Finishing putty for wallpaper

Wallpapering is still one of the most popular ways of decorating a room. There are many reasons for this: the relative simplicity of the work, which allows them to be carried out independently, low cost of materials. The wide range of wallpapers offered on the building materials market makes it possible to realize almost any design idea. But in order to achieve high quality and durability of the coating, it is necessary to correctly apply the finishing putty under the wallpaper. The most expensive and high-quality material will not hide the defects of a poorly prepared base. The time until the next repair, as well as the simplicity of the latter will depend on how well the filling of the walls was done.

The choice of putty

Any layer of decoration, including wallpaper, can not be applied to unprepared walls, regardless of what material they are made of. Be sure to apply an intermediate putty coat. It will not only hide defects in the base, but also provide reliable gluing of wallpaper to the wall.

Which putty is better to choose? It all depends on the quality of the surface of the base, the type of wallpaper used and the conditions for their use.

The composition of the putty mixture determines the microclimate of the room in which it can be used:

• Gypsum putty - easy to use, dries quickly, does not shrink, but is afraid of moisture. Suitable for living rooms, not suitable for the bathroom.
• Cement - a significant shrinkage, dries for a long time, but can be used without risk in the bathroom, in the kitchen or other room with high humidity.
• Polymer putties have proven themselves in the processing of various joints and joints, it is very convenient to work with them. Used in any room, give a beautiful smooth surface. The most expensive option.

In addition to the chemical composition, the degree of grinding of the putty is of great importance. The smaller the size of the fractions of which it consists, the more smooth the surface is. According to this indicator, the following types of putties are distinguished:

1. Starting. Their main purpose is preliminary leveling of the surface. Therefore, the grinding is quite large. After it, it is necessary to apply a layer of finishing putty.
2. Finishing. Finer grinding allows them to qualitatively eliminate all minor defects and ensure a perfectly smooth surface. If the walls do not have serious defects, then the finishing putty of the walls under the wallpaper can be done without a starting layer.
3. Universal. The average option between the finishing and starting putty. It costs a little more, but not inferior to the finish in quality.

An indispensable quality of finishing putty is the whiteness of the resulting base. When using thick wallpaper, you can save a little by choosing a finer coarse finish solution with a fraction size of 0.8 mm.

Additional selection criteria

Putty in the store can be purchased in the form of a dry mixture or a ready-made solution. Professionals prefer a dry mixture, but if you are doing this kind of work for the first time, then it's better to choose a ready-made one. It will cost a little more, but then the question will not arise how to prepare putty from dry mix. In addition, the finished solution is available in a hermetically sealed container, but do-it-yourself putty must be used before it dries.

If you choose a dry mix, then this video will help you prepare a quality solution.

Do not save on the quality of the putty, it will not need so much. It is better to choose a trusted manufacturer, for example, the Knauf or Vetonit brand. Excellent quality and price served as the key to the wide distribution of Vetonit products in the building materials market. It complies with European quality standards, is made from environmentally friendly materials. Under the brand name Vetonit, the entire line of putty mixtures is produced, from starting to finishing, with a variety of astringent fillers. Including waterproof putty, as well as solutions that can be used at low temperatures. Mixtures of Vetonit are packaged in bags that provide reliable protection of the contents from atmospheric influences and are equipped with clear markings.

Essential tool

Save on purchase putty tools hardly worth it: its cost is low, but to achieve the required quality of the foundation using the old one will not be easy. Therefore, it is better to purchase a new set of necessary tools from a hardware store:

• You need at least a couple of simple spatulas - wide and narrow. We will put the broad putty on the surface of the wall, and it is more convenient to apply the solution to it narrow. He will also remove the excess putty and process hard to reach places.
• Corner spatula. Some people prefer to do without it, but drawing corners with such a tool is much easier. Therefore, if you do not have good builder skills and a "full" hand, then get it necessarily.

• To apply the primer, you need a brush, roller and a paint bath. You can do with one brush, but then the process will take much longer.
• If the putty will be prepared from a dry mixture, then you need to prepare a container for stirring it, as well as a construction mixer. You can use a drill and a special nozzle.
• When working with starting putty, which will correct significant irregularities in the base, a rule will be required.
• The level is needed for control at all stages of work.
• To smooth out the roughness of dried putty, we will prepare a grater, preferably with a replaceable working coating. It can be an emery of various granularity, an abrasive grid. For grouting large areas, a grinder or grinder with a special nozzle is used.

 Preparing the surface for putty under wallpaper

Before applying the putty, the wall must be properly prepared:

• Remove all old coatings. To remove the paint, a building hair dryer will help, wallpaper and thin plaster are pre-softened with water, and then scraped off with a spatula. Thick plaster is knocked down by a perforator or hand chisel.
• Large cracks and irregularities are sealed with cement mortar. The cracks must first be expanded, cleaned of dust and treated with a deep penetration primer.
• On the drywall wall with special putty, the joints between the sheets and the holes for the heads of the screws are sealed, otherwise in the future, rust from them may appear on the surface of the wallpaper.
• The base is covered with a layer of antiseptic primer. It’s more convenient to use a roller, but you can’t do without a brush - special attention should be paid to the corners. This is a favorite place for the appearance of fungus and mold.
• It is recommended to perform priming in two layers. The second time you need to apply an antiseptic after the already applied layer dries. The process of priming the base is more clearly presented in the video.

Do not rush into the preparatory phase - any rush can lead to rather sad consequences. All applied components must be allowed to dry the right time. Only after this can you start applying putty.

Putty walls

If the surface on which the wallpaper will be glued has significant defects, then a layer of starting putty is applied. There are different methods and it is difficult to say which one is the best, but the general recommendations are as follows:

• A narrow spatula impose a solution on a wide one and apply from corner to center. The spatula should be held at an angle of 45 ° to the surface.
• The solution is overlapped, overlapping the previous layer by 8–10 mm.
• The layer thickness should not exceed 2 mm; in case of serious defects, putty is applied in several layers. Between their application should pass at least a day.
• The corners are aligned using an angular spatula. In the absence of skill, you can first form one side of the corner, remove the excess solution after partial drying, and then remove the second.
• The quality of work is periodically monitored by rule and level.
• After drying, sometimes even incomplete, grout.

The process of applying finishing putty is almost identical to working with the starting, but still has its own characteristics:

• Be sure to apply two layers with a thickness of not more than 1-2 mm. Both layers must be wiped with fine sandpaper. It is recommended to grind the last layer with a suede or leather nozzle on the grinder.
• A rubber trowel can be used to grout corners.

Defects in the finish layer will no longer be possible to fix, therefore, strict control over the quality of the resulting base is required. Many use additional illumination from the side, which helps to detect the slightest bumps.

• After the putty has completely dried, the surface must again be primed to ensure good adhesion of the wallpaper.

This video will allow you to get a more visual representation of the application of finishing putty on the walls under the wallpaper.