Imitation of concrete using decorative plaster: how to make art concrete yourself

Concrete has gained popularity in contemporary interior design because of its distinct aesthetic as well as its strength and longevity. Concrete’s sleek, industrial appearance can infuse any area with a sense of refinement and flair. However, it’s not always feasible or desirable to pour concrete directly onto walls.

Decorative plaster can help with that. You can create a beautiful, lifelike imitation of concrete on your walls by using the appropriate techniques. With this technique, also called "art concrete," you can accomplish that textured, raw look without using bulky building supplies.

This post will walk you through the steps of creating your own art concrete with decorative plaster. Whether your goal is to add a feature wall or completely redesign a room, you’ll discover that this method is not only affordable but also reasonably easy to implement, even for individuals with little prior DIY knowledge.

You can achieve the industrial-chic look of concrete without the weight and cost of actual concrete by creating an imitation of it with decorative plaster. You can give your walls the chic, contemporary look of art concrete with a few basic tools and methods, giving any area more character and texture. This do-it-yourself method is not only affordable but also presents a special chance to add a distinctive custom finish that makes your décor uniquely yours.

Features and types of decorative plaster for concrete

Those who choose to apply decorative plaster to their walls because they value simplicity and minimalism should be aware of the characteristics of this material. It possesses:

• a very porous structure and a somewhat rough surface, because the mixture contains small particles (sand and stone chips);
• sufficient sound insulation (can be used for finishing the walls of music studios);
• low thermal conductivity (retains heat for a long time);
• high moisture resistance (suitable for finishing rooms with high humidity);
• good plasticity, allowing for various additional decorations;
• quick drying (work takes little time)
• wide palette of gray (from light shades to the darkest, from warm to cold tones).

Concrete imitation in the living room or office

Despite the wide range of decorative compositions, this all-purpose material comes in two primary varieties.

The foundation of micro concrete is cement, to which small and medium-sized quartz chips, a few polymers, and a small amount of dye are added. Ideal for exterior building decoration as well as interior venue decoration.

The absence of marble chips in microcement, a cement and polymer mixture, sets it apart from the first kind. It is primarily employed for thin, smooth surface finishing.

Advantages and disadvantages

In the interior, decorative concrete plaster creates a sense of coziness and warmth despite the material’s stark color and somewhat rough texture.

Learn more about the benefits and drawbacks of renovating a room before you buy one.

There are many benefits to the composition of concrete.

• Versatility. Plaster is perfect for decorating interiors in various styles and can be applied to almost any surface.
• Safety and environmental friendliness. Art concrete is non-flammable and resistant to infection by various types of fungi.
• Ease of application. Plastering can be done independently without the involvement of professional builders.
• Easy to care for. Concrete walls are easy to clean.
• Easy to paint. Surfaces can be given different shades by painting them with different compositions or adding acrylic dyes directly to the finished mixture.
• Resistance to various mechanical influences. Decorative plaster on the walls is impossible, or at least very difficult to damage.

Chipped decorative plaster for concrete

Apart from the apparent benefits, there are a few drawbacks.

• Quite a high price of the material.
• Toxicity when applied. Work should be carried out in a respirator mask, glasses and rubber gloves.

Types by style and design

Designers frequently use concrete plaster inside spaces to give them an industrial, futuristic feel that is characteristic of loft and high tech spaces.

High tech

When using this style, there should be as little furniture as possible, subtle décor, and subdued wall colors. Glass, metal, stairs, and chrome plumbing will all look good in this type of space.

Loft

This design pays homage to the earlier one. On a rough concrete surface, pendant lamps, shiny plumbing, and real decorations will stick out unusually.

Rules for using concrete plaster in the interior

Concrete’s simple texture works beautifully in large spaces with tall ceilings. For instance, the loft style will look great in a studio apartment with lots of open space.

If you wish to decorate a small room in this style, you can use decorative plaster as a little accent on one wall.

To create a concrete ceiling without making the space feel heavy, you can incorporate elements made of different materials.

Concrete, brickwork, and natural wood are three materials you can mix at once to balance the area and make it cozier and softer.

Brick walls and art concrete combined

On a backdrop of monotone concrete walls, colorful furniture, multicolored pillows, greenery, and other accents will look particularly striking.

Placing numerous light sources (chandeliers, floor lamps, table lamps, built-in lamps) in a room with concrete walls that vary in brightness and direction would be one of the best solutions.

How to make a plaster mix with your own hands

You can now purchase both ready-made and dry plaster in construction supply stores. With the first, everything is obvious; you can begin using your hands to work with decorative plaster for concrete right away. As directed on the package, dilute dry plaster with water. Add water gradually and mix the mixture with a construction mixer until it has a lump-free, homogenous consistency. After that, you can add some color if you’d like.

