One of the most time-consuming types of finishing work, perhaps, is the plastering of walls, especially if you perform these works on your own, without resorting to outside help. It would be a pity to spend money and effort if, after drying, the walls are covered with cracks or the material completely leaves the surface, which happens very often if the craftsman does not have the relevant experience in construction work. But, of course, not the least role is played by the variety and quality of the stucco mixture, which you will use to carry out the work. Therefore, the choice of composition should be taken seriously, since the success of plastering walls will also depend on this.
For reference
Good plaster can be made by you yourself. To do this, select the ingredients, sift the sand, mix everything in the required proportions and add water. But all this will take a lot of time, and the mixture may turn out to be of poor quality. Therefore, it is best to purchase a finished composition that already has the right amount of dry mixes that require only the addition of liquid.
Features of the choice of plaster for walls
You can choose a mortar for plaster depending on the surface of the wall, the time allotted for the work, as well as the estimated cost of the composition. In order not to be mistaken, you need to know what plasters are on sale today. If you need to ennoble the facade, then you should choose cement-lime or cement plasters. The internal walls are best finished with cement-lime or cement mixtures, as well as gypsum compositions. Depending on the fillers, the plaster may have different quality characteristics. For example, cement as a binder contains the substance of the same name, and sand acts as a filler. Among the advantages of this solution can be distinguished long-term viability after preparation, a solid surface after drying, as well as low cost. It should be noted and versatility, because such compositions are suitable for both interior and facade work.
Long-term viability facilitates the work, because you can knead several bags at once, using a concrete mixer and without fear that the mortar will set before you can work it out. Such mixtures are very suitable for inexperienced craftsmen. And after drying, the surface is resistant to mechanical stress.
If you choose such a dry mixture for plastering walls, then you should be prepared for some disadvantages. Among them - poor adhesion with concrete and smooth surfaces, the inability to perform a large amount of work per day due to heavy physical exertion, as well as the formation of a large amount of dirt. Cement will harden for a rather long time, so the repair work will stretch, and further finishing can be resumed only after 2 weeks. The work involves the need for preliminary puttying of the walls. During drying, high humidity will remain in the room, water is required for crystallization of the particles, therefore, during the drying process, it is necessary to spray the surface with water, which complicates the process. If the room has wooden structures, then increased humidity can cause them to deform.
Since the solution will have to be thrown onto the wall, a sufficiently large part of it will fall on the floor, forming a lot of dirt, in addition, this can lead to an over consumption of the mixture. But this is not the only source of dust, since when mixing the solution, cement particles will rise into the air, getting into the respiratory tract, and this, as you know, is harmful to health.
Cement-lime plaster
If you are thinking about which stucco is better, then you can pay attention to cement-lime mixtures, which also consist of sand. Advantages are the ability to use the composition for indoor and outdoor use, as well as for rooms whose conditions are characterized by high humidity. After applying to the walls, the cement-lime composition gives them antibacterial properties, excluding the development of fungus.
The composition is convenient to apply, since it has an elastic consistency and clings well to the surface. But the mortar for plaster will dry for about 4 months, in addition, the mixture is demanding to comply with the technology. If the surface preparation is not carried out correctly or the recommendations for drying are not followed, the wall will become cracked and become loose. Dust from lime plaster is no less harmful than from the above composition. If the solution gets on the skin, it can cause irritation and ulcers.
Gypsum plaster
Gypsum plaster mix has fillers in the form of mineral additives. The color of the composition may be gray, white or cream. It dries quickly, which reduces the time of finishing work. To prepare the walls there is no need to putty them, the mixture is plastic, in the process it does not slip from the surface, and you can apply it in two layers, which allows you to process about 40 m 2 per day. Less dirt and dust will be formed, among other things, the composition is non-shrinking and does not become cracked after drying.
Disadvantages of Gypsum Plaster
If you are faced with the question of which plaster is better, then perhaps you should consider whether to purchase a gypsum composition, since it has many disadvantages. Among them should be highlighted: low viability, instability to mechanical stress, as well as moisture. You will have to work out the prepared mixture within 40 minutes, which requires professionalism and special skills from the master. Plaster compositions are not used for external work, as they are unstable to atmospheric influences.
