One of the most time-consuming types of finishing work, perhaps, is the plastering of walls, especially if you do this work yourself, without resorting to outside help. It will be a pity for the money and effort spent if, after drying, the walls become covered with cracks or the material completely moves away from the surface, which happens very often if the master does not have the appropriate experience in construction work. But, of course, the type and quality of the plaster mixture that you will use to carry out the work plays an important role. Therefore, the choice of composition should be taken seriously, since the success of plastering the walls will also depend on this.
For reference
Good plaster can be made by you and yourself. To do this, select the ingredients, sift the sand, mix everything in the required proportions and add water. But all this will take a lot of time, and the mixture may turn out to be of poor quality. Therefore, it is best to purchase a ready-made composition that already has the right amount of dry mixes that require only the addition of liquid.
Features of the choice of plaster forwalls
You can choose a mortar for plaster depending on the surface of the wall, the time allocated for the work, as well as the estimated cost of the composition. In order not to be mistaken, you need to know which plasters are commercially available today. If you need to ennoble the facade, then you should choose cement-lime or cement plasters. Interior walls are best finished with cement-lime or cement mixtures, as well as gypsum compositions. Depending on the fillers, plaster may have different quality characteristics. For example, cement as a binder contains the substance of the same name, and sand acts as a filler. Among the advantages of this solution are long pot life after preparation, a durable surface after drying, as well as low cost. It is impossible not to note the versatility, because such compositions are suitable for both internal and facade work.
Long pot life makes the job easier as you can mix multiple bags at once using a concrete mixer without fear of the mortar setting before you have worked it out. Such mixtures are very suitable for inexperienced craftsmen. And after drying, the surface is resistant to mechanical stress.
If you choose such a dry mix for wall plastering, then you should be prepared for some disadvantages. Among them are poor adhesion to concrete and smooth surfaces, the impossibility of performing a large amount of work per day due to heavyphysical activity, as well as the formation of a large amount of dirt. The cement will take quite a long time to harden, so the repair work will be stretched out, and further finishing can be resumed only after 2 weeks. The works provide for the need for preliminary puttying of the walls. During drying, high humidity will remain in the room, water is needed for the crystallization of particles, therefore, during the drying process, it is necessary to spray the surface with water, which complicates the process. If there are wooden structures in the room, then high humidity can cause them to deform.
Because the mortar will have to be thrown onto the wall, enough of it will fall on the floor, creating a lot of dirt, in addition, this can lead to overspending of the mixture. But this is not the only source of dust, as when the mortar is mixed, cement particles will rise into the air, entering the respiratory tract, and this is known to be harmful to he alth.
Cement-lime plaster
If you are thinking about the question of which plaster is better, then you can pay attention to cement-lime mixtures, which also consist of sand. The advantages are the ability to use the composition for interior and exterior work, as well as for rooms whose conditions are characterized by high humidity. After applying to the walls, the cement-lime composition gives them antibacterial properties, excluding the development of fungus.
The composition is convenient to apply, as it has an elastic consistency andadheres well to the surface. But the mortar for plaster will dry for about 4 months, in addition, the mixture is demanding to comply with the technology. If the surface preparation is not carried out correctly or the recommendations for drying are not followed, the wall will become covered with cracks and turn out to be loose. Dust from lime plaster is no less harmful than from the composition described above. If the solution comes into contact with the skin, it may cause skin irritation and sores.
Gypsum plaster
Gypsum plaster mixture has fillers in the form of mineral additives. The color of the composition can be gray, white or cream. It dries quickly, which reduces the time of finishing work. To prepare the walls, there is no need to putty them, the mixture is plastic, during the work it does not slip from the surface, and it can be applied in two layers, which allows you to process about 40 m per day 2. Dirt and dust will be less formed, among other things, the composition is non-shrinking and does not become cracked after drying.
Disadvantages of gypsum plaster
If you are faced with the question of which plaster is better, then perhaps you should consider whether to purchase a gypsum composition, as it has many disadvantages. Among them, it is worth highlighting: low viability, instability to mechanical stress, as well as moisture. You will have to work out the prepared mixture within 40 minutes, which requires professionalism and special skills frommasters. Gypsum compounds are not used for outdoor applications as they are not weather resistant.
Glue plaster
Mix for wall plaster can be glue. It consists of polymer additives, sand, special fibers and cement. As a rule, this mixture is used for the installation of insulation, but it can also be used for plastering walls using a grid. Due to the high cost of adhesive plaster, its scope is very limited.
