The construction industry is developing rapidly. New materials and finishing technologies are constantly appearing. Design firms constantly offer new types of facades, use new materials.
With all the variety of proposals, the decoration of facades using the good old putty plays a key role and remains the most popular.
Why putty is needed
The use of putty for facade work has passed the test of time.
- The main material of the walls is protected against aggressive environmental influences.
- The walls continue to breathe.
- The thermal conductivity is practically unchanged, there is no threat of a dew point displacement on the inner walls.
- Providing many options for the design of the facade.
- Even walls in poor condition gain extra strength.
According to established technology, two stages of facade covering are used:
- Starting - in order to repair the surface of the walls, smoothing out various irregularities, the basis for subsequent finishing.
- Finishing - to protect the surface from weathering, prepare the surface for painting.
What criteria do we choose material
The purpose of the facade putty is to protect the wall material from external influences. It:
- Precipitation.
- Wind load.
- Aggressive urban impurities.
- Feces of birds.
- Vandal actions.
Therefore, the quality requirements are very high. Choosing a mixture is in strict accordance with the terms of reference.
To align the walls, it is better to take cement compositions with fillers having high grit. Moreover, during operation, the composition must be elastic and viscous for a long time.
Building material suppliers offer two options for popular options:
- Bags of 20 kg of putty facade dry.
- Paste formulations are packed in plastic buckets of 5 and 20 kg.
Both have advantages and disadvantages. Dry mixes showed themselves well for delivery to the facility starting coating. Plastic buckets were convenient for finishing work.
Starting cover
The main material of the walls almost always needs additional protection. Over time, it will be an expensive pleasure to repair it. Often he does not have decorative qualities, has many aesthetic defects. All this is hidden by the starting facade putty.
Most often it is applied to concrete walls, various cement-based blocks. However, brick and some other surfaces, sometimes, also need additional coating. Typically, the composition is selected so that the technical characteristics of the facade putty meet the operating conditions.
- Good adhesion to wall material.
- Qualitative indicators for the number of freezing cycles.
- Temperature fluctuations.
- Roughness of the surface of the walls.
The most common types of mixtures are made on the basis of cement, with fillers of various grain sizes. Recently, it has become a tradition to use pink color for starter coatings.
Finishing work
Finishing facade putty is applied on pre-finished walls. Other requirements are already being imposed on her. If in the previous case multiple application of the material is allowed, then at the final stage everything needs to be done at once. The task of such a coating is to create a layer that protects from atmospheric effects, and to prepare the walls for decoration.
Typically, finishing facade putties are made on a polymer basis, they all have a low dispersion. The color of the finish is white, except in special cases.
Decorative qualities
Often, designers try to give facades an artificially uneven surface. For example, carrying out decoration under a natural stone. Demand creates supply. The market offers a lot of plaster options for such finishing solutions. Most often, popular components are added to the composition, such as:
- Quartz sand.
- Ground mica.
- Various color additives.
In many cases, the surface no longer needs additional painting. If high quality material is used, after completion of work it is almost impossible to distinguish from a natural analogue. This imitation saves time and money. True work is very complicated and requires a professional approach.
Wood finish
Sometimes there is the problem of coating wooden surfaces. The situation for industrial construction is quite rare, but often found in the repair of the old foundation. In this case, it is more profitable to make a putty for exterior facade work with your own hands.
An example is the mixture:
- As a basis, take two parts of drying oil.
- Mix with 4 parts of chalk.
- Add ¼ parts of desiccant.
- All this is brought to a boil and cooled.
Putty is ready. Depending on the quality of the surface to be treated, technologists can offer other types of mixtures.
Desiccants are catalysts designed to form a surface film.
Classification by composition
Depending on the application of various binders, all types of putty can be divided into:
- Cement
- Acrylic
- Latex.
- Silicate.
- Oil-glue.
- Gypsum.
We will understand the advantages and disadvantages of each type.
Cement mixture
Cement - the most popular building material, is used in almost all types of work. It has good astringent properties. Mixtures with it retain the viscosity necessary for work for a long time and become durable when dried.
