Technology for creating inexpensive decorative plaster from paper and newspapers

Plaster decoration can be costly to make, particularly if you want to create unusual textures and patterns. Nevertheless, there’s a creative and inexpensive technique that produces amazing results using commonplace materials like paper and newspapers. This method is environmentally friendly because it encourages recycling in addition to cost savings.

Paper and newspaper are combined to create a paste that can be applied to walls similarly to conventional plaster. Then, you can customize, paint, and texture this paste to fit any type of decorative scheme. It’s an adaptable technique that lets you explore endless creative options without going over budget.

This method’s accessibility is what makes it so alluring. The main materials are easily accessible since most homes already have old newspapers and scrap paper lying around. DIY enthusiasts will find the process ideal as it is simple and doesn’t require any specialized skills or equipment.

We’ll walk you through the process of making decorative plaster out of paper and newspapers in this article. You will discover how to make the paste, combine the ingredients, and apply it to create stunning, textured finishes. This method is simple to learn and produces amazing results, regardless of experience level with do-it-yourself projects.

Types of cheap paper plasters

Newspapers used to be glued in multiple layers to prepare walls and partitions for wallpaper and to seal cracks. There was also a method for creating and using paper plaster out of leftover paper. Paper can be used to create an original wall covering for any room with a little "conjuring."

It’s up to you to decide and complete it:

• plaster made of paper glued to the wall with a crinkled silk effect;
• liquid wallpaper of your own making;
• plaster from newspaper rolls.

Advantages and disadvantages of the coating

Similar to everything else in the world, there are advantages and disadvantages to this kind of low-cost finishing.

• paper plaster is the cheapest wall decor;
• excellent thermal insulation properties;
• environmentally friendly;
• porous structure absorbs noise;
• high elasticity (does not create cracks during shrinkage);
• do not burn, dying out when ignited;
• vapor permeable;
• mask wall defects;
• walls are warm to the touch.

Drawback: lengthy drying

Required materials and composition of plaster

Paper is, of course, the primary raw material used to make paper plaster. These could be notebook or office writing paper sheets. Newspaper paper, egg trays, brochures for advertisements, and other waste paper products work well. It is not advised to use cardboard because the finished plaster will become less pliable due to its presence.

Additionally, you’ll need wallpaper CMC and glue PVA as an adhesive base. They are necessary to allow the paper mass to adhere to the wall and for the fibers within it to connect.

An acrylic paint processor can also be used as a coloring medium in the piece. In the case of decorative plaster staining, naturally, fresh paper has cleaner tones than waste paper. Remember that after drying, the plaster will be noticeably lighter in color.

To enhance the decorative appeal of the paper coating, incorporate chopped foil, colorful threads, crushed tinsel, and shiny ribbons for tying flowers and trinkets.

Added to the plaster are special bactericidal ingredients that give it resistance against mold and fungus. Occasionally, clay that isn’t psychic is added to the composition. She adds elasticity to the mixture.

The paper that has been gathered must be cut. The sheets are cut into thin strips or ripped into tiny pieces for this. The raw materials are prepared and then put in a container with hot water to soak and swell for a few hours. A construction mixer is used to break up wet paper into fibers.

To the resultant mass, add threads, tinsel, and paint. Mix using a mixer set to low speed. Mix by hand after adding the glue to prevent the formation of hard, dense lumps in the mixture. To use, add the gypsum mixture. Mix well, then get to work right away because the composition sets quickly.

Necessary tool

Paper plaster, like all decorative coatings, needs to be applied with the appropriate tool.

When purchasing a tool, keep in mind that the material’s quality will have a significant impact on how convenient and easy it is to use.

• spatulas;
• transparent plastic trowel;
• brushes;
• trowel;
• rollers;
• mixer;
• masking tape for pasting the borders;
• containers for preparing the composition;
• sponge;
• rag.

