Plastered walls for painting: technology and subtleties of the process

Perhaps the most minimal financial investment during the renovation of an apartment is painting the walls. But before proceeding to the last stage of the repair, you need to tidy up the walls with plaster, hide all the flaws, defects, leveling the surfaces. This process is painstaking, takes a lot of time and effort, but not complicated, anyone can cope with it, subject to all the rules.

Puttying walls is an important, responsible, but not at all difficult process. With the help of finishing the surface of the walls with mortars, they achieve a perfectly flat, without flaws and defects in the surface of the walls. Small cracks, shallow pits are eliminated, visible and invisible plaster beads are smoothed out. The uniformity of the surface color depends on the quality of the work done. After such treatment, the walls can be painted in any color.

The process of filling the walls takes place in several stages. The initial stage is cleaning the surface from the old interior decoration and wallpaper. All swollen places on the surface are cleaned, cracks and pits are filled with a freshly prepared plaster solution. Only after cleaning the surface is the primer applied. Then you can start filling the surface. The putty is applied in several stages. Each applied layer of the composition is dried. This lengthy process takes several days.

Preparing a room for painting means priming and filling the surface of the walls, purchasing the necessary building materials for the interior decoration of the room. The putty can be purchased in the form of a ready-made solution or in the form of dry mixes. You will also need special tools - spatulas of various sizes and shapes, brushes, trowels.

Manufacturers in the manufacture of mixtures use adhesive bases, chalk, gypsum, building materials and other components to make the finish more durable, reliable and durable.

You can choose the right putty yourself, just a little knowledge of where and what type of this building material is better to use:

• Cement mixture resistant to high humidity. It is best used for finishing rooms with high humidity. This type of putty mixture is more suitable for the starting layer - the unsightly gray color of the coating is very difficult to hide with paint and even under the wallpaper.
• For interior decoration of dry rooms, bedrooms, living rooms, powder gypsum plaster is quite suitable. This type of building mixture is absolutely not resistant to high humidity. The surface after treatment with gypsum filler and drying is even, white.
• Ideal for the finishing layer in finishing works, textured polymer putty. Expensive, high-quality, modern material dries for a long time, but the end result will exceed all expectations. The surface of the wall is perfectly flat without flaws, the paint on such a coating is easy to apply without forming sags.

The building materials market represents a wide range of various compositions. A distinctive feature of each such material is its properties, structure, and technical characteristics.Before buying, it is very important to decide whether a putty is needed for interior or exterior decoration.

Then, relying on physical and technical parameters, choose the appropriate filler mixture for each stage of finishing work:

• The putty mixture for the starting layer is a substance with large mineral particles. Ideal for filling large and very pronounced imperfections in the coating. The thickness of the starting layer of putty applied to the surface should be no more than 20 mm;
• Putty mixture for the finishing layer. The structure of this composition is fine-grained, after the last layer of putty has completely dried, the wall surface is fully prepared for painting. It is possible to apply such a composition to a non-putty wall that has been treated and cleaned of old plaster;
• Universal grout. It goes on sale in the form of a ready-made thick, finely dispersed solution on a polymer base with mineral additives for improved layer elasticity. It is water resistant and therefore suitable for the bathroom.

In addition to a high-quality putty composition, it is necessary to purchase special tools for finishing work. The quality of the finish depends on the right tools.

For interior decoration you will need:

• To make it more convenient to apply the primer to the surface of the walls, you should purchase a wide roller. In places inaccessible for priming with a roller, you can use an ordinary brush.
• To prepare your own solution in containers, it is better to use a construction mixer. In the absence of this tool, it is quite possible to use a conventional electric drill with attachments.

• Carrying out work on surface filling is impossible without spatulas of various sizes and shapes. The widest is 50-60 cm, required for large surfaces. This will help you apply the finishing solution much smoother and faster. Medium trowel - about 25 cm wide, very handy for surface treatment in the corners of a room. Small - about 10 cm in size, ideal for finishing in hard-to-reach areas and for filling visible imperfections on the wall surface. To putty the corners of the room, it is more advisable to use an angled spatula.
• After the last putty layer has dried, the surface of the wall is rubbed with a special mesh. The coating will be even and smooth. Therefore, it is necessary to stock up on a fine-grained trowel mesh.

