If there was a question about wall decoration, we can say with confidence: the repair is close to completion. But it’s too early to relax, because this is one of the most important stages, especially if the decoration will be done with your own hands. And here the question is not so much in the technical side as in the aesthetic one! The options for wall decor are endless, and everyone wants to be original in this matter, trying to realize their own ideas. It’s good that today there is a wide selection of materials allowing to realize the most daring ideas.
Decorative plaster made of ordinary putty, made with your own hands, can give the walls the most original look.
Plaster and putty as finishing materials
In general, plaster is a coarse coarse-grained material intended for primary wall cladding, but decorative plaster has practically nothing to do with this and can very well be prepared from ordinary putty. Putty, in turn, is just the material that is used to align walls and hide minor defects. There are two types of putty:
- Starting - eliminates cracks, scratches and other small surface defects.
- Finishing - allows you to make the surface absolutely smooth. Prepares the walls for painting, wallpapering, etc.
Often, decorative plaster is created with finishing putty. Such a coating looks very impressive and allows you not to resort to the costly services of specialists in order to get rid of various defects. The decorative coating will perfectly mask all the roughness.
Decoration Preparation
So, if you combine patience, zeal and your imagination, then made decorative plaster from ordinary putty with your own hands will turn the walls into a work of design art.
Getting started, you need to make sure that everything is prepared. Namely:
- materials for the preparation of decorative plaster;
- tools necessary for the performance of work;
- the surface of the walls is prepared (leveled);
- paint, if there is a desire, to give color to your creation.
Tools and textured rollers can be purchased in specialized stores, or you can use improvised tools, remove the old coating from the existing roller and paste it with foam with large pores, or make holes in random foam in a random order. An interesting result can be achieved using an ordinary sponge, brush, polyethylene, but first things first.
Before starting the finishing work, you should decide not only what you want to do, but also how to do it. Putty decorative stucco has often been used recently to realize the most daring ideas, but without certain skills it will be difficult. But if difficulties do not frighten, you can safely get down to business.
Mark the leveled and cleaned surface and paste over the borders of the plots with masking tape. Wall decoration occurs gradually, site by site.
Cooking the mixture:
- putty, dry mix;
- grout for joints;
- soil (white).
We mix the putty and primer so that the composition is the consistency of sour cream. If desired, you can add paint of the desired shade to this mixture. In order not to make a mistake with the density, you can first apply the composition to a small piece of drywall. If the mixture does not spread and is not very hard, it can be considered that the decorative plaster from ordinary putty, made with your own hands, is ready for application. Nothing complicated, as you see, no.
There is also a recipe with which decorative plaster of gypsum putty can be prepared:
- 6 kg of gypsum mixture (dry);
- 2 liters of water;
- 0.2 l of PVA glue.
Pour the gypsum mixture into water and mix using a construction mixer to a homogeneous mass, then add glue and mix again. The mixture should be homogeneous and thick. To slightly change the consistency, if necessary, you can either dilute the mixture with water, or add dry plaster.
Important! Use a composition of gypsum putty for 20-30 minutes. Therefore, it is worth considering your capabilities and how much of the solution you need to prepare at a time.
How to make decorative plaster from ordinary putty
Unfortunately, complex textures and patterns alone cannot be created without proper preparation, but everyone can reproduce simple reliefs, despite the fact that they look no less impressive and original. Help with this decorative plaster. With your own hands, a mortar is usually prepared from the putty and applied to the wall area with a layer of no more than 10 mm. Then the mixture needs to be given a little time so that it seizes, and proceed to the application of patterns.
Further, we dwell in more detail on the various methods, techniques and types of putty.
Venetian decorative plaster
A solution capable of simulating valuable rocks of natural stones is prepared from ordinary putty with their own hands. And the walls, decorated with "Venetian", will look unforgettably beautiful, in the spirit of the Middle Ages.
Classical Venetian plaster is a mixture of sand made from natural stones (quartz, marble, malachite) and hydrated lime with the addition of dyes.
You can take the finished dry mixture and add it to the tank with water in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Using a construction mixer, mix thoroughly. The solution should have a sour cream consistency.
The application process is presented in the photo below.
Venetian plaster can only be used on perfectly smooth, dry and clean surfaces.
Putty is taken in small portions, smears are made using a spatula. Brushstrokes can be made sweeping and small, you can imitate any material or create a repeating pattern. After finishing the first layer, he is given a good dry, then they are taken for the next. The first layer is made continuous, the subsequent, finishing, are applied with a flexible spatula. Layers are slightly overwritten so that no bumps occur.
The next step in creating the decor is grinding. The main thing here is not to overdo it and smooth out only sharp protrusions so as not to damage the structure. Use for this a rough skin or mesh.
