Installing beacons for plastering walls: detailed technology of installation + checklist

Plastering walls requires the installation of beacons to ensure a level and smooth surface. These guides act as points of reference to help maintain uniform wall thickness, which improves accuracy and efficiency during the plastering process.

Although the procedure seems simple, it calls for the appropriate approach and close attention to detail. To achieve a professional finish, every step—from selecting the right materials to positioning the beacons—is crucial.

In order to ensure that everything is done correctly, this article will walk you through the specific technology involved in installing beacons for plastering walls. It also offers helpful advice and a checklist. Knowing how to do this will greatly enhance your plastering results, regardless of your level of experience.

Step	Description
1. Surface Preparation	Clean the wall of dust, dirt, and old paint. Ensure the surface is dry and solid.
2. Marking	Use a level and tape measure to mark vertical lines where beacons will be placed.
3. Applying Mortar Spots	Apply small spots of plaster or adhesive along the marked lines to hold the beacons.
4. Installing Beacons	Press the beacons into the mortar spots, ensuring they are straight and aligned with the markings.
5. Leveling	Use a level to check that the beacons are perfectly vertical. Adjust as necessary.
6. Securing Beacons	Once aligned, allow the mortar to set, securing the beacons in place.
7. Final Check	After the mortar has dried, double-check the alignment of the beacons before plastering.
Checklist	1. Clean wall surface. 2. Mark vertical lines. 3. Apply mortar spots. 4. Install beacons. 5. Level beacons. 6. Secure

Sequence of actions when installing beacons – Checklist

Beacons must be installed in order to plaster. Plastering walls requires the installation of beacons, which is a crucial step in the process because it keeps the walls perfectly level and helps to create a plane.

Plaster composition can only be applied to beacons in a way that evens out wall variations and creates a perfect plane surface.

As such, when you begin plastering the walls, follow these steps in order:

1. Determine how clearly the unevenness on the walls is expressed.
2. Carry out marking.
3. Prime the base with special compounds to ensure the proper level of adhesion between the composition and the wall itself.
4. The installation of the beacon profile is carried out, maintaining the required distance from the wall and the outer surface of the strip. At the same time, each bar must be in a single plane and form a kind of estimated imaginary level at which orientation will occur during the application of the composition.
5. When lighthouse strips are recorded, wall plaster is carried out by lighthouses using the rule..
6. At the finish, corners and slopes are treated to align them.
7. Take out the beacons at the moment when the soil began to grasp. At this stage, the strips from the laid solution are removed.
8. After this manipulation in the walls, recesses often remain, which must be filled with a solution from the same composition as the plaster of the walls. Thus, the alignment of the coating is achieved.
9. At the last stage, a grout is carried out at the moment when the solution grabbed.

Materials and tools

You must get ready the following supplies and equipment in order to align the beacons:

• For a concrete wall or made of brick, dowels are taken, the length of which varies in the range from 40 to 80 mm.
• For other types of surfaces, you can prepare screws. Their dimensions depend on how much the wall deviates from the plane.
• Different types of screwdrivers – Phillips or flat.
• A cord for painting, which is used as a tension element to beat off a straight line.
• Any thickness of thread, fishing line or cord that is strong enough so that they do not burst under the influence of the load.
• A tape measure for taking measurements.
• A level of suitable length.
• A trowel, a float, a half-float, a roller, brushes, spatulas of different sizes.
• Special containers in which the plaster mixture will be diluted.
• As a mixture for plaster, you can choose – cement, lime or gypsum, acrylic, polymer or silicone. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. The choice is made depending on the goals and financial capabilities, since mineral ones will be cheaper in price than other types of compositions.
• And finally, they prepare the beacons themselves. Most often, they buy ready-made metal ones. They are presented as a flat metal structure with special perforation for fastening to the plane of the wall.

Additionally, there are unique corner profiles that can be fixed along the room’s inner or outer corners.

It is important to remember that, in addition to those that are prefabricated, there are also DIY beacon structures composed of:

• plaster mortar,
• gypsum mixtures,
• wooden planks.

The latter are appropriate for plastering walls made of wood.