You can make decorative plaster yourself with easily obtained and reasonably priced materials. Cement, putty, and color should be added in the following proportions: 75%, 20%, and 5% of the mixture’s total mass.

Using a construction mixer makes it convenient to mix the mixture.

The primary distinction is that the final plaster mixture is pasty, similar to thick sour cream, rather than liquid.

After that, cover the container with a lid and leave the cement plaster for ten to fifteen minutes. Next, thoroughly combine once more using a construction mixer.

Technology for creating an imitation of a concrete wall

Although it doesn’t require specialized construction knowledge, DIY decorative plaster for concrete does require an understanding of the major steps in the process.

Material consumption

You must determine how much and what kind of materials you will need to buy before you can get to work. You must know the desired layer thickness and the coverage area in order to perform the proper calculation. Naturally, the amount of material will still be an estimate because it’s important to take into account the plaster’s texture, application method, and even the manufacturer’s brand.

However, using the material consumption per square meter as a base and a coating thickness of one centimeter, you will require between 14 and 16 kg of cement-sand and between 9 and 11 kg of gypsum mixtures.

Surface preparation

Only after the walls have been prepared—that is, after the old finishing layer (wallpaper, paint, plaster) and any excess protruding objects (dowels, fittings, fasteners) have been removed—can you begin applying art concrete.

1. Then the walls must be treated with water to moisten them, as well as wash away dust and dirt.
2. If there are pits, holes, cracks, chips and other defects, they must be putty.
3. Then you need to level the walls. Art concrete does not require a perfectly flat surface, however, strong distortions will affect the final appearance of the walls.
4. The next step is priming. It is very important to do this, as it creates a rough surface for good adhesion. It is necessary to wait until the primer dries completely and only then begin work on imitation concrete.

The entire wall is puttied so that the color is applied uniformly.

The following supplies might be necessary for wall preparation:

• Hammer and chisel.
• Various graters.
• Building rule for leveling walls.
• Reinforcing mesh.
• Personal protective equipment (glasses, gloves, respirator)

Necessary tools

Applying decorative plaster to walls doesn’t require a lot of tools. However, since the final coating’s quality and appearance rely on them all, they must all be of the right caliber.

• A large container in which the plaster will be mixed.
• A construction mixer, which is necessary for better mixing of the solution.
• A trowel (with rounded edges), which will be used to apply the coating layer by layer.
• A plastic trowel, which will be used to smooth the surface.
• A viscose sponge, which will be useful for shading the surface layer of wax to highlight the pattern.
• A paint spatula, which is needed for more convenient work with the main tool.
• Sandpaper No. 320 and No. 600 or a grinding machine

In addition, the following might be helpful for applying patterns that mimic different reliefs:

• Stamps with selected patterns.
• A brush with hard bristles or a broom with hard rods.
• Various stencils or molds.

Tips and recommendations

As previously stated, you don’t need the assistance of experts to create concrete effect walls. Nonetheless, it is worthwhile to pay attention to the suggestions and guidance that have been validated by numerous years of experience in order to steer clear of common blunders.

• You should not decorate all the walls in the room with art concrete.
• If the walls show signs of mold or mildew, they must be treated with an antiseptic.
• If possible, both the primer and the plaster should be from the same manufacturer.
• Around the windows and doorways, it is necessary to stick masking tape to prevent the plaster mixture from getting on them.
• You should not apply too thick a layer of material to the walls.
• The color of the ceiling, finished under concrete, should be several tones lighter.
• Walls, furniture and other interior details should be in harmony with each other in color.
• There should be no sharp contrasts in the room or they can be in small proportions

Step	Description
1. Surface Preparation	Clean and prime the wall to ensure the plaster adheres well.
2. Base Coat Application	Apply a thin layer of base plaster to create an even surface.
3. Texturing	Use a trowel or brush to create the desired concrete-like texture.
4. Drying	Let the textured plaster dry completely before proceeding.
5. Finishing Coat	Apply a final coat to enhance the concrete effect and seal the surface.
6. Sealing	Seal the plaster with a protective finish to preserve the look.

Anyone hoping to give their space a contemporary feel can achieve a satisfying project by creating an art concrete finish with decorative plaster. With proper material selection and installation methods, you can make your walls look as sophisticated as concrete without having to use bulky, heavy slabs.

You’ll be able to apply the plaster, add texture, and finish it with a protective layer that highlights the distinctive features of the surface with just a few tools and some practice. The options are almost limitless, depending on your preference for a polished, smooth appearance or a rougher, more industrial finish.

What you end up with is a unique, handcrafted feature that raises the aesthetic appeal and resale value of your house. The enjoyment of the finished product is only increased by the satisfaction of finishing such a project on your own.

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