Renovation of the premises, whether it is office or residential, is accompanied by ceiling decoration. This stage is one of the first when updating the interior. To do this, it is customary to use many different methods, but first you need to do the preparatory work. The most time-consuming of them are manipulations to level the ceiling.
Tools used
If you are faced with the question of how to level the ceiling, then you must prepare a set of tools, among them should be highlighted:
- metal spatulas;
- mixer for mixing the working solution;
- paint brush.
Metal spatulas should have different sizes. In order to be comfortable working with them, the tool must have a rubberized handle. To carry out the manipulations, you will need a container, the volume of which is approximately 20 liters. It should have high sides and straight walls. The former will protect against splashing of the compositions during mixing, thenhow the walls will simplify the intake of mortar with a spatula.
The paint brush should be complemented by a roller. With these tools you can apply a primer to the surface. For the final grinding of the base, you will need building plaster. It allows you to prepare the ceiling before further painting.
Tools for removing old coatings
Before leveling the ceiling, you must prepare its surface by removing whitewash, old paint and other coatings. It all depends on how carefully you do it. Surface cleaning is best done with a spatula or scraper. You can get rid of dry paint with these tools.
But if you want to get by with less costs and reduce preparation time, then it is better to moisten the surface of the ceiling with water, eliminating the draft in the room. The old coating under such conditions will begin to bubble. After that, you can remove the remnants of the old finish. Then the base washes well.
Preparation for plastering
Before carrying out plastering work, you should take care of the presence of a perforator with a wide blade. You will need: foam sponge, brush, bath and primer. The foam sponge can be replaced with a roller on a telescopic handle. The surface is wetted, and then old layers of decorative finishes are removed from the surface using a wide perforator blade.
Materials and technology for leveling critically uneven surfaces: the use of plaster
Leveling the ceiling with plaster todayvery common. This process is highly labor intensive. Despite this, the technique remains relevant. If the level difference reaches 5 cm, then this solution can be considered the only one possible to obtain a quality repair.
You can plaster any surface, it can be wood or concrete. Before applying the plaster, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work. To do this, the concrete floor is cleaned of contaminants. Particular attention should be paid to areas where mold and fungus have formed. These areas are treated with a disinfectant solution. Blue vitriol is perfect.
If the fungus has occupied large areas on the ceiling, then you can fight it with open fire. For this, it is convenient to use plasma welding or a blowtorch. If there is a layer of paint or whitewash on the ceiling, the old coating must be removed. If you wondered how to level the ceiling with large differences, then the next step is to carry out a primer, for this, "Betonokontakt" is usually used.
To increase the adhesive properties of the primer, it is necessary to treat the base with a sandblaster, which will create a roughness. For the same purpose, notches are applied to the ceiling. If you have to work with a wooden surface, then before applying the plaster, a metal mesh with a square cell is stretched, the side of which is 10 mm. The material is fastened to the surface to be treated with nails or staples.
Installation of beacons
Quite often, novice home masters are askedthe question of how to properly level the ceiling. At the next stage, you can start installing beacons. With the help of them plastering works are carried out. You need to start in leveling. For this, a zero line is marked on the walls using a paint cord. The location of the point is determined by taking into account the lowest mark on the ceiling. This is where the first beacon is installed.
After every 300 mm, gypsum marks are applied over the surface, which will look like small molds. There should not be a layer of plaster on the ceiling, the thickness of which exceeds 5 cm. This explains why the lighthouses should not be larger than this value. To control this parameter in the horizontal plane, a two-meter level is used.
Applying plaster
After completing work with beacons, you can start finishing the ceiling with plaster. To begin with, a working solution is being prepared, it may consist of:
- lime;
- cement;
- gypsum.
When using the last composition, each subsequent layer is applied 25 minutes after the previous one. If you have to work with a cement mixture, then it is necessary to start forming each next layer no earlier than after 2 hours.
When using a lime composition, the next layer after the previous one is applied as soon as the surface turns white. However, you should not allow the layer to dry completely. After applying the spray, it is not leveled. With observance of time for fixing the applied mixture from aboveseveral primer layers are distributed. They are leveled and made sure that the material does not go beyond the level of the beacons.
Defects in the form of pits and shells should not appear on the surface. The thickness of the covering layer will depend on this. If you are deciding how to level the ceiling with your own hands, then the next step is to remove the beacons. This is done after the solution has been distributed in the final layer.
