String beacons for plastering walls

It’s crucial to have a level and smooth surface when plastering walls. String beacons are among the best methods for achieving this. It is easier to apply plaster in an even layer throughout the wall with the aid of these basic yet essential tools.

Both professionals and do-it-yourselfers will find string beacons particularly helpful. They take away the uncertainty, letting you concentrate on accurately and quickly applying the plaster. You can accomplish a high-quality finish, save time, and use less material waste by putting up these guides.

This post will demonstrate how to install string beacons, go over their advantages, and offer some advice on how to make sure your plastering job turns out well.

Purpose of string beacons

When plastering rough surfaces and leveling them, string beacons are used. You cannot get away without auxiliary landmarks if the base surfaces in the space or on the facade differ significantly or if you need to obtain a high-quality surface. These landmarks are known as beacons; they can even be strips or profiles whose surface creates an auxiliary plane and can be identified by its exact location in space. It was discovered that plastering could be completed in accordance with beacons by employing stretched wire landmarks, which served as a guide for leveling the applied solution. We refer to these landmarks as string beacons.

They are particularly frequently utilized on lengthy walls.

Types and design features

Up until now, string beacons have not been classified. Thanks to the Internet, this design that first surfaced in plastering has gained a lot of popularity. The creation of practical, dependable, and user-friendly stops and tensioners is the primary focus of the design development process. A wire that is stretched between two fixing elements along the plastered base serves as the string beacon’s primary working component.

Since the second fixing element is used to stretch the string, it is more complex than the first, which is essentially a simple anchor. A bolted connection is used for tensioning, allowing the stop elements to be adjusted in length when the string is screwed in or unscrewed. The clamps are reusable and detachable because they are fastened to the base using dowels or self-tapping screws. The wire’s distance from the base can also be adjusted thanks to the clamps’ design.

Plaster roller beneath the lighthouse

The string guide’s final (disposable) component is a mortar beacon, which is essentially a strip of hardened mortar. Its purpose is to prevent the tensioned wire from changing shape when a sliding rule is applied to it. Using a spatula, a roller of mortar is applied beneath the tensioned wire, rapidly strengthening it. The string rests on one of the vertices of the roller’s triangular cross-section.

A straightforward but useful tool for making sure plastered walls are precisely level is a string beacon. Plastering can be done with greater consistency in thickness and smoothness if a strong string is stretched across the wall at predetermined intervals. This technique is the go-to option for attaining professional-quality finishes without the need for pricey equipment because it is simple to set up and produces consistent results, making it ideal for do-it-yourself projects.

Advantages and disadvantages of string beacons

String beacons for plastering have advantages and disadvantages like any other device. As a result, there are situations when one design is superior to another. In other situations, plastering is done using string guides even though they have drawbacks.

• reusability;
• low cost;
• the ability to make it yourself;
• easy removal, small amount of subsequent surface correction (do not form a groove);
• gain in time;
• simplification of the formation of an auxiliary plane: you only need to set two (in more complex cases – three) strings according to the level (or plumb line);
• the possibility of replacing worn-out wire;
• reduction of the minimum possible thickness of the leveling layer;
• only two string beacons for plaster can be installed on long walls.

• the system is sensitive to accidental bends of the wire (any curvature of the string affects the quality of the resulting surface), which are often difficult to correct;
• the presence of vulnerable spots – the thread can be clogged with mortar (failure in the protection of fixing elements before starting to use the mortar, for example, with polyethylene);
• the possibility of corrosion of elements as a result of working with raw mortars (it is more rational to use stainless steel parts for fixing elements);
• an unusual leveling technology, in which the rule is carried out in a horizontal direction (the cut mortar tends to fly off onto the floor);
• a complex and unusual installation process.

