Finishing the balcony with plaster: step by step instruction

The balcony is different from the works in the apartment. This is a special room that is closest to the street, and therefore more exposed to the risk of moisture, light, dust and etc .That's why not all decoration materials are suitable for balconies and loggias, but decorative plaster is not one of them. It is a universal material that can transform any room. In this article we will tell you how to finish the balcony with decorative plaster and reveal some secrets of beautiful wall decoration.

Screed plaster for walls

Plaster is a special type of finishing material whose composition and application method depends on the desiredgoals. So, if you want to make the wall smooth for the finish lining, use leveling plaster. On it is convenient to glue wallpaper, put tiles or apply decorative plaster compositions. They often contain

solid particles, pigments and various additives to create an original effect.

Plaster on the balcony must withstand temperature changes and increased humidity, as well as provide additional protection of the premises. Make a smooth wall is not a problem, if the clearly follow the instructions and prepare the right mixture.

Any finish begins with the leveling of the walls, and often you have to use a special plaster for this, because it allows you to hide the obvious surface drops. Moreover, the leveling composition improves the performance of the floors and occupies a minimum of space, unlike gypsum boards.

To prepare walls in this way, use a cement-sand or gypsum mortar - the choice depends on the material of which the wall is made. In order for the heavy cement mortar to hold on a vertical surface, it needs support in the form of metal profiles and reinforcing mesh. Gypsum is much easier and firmly attached to the wall without additional support. However, this plaster is not recommended for use in rooms with high humidity, so if you are going to choose its for a balcony, make sure that it is securely isolated. In general, gypsum prunes are used for finishing finishing with a layer thickness of not more than 20 mm.

Specific work with

The leveling of walls with plaster can be divided into three stages: preparation of the wall, preparation of the mortar and proper application of it to the surface. To prepare the wall, you must remove the old coating. It is best to finish the balcony with plaster immediately after the installation of hydro and thermal insulation.

If you work with a "bare" wall, then on a smooth concrete surface the mixture can not hold tight, so you need to make its rough - put jags or small chips. For this purpose, rigid steel brush or ordinary chisel is usually used. For reliable plaster setting, any wall must be covered with an adhesive primer of deep penetration. Before applying plaster, the wall must be soaked that all the water from the mixture is not absorbed into the brick or concrete. Also the surface must be to dust and wait for the complete drying of the primer.

Prepare the plaster mortar strictly according to the instructions on the packaging to avoid unpleasant surprises. You do not need to mix too much immediately - you may not have time to use it before hardening( especially plaster).Thoroughly mix the composition so that not a single lump remains. To ensure that the surface is perfectly flat, guide rails are used. They set the desired plane and do not allow the plaster to fall off. Such beacons are installed at a distance of about 50 cm, and then hide them under a layer of plaster.

The first time anyone can not create a perfectly smooth coating, but do not worry - after 2 - 3 hours after plastering its can be rubbed with sandpaper, thus hiding the in defects. According to the technology it is necessary to adhere to the of a certain layer thickness, therefore measuring instruments are useful for work. Over time, it will get to do "by sight", but main - remember that the thinner the layer, the better.

Another one important mote nt pr and work with cement-sand plaster - reinforcing mesh. It is needed in order to improve the rigidity of the wall and not allow the plaster to collapse under its own weight. When purchasing, please contact the retailer that the mesh is for indoor use only. Attach the of its to the wall with the same solution and lightly heat in it .

Helpful hint: To ensure that the plaster does not fall off, apply a few thin layers of , letting dry completely the previous one. In total, the coating should not be thicker than 30 mm.

If you first do the plaster of the balcony with your own hands, better than use a wide spatula - apply the compound to the wall and stretch it from bottom to top .Trowel is also designed for this, but with it you need to be able to handle to make the surface smooth and beautiful.

Working with brick walls

If the walls on the balcony are made of bricks, so that the plaster holds tight, first clean the seams to a depth of 8 - 10 mm. In truth, working with brick and block walls is a bit more complicated than with concrete ones. The fact is that the that the bricks have a porous structure that absorbs water very quickly, and there is a risk that the plaster will crumble and swell. For this, at the preparatory stage, the wall must be covered with 2 - 3 layers of adhesive primer.

Important: If the house was built quite recently, it is not recommended to putty the walls - the building will necessarily give a small shrinkage, and all your efforts will be wasted.

The plaster layer for the brick wall must have a thickness of at least 10 mm. Be sure to reinforce it with reinforcing mesh, as it helps to level the surface. To protect the plaster from cracking and deformation, you can use a conventional paint net. This is especially true in places near the door and window openings .

Let's briefly describe the technology of plastering a brick wall on a balcony:

1. Strip the seams.
2. Cover the wall with a primer in 2 - 3 layers, waiting for the complete drying of the previous one.
3. Apply a bit of the plaster mixture and dump the reinforcing mesh into it, attaching its cuts overlapping the to 10 - 15 cm.
4. Wait until the holding layer completely dry.
5. Apply the leveling layer to the guide rails and beacons.
6. Wait a few hours and wipe the surface defects with sandpaper.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in this, and the plastering of the walls on the balcony can be an excellent practice for repairing in the apartment itself.

Decorative plaster

When the walls are smooth and smooth, you can proceed to the most pleasant part of the work - applying beautiful decorative plaster. The peculiarity of modern compositions is not only in their effectiveness and diversity, but also in worthy operational characteristics. They can safely withstand temperature changes, do not burn out of direct sunlight, help to keep heat inside the house and are completely safe in terms of ecology. Create a unique interior on the balcony with the help of decorative plaster, even those who never took a spatula or roller! And the most pleasant is that the cost of the compositions is generally low - much lower than wallpaper, tiles or panels.