Adhesive stucco
The mixture for plastering the walls can be glue. It consists of polymer additives, sand, special fibers and cement. As a rule, this mixture is used for the installation of insulation, however, it can also be used for plastering walls using a mesh. Due to the fact that adhesive plaster has a high cost, its scope is very limited.
Making your own plaster
Having studied the ratio of ingredients, you can prepare a solution for leveling the walls yourself. The proportions of lime plaster are as follows: 1 part of lime dough, 3 parts of sand. The proportions can be slightly changed if the fat content of lime is excessive or insignificant. Thus, for one part of lime, 1 to 5 parts of sand may be needed. After combining the ingredients, the composition should be mixed, gradually adding liquid and sand.
Cement-sand plaster: preparation
Cement-sand based plaster materials are also bonded in proportion. For work you will need cement, sand, lime and water. First, a part of cement and 4 parts of sand are mixed, after which 0.1 parts of lime can be added. Gradually, liquid is added to the solution until a mixture of the desired consistency is obtained. Depending on the brand of cement, the proportions may vary. If you want to prepare a mixture for wall plastering from cement grade M200, then you should combine sand and cement in a ratio of 1 to 1. When using cement grade M500, prepare sand in an amount of 5 parts and cement in a volume of 1 part.
Other criteria
If you still cannot find the optimal mixture for plastering the walls, then you should be guided by the materials in their basis. In the presence of a foam concrete surface that has a porous structure, it is best to purchase a gypsum mixture. You can buy a cement mortar. But it should be noted that foam concrete has good absorbency, and the plastered surface will require spraying of water. If you have to work with wooden walls, then stucco based on cement and lime, which is applied on a lath of shingles, is best suited for them. At the price of gypsum plasters are more expensive compared to cement. However, given the consumption of gypsum plaster, cement will cost much more. After all, if you apply the first option with a centimeter layer per square meter, it will take 10 kg, while the cement composition will be consumed in an amount of 16 kg.
When choosing a mixture for plastering walls, you should not purchase it in large volumes. First you need to take two packages, and then try them in work. If the setting time is according to the instructions, then you can purchase the right amount of mixture. It is important to exclude improper storage of gypsum plaster, as in this case it will harden within 10 minutes after adding water. But if the required amount of cement was not reported to the cement plaster, then it will crawl along the wall during application.
Choosing the best plaster by manufacturer
As experts recommend, you should not purchase mixtures that are made by little-known manufacturers. The most popular products on the market today are those supplied by the German company Knauf. It produces high-quality mixes, and the price of this product is slightly higher compared to domestic products. Among the latter, the companies Prospectors, Founders, Unis, Volma and Kreps have established themselves. The quality of "Prospectors" is not inferior to Knauf. But if you buy a large batch, then the difference in packaging of 30 kg can become noticeable.
Characteristics of gypsum plaster brand Knauf Rothband
If you decide to prefer Knauf Rothband for wall alignment, you should familiarize yourself with its characteristics. It is intended for high-quality plastering of walls and ceilings, which have a solid base. These include cement plaster, concrete, brick and polystyrene surfaces. Smooth concrete surfaces lend themselves particularly well to processing. You can use this composition for finishing rooms with normal humidity and in the conditions of bathrooms, as well as kitchens.
Gypsum plaster “Knauf Rothband” (30 kg) is applied with a layer, the thickness of which can vary from 5 to 50 mm. With a 10 mm layer, you will need 8.5 kg per square meter. When kneading, approximately 20 liters of water will be left per 30 kg bag. The surface will dry out within 7 days, but it is necessary to use the ready-made solution in 25 minutes. The compressive strength will exceed 2.5 MPa, while the bending strength is 1.0 MPa. Gypsum plaster "Knauf Rothband" (30 kg) is a universal mixture that provides increased adhesion with almost all materials. Packaging of the above volume will cost the consumer 370 rubles. If you have to work with highly absorbent surfaces, then they must first be primed.
Characteristics of the gypsum plaster "Volma-layer"
The Volma plaster, the price of which is 280 rubles, does not require prior puttying and can be applied manually. About 10 kg of dry composition will take per square meter with a layer thickness of 10 mm. Such a layer will dry out within 24 hours, and brick, gypsum or cement plaster, concrete or aerated concrete can be used as a rough surface. It is necessary to develop a solution after preparation in 45 minutes. For facade work, Volma plaster, the price of which is reasonably reasonable, is not used. It can be applied with a layer of 5 to 60 mm.