What to do if plaster is falling off the walls

When you enter a room, have you ever noticed that the walls’ plaster is flaking or falling off? Seeing your walls fall apart can be upsetting, but don’t panic—many homeowners have similar problems. Fortunately, there are actions you can take to solve the issue and get your walls back to how they were.

Plaster that is peeling can be caused by a number of things, such as moisture problems, inadequate surface preparation, or an old plaster. Finding the root of the problem is essential to developing a workable solution. Determining the cause of the issue will enable you to select the most appropriate repair technique, regardless of whether it’s the result of water damage or simple wear and tear.

We’ll guide you through the process of repairing plaster that is coming loose from your walls in this article. We’ll offer helpful guidance to help you take on this repair project on your own, from evaluating the damage and prepping the surface to using the appropriate materials and techniques. You can give your room a new, polished look and preserve the integrity of your walls with the appropriate method.

It’s critical to take quick action to fix falling plaster on your walls in order to stop additional damage and guarantee a smooth finish. Determine the root of the issue, whether it is moisture, inadequate adhesion, or surface damage, first. Before replastering, repair the damaged areas by clearing away any loose plaster, priming the surface, and using an appropriate bonding agent. You can maintain a strong and appealing surface on your walls and return them to their previous state by following these steps.

Why plaster is falling off

Why does the wall’s plaster coating crumble? Let’s first examine the various forms of this phenomenon. If there is no adhesion between the thickness of the coating and the base, the coating may peel off the walls. The strength of the solution might be sufficient in this instance.

A crumbling plaster coating that fractures readily when pressed or worn down is an additional choice. These two conditions have different causes.

If the preparatory work was not finished completely before plastering, the first scenario happens.

• stains from grease and other oils were not degreased (or not degreased enough);
• soot was not removed from the room;
• dust was not removed;
• whitewash was not removed;
• plaster was laid on old paint;
• the wall was not primed;
• spraying was not carried out (sufficient adhesion to the surface was not ensured);
• the hardened solution is stronger than the base material (the internal stresses that arise during hardening are higher than the wall surface can withstand).

That is to say, the plasterers did not take any precautions to guarantee that the applied solution would adhere to the wall material (adhesion strength).

Additionally, using the incorrect primer or plastering composition could be the cause (you can read more about which primers to use in our website article):

1. Gypsum mixtures were used in a room with high humidity.
2. In a building that is still shrinking, the walls were plastered with mineral compositions that are sensitive to vibrations and movements (it would be correct to use elastic materials with a polymer base).
3. Application of concrete contact. Concrete contact is intended for one case: when gypsum mass (light) is applied to concrete. The primer forms a waterproof, rough film that prevents the gypsum from getting wet where it adjoins the concrete, and also prevents the gypsum dough from sliding down the wall. However, the adhesion of the film itself is low, so sometimes it cannot withstand the weight of heavy coatings and the plaster peels off along the film.

There may also be structural violations as the cause of the plaster shell’s collapse:

• gypsum mass was applied to a concrete base or to a cement surface without installing a dividing barrier between them;
• waterproofing was not done, and the gypsum cladding, getting wet at the border of the junction with the wall, collapses;
• the dew point falls at the junction of the finish and the wall;
• thick-layer mortar coating was not reinforced with mesh.

The second choice, which is easily crumbling dried plaster, is the consequence of:

• sanding the solution (small amount of binder);
• violations of application technology (the solution is not protected from dehydration, as a result of which the dough, having lost the water necessary for chemical reactions, did not gain strength);
• violation of hardening conditions (short -term freezing insufficient to hardening cement mass, moisture and t. D.).

The old age of the finish itself or an increased weight on the walls could be the cause of the plaster pouring out.

How to avoid the destruction of plaster

What should you do if you examine the wall and find that the plaster is crumbling beneath your hands? Can clothes made of crumbling plaster be strengthened? How to do it, and with what, if at all possible? If strengthening is not feasible, what then?