Before starting work, you need to decide on the type of filler material that will be used in the work. So, there are:

• Cement-sand facade putty. By the name of the mixture, you can understand the components of this coating. It is based on ordinary construction cement, as a mineral additive - fine sand. Before use, it is enough just to dilute this mixture with clean water in accordance with the instructions. You can buy it at any specialty store. The cement mix is ​​on sale in bags, 25 kg packages.

Due to the presence of cement in the composition, it can be used for outdoor decoration and in rooms with high humidity, since the coating can withstand the effects of water for a long period of time. The surface after finishing works with cement mortar is rough and gives excellent adhesion to water-based paints.

After a certain period of time, cracks appear on the surface treated with such a solution, the material after complete drying does not have elasticity. Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to re-putty the surface.

• Plaster putty. The technical characteristics of these mixtures are very similar, but the conditions of use differ slightly. It can only be used in dry rooms. After complete drying, the surface is perfectly flat and white. You can paint the wall in any color, or you can use your imagination and draw pictures or an ornament. Gypsum is absolutely safe for health. In a room treated with gypsum plaster, air humidity will always be favorable for humans. With an excess of moisture, the coating will absorb it into itself, with dry air it will give it back.

• Acrylic putty solution. This type of putty is good because you can buy it already in the form of a ready-made solution of the desired consistency in plastic buckets of various capacities. Acrylic resins and mineral components, for example, chalk, very fine quartz sand, act as a substance for better bonding in this polymer-based mixture. Finishing the surface of the walls with an acrylic solution is only suitable as a finish, since according to the technical characteristics it is recommended to apply this composition in a thin layer of about 3 mm. It can be used for both outdoor and indoor work. The hardened layer is absolutely resistant to any moisture attack.

Acrylic putty, thick in texture, adheres very well to various coatings (wood, chipboard, brick, concrete), it can be leveled with an ordinary metal spatula. It is best used for finishing the ceiling due to the creation of an excellent vapor-permeable protective layer.

• Latex putty - a kind of ready-made polymer-based solutions. In fact, this is an acrylic solution, into which latex is added during production in small quantities to increase the plasticity and elasticity of the coating after using this composition. The technical characteristics are almost the same with the acrylic mixture, it is sold in plastic buckets of various capacities.

Latex in the composition of an acrylic solution gives the coating excellent elasticity after hardening, so the surface after finishing withstands shock, vibration and other mechanical influences well. Due to certain properties, the use of latex putty allows you to hide the seams and joints between sheets of drywall. The cost of these solutions is quite democratic in relation to quality.

All these mixtures can be used on drywall, concrete surfaces, gypsum board, OSB, metal, fiberglass. They are suitable for damp rooms, but the surface must first be primed. Use drywall or plywood for the floor.

Before applying the putty to the wall with your own hands, you need to prime the surface. It is cleared of fine dust, so the adhesion to the base will be more resistant, of high quality, durable. When carrying out work on priming walls, it is better to use a wide roller, for hard-to-reach places and joints - a brush. The applied layer of soil is thoroughly dried.

Next, the surface is sanded, for example, with sandpaper, then the first layer of starting putty is applied. The solution must be prepared before use. A dry mixture is poured into a container with water, mixed and water is slowly added until the solution acquires the desired consistency. The solution cannot be too thin and too thick. When applying the putty, a special spatula is used. The layer of starting putty is thoroughly dried and the primer is applied again. The dried primed wall surface coating is re-sanded.

At the next stage, the finishing compound is applied. Sometimes the finishing solution is applied twice with an interval of 12 hours. After good drying, the surface must be carefully sanded.

Putty application is a very time consuming process that requires skill and experience.

To do the job better, it doesn’t hurt to remember some useful tips:

• It is not worth preparing a large amount of the mixture right away. It tends to dry out. Better little by little, but more often.
• To prepare the composition, you need to use only clean dishes and water.
• The solution should be taken with a small spatula, transferred to a large spatula, and only then - on the wall surface.

• You can putty in different ways: horizontally, vertically, as well as in such ways as "bouquet", "herringbone", "zigzag".
• You can choose the angle of inclination of the spatula yourself, the most important thing is to cover up all cracks, cracks, visible defects.
• To check the level of coverage, you can use a metal rule by placing it on the surface. All irregularities are easily cut off with a trowel angle.
• When filling, the tool used sometimes leaves barely noticeable grooves, after applying the last finishing layer of the putty mixture, they will disappear.

