The design of the room largely depends on the quality of the plaster. All further work on giving the dwelling a look will be based on leveling, therefore special attention is paid to this process. Any master knows that the quality of work depends on the preparation of surfaces, and one of the important stages in this case is the setting of beacons.
Lighthouses are exposed after removal of old plaster coverings from the bases. Even if the old plaster holds well and is not coated with adhesion-impairing compounds, such preparation is still worth doing. There should be no cracks on the surface before installing the beacons. If they are, you should find out the cause of their appearance and eliminate it. After that, the cracks are sealed with a repair compound. If necessary, such defects can be reinforced.
Technological holes and large depressions, as well as strobes for laying engineering systems shouldbe patched up. For this, mixtures are usually used, with the help of which plastering is carried out in the future. Strongly protruding areas are removed if possible. This should include mortar slaps, pieces of reinforcement or wire, as well as mortar protruding from masonry joints. If the defects include irregularities in the masonry surface, then they should not be removed, in the process of work you will hide them under the plaster layer.
How to prepare the walls
If you plan to plaster with a cement-based mixture that will be applied to a concrete base, work should be done on a cleaned and primed surface. In the process, the metal plaster mesh is strengthened. Surfaces to be plastered should be primed with two coats or more.
Instructions for installing beacons
Installation of beacons on the wall provides for the installation of elements in the same plane. If two beacons are placed vertically on the wall, this does not mean that the beacon in the gap will fall into one plane to the first two. Lighthouses must be sufficiently rigid and strong so that during work they do not sag under the pressure of the rule.
Distance between lighthouses
Neighboring elements should be located at a convenient distance from each other, which should be less than the length of the building rule. Usually the step is a meter, and the rule of 1.5 m is used in the work. Removal of beacons should be carried out after the mixture has not setcompletely, will not gain strength. This will happen in 2 days. If the beacons are not removed, they may cause rust spots on the wallpaper or plaster.
Methods for installing beacons and the basic rules of work
Installing beacons on the wall can be done in one of three known ways. The first technology involves installation on tile adhesive or plaster mortar. Lighthouses for plastering should be cut taking into account the height of the ceilings. Then a small amount of solution is prepared. Ordinary plaster with alabaster can act as it, which will accelerate hardening.
Work methodology
If you are interested in the question of how to quickly install beacons on the wall, you should know that you can use tile adhesive or gypsum mix. Every 15 cm, a small amount of mortar is applied along pre-drawn lines. After that, taking the beacon profile, you must attach it to the line and press it into the solution. If self-tapping screws were used, the beacon should be flush with them.
When using the "spider" method, you can check the verticality of the beacon with a level, while the distance from the wall is checked with a tape measure. If the solution gets on the surface, it must be removed with a spatula, and then the next beacon should be strengthened.
Installation without mortar. Work rules
Installation of beacons on the wall can be carried out without mortar. In this case, plastic fasteners are used. On thecaps of self-tapping screws should be installed plastic products for special purposes. Self-tapping screws are pre-screwed into the walls. The latch is removed, after that a beacon is inserted into the part, and the latch is put on again. This method has one advantage, which is the ease of operation. But the amount of finishing mortar may increase.
Details are six millimeters thick, which means that the thickness of the layer will be increased by this value. In this case, to finish a wall of 50 m2 you will need 150 kg more dry mix than when using other methods of fastening beacons. The final value can increase up to 300 kg. The installation of beacons on the wall using this technology can be carried out using fasteners called eared ones. They used to be made by specialists on their own, but today they can be found on sale.
A narrow strip with a hole is cut out of the legs of drywall fasteners. A self-tapping screw is threaded there, which is screwed into a dowel with a fastener. A beacon profile is leaned against the fastener, after which it is fixed with steel paws and pressed with round-nose pliers. This ensures that the beacon is firmly pressed against the surface, so no additional layer is required.
If you decide to install beacons using this technology, you should be prepared for the fact that it will be more difficult to remove them from the wall. And if foreign objects are left under the coating, they can shorten the life of the plaster layer.
Installation of beacons from the solution. Work rules
Plasterlighthouses are usually exhibited by specialists. Additional fasteners are not needed here. But this method usually requires skill and experience, so the technique is not suitable for beginners. If you are wondering how to install beacons to level the wall, you should know that the first step is to mark up and determine the thickness of the layer. Then a small amount of the solution is mixed. The work must be carried out in a short time, then the mixture will not have time to grab.
