspapers, rags, polyethylene.
If plaster is applied to the walls, then it is better to use a brush for priming. Since the roller will not be able to treat the surface effectively enough. We choose the width of the spatula ourselves. Standard width 35 cm, but for a beginner it is better to use a narrower one, as it is easier for them to work. A drill mixer is a special attachment for stirring the composition. Happens different shapes, doesn't really matter. Ideally, you can use a large bucket of water-based paint as a container. It does not split under the influence of a drill.
Preparing walls for finishing putty
First you need to clear the room of furniture. What you can bear, bear it. Dust from this process cannot be avoided. The floor must be covered with polyethylene or newspapers. The more surface you cover, the better.
Why prime the walls?
If the room was too dusty, clean the walls with a wet broom. In order for the putty to stick well to the walls, they must first be primed. Primer is a special liquid. After it dries, a microfilm of the adhesive composition forms on the walls. The walls are completely degreased, cleaned and dust-free, so the putty will not fall off in the future. Pour the primer into a plastic container and dilute it with water. The concentration level is indicated on the bottle. Next, use a roller with a long handle to prime the walls. This process is similar to ordinary painting, the main thing is to ensure that the walls are completely primed. It’s easy to guess from the wet stains on the wall.
Some moments
Putting walls under wallpaper with your own hands is easier than painting. Wallpaper will hide small defects and imperfections. But you need to make sure that there is no previous wallpaper left on the wall (if there was any). Because under the influence of the primer they will get wet and stick to the putty.
The easiest way is to putty and prime gypsum boards (plasterboard sheets). There are no special recommendations for this, just move the roller from top to bottom. Whatever the surface, prime it separately narrow brush It is better near the ceiling, floor and on the sides, since the roller in these places does not reach all the way.
Puttying walls after plastering is a more labor-intensive process. Therefore, it is necessary to prime very well. To do this, it is better to use a brush to fill all the microcracks and depressions.
Which primer to choose
The primer is used to create an adhesive layer on the surface, which promotes favorable adhesion of the composition to the wall. When choosing a primer, you need to pay attention to the room. If it is damp, it is better to choose a primer with an antibacterial effect that prevents the formation of mold.
- Alkyd primer has powerful properties, but does not penetrate into the material. It should not be used for plaster, putty and plasterboard. It is suitable for wood and iron because it has an anti-corrosion effect. In addition, such a primer creates a film on the treated surface, which is why the material does not breathe.
- Latex primer is suitable for almost any surface. This perfect option in the case of plaster and crumbling surfaces. It is very moisture resistant, waterproof and elastic. But it has such properties due to the addition of synthetic substances to it, so it is not suitable for connoisseurs of environmentally friendly products.
- Acrylic primer is best for home use. It does not have a strong odor, dries quickly and is easy to use. The thick composition is diluted with water to the desired consistency and applied to the wall. This primer can be used on any surface. And its price will pleasantly surprise you.
- A deep penetration primer is used in cases where the surface is loose, loose and not solid enough. It could be old plaster, wood, or just gypsum board with fallen corners. This primer penetrates deep into the material, giving it strength and water resistance, which is especially important in wet rooms.
Additional preparation of gypsum boards for primer
Joints between plasterboard sheets contain cracks and depressions. To eliminate unevenness in these places, it is better to use plaster. Thanks to its coarser composition, it will level the surface faster. But it’s not enough to just use a spatula. After the plaster dries, a crack forms at the joint site, since there is nothing for the composition to stick to in the area of the crack. To prevent this from happening, we use a serpyanka. Serpyanka is a mesh tape in a roll, similar to gauze. It comes in different widths and has a sticky surface on one side, making it easy to stick to joints. After gluing the serpyanka, apply a layer of plaster from bottom to top. We make sure that it does not move and, if necessary, correct it. Drying time 2-3 hours. After this, we remove small rocky particles with sandpaper. The surface is now ready for priming.
Final wall putty. Technology
After the primer has dried, the surface is ready to apply the finishing putty. To prepare the composition, take a plastic bucket and pour a small amount of water into it, less than half. To begin with, it’s better to make a little composition to fill your hand. Then pour a little putty there, while stirring with a mixer. The consistency should be slightly less liquid than thick sour cream. We achieve uniformity of the composition, the complete absence of lumps, otherwise balls of dry powder will form on the wall. The mixture should not roll off the spatula. If this happens, it means it is too watery. It is very difficult to work with such a composition.
We proceed directly to puttying. We have two spatulas in our hands: large and small. Please note: the spatula is not absolutely even. It is curved more in one direction than in the other. It is necessary to define the “rounded” side. If you putty another one, stripes will remain on the surface.
Speaking about spatulas, it is worth noting that you need to choose stainless materials. Otherwise, during subsequent puttying, rusty stains will remain on the wall. We take a little mixture onto a small spatula and transfer it to a large one, distributing it evenly over the entire surface. Starting from the window, we begin to putty the wall, creating a non-transparent layer of 1-2 mm. If you make the layer too thick, it will be more difficult to smooth out and cracks may form as it dries. When working with plasterboard, the direction of movement of the spatula does not matter, since the surface is smooth. On a plastered wall, dried large particles have their own direction. Therefore, we simply repeat it when puttingty. This will become clear as you work.
Important: the uniformity and smoothness of the putty is very dependent on the lighting. Flaws that are not visible in daylight may become noticeable when illuminated with electric light.
Puttying walls for painting implies a uniform layer of composition without gaps. If in some place the layer is thinner, the paint will have a different shade. The difference between wallpaper putty is that the wallpaper will hide small errors.
As you work, various stripes and stains will appear on the wall. Let's level out the situation as best we can. But don’t forget that there is still life-saving polishing.
Sanding walls
Wall sanding is used to remove small irregularities, streaks and bumps. This process can be either manual or mechanized.
To sand the walls, use regular sandpaper. It differs in particle size. The lower the number of the skin, the rougher its surface. For the finishing putty will do skin of larger numbers. If large scratches remain on the wall, then you need to use a finer piece of sandpaper.
In addition to sandpaper, diamond mesh is also used. It differs in the size of the cells, and, unlike sandpaper, it is not clogged with putty. It can be used either manually or using a special holder.
The grinding itself is necessary to eliminate remaining defects; even a beginner can handle it. This process is very dusty, so be sure to wear a respirator. Sanding is done in a circular motion. If you sand in one direction, noticeable scratches will form.
After finishing sanding, the surface needs to be primed again, as a large amount of white dust will remain on it. Wait for it to dry and proceed to further work. Puttying walls with your own hands may seem like a time-consuming and complicated process for beginners. In fact, this is not the case, you just have to start.