In order to plaster a wall with high quality, it is necessary to achieve the most even surface. To facilitate the task, they use the technology of leveling walls using special guides, which are called beacons.
Lighthouses are made of metal, plastic, do it yourself from gypsum or cement mortar. The use of ready-made guides greatly speeds up the process, with virtually no effect on the cost of finishing work: they are inexpensive, installed much faster than home-made ones. In addition, their advantage is that the solution that has fallen on a metal or plastic beacon is easy to clean off, but with gypsum or cement it is not easy.
So, we buy lighthouses of the right size (the thickness of the plaster layer depends on the height of the lighthouse), cut them into pieces of the required size (standard length is 3 m), using ordinary metal scissors.
How to install beacons on mortar
On the wall with a plumb or coated thread we apply vertical lines in different corners of the wall. On eachof these, we prepare at least five pieces of mortar, on which we install beacons to level the walls. Each guide is pressed down so that the solution passes through the holes for the fasteners. After that, the beacons, using the building level, are aligned vertically.
After the beacons for leveling the walls at the corners are installed, two cords are pulled between them from above and below, which form the plane of the future plaster. Next is the installation of intermediate guides. The distance between them is determined by the size of the rule that will be used when plastering. If the rule is 2 meters long, then the step with which the beacons are installed to level the walls is 1.7-1.9 m. The order of their installation is similar, only there is no need to check their verticality: they are aligned with the cords.
Preparation of mortar and plastering
Alignment of the walls under the lighthouses involves the use of mortar for plastering. Dry mixtures are most often used, which are usually added to water. They need to be prepared for use, strictly following the instructions that are attached to each composition.
The plastering process itself is divided into three stages:
- Splatter. A more liquid composition is used, for which a little more water is added to the main solution. Then it is sprayed onto the wall with a thin layer (no more than 2-3 mm). It is not necessary to level this layer (if its maximum thickness does not exceed the height of the beacons).
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wall alignmentby lighthouses price Ground. The solution is made according to the instructions, a thicker layer is applied. In the gap between the beacons, a solution is laid, which is leveled from the bottom up by the rule. It is pulled, using beacons to level the walls as a support. The excess solution is removed from the tool with a spatula and sent to a bucket for later use. It is not possible to achieve an ideal surface with the first pass, therefore, using a spatula, gaps and shells are filled with mortar, after which they are re-passed with the rule.
- Finishing layer or smoothing down. A small amount of plaster must be diluted to a state of sour cream. This composition is applied to the still wet plaster (it should take 40-60 minutes after its application) and rubbed with a stainless steel trowel. As a result, the surface should become smooth and glossy.
Each layer of plaster is applied only when the previous one is dry (except for smoothing). In addition, it is desirable to cover each of the layers with a primer for better adhesion (adhesion). The primer also needs to be dried. This is a lengthy process. But there is nothing too complicated in it, but if you hire builders, it will not be cheap. Aligning the walls with lighthouses (the price is considered per square area) costs approximately the amount that goes to the purchase of materials. So decide: either pay decent money, or do it yourself.
