Today it becomes relevant to do repairs with your own hands. Some are trying to save money, others absolutely do not trust strangers, others are interested in the process itself. It is quite difficult to understand the variety of finishing materials or to prepare a mixture for aligning the walls yourself. In addition, there are several stages of processing. Understanding, in which case to apply this or that variant of the mixture, basic knowledge will help, and choosing a finishing putty for wall treatment - professional advice and the information presented in this publication. The construction industry comes to the resident's help, offering a number of ready-made putties for walls.
What is putty for?
The mixture applied to the walls of the room before decorative processing is called putty or putty. Both names are true, only one comes from the name of the tool - a spatula, and the other from the type of work called putty.
The purpose of the putty can be called the final leveling of the surface of the walls. There are a lot of building materials on sale that allow you to prepare the mixture yourself, which will significantly reduce the cost of repairs. However, experts advise to purchase ready-made putties for walls for wallpaper or for painting, so as not to spoil the surface geometry at the final stage of the work.
Types of materials
Mixtures for leveling walls are divided by:
- consistency - dry and ready to apply;
- composition - gypsum, polymer, cement, acrylic;
- to destination - start and finish.
If dry compositions require mixing with water until the desired consistency is obtained, then ready putties for walls do not need preliminary preparation. The first option is quite economical, because it has a reasonable price, a long shelf life and the ability to use suspensions partially, without fear of damage to the goods. Nevertheless, a number of difficulties compel us to make a choice in favor of the second option. So, preparing the mixture with your own hands takes a certain time. This putty is not stored for long and needs to be carefully read the instructions for use, while the finished putty for the walls do not have negative aspects except the high cost of the finishing material.
A mixture of gypsum is preferable for application under expensive wallpaper, for example, silk screen printing, but is unacceptable in places of accumulation of moisture. In the absence of elasticity, it is recommended to use cement putty in combination with a special mesh that promotes uniform distribution of the composition. Polymer mixtures are usually used in small areas due to the high cost, otherwise the cost of work increases significantly. If there is no lack of finances, professionals recommend purchasing an acrylic version, which is characterized by a high rate of elasticity, and applying it under thin wallpaper or painting.
Start and finish mixes speak for themselves. To smooth overfalls and seal cracks, the initial composition is used. The finish option is optional and comes to the rescue if it is necessary to output an ideal surface.
Famous brands
Putty materials such as Sheetrock, Tikkurila, Parade, Knauf, Alpina gained popularity in Russia.
Putty "Shitrok" is produced in America since the middle of the last century and has the main advantage over competitors in the form of the possibility of use in rooms with a high percentage of humidity.
"Tikkurila" from Finland - a ready-made acrylic or gypsum mixture, applied both with a roller and with a spray. The light texture allows the product to be used for leveling gypsum, concrete, fiberglass in dry rooms. The number of color solutions in excess of a dozen shades, amazes the imagination of not only novice repairmen, but also experienced craftsmen.
Ready putties in buckets of the Parade company (PARADE) are distinguished by a high degree of whiteness, acrylic composition and high plasticity. The suspension masks well surface defects, is easy to sand and has a good fill rate.
The German company Knauf gained fame thanks to the dry gypsum putty "Fugenfüller Knauf". The price of goods attracts not only professionals, but also ordinary people. However, the company recommends that non-professionals still use ready-made mixtures, rather than breeding a dry product. For specialists, the versatility and plasticity of the putty of this manufacturer is important.
Sheetrock
In addition to the high cost of the material, no other shortcomings of the Shitrok putty were found by specialists. The manufacturer positions the product as environmentally friendly and used for all types of paints and wallpapers. The mixture is released in buckets with a total weight of 5, 18 and 28 kg. The main components of the material: limestone, PVA glue, talc and attapulgite. In accordance with additional components, 3 types of putty are distinguished:
- Sheetrock Superfinish - the finishing option for drywall and for painting.
- Sheetrock Fill Finish Light is a lightweight mixture for leveling small surfaces.
- Sheetrock All Purpose is a versatile material for all surfaces.
Parade
The company produces leveling putty Parade Classic S 40 and finishing version Parade Classic S 41, which are distinguished by a special degree of moisture resistance.
The usual layer of one and the other mixture of 1 mm can be completely dried in 4 hours, which corresponds to a flow rate of 1 liter per 1 square meter of area. The finishing composition of Parade consists of a fine-grained fraction on an acrylic basis, and the initial processing of the walls is carried out with a mixture of a larger fraction on the same acrylic. Scope of putty starts from old painted and wooden surfaces to concrete and brick. Packing - 1.5 and 18 kg.
Knauf
An excellent ratio of Knauf Fugenfüller putty prices and quality put the product in the category of the most popular materials used in Russia. This dry gypsum mixture is suitable for interior use and is most often applied to drywall. The manufacturer notes a low consumption of the composition and easy application, but does not recommend using the mixture on excessively curved surfaces. The permissible application layer is about 3 mm. Due to the quick setting and drying, the grinding process is difficult, which is perhaps the only drawback of Knauf brand products. The ability to dilute the composition at one’s discretion is one of the undoubted advantages of dry finished putty for walls, as professionals advise making the first applied layer more diluted and the next one an order of magnitude thicker.
Alpina
It is considered the best finished putty for leveling walls for acrylic painting. It is used for leveling concrete, plaster, gypsum and drywall surfaces. The advantages are the ability to easily grind after drying and the ability to remove a perfectly even wall. Experts note the absence of further shrinkage and cracks on the wall surface, a high degree of vapor permeability and material strength. In order to avoid violation of the integrity of the filler layer, it is forbidden to use the finish version of Alpina for facade work or in rooms with excessive humidity.
When choosing a putty master, finishers recommend not to be guided only by the brand, but carefully read the instructions and the purpose of the material and acquire a composition suitable for a certain type of work in a particular room.