Preparing the surface for installing beacons

It’s crucial to take a few preparatory steps before putting in beacons and drawing and leveling the first plaster layer. It entails carrying out the subsequent tasks:

1. The first step is the mandatory removal of the old finish. Most often, they clean up to the concrete base. It is important to remove all rotten parts that have lost mechanical strength from wooden walls.
2. Remove all stains, regardless of their origin. This is an important step that cannot be ignored. After all, greasy or rusty remaining areas penetrate through the plaster over time and can spoil the finish.
3. The presence of chips, cracks and potholes must be eliminated without fail.
4. If there are convex parts that are local in nature with a small area, they should be chipped off. For example, plaster may stick out between bricks or blocks, so it should be chipped off with a hammer.
5. In a situation where there are old nails, dowels, other parts, especially metal ones, they must be removed. Otherwise, they can rust and then unattractive rusty spots will appear on the wallpaper, paint, decorative plaster or any other finishing material.
6. After this, remove the accumulated dust and debris – this is done with a damp cloth.
7. Apply a layer of primer mixture.
8. Carry out the reinforcement process.
9. Dry thoroughly.

Calculation of the number of beacon lines

To purchase the appropriate quantity of beacons, you must determine the minimum distance that should be kept between two adjacent elements.

The range of 0.8 to 1.3 meters is where the distance is typically maintained. It’s best for novices to go a little farther—roughly 0.8–1 meter.

Professionals, however, can extend the separation between two nearby beacons. It is advised against going over 1300 mm because doing so would negate the whole purpose of using beacons.

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• from the corners – minimum 10, maximum 30 cm;
• 10 cm from window slopes and doorways.

Installing beacons with a laser level on plaster

Using laser marking is the quickest method for installing beacons. In this scenario, a laser axis builder or a laser level with a vertical and angular beam function are required.

[ads_color_box color_text=»#4444′′ color_background=»#dbffff»]The zero point, or the most convex portion of the wall, must first be located. To do this, proceed as follows:[/ads_color_box]

• Set the laser level in the corner 2-4 cm from the wall. The beam emitted by the device should be parallel to the wall, which will be processed in the future.
• Use a square to measure from the wall to the beam, which signals deviations.
• In the place where the distance is smaller and there is a zero point.

For the upcoming beacons, we are now drawing vertical lines on the wall. Based on how long your rule is, we take this action.

The beacons should be spaced roughly 20–30 cm apart from the length of the rule.We take a 10–20 cm step back from the ceiling and side walls.

1. On the side walls, make marks with a pencil 4-5 cm from our wall.
2. Place the laser at the zero point and turn on the vertical beam mode.
3. Adjust the laser so that the beam passes through our marks.
4. At both ends of the rule, you need to make two marks: 4 cm from the edge of the rule and 4 cm + the width of your beacon (0.5-0.6 cm, measure the beacon). These marks will help adjust the installation of the beacon according to the level.

5 centimeter mark vertical support beam Shine at the target Marks on the regulation

The video illustrates this process:

Marking for beacons without a laser level

Proper setting of the beacons is necessary for them to form a single plane. There are multiple methods for performing this manipulation without the need for a laser level. Every technique has unique technological aspects of its own. Let’s take a closer look at them.

Classic marking

This method is applicable in the absence of a laser level.

This is the most widely used and common marking option. You will need to get a level and some nylon thread ready for this.

Next, carry out these actions:

• On the wall in the corner, step back about 15 cm from the ceiling, and 10-30 cm from the edge. A screw is screwed in at this point. A plumb line will be attached to it.
• Then, using a level, mark a horizontal line on the wall and make a mark in the opposite corner. A screw is screwed in there too.

It’s crucial to leave the head of the screw 3–4 centimeters unscrewed into the wall rather than fully screwed in.

The screws that are screwed into the corners are fixed with a plumb line or a thread that has a weight on it, like a large nut. Although it shouldn’t lie on the floor, the plumb line should be as near to it as feasible.

• Then it is necessary to screw in 3-5 screws along the plumb line at the same distance from each other – at the bottom and approximately in the middle of the length of the thread.

The head should only make contact with the thread; it should not be moved closer to the wall or removed from its hanging position.

• Divide the wall with vertical lines with a step of approximately 1 m. Also hang plumb lines and install screws.
• At the final stage, pull the fishing line between the screws to form horizontal and vertical lines and pull the diagonals along the wall from corner to corner. And check how the screw heads behave – do they touch the fishing line.

It is required to screw or unscrew the screw in order to align the head with the thread if it becomes evident at a certain point that the screw does not touch the plumb line thread.

It only takes a specific angle or number of complete turns to install the screws synchronously. Since the screws have the same thread pitch, they will move deeper into the plane or outward by the same fixed distance with each 360° turn.