At the line at the top of the wall, you need to apply the mortar, next to the self-tapping screw. The mixtures give a rectangular shape and bring the height to the level of the fastener. According to this technique, it is necessary to act, advancing to the lower self-tapping screw. As soon as the solution sets, you should check the beacon with a building level. Beacons must be exposed over the entire surface to be treated. Plaster beacons do not require extraction from the coating, but the technology is complex.
Installation order
In order to level the walls without overspending the mortar, you should determine the highest possible area, which will be the starting point for the new level. With the help of a plumb line and a building level, markings for lighthouses should be made. This stage is especially important, it concerns both surfaces that are simple in geometry, and areas that are complex in architecture.
To the rule it is necessary to strengthen the level, which will facilitate the process of horizontal marking. The installation of beacons for wall plastering is carried out with a deviation from the corners of 20 cm. You can subtract or add 5 cm to it from this value. On straight sections of the wallthe distance between the beacons can reach 2 m. When choosing a method for installing beacons, one should take into account the physico-chemical properties of the mixture that will form the basis of the beacon. Usually the latter is based on a mixture that hardens faster than a plaster mortar.
Not so long ago, an alabaster composition was used, today gypsum-based glue is used. If the installation is carried out on a mixture, then the adjustment can be made quite simply. To do this, press harder on the protruding sections that go beyond the specified level.
If the installation of beacons for wall plastering is carried out using metal elements, this method is not suitable. In this case, it is better to use exposure to self-tapping screws. Gypsum beacons are valued for the speed of fixation. After applying the plaster layer, there is no need to remove them.
The adhesive composition is applied in small lumps. The distance for the first beacon in a row should be 15 cm from the corners. Between the reference points, a step of 30 cm should be maintained. Among the methods for installing beacons on walls, one should highlight the level marking with tape elements made of gypsum plaster. In this case, the solution is not applied until the fastening of the tapes is completely dry. They can be placed on a pre-installed formwork. It is mounted on dowels by pouring. The material is steel rails or wooden slats for reusable use.
In order to apply the solution to the beacons, you should acquire the throw skill. This way you will eliminate gaps and gaps. The rules for installing beacons on walls involve the creationa homogeneous and durable element that can be leaned on when leveling the main mass. If you decide to use metal beacons, you should choose dowels that are 8 mm thick or less. If you choose large dowels, then if you want to remove them, you may encounter the problem of a strong attachment. In this case, the beacon cannot be removed without destroying the plaster and deforming the element.
Marking the room for self-tapping beacons
In order to determine the level for installing beacons on the walls, you should prepare:
- rule;
- self-tapping screws;
- plastic dowels;
- level;
- perforator;
- fishing line;
- a simple pencil.
Departing from the corners of 400 mm, using the rule and the level, you should mark the vertical lines. The distance between them can be equal to the limit from 1 to 3 m. It is important to remember that the step between the beacons should be 30 cm less than the rule. Having chosen points A, D, G and M, you must drill holes in them, and then drive in dowels and insert self-tapping screws. Their position is controlled in the vertical plane using a level and a rule.
Installing beacons for wall plastering on self-tapping screws will ultimately involve the creation of straight J and MA, which will be perpendicular to the floor. Self-tapping screws are connected with a stretched fishing line, which will allow you to get the boundaries of the wall plane.
Determining the speaker level. Hanging walls
You shouldn't have any trouble at this point. We must evaluatehow even the walls are, noting the most protruding sections and depressions on them. To do this, use a long rule, which is applied in different places horizontally and vertically. The tool can also be applied diagonally. Between the rule and the wall, you should evaluate the gaps and bumps. They are marked with colored crayons. Depressions, for example, may be white and projections blue. This should later help set up beacons.
In conclusion
The success of the work will depend on your skill, as well as the correct choice of beacons. For example, metal beacons are most preferred by unskilled workers. With this method, you can minimize the thickness of the applied layer. If this value is reduced by 10 mm, the savings will be about 10 liters of mixture per square meter. This indicates that when plastering a standard 6 x 3 m wall, you can reduce the consumption by 9 bags of dry mortar. Metal beacons are also good because they do not warp, which distinguishes them from wooden beacons, so they can be used repeatedly.