• Sanding the surface of the walls is much more convenient to do with a grinder.
• It is imperative to skin raised areas.
• For reliability, you can finally cover the wall with water-based paint. This oil mixture will fix the composition.
• After finishing the filling of the wall surfaces, wash the construction tools and utensils thoroughly with running water and wipe dry.

The modern building materials market is filled with a huge assortment of various finishing dry mixes and in the form of ready-made solutions from different manufacturers.

The products of this enterprise are presented in huge quantities in retail outlets. The concern produces high quality building materials for interior decoration and presents the latest technologies for the use of these products. The putty of this company in our markets is presented in several forms:

• Knauf Fugen. A building mixture more suitable for repairing and sealing joints between drywall sheets. It can only be called plaster at a stretch.
• Khauf Rotband. High-quality putty is characterized by low consumption. The hardening time of the finished mixture is about an hour.
• Knauf Multi-finish. Low price, good quality, easy to grind.

• Knauf Multi-finish M. Putty for machine use, but can also be applied with a normal trowel.
• Knauf -HP finish. Low cost, average quality, used as a finishing compound.
• Knauf Multi-finish paste. Ready-to-use mixture. Differs in plasticity, softness, elasticity, reasonable price.

Quite a good German manufacturer of dry and ready-made mixtures. Concern brands - Ceresit, Thomsit, Econ. Products from these brands are manufactured in Russia using foreign technologies. The quality of the building materials produced for finishing fell slightly, but the demand remained at the same level.

Building finishing materials from this manufacturer are of high quality, long service life, strength, ductility and high prices.

Polish manufacturer. Dry and ready-made finishing mixtures of good quality are produced under this brand. Among the repair specialists, many are fans of finishing mixtures and mortars produced at the enterprises of this concern.

American manufacturer. The quality of the products is very high. Today, products of this brand are produced in Russia. Differs in high prices for finishing mixtures.

There are many manufacturers of putty compounds. Building materials for interior decoration, produced at different enterprises, differ in quality and price. When buying, it is better to listen to the opinion of experienced craftsmen in the decoration and renovation of premises.

On many construction sites and portals, experienced craftsmen, professionals in the repair of premises, leave numerous positive reviews about Sheetrock putty. The mixture is sold in the form of a ready-made solution of the desired consistency. Ideal for plasterboard surfaces, room corners. In order not to purchase a product of inadequate quality, it is necessary to check the certificate of conformity when purchasing. For processing large rooms, it is better to purchase a putty in large packages.

The quality of the mixtures of the manufacturer Knauf, judging by the reviews, is pretty good. The coating is durable and reliable. Prices for building materials for surface treatment are quite affordable for the majority of the population.

Henkel putty is of good quality, has good technical characteristics, and is easy to use. It can even be used on doors.

As practice shows and reviews of professional repairmen of premises, it is necessary to choose a finishing material for preparing the surface of walls for painting, carefully weighing all the pros and cons. Many manufacturers promise that their products are the best and highest quality. But very often the result does not live up to the promises. Therefore, it is worth listening to the opinion of experts, reading information about building materials from different manufacturers, correctly assessing your financial capabilities and only then choosing a putty.

Puttying and painting is an important and crucial moment in the renovation of walls. After all, the results of painstaking work will delight you for several years. You should not make the interior decoration of the room with low-quality materials. It is quite possible that the wall surface will shine through through the paint layer. This suggests that the finishing mixture was selected incorrectly. Or worse, the coating will start to fall off. Then you will have to repeat everything all over again, and this is additional financial costs, time and effort. Therefore, it is necessary to approach the preparation of walls for painting deliberately, weighing each step.

If you are not completely sure that you can do it on your own, it is better to resort to the services of professional craftsmen for interior decoration and renovation of premises. They will complete the work quickly, efficiently and on time. Of course, the services of such specialists are not cheap, but in some cases this will significantly save money, since you will not have to re-make repairs in the near future, spend finances on the purchase of new materials for finishing the premises. Repair is a painstaking and time-consuming process that requires financial costs and efforts.

See below for a master class on applying a finishing putty for painting.