Spider method

Beacon installation beneath plaster can make use of the spider marking concept:

• In two opposite upper corners, making a step of approximately 10 cm from the ceiling and the corner or slope, screw in self-tapping screws, the heads of which will be unscrewed by 3-4 cm.
• Hang the plumb lines and make a mark, approximately 10 cm from the floor. Measure the same distance on both sides – screw in the screws. Also do not screw the caps to the same height as the upper elements.
• A nylon thread is fixed to the vertically located screws, approximately at a distance of 2 cm from the wall, achieving its intensive tension.
• Then, horizontal nylon threads are fixed to the vertical threads in two places, above and below. They must be fixed in such a way that they can be freely moved along the vertical guides up and down.
• So, shifting the horizontals, mark the greatest convexity on the wall, designating it as the zero mark. If the thread is in such a position that it rests against the protruding part of the wall, it is necessary to unscrew all 4 screws evenly, making the same turn with them at a certain angle.

It is necessary to place multiple self-tapping screws along the threads as soon as the zero level is located. Only the stretched markers should come into contact with their caps. Depending on the size of the wall, three to five screws should be used for each thread.

In the video, the spider method is demonstrated:

How to install beacons under plaster on fasteners

You can use extra devices or a specific adhesive composition to secure the beacons to the wall.

Installation on clips

Dependable plastic fastening.

Benefits of clipping:

• They are inexpensive and at the same time easy to fix on the wall.
• If adjustment is necessary, they can be easily tightened to the desired state by unscrewing the screws fixed in the dowels.
• The thickness of the extension from the base wall is no more than 12 mm, half of which is taken by the metal profile itself.
• The above fact makes it possible to approach the consumption of the composition for finishing work on surfaces quite economically.
• Even a beginner can handle the clips, since the technological actions in this case are quite simple.

Procedure for carrying out the task:

• Set up, as described earlier, dowel-screw kits.
• Using a level, bring the caps to 1 plane and measure several times to make sure that flatness is created.
• Fix clips on the caps – guides are brought out, and then they are fixed with specially made plugs.

Installation on the creamer latch

When in operation, Kremmers are well-liked because they fix beacons in a convenient and dependable manner. The gadget is displayed as a rectangular plate composed of metal that has been galvanized.

• No need to use plaster mixture.
• Suitable for profiles regardless of their thickness.
• Compatible with other variations of fasteners.
• Reliably fix the bar, but at the same time it can be easily adjusted if necessary.

It must be considered during installation that a dowel-self-tapping screw pair is also used in this instance. The hat is then secured inside the hat.

Installation on the Ushastik

Ushastiki and the two metal bar fixing techniques mentioned above are frequently utilized. Furthermore, the latter is preferred by highly experienced professionals.

Additionally, the quality and speed of work in this instance increase significantly even though the eulogs will cost a little more than other fastening options.

However, if you consider how easy and simple the work is, then special knowledge and experience are not required.

In this instance, phasedness boils down to three primary actions, as in the cases above:

• Installation of a Ushastiki.
• Joining it directly from metal strips.
• Adjustment to achieve the required level.

Installation of lighthouses for plaster walls per solution

Tiling or plaster can be used as fasteners when installing beacons. In this instance, if the wall deviation is negligible, self-tapping screws are not necessary.

Plaster solution

A beacon on a plaster solution is simple to install.

1. Small the mixture diluted on the recommendation on the recommendation, forming small slides. They are made several along one line.
2. They are fixed with a lighthouse, the location of which is checked by the level.
3. If it goes beyond the level of the marked plane, it is necessary to slightly drown it into the solution.
4. If, on the contrary, there is not enough giving a lighthouse from the wall, it should be slightly pushed to yourself. Sketch a little more composition, and then carry out repeated fixation.

It is possible to identify this option’s advantages:

• Light removal after leveling the wall.
• The simplicity of fixing.

It is true that there are limitations in this case; these primarily apply to gypsum plaster mixtures and situations in which unvastually expressed changes need to be aligned. Plaster shouldn’t be applied too thickly.

If there are excessively noticeable irregularities in the wall, such as deflections and barrel-shaped cracks, use alternative fastening techniques with specialized clamps.

