Today, home craftsmen tend to perform many types of construction and finishing work on their own, or, as is now customary to say, with their own hands. Either the services of professionals really can afford it, or the men finally remembered “who is the boss in the house” is hard to say. However, the fact remains. While on the market at the moment almost every day there are new products, from the variety of which it is just right to be confused by a seasoned specialist, not just not yet fledgling, but a home master eagerly rushing into battle. And therefore, very often the owners of apartments and houses are in search of information about a particular technology or modern material that will allow you to make repairs quickly and efficiently. We, in turn, will now try to help in this matter and tell in detail about what silicone plaster is. And along the way, we will reveal the main secrets of the technique of its application.
What kind of material is this?
The word "plaster" for many immediately associated with the dull black and gray walls of the room, more reminiscent in appearance of a utility room than a living room. This is partly true. But this only applies to the variety of this material intended for rough finishing. The heroine of our review belongs to a completely different class. This is the finishing material. That is, silicone plaster is used only in the final finishing process. Moreover, both outside and inside. Although initially the composition was supposed to be used only in the design of facades. And not only what, but historical buildings. However, the material turned out to be so good that they began to use it to finish the facades of houses and buildings, and then for the interior. What, in fact, is the secret? The fact that silicone resin is added to the usual stucco mixture , which is mixed with various fillers like mineral materials, fabrics, etc. The texture of the processed surface completely depends on what is used as additives.
By the way, some experts call this mixture nothing more than the queen of plasters. Which, in principle, is true. As evidenced by its characteristics, which will be discussed further.
Main plus
As a rule, finishing work is carried out in several stages. First, there is a draft, which is preparatory and is aimed at leveling the surface and closing all existing defects as much as possible. All this requires not only time, but also material costs for the purchase of various compounds, which are quite expensive today. Silicone plaster - for the facade or for interior work, it does not matter - allows you to do everything at the same time. That is, it evens the surface and gives the desired decorative effect. Which, you see, is very important today. In addition, silicone plaster is sold in containers of various volumes, which allows you to choose the right dosage for yourself and not throw away the extra money. Since the cost of the material is quite high. Which, by the way, unfortunately, is its minus. True, the only one. The rest is only solid pluses. On the positive characteristics of silicone plaster - more.
Benefits
An undoubted advantage of the composition can be considered a long period of "life". Say, silicone facade plaster can not lose its attractiveness for twenty years. And this despite the fact that the building is constantly exposed to precipitation, constant temperature changes. And even indoors, it will look as if it was applied only yesterday, even longer.
Silicone plaster has the highest level of vapor permeability, as a result of which the material is able to provide the necessary microclimate in rooms exposed to moisture. Condensation, mold will not form on the walls, they are not afraid of fungus. That is why silicone decorative plaster is perfect for finishing kitchens, baths, dressing rooms.
The material is endowed with excellent elasticity, so that in the event of any changes in the structure of the treated surface, it will not lose its integrity. Simply put, cracks and other defects that have appeared over the years simply will not be visible.
Plaster, due to its composition, does not attract dust and dirt, does not require special care. Simply wipe it with a damp rag.
You can apply this excellent material on your own without resorting to the services of professionals. In the presence, of course, at least the minimum skills in this matter. If the home master has never held a spatula in his hands, then it will be quite difficult to cope with the work, especially when it comes to decorating the facade.
Silicone plaster can be either white or already tinted. So you can choose the right shade without any problems. In addition, it can be painted, which is also an undeniable plus. And one more advantage. With its help, you can create different surface textures. It all depends on the type of finishing material purchased. About this in the next section.
Types of Silicone Plaster
Depending on what the decorative structure is obtained after applying to the surface, silicone plaster can be divided into several types:
- Plaster "Bark beetle". After applying it to the wall, you can get a surface striated with various types of grooves.
- Silicone pebble. Gives a surface that looks like a coating of marble chips.
- "Wing". Something like a fleece.
- Venetian. The decorative effect obtained after its application resembles a marble coating.