Which wire to choose

Any elastic wire, whether made of stainless steel or coated with a robust insulator, can be used for string lighthouses. Stainless steel wire manufactured in compliance with GOST 9389-75 is more frequently utilized. A 1.2 mm diameter copper-plated (ER70S-6) wire is appropriate for semi-automatic welding. It is appropriate to use wire that is still inside a corrugated tube after electrical cables have been pulled. Galvanized wire is also used for knitting.

Another option for a string is a thin cable. The tool’s working edge wears out when pulling the rule, which is the only drawback.

Step-by-step technology for installing beacons

We will point out the subtleties right away. Horizontally positioned string beacons are mounted on the walls. Two beacons will suffice if the walls are no higher than two meters. They are positioned between one another at a distance of 100–120 cm, depending on the size of the rule being used. Three strings can be put on the wall if the ceiling is very high.

1. First, mark the wall using a tape measure and a level (draw horizontal marking stripes and mark the location of the anchors).
2. Install the clamp and tensioner on the base. If the base material is concrete or brick, fasten with dowel nails. If we are plastering a wooden surface, use self-tapping screws.
3. Fix one end of the string on the clamp. Attach the other end to the movable (adjusting) bolt of the tensioner.
4. Tighten the wire by tightening the adjusting bolt with a suitable tool (screwdriver, screwdriver or wrench).
5. Check the position of the string (distance from the wall) using a level or plumb line. Adjust the position of the string with special anchor bolts or by placing wedges under the wire. This stage is especially important.
6. Mix the solution to create a support roller. Apply and level the plaster mixture with a spatula, forming a roller. Finally, clean the top of the string from the solution.
7. Let the plaster mixture harden and start plastering the walls.

Creating a structural roller

Once the mortar has hardened, the string can be taken apart. The order of this is reversed. After removing any last bits of plaster mixture, the beacon elements are dried or repurposed. To prevent kinks, the string is rolled up for storage.

Avoid overtightening the string when stretching it as this could cause the wire to break. Sufficient tension is required to prevent sagging.

How to make string beacons for plaster with your own hands

You will need two corners, two bolts with nuts for ten, two dowel-nails or self-tapping screws (such as a 75 self-tapping screw and a 6×40 dowel), a wrench, and pliers to make a string beacon by hand. Wedges are also required; you can use the wedges that were used to install windows. To ensure that the dowels are firmly embedded in the wall material, it is preferable to use dowels with ears.

In one shelf, a hole is drilled for a bolt, and in the other, for a screw. When installing a beacon, one corner shelf is screwed up against the wall, and the other shelf is positioned so that it is perpendicular to the base. The two corners’ shelves that hold the string ought to be facing one another.

To secure, wrap the wire’s tip around itself after wrapping the end around the bolt (under the head) two or three times. The end’s excess portion is bit off. A nut is screwed onto the bolt after it has been inserted into the corner hole. The other end of the string is bent, wrapped around the second bolt’s rod, and fastened at the head just like the first end, with the exception that it does not reach the corner shelf by approximately 5 cm. After the bolt is placed into the corner’s opening, the nut is tightened.

It can also be made using a standard clamp. We do not advise using this option as it is not the best one.

Tighten the nut with a key after holding the bolt head with pliers to prevent it from turning while tensioning the wire.

Remember that factory marriage can also cause the wire to burst in addition to high tension. Put on safety gear.

A cheap and efficient method for getting a flawlessly smooth plastered wall is to use string beacons. Their ability to precisely mark out both vertical and horizontal lines helps to guarantee that your plastering is even and level throughout. This not only makes your walls look better overall, but it also makes the application process easier to handle.

Correct use of string beacons requires careful setup to prevent common problems like sagging or misalignment. When placed correctly, they offer distinct points of reference that direct your plastering project, facilitating the achievement of a polished finish with minimal trouble.

In conclusion, adding string beacons to your plastering project can greatly improve the caliber of your output. They provide a simple means of guaranteeing precision and uniformity, which eventually helps to produce a smoother, more polished outcome. You’ll discover that these tools simplify and expedite plastering tasks with a little practice.

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