Fastening with tile adhesive

Beacon-style markings can also be applied to the wall using adhesive compositions. When discussing the benefits of these blends, it is important to note:

• High degree of adhesion with almost any type of wall materials.
• The adhesive solution, of course, provided that it is prepared correctly, has a fairly high plasticity index. The adhesive composition does not slide off the surface, which does not require correction when fixing the strips.
• The adhesive, which is diluted according to the instructions, is not affected by moisture.
• In addition, it does not crack or peel off when exposed to low temperatures. Thus, the adhesive composition, correctly diluted, is recommended for use in plastering work on external surfaces.

Fixing the beacons on the glue requires consideration of the following advice:

• Select a suitable brand – CERESIT, Hercules behave perfectly. It is better to use universal ones, as they have all the necessary characteristics.
• The practical experience of many craftsmen confirms the fact that it is possible, without deteriorating the degree of fixation, to use a thickness of adhesive compositions up to 5 cm. Although the manufacturers themselves still strongly recommend making such a layer no more than 2 cm. Therefore, if there is no specific experience, then you can slightly exceed this number up to 3 cm.
• Tile adhesive is diluted strictly according to the recommendations on the packaging.

In terms of technology, the tile adhesive installation procedure looks like this:

1. Screw in the screws, as described above. The main disadvantage of this method is that during work with strips fixed in this way, they can shift. This brings certain inconveniences, especially for those craftsmen whose experience is not too great. In this case, an adhesive or plaster composition comes to the rescue.
2. It is diluted in the proportion indicated in the instructions on the package. A small hill is laid out from the resulting adhesive or plaster composition on all sides of the hardware. Its shape can be any – round or rectangular.
3. Along the exposed plane, which coincides with the upper plane of the caps, cut off the excess part of the solution.
4. Between the completed hills, planks are placed. They can be fixed in different ways – on marks from sheets of thin plasterboard or by adding a layer of diluted mixture.

Plastering walls that are level and smooth requires installing beacons. This post offers a thorough, step-by-step tutorial on installing beacons correctly, guaranteeing that your plastering project will be completed with a polished appearance. You’ll find a helpful checklist to help you avoid common mistakes and make sure everything is done correctly the first time, along with the installation process.

Mortar beacons

Beacons in the mortar variety are custom-made gypsum-composed guides.

When molded externally, they resemble an elongated bar that extends from the ceiling to the floor. These mortar beacons are oriented along a plane formed by their upper planes when plastering.

The following are some benefits of this kind of work:

• The thrown layer for beacons with the subsequent composition forms a monolith.
• With this option of applying beacons, there is no need to remove them later, which significantly simplifies the work, because several stages are dropped from the cycle at once. In addition, the master does not need to seal the resulting grooves.
• In addition, you can save on solutions, since there is no need to remove previously installed levels.

The following technology will be used to create beacons out of mortar:

• First, you need to mark the room using one of the above methods, assessing the unevenness of all the walls and deducing the zero level of the surface.
• Screw in the screws, setting the heads in the plane. For ease of work at a room height of up to 3 m. there should be about 5 of them.
• A thick layer of the mixture is thrown vertically directly onto the screws. Then you need to form a rectangular narrow and long strip from it. This is done as follows – take a profile for working on drywall and fix it tightly enough so that it clings to the heads of hardware. The mixture that will be squeezed out is carefully removed with a trowel or spatula.
• To prevent the solution from flowing and changing the given shape, it is recommended to leave the profile pressed for some time (until it semi-hardens).

However, there is a major disadvantage to using sand-cement types of beacons for craftsmen who are just getting started and are not yet familiar with the nuances of all the technological stages.

The rule will slide much more easily on metal materials when it is implemented after a beacon-installed structure. However, pulling it alongside gypsum beacons will be a little trickier. You must therefore be ready for this.

When plastering, the proper placement of beacons is essential to producing smooth, level walls. You can make sure that your beacons are positioned accurately and serve as a reliable guide for your plasterwork by carefully following the instructions provided in this article.

Plastering will go much more smoothly and quickly if you take the time to measure, align, and secure your beacons precisely. It is important to double-check your work as you go in order to prevent problems later.

With the help of the provided checklist, you can approach each step with assurance that no crucial information has been overlooked. You can still accomplish professional results even if you’re handling the project alone if you follow this methodical approach.

Video on the topic

4 BEST ways to install BEACONS under plaster!!! FIRECORE F94-XG 3D

An excellent way to install beacons for plastering walls with your own hands.

A beacon in 5 minutes on screws 😉

Plaster! "MORTAR" beacons! Shaiter Andrey.