Puttying walls after plastering

Puttying your walls is an essential step that comes after plastering. This procedure guarantees an even, smooth surface that is ideal for painting or applying wallpaper. Putty smooths over small blemishes left by the plaster to produce a flawless finish that improves the overall appearance of your walls.

Puttying gives your walls more durability in addition to aesthetic benefits. Putty helps shield your walls from future damage by caulking small cracks and holes. Putty is necessary for durable, expert results whether you’re finishing new construction or remodeling an existing area.

Even for novices, puttying can be a simple task with the correct tools and methods. Gaining an understanding of the procedure will enable you to accomplish an impeccable finish, leaving your walls smooth and prepared for the subsequent decorating phase.

Why putty walls after plastering

Putty mixtures based on gypsum or cement-sand compositions are modified by adding specific polymer and stabilizing additives, which increase the plasticity of the solution and slow down its setting time. Because of this, a very thin layer of putty is applied, resulting in a surface that is flawlessly smooth and flat.

It is not required to putty the walls just before installing tiles or affixing heavy wallpaper after the plaster has dried. Because tiny flaws beneath them won’t show through, the surface is merely primed. In other situations, plaster is a must, particularly when painting or applying thin wallpaper. Ultimately, it has the ability to not only fill in the smallest fissures but also:

• prevent the plaster from crumbling over time;
• significantly improve the adhesion (bond) of the walls with wallpaper and other finishing materials, they will hold more firmly and will not peel off;
• reduce the consumption of wallpaper glue and paint.

After plastering, puttying walls is an essential step to achieve an even and smooth surface that is ready for painting or wallpapering. This ensures that your walls will have a high-quality finish that will improve their overall appearance.

After what time can you apply putty

The full strength of cement-sand leveling mixtures takes four weeks to reach. However, after plastering, you do not have to endure such a period of time. In just one week, cement gains 70% of its strength. This is more than sufficient for finishing (including heavy tiles) and putty application. For instance, 20 mm thick Knauf Unterputz cement facade plaster dries in 7–10 days.

Gypsum compositions take 40–60 minutes to set and take about a week to dry completely. For instance, the well-known Knauf Rotband can be puttied after seven days when applied to the walls in a layer of 15-20 mm. It may take up to 14 days to dry in a damp room or at a low temperature.

Along with the room’s humidity and temperature, the layer’s thickness affects drying time. It is not advisable to expedite the process by using construction hair dryers or opening drafts, as this can lead to significant surface cracks and eventual plaster peeling.

Sanding the plaster after it has dried and before puttying it requires circular motions with sandpaper or a specialized grater with fine mesh. As a result, tiny droplets of the dried mixture, spatula residue, and areas where layers overlap are eliminated.

Do you need to prime the walls?

Many people believe that priming walls in advance is just a needless financial waste. But, priming is a must before puttying the walls if you want the final decorative coating to look flawless and last as long as possible.

A primer that fully fills in the pores:

• protects the surface from peeling;
• promotes more uniform penetration of putty, adhesives and dyes.

Additionally, primer solutions work wonders as an antiseptic to keep fungus off walls. Furthermore, they prevent moisture from penetrating the walls too deeply, which aids in its development.

On the construction market, primers come in a wide variety, with manufacturers offering specific varieties for different surface types. It is preferable to use universal compositions with medium porosity or deep penetration acrylic, polystyrene, or perchlorovinyl mixtures to cover walls after plastering.

To start, the tiniest dust particles must be removed from the walls using a wet sponge. You can prime using a brush or a roller; a roller applies the mixture more uniformly, while a brush makes it easier to apply in confined spaces. Additionally, hand sprayers are used for speed and convenience.

Only after the primer has dried can puttying commence. Complete fixation times range from 5 to 15 hours and are always specified on the packaging.

The better to putty?

Fundamental specifications for interior decoration compositions:

• high plasticity;
• ease of application;
• ideal smoothness of the created surface;
• affordable price.

Compositions based on gypsum work best for puttying indoors. The quick setting (40–60 minutes), simplicity of application, and subsequent grouting are characteristics of gypsum materials.

For façade putty, there are entirely different specifications. Initially, they ought to:

• be frost-resistant;
• easily withstand temperature changes;
• be highly durable;
• resist precipitation and high humidity.

It is preferable to avoid using gypsum putties without a waterproofing coating when finishing facades and high-humidity areas. For external plastering, cement or acrylic mixtures are thus utilized. When wet, cement ones are impervious to damage, and acrylic ones completely block the entry of moisture.

Consumption per 1 m2 on plaster

The type and density of the composition, in addition to the layer thickness, determine how much putty mixture is consumed. The precise amount is listed on the packaging:

• heavy and dense cement putties for facade and interior decoration are consumed the least economically: with a layer thickness of 1 mm, they will need 1.2-1.5 kg / m2 of plastered wall;
• the consumption rate of gypsum putty on plaster will be 0.8-0.1 kg per 1 m2;
• the most economical is considered to be polymer-based putty – the consumption per 1 m2 is only 600 g.

The less putty that is required after plastering, the better the walls are leveled. Additionally, a lot depends on the maker:

• "Shirok". The compositions for interior work of this brand are consumed very economically: on average, with a thickness of 1 mm, only 0.68 kg will be required per 1 sq. m; the only drawback is that the company packages its products in very large containers, which is not always convenient;
• "Vetonit" sells both facade plaster and mixtures for interior work; in the first case, the consumption will be 1.2-1.5 kg, and for finishing the premises, 1.2 kg will be needed; the company also produces high-strength oil-adhesive compositions, but up to 3 kg will be needed per sq. m;
• Knauf products for interior work, made on the basis of resinous substances, are of very high quality, but not very economical: 1.7 kg will be needed to finish a square meter.

Counseling! The starting putty layer should be no more than 3 mm, with a finishing layer of 1 mm, in contrast to plaster, which can be applied in a thicker layer. If the surface needs to be corrected again, it must be completely dried before applying a new layer.

Putty is the finishing touch that completes the plastering and makes your walls look flawless. It eliminates blemishes and leaves a perfect surface that is ready for painting or wallpapering.

After plastering, taking the time to putty your walls improves their appearance and lengthens their lifespan. Plaster is sealed with a carefully applied layer of putty, creating a sturdy, level foundation that lasts for many years.

You can make sure your walls look polished and professional by carefully applying putty. This stage is crucial to getting a flawless finish that really brings your plastering project to a close.

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