Finishing putty of walls - why is it needed?
If not so long ago, the issue of decorating the walls was solved quite simply - new ones were pasted onto old wallpapers, and the existing cracks and irregularities were covered with local putty, but today they often say about observing the technology of wall surface preparation for finishing them. In particular, it is a question of finishing putty. The main purpose of the finish putty is the decoration of the walls of the room, which allows you to get the highest quality and smooth surface for subsequent design.
With its help, it is possible to mask the smallest wall defects or unevenness remaining after the application of the basic leveling layer. It is impossible not to pay attention to the fact that the finish composition, in contrast to the base, has a pure white color. This allows you to safely use white or thin wallpaper of any color. The possibility of obtaining a fairly smooth surface of the walls is due to the small size of the putty fractions. This is especially important if the walls are to be painted, as the paint is not able to hide the presence of irregularities.
In addition, the final composition provides a good adhesion( adhesion) of the wall surface with the adhesive layer. This property allows you to count on the fact that the finish finish will last you for a long time without risk of falling off the wall. Specialists recommend not to neglect this type of putty even when finishing plasterboard or foam concrete surfaces are prepared. They are sufficiently porous and absorb moisture well, so an additional and wall-strengthening layer will not be superfluous. Thus, the need to use the finish putty is obvious, but how to choose it correctly?
Finishing putty - how to choose?
First of all, it is necessary to pay attention to its composition. Today, there are several types of finishing putties, which differ in the type of binder component. Polymeric, gypsum and cement compositions deserve the greatest attention. Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. So, the cement composition is characterized by excellent moisture resistance, which allows it to be used in rooms with high humidity( bathroom, kitchen).It can be produced on the basis of both gray and white cement, which should be noted when buying, as it is the color of the cement that determines the color of the treated surface. Cement finish putty, called also facade, gives a small shrinkage, so often requires application in several layers.
Gypsum plaster of the finishing type is distinguished by snow-whiteness, ecological compatibility, availability, but absolute unfitness for use in wet rooms. In addition, it does not tolerate sharp temperature changes. However, it is not subject to shrinkage and is suitable for the treatment of most surfaces( brick, concrete, drywall, etc.).The highest quality of the finishing layer is provided by polymeric compositions. Thanks to special additives, they become plastic and easily applied to the surface of the walls, without creating problems when leveling. Of course, the cost of such putty is quite high.
As it was mentioned before, the quality of the finishing composition is determined by the size of its aggregate fractions: the smaller it is, the more even the surface of the walls will be. Putties with a size of fractions up to 0.15 mm do not even require subsequent grinding.
Such formulations are ideal for preparing walls for further staining. If your plans include pasting walls with wallpaper, you can pick up shpaklevku with a grain size of 0.5-0.8 mm. When choosing the finish coat, it is recommended to pay attention to its viability - the time period during which the putty retains plasticity in the open container and is suitable for work. As a rule, it takes 2-5 hours to solidify the cement compositions, the gypsum plaster hardens even more quickly. But the polymer composition retains its plasticity up to 24 hours. So, the choice is made, it remains only to correctly apply the putty on the walls, but there are a number of nuances.
Finishing putty of walls - observe the application technology
Apply the finishing putty on the previously cleaned, leveled and primed wall surface. For application, you will need a container with a diluted composition, a small( 10-15 cm) and a large spatula( 40-60 cm).A small spatula is used to take the necessary amount of putty from the container and transfer it to a large spatula, with which the composition is then leveled along the wall. The thickness of the coating does not usually exceed 1-1.5 mm, as when stacking a thicker layer, the risk of cracking and sagging is high.
Practice shows that one layer of finishing putty is sufficient if the finishing coating will serve as a vinyl or non-woven wallpaper. If the walls are painted, then it is recommended to apply the composition in two or even three layers. To lay the finish line, the trowel or corner trowel is used at the joints of the wall surfaces. With regard to the direct application of putty on the walls, then you have two options. The first assumes its alignment with fairly broad strokes in the direction from left to right or from bottom to top.
The spatula is pressed against the wall at an angle of approximately 20 °.When applying, use a spatula several times in the same place, gradually grabbing a new area.
Do not be embarrassed by the presence of irregularities from the tool, as they are easily eliminated when polishing the putty. The second option - the application of the leveling composition with small clear strokes. This is quite a painstaking job, suggesting a secondary coating of the surface with an equalizing layer, but the result is worth it. You can completely ignore the grinding of the wall, even if it is supposed to be painted. Thus, the final puttying of the walls, a video about the application of which can be found on our website, becomes a real wand in the performance of repair work.