Preparing your own plaster
Having studied the ratio of ingredients, you can prepare a mortar for leveling walls on your own. The proportions of lime plaster are as follows: 1 part lime paste, 3 parts sand. The proportions can be changed slightly if the fat content of the lime is excessive or negligible. Thus, for one part of lime, you may need from 1 to 5 parts of sand. After combining the ingredients, the composition should be mixed, gradually adding liquid and sand.
Cement-sand plaster: preparation
Cement-sand-based plaster materials are also combined in accordance with the proportion. To carry out the work, you will need cement, sand, lime and water. First, part of the cement and 4 parts of sand are mixed, after which 0.1 parts of lime can be added. Gradually, liquid is added to the solution until a mixture of the desired consistency can be obtained. Depending on thebrand of cement, proportions may vary. If you want to prepare a wall plaster mix with M200 cement, then you should combine sand and cement in a ratio of 1 to 1. When using M500 cement, prepare sand in an amount of 5 parts and cement in a volume of 1 part.
Other criteria
If you still cannot find the optimal mixture for wall plaster, then you should be guided by the materials in their basis. If there is a foam concrete surface that has a porous structure, it is best to purchase a gypsum mixture. You can also buy cement mortar. But it should be noted that foam concrete has good absorbency, and the plastered surface will require water spraying. If you have to work with wooden walls, then cement and lime-based plaster, which is applied over the lathing of shingles, is best suited for them. Gypsum plasters are more expensive than cement plasters. However, if we take into account the consumption of gypsum plaster, then cement plaster will cost much more. After all, if you apply the first option with a centimeter layer per square meter, it will take 10 kg, while the cement composition will be used up in an amount of 16 kg.
When choosing a mixture for wall plaster, you should not purchase it in large volumes. First you need to take two packages, and then try them in work. If the setting time corresponds to the instructions, then you can purchase the right amount of the mixture. It is important to exclude improper storage of gypsum plaster, as in this case it will harden within 10 minutes after application.water. But if the required amount of cement was not added to the cement plaster, then it will crawl along the wall during the application process.
Choosing the best plaster by manufacturer
As experts recommend, you should not purchase mixtures that are made by little-known manufacturers. The most popular product on the market today is the one supplied by the German company Knauf. It produces high-quality mixtures, and the price of these products is slightly higher compared to domestically produced goods. Among the latter, the Prospectors, Osnovit, Yunis, Volma and Kreps firms have proven themselves. The quality of "Prospectors" is not inferior to Knauf. But if you buy a large batch, then the difference for a package of 30 kg can become noticeable.
Characteristics of gypsum plaster brand "Knauf Rotband"
If you decide to prefer the Knauf Rotband mixture for leveling the walls, then you should familiarize yourself with its characteristics. It is intended for high-quality plastering of walls and ceilings that have a solid base. These include cement plaster, concrete, brick, and Styrofoam surfaces. Smooth concrete surfaces work particularly well. You can use this composition for finishing rooms with normal humidity and in bathrooms, as well as kitchens.
Gypsum plaster "Knauf Rotband" (30 kg) is applied in a layer, the thickness of which can vary from 5 to 50 mm. With a 10 mm layer, you will need 8.5 kg per square meter. When kneading, it will take about 20 liters of water per30 kg bag. The surface will dry within 7 days, but it is necessary to use the finished solution in 25 minutes. The compressive strength will exceed 2.5 MPa, while the bending strength will exceed 1.0 MPa. Gypsum plaster "Knauf rotband" (30 kg) is a universal mixture that provides increased adhesion with almost all materials. Packing the above-mentioned volume will cost the consumer 370 rubles. If you have to work with highly absorbent surfaces, then they are pre-applied with a primer.
Characteristics of gypsum plaster "Volma-layer"
Volma plaster, the price of which is 280 rubles, does not require preliminary puttying and can be applied manually. Per square meter with a layer thickness of 10 mm, it will take about 9 kg of dry composition. Such a layer will dry within 24 hours, and brick, gypsum or cement plaster, concrete or gas block can be used as a rough surface. It is necessary to develop a solution after preparation in 45 minutes. For facade work, Volma plaster, the price of which is quite acceptable, is not used. It can be applied in layers from 5 to 60 mm.