- Silicate-silicone plaster is a type of silicone, which can be of all the types described above, but differs from the "heroine" of our review by higher operational characteristics and increased resistance to low temperatures due to the addition of liquid potassium glass to the composition.
About the first form, as the most popular, and the last, as a variety, - further.
Bark beetle
The bark beetle plaster is the most popular among all the finishing compositions available on the market. Its silicone variety is not the only one, there are also the same mixtures on a cement, acrylic, gypsum basis. However, a polymer is still preferable in that it has all the advantages of the silicone formulations described above. In addition to the main ingredients inherent in such a mixture, Bark beetle contains additives of mineral origin (onyx, quartz, marble, etc.) of various fractions - from one and a half to three millimeters. The final surface texture varies depending on the size of the inclusions. The larger the fraction, the brighter the effect.
Great for both exterior and interior decoration. In addition, it is very often used for decorating thermal insulation foam boards.
Silicate-silicone decorative plaster
This composition can be successfully applied both in external and internal decoration. However, the silicate variety, as mentioned above, is characterized by increased strength characteristics, therefore it is most often used precisely for the decoration of facades. Resistance to atmospheric influences and all kinds of pollution, amazing color stability, combined with increased hydrophobicity sometimes make it an indispensable material when decorating the exterior surfaces of buildings. However, such silicate-silicone plaster is quite expensive for facade decoration due to its high cost. Therefore, when deciding on the use of this finishing material over large areas, it is necessary to carefully consider its feasibility.
Manufacturers
Silicone plaster is produced by many manufacturers. However, experts note that several firms are the best in this regard.
A good finishing material is supplied by Knauf. Silicone plaster from this manufacturer is easy to apply, good performance, safe composition for human health. The most sought after brands are Knauf Conni S, Knauf Kati S and Knauf Add.
Good material is supplied to the market by the domestic company Bolars. Silicone plasters from this manufacturer are of high quality combined with a fairly affordable cost. The most sought-after brand is Bolars Mineral-S.
However, Ceresit silicone plaster is most popular . This composition is preferred by most masters. About him - in more detail below.
Ceresite
No wonder the brand is so popular. Silicone plaster "Ceresite" is literally created to solve almost any problem. The manufacturer manufactures its products in finished form, in containers of 25 kg. From the brand, all available varieties of silicone plaster are presented on the market, so choosing the right composition for yourself will not be difficult. In addition, the manufacturer does not deliver to the market products of a universal plan, but subdivides it into finishing materials for external and internal works. This allows you to save on cost, since prices in both cases are somewhat different.
Plaster is very easy to apply, even a home craftsman who is not quite sophisticated in the finishing process can cope with the work. This also explains the relevance and popularity of such a finishing material as “Ceresite” silicone plaster. Instructions for use and application - very detailed and understandable - are contained on each container. So working with her is really easy.
But what is the application technology - further.
Training
As already mentioned, careful surface leveling is not required. However, preparatory work will still have to be done. The main requirement: the walls should be as clean as possible, that is, you need to get rid of any coating on them in the form of wallpaper, whitewash, paint, as well as all kinds of pollution. Cracks and large defects need to be repaired. And most importantly - the surface must be primed specifically for silicone plaster. Then leave for a day to dry completely.
Application Technique
By and large, work with a silicone compound is not much different from those with ordinary plaster mortar. Except for a few nuances. First of all, it is worth remembering that, despite the fact that the mixture is sold ready-made, it must be mixed before use. When applying, use a metal spatula, which is recommended to be kept to the surface strictly at an angle of 60 g. As for the thickness of the layer, it must strictly correspond to the size of the filler fraction. After drying, it is necessary to form the structure with a plastic grater. Moving it in a circle, as well as up and down, you can make a different pattern.
To get a uniform surface, you cannot throw off the rest of the mixture from the spatula back into the bucket of mortar. We must try to work out everything that is applied to it. Silicone plaster should never be moistened with water. All work on one wall is preferably carried out in a continuous manner.
Conclusion
Today, silicone plaster is a truly innovative material, which allows you to get a beautiful decorative surface with excellent performance. The composition is perfect for both external and internal decoration, does not require special skills when applying, has a long service life and low maintenance.