Application technology

Plaster can be made by hand from paper using a variety of techniques. If plaster is comparable to liquid wallpaper, the mass is applied using a plastic trowel or spatula that has a transparent working surface to give you control over the application process. Applying the mixture by hand in small amounts and pressing the plaster into the wall is more convenient. A trowel held at a slight angle to the wall is then used to smooth the mass. Wetting the surface with a spray bottle makes it much easier to level. A layer of varnish is applied to the plaster mass to provide protection once it has dried.

There are other varieties of paper plaster that require different application methods than the one outlined.

Plaster from egg trays

To coat 1.5 m2 with a 1 cm thick layer, you will require:

• egg trays – 15 pcs;
• hot water;
• PVA (carpentry or furniture, thick) – 5-6 st.l.;
• KMC glue (wallpaper, cheapest) 45 g;
• silicate glue – 3 or 4 tbsp.l.;
• cement – for liquid wallpaper 150 ml.

Egg trays are the only raw materials used in this plaster composition.

Order of work:

1. The outer edges of the trays are discarded due to their roughness.
2. The rest of the material is crushed, placed in a container and filled with water (8 liters for 15 grates).
3. After half an hour, the dirty water is drained, replaced with clean water, and the paper is again left to soak.
4. After an hour and a half, when the scraps are sufficiently wet, they are compacted with a kitchen masher, the water is drained, leaving enough to cover the compacted mass by a finger. Let it sit for another 2-3 hours.
5. After this, the entire mass is dumped into the bathroom (excess water will drain away). Place paper pulp in a bucket in layers (without squeezing), sprinkling it with dry CMC glue. Leave for 20-30 minutes for the glue to swell.
6. Then stir with your hands, kneading the lumps with your fingers. (The author of this plaster recommends manual kneading, because you can feel the material better with your hands).
7. Having brought the mass to a state of homogeneous delicate consistency, add 5-6 tablespoons of thick PVA glue. Universal glue is not suitable, it will lead to the formation of mold.
8. Having mixed in PVA, add 4-5 tablespoons of "liquid glass". Mix.
9. Add 150 ml of cement (it is this that will prevent shrinkage cracks from appearing) and color, mix.

Apply 3-4 layers of CMC glue to the wall with drying. Apply the mass in a layer from 0.5 to 1 cm thick. Apply the finished mass to the wall by hand. To do this, scoop up the "dough" with your palm and, having stuck it with force to the wall, stretch and smooth it out until a layer is formed. This plaster mass is easy to lay and pleasant to work with hands. It can be given the desired texture – molded from it stonework or some simple relief is created. You can level the layer with a trowel, then press down the mass with the edge of a wooden plank or ruler, forming seams to imitate stone or brickwork.

To simulate broken stone, use a brush with rare bristles. Use it to trim the top of the layer as needed.

The coating takes a very long time to dry—between two and four weeks, depending on the layer’s thickness. It shouldn’t have been painted sooner. Apply paint once it has dried.

Paper plaster

Paper-based plaster that has been crumpled in your hands and adhered to the wall with folds appears remarkable. This kind of plaster needs to be applied to the same wall as wallpaper. Scratches and minor cracks are acceptable. It makes sense to use large paper sheets (newspaper, tracing paper, etc.) with a large coating area and smaller paper sheets (notebook, stationery, etc.) with a small area. Two rollers are required: one for rolling paper onto the wall and the other for applying paint.

Prior to applying, ensure that the paper is entirely torn around the edges.

