If repairs are made in your home or apartment, then it is impossible to do without alabaster. What is this material derived from? Is it harmful to human health? Alabaster - what is it? The answers to all these questions are given below.
Material characteristics
Building material, characterized by its viscosity and obtained from gypsum, is called alabaster. Very often it is used for the manufacture of various products, as well as during repair work. Building gypsum is another name for the material.
Alabaster is based on gypsum, a natural material in its origin. Building gypsum (alabaster) is an environmentally friendly substance that does not cause any harm to human health. It is characterized by excellent sound insulation and water resistance. The scope of alabaster is wide enough. It is used in the manufacture of various forms of construction products.
During repair work, the material is ideally suited for closing cracks, leveling floors and walls. When drying, the alabaster solution is not susceptible to cracking and forms a thin, even and smooth layer applied to a clean treated surface, which, if required, is covered with a deep penetration primer.
Having studied the characteristics of the material, you can easily answer the question of alabaster - what is it.
History tour
As a building material, alabaster was used in ancient times. Natural softness makes its processing simple and does not require complex and durable tools. The material was used to make sculptures, vessels, and other household utensils. For this, calcite was used. Now it is in little demand. Gypsum alabaster is popular in construction.
Alabaster Production Methods
Building gypsum looks like powder obtained from gypsum stone. To do this, it is fired, and then crushed. The main advantage of alabaster that distinguishes it from similar materials is its quick hardening. It is worth remembering when studying the question of how to breed alabaster.
This property of the material must be taken into account when creating gypsum dough, before pouring it into molds. Typically, the solution is prepared in a ratio of 2/1, where 2 parts is alabaster and 1 part is cold water. It should be remembered that the gypsum mortar should be used as soon as possible, otherwise it will harden. If you need to increase the setting time, animal glue is added to alabaster in small quantities.
Pros and Cons of Alabaster
Building gypsum is used for repair work in rooms where people will subsequently live.
The disadvantages of the material include low strength and low moisture resistance. These disadvantages can be reduced by applying special additives.
Where can I buy gypsum
Manufacturers produce about 10 different brands of alabaster. You can buy it in construction stores packed in bags of various weights. Plaster should be stored in a dry, well-protected place from moisture, preferably not more than 6 months.
Scope of construction plaster
Alabaster - what is it, where do the raw materials for its manufacture come from? In the quarries, natural gypsum is mined, which is subjected to subsequent heat treatment. Subsequently, in special mills, annealed gypsum is crushed into fine powder.
Alabaster is used when leveling walls, floors, ceilings in rooms with minimal humidity. It is great for making stucco moldings, gypsum boards.
It is possible to increase the moisture resistance of gypsum by adding synthetic resins or organosilicon compounds to the solution. Cover films and impregnation of hydrophobic substances are also popular . Alabaster products are fireproof and are destroyed by fire only after 6 hours of intense heating. Therefore, they are often used as fire retardant coatings.
As with any other material, there are many nuances in using this material that you should study if you intend to work with it and want to know: alabaster - what it is.
How to make gypsum dough
A solution of gypsum is being prepared at the rate of 1 kg of material per 0.5 liters of water. First, water is poured into the container, and then the material is carefully poured into it, while stirring it so that lumps do not form. The mixture should have a sour cream consistency. The question of how to breed alabaster should be taken very seriously. In many respects, the final result of the work will depend on this.
Do not forget that the solution hardens within half an hour, and sometimes faster. If the prepared mixture has thickened, then it should not be diluted with water, and it is unlikely to succeed. To increase the setting time of the solution, you can add a little carpentry or wallpaper glue to it.
To improve the water resistance of a product made of alabaster, it can be painted or coated with a special moisture-proof paste.
Plaster dough is applied with a spatula or trowel, after finishing work, the tool must be thoroughly washed.
Alabaster should be stored in rooms where the humidity does not exceed 60%.
Conclusion
By adopting the rules of working with alabaster and adhering to them, you can efficiently perform all the required construction or repair work.