Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a commonly chosen insulation material for finishing and insulating exterior building surfaces. It’s relatively easy to use, lightweight, and efficient. But using the right plastering techniques is crucial to guarantee that your facade is not only insulated but also strong and aesthetically pleasing.
Applying cement mortar is not the only step in the process. To create a sturdy, weather-resistant surface, you must carefully apply an adhesive mixture and cover the reinforced insulation. This method improves the building’s overall appearance while simultaneously safeguarding the insulation.
We’ll walk you through the entire facade plastering process over expanded polystyrene in this guide, so you can be sure that your exterior is both beautifully finished and well-insulated.
| Step | Description |
| 1. Surface Preparation | Clean the expanded polystyrene surface, ensuring it"s dry and free from dust and debris. |
| 2. Applying Adhesive Mixture | Spread a thin layer of adhesive over the insulation using a trowel, covering the entire surface evenly. |
| 3. Embedding Reinforcement | Press a fiberglass mesh into the adhesive while it"s still wet, ensuring it"s fully embedded without wrinkles. |
| 4. First Layer of Cement Mortar | Once the adhesive is dry, apply the first layer of cement mortar over the reinforced surface. |
| 5. Smoothing and Finishing | Smooth the mortar with a trowel, then let it dry completely before applying any decorative finishes. |
Plastering a facade on expanded polystyrene requires careful attention to detail in order to guarantee longevity and protection. This entails applying an adhesive mixture to the reinforced insulation and then covering it with a layer of cement mortar to give it a sturdy, weather-resistant finish. This process ensures long-lasting results by improving the building’s thermal efficiency and laying a strong foundation for additional decorative finishes.
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Why plaster expanded polystyrene insulation?
Expanded polystyrene is mounted from the outside of the building during the facade insulation process. After applying an EPS adhesive solution to the walls, the insulation boards are fastened with plate (mushroom-shaped) dowels. The heat-insulating layer’s surface needs to be shielded from UV rays, temperature fluctuations, and other atmospheric factors (wind, precipitation, etc.) in order to maintain and protect its properties. Plastering is one of the best methods for protecting polystyrene foam finishes. Compared to other coating types, this one is stronger, more resilient, and offers a wide range of design possibilities. Plaster is ideal for the facade’s decoration and protection.
What to plaster with: choosing a mixture
You cannot use ordinary cement-sand mortars for plastering EPS. They will rapidly separate from the slabs’ surface. Consequently, the initial layer is covered with unique polystyrene foam plasters. They contain glue and other additives in addition to cement and fine sand to ensure strong adhesion of the mixture to the walls. You can already use a cement-sand mixture to create a base plaster layer after applying the foam glue.
PPS and some other forms of insulation are meant to be attached to a variety of mineral substrates using adhesive plaster.
A few well-known brands of polystyrene foam adhesive plasters are as follows:
- Ceresit ST 85. Compressive strength (a parameter indicating the ability of a material to withstand destruction and mechanical loads) – 8 MPa. Frost resistance 100 freeze-thaw cycles.
- Knauf Sevener. Plaster of this brand has all the characteristics of Ceresit ST 85, differs only in slightly lower compressive strength (7.5 MPa) and frost resistance (75 cycles).
- Equipping Caverclix C117. Plaster and red mixtures of this series have high compression strength-10 MPa, frost resistance of 75 cycles. There are several special types of plaster in the series: winter, high -strength, reinforced, etc. D.
- Unis heaters for insulation. Its main characteristics: frost resistance 100 cycles, high vapor permeability, suitable for machine application.
- Glue plaster for polystyrene Dali. It is based on cement. The mixture is elastic, has increased compression strength.
The use of a reinforcing grid is still necessary even when enhancing microfolocons are present in the plaster mixture. Therefore, a fiberglass building mesh must be attached underneath plaster on polystyrene foam.
Ready cement-sand combinations can be used to create a simple, non-decorative layer. Almost all construction supply stores carry them.
Choose cement with a grade of M400 or M500 for the autonomous preparation of C-P mortar. It will have a ratio of 1:4 to 1:5 with sand. River sand is purer because it doesn’t include clay contaminants. However, because quarry sand’s edges are sharper, it adheres better.
0.8–1.2 is the proportion of water to CPS, depending on the sand’s moisture content.
Special decorative plasters are used to finish the building’s exterior walls. Some examples of these plasters are:
- Ceresit ST 60, 63, 64. These are decorative pebble acrylic plasters, recommended by the manufacturer, including for coating polystyrene boards. Apply over the base layer. Ceresit ST series 60 is the basis for tinting. Colour at the customer"s choice.
- Ceresit ST 35, ST 137. These are mineral mixtures. ST35 gives the surface a "bark beetle" texture, ST 137 is pebble. There are three versions in the range: white, for painting and "Winter". Winter version is suitable for work at temperatures from 0 C.
- Ceresit ST 174, 175. Plasters of this series are made on a silicate-silicone base. ST 174 pebble and ST 175 "bark beetle" are the base for tinting.
- Knauf Diamant. This is a mineral structural decorative plaster. Suitable for painting. Compressive strength 3.5 MPa, frost resistance 50 cycles. Optimally used in combination with a base layer of Knauf Sevener.
- Stolit AF. The plaster mix of this brand belongs to structural acrylic, gives the surface a "lamb" relief.
Keep in mind that acrylic plasters are more resistant to atmospheric influences when selecting a decorative finishing coat for expanded polystyrene.
Gaining expertise in expanded polystyrene facade plastering will guarantee that your house is aesthetically pleasing and well-insulated. You can get a long-lasting finish by carefully following the instructions for applying the adhesive mixture and cement mortar.
From surface preparation to final coat application, every step of the process requires careful attention to detail. With this level of attention to detail, the facade will have long-lasting protection from the weather in addition to a stunning appearance.
Plastering over expanded polystyrene can dramatically improve the exterior of your home by seamlessly fusing aesthetics and functionality. However, the right technique and materials are required.
