Today, home craftsmen tend to do many types of construction and finishing work on their own, or, as they say now, with their own hands. Either the services of professionals are too expensive, or the men finally remembered "who is the boss in the house," it's hard to say. However, the fact remains. At the same time, new items appear on the market almost every day, from the variety of which it is time to get confused by a seasoned specialist, not only a home master who has not yet fledged, but is zealously rushing into battle. And therefore, very often, the owners of apartments and houses are in search of information about a particular technology or modern material that will allow them to make repairs quickly and efficiently. We, in turn, will now try to help in this matter and tell you in detail about what silicone plaster is. And along the way, we will reveal the main secrets of the technique of its application.
What is this material?
The word "plaster" for many at onceassociated with the dull black and gray walls of the room, more reminiscent in appearance of a utility room than a living room. Partly it is. But this applies only to the variety of this material, intended for rough finishing. The heroine of our review belongs to a completely different class. This is the finishing material. That is, silicone plaster is used only in the process of final finishing. And both outside and inside. Although initially the composition was supposed to be used only in the design of facades. And not just any, but historical buildings. However, the material proved to be so good that it began to be used for finishing first the facades of houses and buildings, and then for the interior. What, exactly, is the secret? The fact that silicone resin is added to an ordinary plaster mixture, which is mixed with various fillers such as mineral materials, fabrics, etc. The texture of the treated surface completely depends on what is used as additives.
By the way, some experts call this mixture the queen of plasters. Which is basically true. As evidenced by its characteristics, which will be discussed later.
Main plus
As a rule, finishing works are carried out in several stages. First comes the draft, which is preparatory and is aimed at leveling the surface and closing all existing defects as much as possible. All this requires not only time, but also material costs for the purchase of various compositions, whichquite expensive today. Silicone plaster - for the facade or for interior work, it does not matter - allows you to do everything at the same time. That is, it will level the surface, and give the desired decorative effect. Which, you see, is very important today. In addition, silicone plaster is sold in containers of various volumes, which allows you to choose the right dosage for yourself and not throw away extra money. Since the cost of the material is quite high. That, by the way, unfortunately, is its minus. True, the only one. In the rest - only solid pluses. On the positive characteristics of silicone plaster - further.
Benefits
The undoubted advantage of the composition can be considered a long "life". For example, silicone facade plaster may not lose its attractiveness for twenty years. And this despite the fact that the building is constantly exposed to precipitation, constant temperature changes. And indoors, it will look like it was applied yesterday, even longer.
Silicone plaster has the highest level of vapor permeability, as a result of which the material is able to provide the desired microclimate in rooms exposed to moisture. Condensation, mold will not form on the walls, they are not afraid of fungus. That is why silicone decorative plaster is great for finishing kitchens, baths, dressing rooms.
The material is endowed with excellent elasticity, so that in case ofany changes in the structure of the treated surface, it will not lose its integrity. Simply put, cracks and other defects that have appeared over the years simply will not be visible.
Plaster, due to its composition, does not attract dust and dirt, does not require special care. Simply wipe it with a damp cloth.
You can apply this excellent material on your own, without resorting to the services of professionals. Provided, of course, at least minimal skills in this matter. If the home master has never held a spatula in his hands, then it will be quite difficult to cope with the work, especially when it comes to finishing the facade.
Silicone plaster can be either white or already tinted. So you can choose the right shade without any problems. In addition, it can be painted, which is also an indisputable plus. And one more advantage. With it, you can create different surface textures. It all depends on the type of finishing material purchased. More on this in the next section.
Types of silicone plaster
Depending on the decorative structure obtained after application to the surface, silicone plaster can be divided into several types:
- Plaster "Bark beetle". After applying it to the wall, you can get a surface striated with various types of grooves.
- Silicon pebble. Gives a surface that looks like marble chips.
- "Lamb". Something like a fleece.
- Venetian. The decorative effect obtained after itapplication, resembles a marble coating.
- Silicate-silicone plaster is a type of silicone plaster that can be of all the types described above, but differs from the “heroine” of our review in higher performance and increased resistance to low temperatures due to the addition of liquid potassium glass to the composition.