There are only three possibilities available, depending on the origin and severity of the defect:

• strengthening the plaster mass throughout its entire thickness (in case of sanding or low strength of the plaster layer, which does not detach from the base);
• fixing and strengthening the coating by reinforcement (if a durable plaster layer peels off only in small areas, and it is also necessary to strengthen the upper layers of the coating);
• removal and re-plastering (if reinforcement is impossible or unprofitable).

Plaster imperfections – this could be interesting.

Use a deep penetration primer

The case of surface crumbling is a mild case. After applying a liquid deep penetration primer to the surface (usually in two passes), the wall is puttied once it has dried. As an illustration, the Ceresit 17 primer compacts and is well absorbed, but it does not lessen the finish’s vapor permeability.

The process for applying is straightforward:

• a lightly swept surface is abundantly moistened with a primer liquid, capturing adjacent areas;
• let the primer soak in;
• as soon as the surface begins to become matte (but not yet dry), apply a second layer;
• after drying, the wall is putty.

Strengthening the plaster layer with impregnation

You can use the technique of impregnation with liquids intended to strengthen the internal bonds in the thickness of the existing material to reinforce the layer material and stop the plaster from crumbling. These days, compounds with the ability to penetrate concrete up to 1.5 meters below the surface have been developed.

Their method of operation involves packing material into pores and microcracks with a substance that can compact and solidify, securely ensnaring particles of different sizes. The coating material may undergo chemical transformations during certain impregnations.

These pregnancies may stem from a variety of sources:

• silicone;
• liquid glass;
• wax;
• polymer.

Impregnations not only boost mechanical strength but also have the ability to disinfect, hydrophobicate, and increase the surface’s resistance to a variety of outside influences, like temperature fluctuations.

Applying impregnation can be done mechanically (spraying) or manually (using a brush or roller).

Facades can be impregnated with fluorosilicate.

1. Before fluation (the soaking with this agent is called), the surface is cleaned of dust and other contaminants.
2. Cracks are covered with liquid lime or cement mortar, dried.
3. The surface is covered with 1-2 layers of fluorosilicate, applied with a brush, and dried.

Reinforcement

If the building’s shrinkage period hasn’t ended, the plaster layer needs to be reinforced and strengthened with a reinforcing mesh (made of stainless steel or with an anti-corrosion coating) if the finish is crumbling at the junction of bases made of different materials and repairs call for the application of a mass more than 3 cm thick.

• remove loose pieces, degrease (also clean open areas from rust, efflorescence);
• swept the surface;
• primed with agents that penetrate pores and microcracks;
• fix the mesh to the wall, and then "cover" it with a thin layer of mortar that reliably covers the metal sheet (at the same time, cover cracks and chips);
• the dried coating is primed and dried before puttying.

Complete replacement of the coating

There’s no use reattaching the plaster finish to the base if it starts to peel off the walls in large layers. In this instance, the wall is plastered once more after the lagging coating is totally removed.

The following procedures must be followed in order to replace the coating completely:

• removing the old finish to the base;
• cleaning the wall;
• dust removal;
• coating with a primer;
• drying;
• plastering with or without beacons.

It’s critical to take quick action to fix falling plaster on your walls in order to stop more damage. Determine the underlying cause of the issue, such as moisture, inadequate surface preparation, or structural problems, first. This will assist you in solving the issue and stop it from happening again.

After identifying the root cause, you can proceed with the required actions to restore the damaged areas. This usually entails treating any underlying problems, scraping off any loose plaster, and then applying a new layer of plaster. To ensure a solid bond and a smooth finish, make sure you adhere to the recommended methods for surface preparation and plaster application.

To maintain the quality of your walls, timely repairs and routine maintenance are essential. You can preserve the integrity of your walls and steer clear of future, more involved repairs by taking preventative measures and taking care of plaster problems as they come up.

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