Then the surface can be painted. This is a crucial stage in the creation of the Venetian dress of the walls. Paint is applied in layers, and subsequent layers should differ in saturation from the first. Paint is applied quickly to small areas. You need to try to remove part of the color from the convex sections.
The completion may be coating the walls with acrylic varnish or adding a gilding effect. But you can leave it as it is, it’s a matter of taste.
The creation of Venetian plaster is not an easy task and has many nuances, but with due diligence it is subject to everyone.
Patterns, embossments, textures with a roller
To create beautiful patterns, embossments, textures, decorative plaster from ordinary putty is also used. Roller covered with foam with large pores or steel mesh, treat the surface of the applied plaster. What does this have to do with imagination: use different rollers, combine directions of movement, use textured rollers. You can make a textured roller yourself using:
- A clothesline or cord to be wound around the roller. It will be an even winding or with a lot of overlaps, it is up to the designer to decide.
- Vegetable mesh or plastic bag. You need to wind them on the cylinder of the roller, leaving folds. Using such a tool, you can get a pattern that does not have a single repeating fragment.
- A piece of foam, on which you can cut your own exclusive pattern.
Consider textured surfaces created in other ways.
Spatula Decor
Creating textured surfaces is a creative question. Using a curly or ordinary spatula and applying the solution with wide or small strokes, wavy or arched movements, in a straightforward or chaotic way, you can create a unique pattern on the walls.
Trowel decor
An interesting pattern can also be achieved with a trowel. The first layer is applied, and then the solution is distributed a little over the trowel and transferred to the base. The movements of the trowel will create an unusual surface.
Another pattern using a trowel can be obtained by simply applying it in different places and pressing a little. The randomness of these movements will provide a unique pattern of walls.
Bark beetle
Using wooden or plastic tools, you can recreate a self-widespread type of finish called bark beetle and resembles wood eaten by insects.
To do this, apply the composition to the surface of the wall and give it some time to grasp. Then take the tool and perform horizontal, vertical or circular movements.
Sponge and washcloth patterns
Decorative plaster will decorate the walls in the most original way. With your own hands, you can create a grainy texture from ordinary putty and sponge. To do this, just walk the sponge over the entire surface, slightly pressing it against the wall.
Hatching
You can decorate the walls with a metal comb, “combing” freshly applied plaster in different directions. You can get interesting "wicker" patterns. Directions of movements can be wavy, and circular, and semicircular, and crosswise. Putty is allowed to dry and cleaned with rags to get rid of small particles that are not connected to the surface. The decorative plaster applied in this way, made from ordinary putty, makes it possible to obtain patterns that are not similar to any others.
Snowball
The technique of execution is very similar to the creation of Venetian plaster. But this uses contrasting colors. The darker is put in the first layer. And light tones are sprayed. To simulate snowfall, the upper layers are best done in white.
Silk
Another simple way to create a decorative surface. Using a plastic film, you can get a pattern that resembles compressed silk. So:
- First, put a putty on the surface with an even layer about 2 mm thick.
- Immediately after application, a plastic film is applied to the putty area (this “canvas” does not need to be smoothed out, the more folds are formed, the more interesting the texture will be).
- Having covered about a third of the surface, they begin to tighten the folds, slightly twisting, so new patterns will form on the putty (repeat the action until the entire wall is covered).
- After 12-15 hours remove the film. After that, let the walls dry for a while.
- After complete drying, the surface is lightly cleaned, removing break off parts and smoothing strongly protruding areas.
The next stage of work is surface painting. Paint is applied with a roller or sponge. A damp clean sponge removes part of the color. To remove abundant accumulations of paint in the corners, with a spatula wrapped in clean rags, they need to be rubbed. The finished surface is allowed to dry. Then, to enhance the silk effect, pearlescent paint is applied.
Ideas for patterns and textures
Having a good imagination and certain skills, you can create the most original patterns, the decorative plaster from ordinary putty, very fertile in terms of creating new textures. Photos, videos, instructions will help to cope with any difficulties. The main ways to create original textures are given in the article, but there are many variations.
Conclusion
We can say with confidence that with patience and good imagination, wall decoration can be done independently, minimizing material costs for repairs. On the surface of the walls you can create and implement any kind of ideas. If there is a talent for the artist, then the decorative stucco used, created with the help of putty, will make it possible to reproduce even the paintings. Of course, to implement the most ambitious ideas, it is better to turn to professional decorators. But if, nevertheless, a decision has been made to draw up the surfaces on your own, and there is no special experience in this matter, it is worth practicing on a small piece of drywall and then boldly set to work on the basic decor.