In order to plaster a wall with high quality , it is necessary to achieve the most even surface. To facilitate the task, they use wall alignment technology using special guides called beacons.
Lighthouses are made of metal, plastic, made independently from gypsum or
cement mortar. The use of ready-made guides greatly speeds up the process, practically without affecting the cost of finishing work: they are inexpensive, they are installed much faster than self-made. In addition, their advantage is that the solution that has fallen on a metal or plastic lighthouse is easy to clean, but with plaster or cement it is not easy.
So, we buy beacons of the right size (the thickness of the plaster layer depends on the height of the beacon), we cut them into pieces of the required size (the standard length is 3 m) using ordinary metal scissors.
How to install beacons on a solution
On the wall with a plumb line or coated thread we put vertical lines in different corners of the wall. On each of them we prepare at least five pieces of mortar, on which we install beacons for leveling the walls. Each rail is pressed so that the solution passes through the fastener holes. After that, the lighthouses, using the building level, are aligned vertically.
After the beacons for aligning the walls at the corners are installed, between them pull two cords on top and bottom, 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 has a length of 2 meters, the step with which the beacons are installed to align the walls is 1.7-1.9 m. The order of their installation is similar, but there is no need to check their verticality: they are aligned with the cords.
Solution preparation and plastering
Aligning the walls under the beacons involves the use of mortar for plastering. Most often, dry mixes are 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 process of plastering itself is divided into three stages:
- Spray 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 thick 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).
- Priming. The solution is done according to the instructions, a thicker layer is applied. In the interval between the beacons, a solution is laid, which is aligned with the rule from the bottom up. It is pulled, as a support, using beacons to align the walls. Excess mortar is removed from the tool with a spatula and sent to a bucket for later use. The first pass fails to achieve an ideal surface, therefore, using a spatula, tears and sinks are filled with mortar, after which they are repeated as a rule.
- Top coat or smoothing. A small amount of plaster should be diluted to the state of sour cream. This composition is applied to the still dry plaster (it should take 40-60 minutes after its application) and is wiped with a stainless steel smoothing machine. As a result, the surface should become smooth and glossy.
Each layer of plaster is applied only when the previous one has dried (with the exception of smoothing). In addition, it is desirable to coat each of the layers with a primer for better adhesion (adhesion). The primer must also be dried. A lengthy process. But there is nothing too complicated in it, but if you hire builders, it will cost a lot. Aligning the walls with lighthouses (the price is per square meter) costs about the amount that goes to the purchase of materials. So decide: either pay decent money, or do it yourself.