Putties based on it are produced in dry form and are used for finishing concrete surfaces. Able to fix wall defects in the form of large cracks. Used for all types of putty :
- Starting.
- Universal.
- The finish.
Among the advantages of cement facade putty can be noted:
- Immunity of temperature differences.
- Affordable price.
- Manufacturability at work.
Disadvantages:
- Shrinks. Before further work it is better to give time for a set of strength.
- Drying often causes cracks. It is necessary to work very carefully when diluting mixtures and applying to the surface.
Acrylic Putties
Synthetic material based on acrylic acids is usually produced in the form of viscous, colorless substances. In construction, he found wide application. On its basis, paints, putties and much more are made. Acrylic facade putty can be found only in plastic buckets. It is used for leveling simple surfaces and as a topcoat. The applied layer is not more than 0.1-0.3 cm and it is required to prime the surface under it. Forms a high-strength moisture-resistant film. The chemical effect is neutral. It is impossible to use such material for starting alignment of complex surfaces. When polished, forms toxic dust. For safety reasons, such work is carried out in a respirator.
Latex coatings
Another polymer material used in the manufacture of facade putty is latex. Paste formulations have improved moisture resistance and freezing cycle tolerance. It has quality characteristics for durability. High plasticity makes it convenient to use. Unpleasant surprises include the high price of such coverage.
Silicate version
Silicate putties are based on liquid glass. The material lays well on shell rock and cellular concrete. It has high vapor permeability and is usually used where reliable protection against moisture and dust is needed. Non-electrostatic. The technology of applying to the surface is complex, any violation of it leads to numerous cracks.
Oil and glue putty
Compositions based on drying oils are widely used for coating surfaces with numerous small pores. Can be used to protect wooden walls. Possessing high fluidity, penetrate deep into the pores of the material. They have a low cost, but it is difficult to work with it. It is almost impossible to apply on vertical surfaces without any experience.
Gypsum-based materials
Another universal filler for numerous putties is gypsum. It has many positive characteristics.
Available in both dry and liquid form. It allows the use of various improving additives for frost resistance and hygroscopicity. The surface coated with it will last a long time. If you take material from well-known manufacturers, then the disadvantages will be impossible to find. The only thing that can be noted is the low strength characteristics.
Silicone putty
Recently, many more traditional materials have begun to supplant silicone materials. High elastic qualities, the ability to pass steam and maintain strength for a long time make them popular. The coating is applied in thin layers, this gives good savings in the consumption of facade putty. The disadvantage is that the price of the material itself remains high for the average consumer.
Surface preparation
When working with any putty, preliminary preparation of the walls is required. Naturally, everything is simple for newly constructed buildings. It is enough to remove dust and dirt - and you can work.
Another thing is the repair of old facades. Previously, the walls are freed from dirt and dust, the protruding remains of concrete and old plaster are removed. Sometimes it’s worth working with a punch. Achieve maximum wall alignment. If necessary, restore the destroyed areas. Change the parts of the main wall. When everything is aligned, a primer is applied. It will allow better fixation of the coating material.
Only after preparatory work does everyone fasten with starting putty. At the same time, it not only helps to prevent further destruction of the facade, but also helps to fix the restored areas.
Coating is possible mechanically or in the old fashion in manual mode. After applying the starting layer give the surface time to dry and gain strength. Sometimes use an additional primer on the base. This is for situations when complex compositions are used as a finishing putty, poorly compatible with the starting coatings.
A decorative coating can already be applied to the finish layer.
Major manufacturers
The variety of material gives rise to a large number of manufacturers. The quality of work greatly depends on who made the compositions.
When choosing a putty, you should know the main brands:
- Knauf is the most popular blend. Almost the entire line of required products is produced. Well suited for facade work.
- Vetonit - not inferior in quality to the previous version. Surrounded by such mixtures serve for a long time. In the product range, mixtures for a humid climate play an important role.
- Ceresit - a satisfactory price and good quality puts this brand near the sales leaders.
- "Prospectors" - front putty of this domestic manufacturer is practically not inferior to world brands. At a price significantly outperforms foreign analogues.