A solution is applied to the places where the beacons were located. The plaster layer is checked for evenness. In this case, a rule is used that is applied to the surface with a change of direction. In this case, irregularities can be identified that can be cut off. If you notice depressions, then the used solution is applied to them. At the same time, the joints of the ceiling with the wall and the internal corners are sealed. Use for this you need a trowel.
At the final stage of plastering, a covering layer is applied, which is well leveled until a smooth surface is obtained. If the level difference does not exceed 5 cm, then you can level with dry mixes. They are usually used for small jobs. This applies to sealing potholes, when the purchase of other materials in large quantities is unprofitable. The best solution is the universal mixture "Rotband", which is suitable for plaster work and is made on a gypsum basis.
Ceiling putty
Leveling the ceiling with putty is the stage that follows after rough leveling with plaster. When there are no longer significant differences on the ceiling, you can start applying putty. It differs from plaster in the fraction of the filler. As a result, it is possible to achieve perfect smoothness.
The mixture is applied in a thin layer. Before that, layers of old plaster are removed from the ceiling. This is true if the surface has not been previously prepared. Small bumps and bumps are cleaned with a sandpaper or a hinged grater, which is most convenient to use on a long handle.
On the surface to be trimmed with PVA glue or a special composition, you can strengthen the paint grid. It is also called sickle, because it is similar to gauze. Recently, a serpyanka is offered for sale, which has one self-adhesive layer.
If you still have not decided how to level concrete ceilings, you can use the described technology. It says that after completing the preparatory stage, you must close the putty solution. To do this, 30 kg of the mixture is combined with 12 liters of water and mixed well. It is better to use a construction mixer set at low speed for this. It is usually equipped with a whisk. A drill with a special nozzle is also suitable. When finished, the mixture should resemble sour cream in consistency. Further work must be done as quickly as possible, because the solution can seize and freeze.
Method of alignment with putty
If you want to know how to level the ceiling, you should consider that putty is great for this. Her applicationis carried out with a wide spatula, on the working surface of which the composition is applied with a narrow spatula. The mixture is then transferred to the ceiling.
It's worth wasting time on leveling divorces. They will be removed with a grout mesh after solidification. As soon as the last layer of putty dries, the base can be sanded. For this, a paste with a grid is used. Its minimum coarseness should be 120 units.
Leveling with drywall
Before you level the ceiling for painting, you must decide what material to use for this. You can apply plaster and putty, which are quite often replaced with drywall. It allows you to carry out work in a dry way. This helps to hide surface defects and position communications in the hollow space of the ceiling.
This type of work is suitable for surfaces with impressive height differences. The installation of a plasterboard ceiling allows you to reduce time and financial costs. After mounting the structure, you will get a flat surface that will be ready for further decorative finishing.
A plasterboard ceiling is a structure that consists of metal profiles and the cladding sheet itself. From the first, a frame is assembled to which the canvases are fixed. To perform alignment work, it will be necessary to mark the position of the ceiling. Next, the points where the suspensions will be attached are indicated. These elements hold the structure.
Making the frame
The plasterboard ceiling is arranged using a special technology. At the next stage, you can begin to manufacture the frame. It is based on metal profiles. Drywall sheets will need to be prepared for the installation process. They should be given the required dimensions. The excess is cut off, and then the canvases are attached to the frame. Such a ceiling is suitable for rooms of any purpose. This applies even to those rooms whose conditions are characterized by high humidity, because on sale you can find sheets that have high moisture resistance and are resistant to external factors.
Alternative alignment solutions
Before you level the ceiling in a wooden house, you must choose the right material. It could be a suspension system. It consists of elements of the same name, which are attached to install a frame made of metal profiles. The next step is the installation of the panel, which can be made of a variety of materials, namely:
- mineral fiber;
- metal;
- chipboard.
Stretch ceilings
If you, too, were among those who thought about the question of how to level the ceiling, you can use the hinged system. It is usually quite expensive. This decision is accompanied by the fastening of the baguette frame along the perimeter of the ceiling. A polyvinyl chloride sheet is inserted into this design. It is heated with a heat gun, and then allowed to cool, which ensures the tension of the material. It becomes elastic and strong.
Bconclusion
Quite often in the apartments of old houses, the ceilings and walls are uneven. You may encounter this problem when updating the interior of the room. No matter what quality materials are used, the design will not be less attractive if the bases are left unleveled. This is especially true for the ceiling. Its repair is carried out in several stages, the first of which involves the removal of old layers of paint and whitewash. One of the most accessible ways of leveling is the application of plaster. But it cannot be called the only one.