On the first species, as the most popular, and the latter, as a variety, - further.
Bark beetle
The bark beetle plaster is the most popular among all the finishing compounds available on the market. Its silicone variety is not the only one, there are also the same mixtures on a cement, acrylic, gypsum basis. However, the polymer is still preferable in the sense that it has all the advantages of the silicone formulations described above. In addition to the main ingredients inherent in such a mixture, "Bark beetle" contains additives of mineral origin (onyx, quartz, marble, etc.) of various fractions - from one and a half to three millimeters. Depending on the size of the inclusions, the final texture of the surface also varies. The larger the fraction, the brighter the effect.
Excellent for both exterior and interior decoration. In addition, it is very often used to decorate heat-insulating foam boards.
Silicate-silicone decorative plaster
This composition can be successfully used both in external and internalfinishing. However, the silicate variety, as mentioned above, is characterized by increased strength characteristics, so it is most often used specifically for facade decoration. Resistance to weathering and all kinds of pollution, amazing color stability, combined with increased hydrophobicity, sometimes make it an indispensable material for finishing the exterior surfaces of buildings. However, such silicate-silicone plaster is quite an expensive pleasure for facade design due to its high cost. Therefore, when deciding to use this finishing material on large areas, it is necessary to carefully calculate its expediency.
Producers
Silicone plaster is produced by many manufacturers. However, experts note that several firms are the best in this regard.
Good finishing material is supplied by Knauf. Silicone plaster from this manufacturer is distinguished by ease of application, good performance, and a composition that is safe for human he alth. The most popular brands are Knauf Conni S, Knauf Kati S and Knauf Add.
Good material is supplied to the market by the domestic company Bolars. Silicone plasters of this manufacturer are of high quality, combined with a fairly affordable cost. The most demanded brand is Bolars Mineral-S.
However, Ceresit silicone plaster is the most popular. This composition is preferred by most masters. About him - in more detail below.
Ceresite
The brand is so popular for a reason. Silicone plaster "Ceresit" is literally created to solve almost any problem. The manufacturer produces its products in finished form, in containers of 25 kg. On the market from the brand, all available varieties of silicone plaster are presented, so it will not be difficult to choose the right composition for yourself. In addition, the manufacturer does not supply products of a universal plan to the market, but divides them into finishing materials for external and internal work. This allows you to save on cost, since the prices in both cases are slightly different.
Plaster is very easy to apply, even a home master who is not quite experienced in the finishing process can cope with the work. This also explains the demand and popularity of such a finishing material as "Ceresite" silicone plaster. Instructions for use and application - very detailed and understandable - are contained on each container. So it's really easy to work with her.
But what is the application technology - further.
Preparation
As already mentioned, careful leveling of the surface is not required. However, preparatory work will still have to be done. The main requirement: the walls should be as clean as possible, that is, you need to get rid of any coating on them in the form of wallpaper, whitewash, paint, as well as all kinds of dirt. Cracks and large defects must be repaired. And most importantly, the surfaceit is required to treat with a primer specifically for silicone plaster. Then leave for a day to dry completely.
Applying technique
By and large, working with silicone composition is not much different from those with conventional plaster. Except for a few nuances. First of all, it is worth remembering that, despite the fact that the mixture is sold ready-made, it must be mixed before use. When applying, use a metal spatula, which is recommended to be kept strictly at an angle of 60 degrees to the surface. As for the thickness of the layer, it must strictly correspond to the size of the filler fraction. After drying, it is necessary to form the structure with a plastic grater. By moving it in a circle, as well as up and down, you can make a different pattern.
To get a uniform surface, you can not throw the rest of the mixture from the spatula back into the bucket with the solution. We must try to work out everything that is applied to it. Silicone plaster must never be wetted with water. It is desirable to carry out all work on one wall in a continuous way.
Conclusion
Today, silicone plaster is a truly innovative material that allows you to get a beautiful decorative surface with excellent performance. The composition is excellent for both exterior and interior decoration, does not require special skills during application, has a long service life and is undemanding in care.
