Any interior finish must achieve smooth, even walls, and plaster is one of the most dependable ways to accomplish this. A neat and polished finish is guaranteed when aligning plaster on walls before applying paint, wallpaper, or any other decorative finish.
We will walk you through every step of the plaster wall alignment technology in this article. There are helpful hints and detailed instructions to help you attain flawless results, from the first surface preparation to the last touches of smoothing.
Regardless of your degree of experience, going through this process will help you steer clear of typical blunders and guarantee that your walls are prepared for the final touches you have in mind.
| Stage | Description |
| Surface Preparation | Clean the wall from dust and old materials. Apply a primer to improve adhesion. |
| Mixing Plaster | Prepare the plaster mix according to the manufacturer"s instructions until smooth. |
| Applying the Plaster | Use a trowel to apply the first layer of plaster, filling in any uneven areas. |
| Leveling the Surface | Use a straightedge to smooth out the plaster, ensuring an even surface. |
| Final Finishing | After the plaster dries, sand the surface for a smooth finish, and apply paint or wallpaper as needed. |
- Ways to align the walls
- Alignment with plaster
- Rules for carrying out work
- Application methods
- Which plaster mix to choose
- For the facade
- For interior work
- Tools for application
- Instructions: how to plaster with your own hands
- Video on the topic
- Mechanized Plastering. Concrete base. A team of 5 people #sertamaster #plasteringstation
- Plastering walls together with Artem Chiba
- How to avoid cracks on walls? Preparation for plastering. #11
- 16 mistakes in plastering walls.
Ways to align the walls
There are two primary techniques for leveling walls in construction and maintenance:
- The first – with the help of plaster, it is also called "wet",
- the second – with drywall sheets, it is called "dry".
The planned decorative finish and the curvature of the existing walls will determine which of these options you choose.
Large rooms with uneven walls are ideal for showcasing GKL since it is simple to give up 5–10 cm on each side. As a finishing technique, paint or wallpaper are typically used.
Fascinating! Plaster and plasterboard comparison: which is more affordable and quicker for leveling walls?
Alignment with plaster
Plaster wall leveling is generally preferable in residential settings. Because this technology is so straightforward and anyone can do the work to a high enough standard with enough effort, you can save money. However, it is best to leave it to the experts because of the tight deadlines and high standards.
Benefits of plastering:
- Variety of compositions. Various fillers and binders allow you to get a plaster solution with the desired technical properties, for example, porous components increase sound absorption and reduce thermal conductivity.
- Vapor permeability. Moisture does not accumulate on the inside of the finishing layer, but goes out. This is especially true if the solution was laid on aerated concrete or over thermal insulation.
- Low cost of the material. 30 kg of dry mix costs about 350-400 rubles.
- Variability of finishing coatings. The plaster base is suitable for a decorative finishing layer, wallpaper, painting and tiles. The solution is strong enough and holds brackets for electronics and household appliances.
The drawbacks of plastering
- Garbage. During the work, a large amount of dust and dirt appears on the floor.
- Heavy weight. A thick layer of plaster significantly loads the walls.
- Time costs. The solution dries for several days, as a result of which such finishing takes a long time.
- Increased cost of work with very crooked walls. Using plaster is much more expensive if the unevenness of the walls is more than 50 mm.
Rules for carrying out work
Plastering and painting projects are governed by regulatory documents such as SNiP, GESN, PPR, and process maps, which are quite stringent. The most significant sources are the first two.
They state that the following requirements must be fulfilled by the workspace:
- Air temperature over +10ºC (plaster mix manufacturers allow use from a surface temperature of +5ºC);
- Humidity below 60%.
According to SNiP, high-quality plastering technology also calls for adherence to the following guidelines:
- The strength of the base must be greater than the strength of the coating.
- Protruding parts, joints of walls made of different materials should be plastered using a plaster mesh. On wooden surfaces, boards made of shingles are attached to adhere to the solution.
- At an air temperature above +23, the surface must be moistened before applying the solution.
- The maximum thickness of a single-layer plaster is 20 mm, one layer in a multi-layer coating is 7 mm.
- Before applying each layer of plaster or primer mortar, the work surface is cleaned of dust.
I should also mention that priming porous and highly absorbent surfaces to minimize water absorption is the most crucial guideline to follow when leveling them. If not, some of the plaster’s water will seep into the walls, preventing the solution from strengthening. I use two layers of acrylic universal primer (applying the primer every three hours) to prime brick and aerated concrete. I find that wetting the wall with water prior to plastering does not work as well.
Application methods
Both manually and mechanically, plaster solutions are applied to the walls using a spatula.
PFT, Putzmeister, and Kaleta are the plastering stations that are most frequently found in the Russian market. The majority of units can be used to prepare solutions using cement, lime binders, and gypsum. Each component is combined in a dedicated hopper before being forced through a hose to the wall. This enables the work process to be sped up and cost-effectiveed.
Note: High-performance models that let you work with a lot of mixture right away typically cost between 200 and 300 thousand rubles. Mini-stations are available; they retail for about twenty thousand.