Order of performance:

1. The paper is pre-prepared: the edges are torn off (so that the joints are invisible), the sheets are crumpled into a ball several times and unfolded. There should be enough blanks to work with one wall.
2. A section of the wall is covered with acrylic paint with a roller.
3. A sheet of crumpled paper is applied to the wall, pressing it onto the paint and rolling it with a roller. Protruding folds are obtained on the paper. After rolling one sheet, its edge is coated with paint, it is also applied to the place where the second sheet is glued and the last one is glued next to it with a small overlap. Paint is applied to the joints with a short roller and the edge of the sheet is rolled, with manual correction of the folds so that the joint is not noticeable. The operation is repeated.
4. When the wall surface is completely pasted over, it is allowed to dry for about 6 hours, after which the excess paper is cut off along the edges with a sharp knife and the wall is covered with a layer of paint with light movements without pressing the roller. Folds that protrude too much above the wall should be glued to the wall at this stage.
5. Let the paint dry.
6. Prepare the glaze composition. Mix the purchased glaze composition with silver color.
7. Apply the composition with a sponge, shading the plaster with circular movements.
8. Dry the surface.
9. Add silver glitter to the acrylic varnish. Apply the clear varnish to the wall with a brush. Dry after application.

See also: Detailed technology in ornamental wood plaster that mimics bark and other wood species

Textured plaster from newspapers

Newspapers can be used to make finishing in a variety of shapes, including spirals made of tubes called "snails" in addition to smooth or crumpled forms. It takes a lot of time to manufacture and install decorative elements with this level of finishing. But the end product is a unique, uncommon, chic, and exquisite coating that complements both country and modern styles.

Plugging in the paper bricks

To create a simple newspaper snail, follow these steps:

• A newspaper sheet is carefully torn into strips (8 strips will be made from a regular sheet);
• Each strip is rolled into a tube, the end of which is glued (a cocktail tube or a thin knitting needle is used for rolling);
• Several tubes are rolled into loose spirals of a narrow oval shape (each subsequent tube is attached to the already rolled ones using glue);
• The snail is given the final shape of a rectangle with rounded edges and the side “planes” are coated with glue.

You should and can make different sizes of snails if you want your coating to have a more aesthetically pleasing appearance in the future.

It is not necessary to prepare the snail wall with great care. It is advised to treat it with an antibiotic in addition to a primer. arid.

The installation of the snails is carried out sequentially, the spirals are arranged in different directions (some elements are glued vertically, some horizontally). The work is similar to laying out a mosaic. For attaching to the wall, use cement mortar with pitch or putty, which is applied by hand along with the snail. The gaps between the base elements are covered with mortar so that the upper parts of the spirals rise slightly above the surface.
After complete drying (minimum 3 days), the surface is covered with a paint composition using a long-haired roller. You can make the wall one-color. You can paint the protruding tops of the spirals in a different color, and some of them in one color, some in another. There is enough room for creative imagination here. At the finish, you can cover the wall with varnish.

For those who enjoy doing DIY projects around the house, making inexpensive decorative plaster out of paper and newspapers is a creative and sustainable solution. Old newspapers and paper waste can be recycled to create a distinctive textured finish that gives character to any wall. This approach is environmentally friendly since it encourages recycling in addition to cost savings.

Three simple supplies are needed for this easy process: water, shredded paper, and a binding agent such as wallpaper paste or white glue. These ingredients can be combined to make a smooth paste that can be easily applied to walls with common plastering tools. Depending on your preferred look, this technique’s versatility allows for a variety of finishes, from smooth to textured.

The accessibility of this method is one of its main advantages. The majority of homes already possess the required items, so costly or specialized supplies are not as necessary. Paper plaster is also a great way to do a creative and enjoyable do-it-yourself project that will give your living area a personalized touch and a sense of accomplishment.

All things considered, paper-based decorative plaster is a useful and environmentally friendly choice for anyone wishing to improve the style of their home. You can create one-of-a-kind artwork on your walls and support environmental conservation with very little money and effort. Accept this cutting-edge strategy and reap the rewards of a gorgeous, personalized interior.

Using paper and newspapers to make low-cost decorative plaster is a creative, green way to turn common waste into fashionable wall coverings. This do-it-yourself approach is a great option for cost-conscious homeowners and environmentally conscientious builders because it not only lowers expenses but also encourages recycling. Paper is shredded, combined with a binder, and applied similarly to plaster in an interior setting to create distinctive patterns and textures that elevate any area.

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