Decorative plaster can consist of one, two layers and more. Typically, the composition already includes adhesion additives, dyes, plasticizers and other components to increase the practicality and aesthetics of the coating. At the base of almost all the plaster compositions is lime, gypsum or white cement and quartz. Mineral mixtures are sold in powder form, which should be simply diluted with water to the required consistency, but if you are afraid not to cope, you can buy ready-made pasty plaster in the bucket.

None of the modern plasters does not contain harmful substances, and the number of plasticizers and additives usually does not exceed 3%.Due to its natural composition of the surface, steam is easily passed through and does not interfere with the natural micro-ventilation of the room. Most compounds do not accumulate dust and even withstand wet cleaning.

Decorative plaster on the balcony is preferable to wallpaper or wood panels still and because it is completely fireproof and does not burn out under the sun. The service life can be safely calculated for decades, whereas the wallpaper is recommended by every 3 years.

Useful tip: There are special plaster mixes with antiseptic additives that prevent the appearance of mold and fungi, which is important for balconies.

And, of course, the main reason, because of which many choose decorative plasters - an amazing variety of colors and textures. Not even being an designer you can create a stylish and original interior.

It would be simply wonderful, do not have decorative plaster of defects, but, unfortunately, it was not without them. So, because of its mineral nature, it can become covered with cracks if improperly applied or after some time. In most cases, it is not difficult to restore the surface, but the fact remains the fact of .This is a debatable disadvantage, which disappears if you buy a mixture with various synthetic additives and plasticizers to increase the elasticity. They are worth more, but you can be sure of a successful outcome of the case.

Types of decorative plaster

As we have already said, there are a lot of decorative plasters, but to make the easier for the you have a choice, we classified them into groups according to the effect produced.

Classification of decorative plasters:

1. Structural - contains chips of quartz or mica, which, when applied, forms chaotic scratches and abrasions of .The popular plaster "Bark beetle", imitating the movements of the beetle bark beetle, refers precisely to this type. It is noteworthy that for such mixtures it is not necessary to pre-level the wall - they themselves mask small defects. Structural plaster can create an imitation not only of wood, but also of cracked stone and even snake skin! To work on the balcony and inside the house it is better to buy water-based mixtures, since they do not have a sharp odor.
   
2. Textured - have inclusions of granite or marble fractions, organic fibers( linen , cotton).If you want to create a surface that reliably imitates a natural stone, choose a textured plaster. Also with the its help can "forge" the skin, velvet and wood.
   
3. Flock - contains fine acrylic particles that help simulate the silk surface. This finish looks very impressive and rich, however requires special care and careful handling. To flock the plaster has served longer, apply its on acrylic paint, and then cover with a transparent protective varnish.
   
4. The Venetian is one of the most popular species. Mixtures are created on acrylic basis with the addition of special dyes. Sell ​​them in the form of a thick paste, in which you must add a pigment and mix. With the help of Venetian plaster it is possible to simulate silk , marble, paper and even pearls.
   

Secrets of the original finish

As we promised, we will uncover some secrets of effective design finishing plaster. The is equipped with the following methods to additionally act on the on the plaster, while the still does not dry up the .

Techniques for creating the original relief:

1. Nabryzg - take a small trowel, scoop up some plaster and throw on the wall.
   
   Another option - dipped in a mixture of a broom, bring the closer to the wall of the and lightly tap on it with a stick so that small splashes dot the surface. This technique is described in detail in the video below:
   
2. Sponge - when you apply a smooth layer of plaster, take a sponge and press it against the wall lightly so that no gaps remain( attach overlapping the ).It is better to take a sponge from loofah( natural, not synthetic) to get a more natural and unpredictable imprint. Periodically rinse the sponge in soapy water.
   
3. Cellophane - to get the effect of crumpled paper, attach a cellophane bag to the just applied to the plaster. Before this, properly question the package( it is better to take large packages of durable cellophane).After drying the wall, walk through all the folds with a spatula and do not be afraid that you will spoil the result - the spatula will remove only the fragile elements from the .
   
4. Brush - apply the plaster with a layer of 2 mm, then lay the mixture on the wall with a spatula in small portions and spread its rigid synthetic brush in different directions. Since the first layer still is not dry, the brush will slide smoothly along the wall and create beautiful "waves".To make the walls more voluminous , after drying, walk along the surface in a color scheme in a tone of the plaster, making circular motions and rubbing the grooves.
   
5. The effect of "dry earth" - is a very nice effect, which is quite easy to make. To do this, you have to wait until the plaster hardens a little, and then drive the into the with the wooden tongue, so that cracks and depressions form.
   
6. Grooves - if you have an extra construction grater with notched edge, we recommend trying out its in the case. Apply 2 - with a layer of - and sweep the with the with , changing the angle of its to obtain grooves of different depths. More beautiful looks just a little untidy arbitrary relief.
   
7. Another one original way to "revive" the walls on the balcony - to work with a structural roller. In building shops, you can find rollers with different patterns - draw them on fresh plaster and get a smooth neat impression. The composition can be supplemented with its own strokes, so that "it was not like everyone else" - with a wooden stick add points, lines, check marks or other elements.
   

Finally, we offer you to see a useful video about the plaster of the balcony, where many methods of are described for its of interesting and unusual application:

Finishing of the balcony with plaster: photo