The technology of work in both situations is the same, with the exception of the application method. However, only a mechanized method involving a team of finishers can quickly plaster large areas (up to 200 m2 per day).
Plaster alignment is a useful and efficient technique for achieving a level, smooth surface, which is necessary for any high-quality finish. In order to remove any imperfections from the plaster, a base layer must be applied, the wall must be prepared, and the plaster must be carefully smoothed. Even uneven walls can be changed with the correct equipment and methods, guaranteeing a polished and long-lasting outcome that’s prepared for painting or other finishing touches.
Which plaster mix to choose
Prior to purchasing a kit or supplies to make it yourself from a store, you should ascertain exactly where in the house the work will be done and how much solution will be required.
For the facade
The exterior walls of a country house are leveled only with cement and cement-lime mortars. They are less expensive than gypsum mortars and can be easily made at home, which saves even more money. In this case, the technical attributes of the final product are more important than the financial aspect.
Strength and moisture resistance are two advantages that cement-based plasters have over gypsum.
For interior work
The best material for a given room within the house will vary depending on its type. Because gypsum is moisture-sensitive, cement-sand plasters are used to finish the bathroom, toilet, and kitchen.
Any combination is appropriate for physical properties in bedrooms, offices, and hallways; however, working with gypsum is more convenient because it increases vapor permeability, which helps to create a more favorable microclimate. Solutions containing gypsum also offer good thermal insulation qualities.
Tools for application
Plastering tools required:
- Spatula. The main hand tool. It is a steel plate with a handle fixed to one of its ends. Painters-plasterers have at least two of these: narrow and wide. The first one can quickly throw the plaster solution on the wall, the second one – to level it.
The spatula is also used to apply adhesive mortars for finishing, putty, fill in masonry joints and cracks, and remove old paint.
- Rule. Straight rigid strip 1–3 m long. Made of wood, steel, plastic or aluminum. In plastering work, it is mainly used to level the mortar over the entire area of the wall, as well as when checking the evenness of the surface.
Many contemporary rules come with a bubble level that indicates the deviation from a flat horizontal and vertical surface for measurements in the horizontal and vertical planes.
- Smoother (trowel). A hand-held construction tool, consisting, like a spatula, of a metal plate and a handle. Only the handle is located on the side of one of the planes of the steel sheet. When leveling walls, use a large trowel (280 x 130 mm) with a rectangular blade.
Widely used in the creation of decorative coatings, such as Venetian plaster, primarily for leveling the solution.
- Guide beacons. This is a perforated metal profile used to align walls. Beacons are mounted at the initial stage of plastering work, forming an invisible plane to which the solution must be brought.
When utilizing a rule, they operate as guidelines. In this troublesome area, corner profiles also help to strengthen the finish.
Instructions: how to plaster with your own hands
It is important to discuss how much plaster is required and how to calculate the consumption before going on to the order of plastering operations. This establishes the quantity of materials required for the room’s rough finishing. Here, I gave an example of a straightforward calculation using Knauf Rotband.
- Surface preparation. Old coatings are removed from the wall: tiles, wallpaper, paint, plaster. Dusting is carried out, oil stains and other contaminants are erased. On concrete walls, notches are made under cement plaster to ensure better adhesion.
- Primer. Depending on the type of wall, a suitable solution is selected and applied. There are two main types: deep penetration and adhesive concrete-contact.
- Installing beacons. To create a single plane, plaster beacons are installed. The most common type is metal profiles 6 or 10 mm thick, which are attached to the hay on the plaster mortar or on the fasteners. They serve as a stop during subsequent leveling of the mortar with a rule. Above I left a link to detailed instructions on the types and work with beacons.
- Preparing the solution. Water is poured into a suitable container and dry plaster mix is added. The components are mixed until a homogeneous consistency using an electric drill with a nozzle or a construction mixer.
It’s important to follow the instructions on the packaging when mixing plaster for the first time because different manufacturers may use slightly different amounts of water and dry mixture. I mix a bag of mixture in a 45 l rectangular basin and make the solution from half of a bag in a 20 l plastic bucket.
Rough plastering of curved (and non-curved) walls ends here. This is sufficient to level textured decorative plaster, wallpaper, and tiles. The walls are further puttied until flawlessly smooth before painting or applying Venetian plaster.
Also read:
- Plastering window slopes;
- Plastering doorways;
- Aligning corners.
Plaster wall alignment is a simple but crucial procedure that significantly enhances the look and longevity of your walls. By taking the right procedures, you can guarantee a seamless and expert finish that will give your area a polished and well-kept appearance.
You can get a result that looks fantastic and lasts for years by properly prepping the surface, applying the plaster evenly, and letting it set. Knowing the work technology, whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring a pro, makes sure the job is done correctly and helps you recognize the effort required.
This wall alignment technique provides a dependable means of repairing flaws and producing a smooth, even surface that is prepared for painting or other final touches. When applied correctly, this technique enhances the beauty and value of any space.
