People at all times cared about the appearance and integrity of their home. Today, one of the simplest and cheapest, but at the same time reliable ways of wall cladding is plaster. New finishing materials manufactured using advanced technologies make certain changes to the methods of coating the surface. The thickness of the plaster is one of the most basic factors that subsequently affects the operational characteristics of the structure. Layers are applied both from the external and internal sides of the walls.
Why do you need to plaster the walls?
Brick and cinder block houses are able to absorb moisture and as a result pass cold and damp. Application of the plaster on the external walls prevents moisture from entering the room through the joints created during masonry. The formation of microcracks in construction joints can lead to a lot of troubles and problems associated with expensive repairs. Applying plaster on the inner walls implies leveling the surface and preparing them for further finishing.
Plaster thickness for different surfaces
It should be noted right away that the layer thickness of the applied solution should be minimal, since a large amount of material is quite expensive, and the service life of the coating will be greatly reduced. The thickness of the plaster depends on the base material, the mixture used and the desired effect.
Depending on what type of substrate, the layers of plaster may be different.
Concrete walls
Such coatings have a porous structure, which ensures good adhesion to any type of plaster. In addition, such surfaces are often even, so the thickness of the plaster on concrete can be from 2 mm. The largest layer without using a special reinforcing mesh is 2 cm, with a mesh 7 cm.
Brick
This material is distinguished by the presence of a relief pattern, thereby increasing adhesion to the plaster. The minimum layer thickness is from 5 mm. Less should not be applied, since there is not enough solution to hide all the defects and defects of the brick surface. The maximum layer without using a reinforcing mesh is 2.5 cm, with a mesh 5 cm.
Cellular concrete
Walls erected from gas or foam blocks rarely need to be leveled, since they have a flat surface. As a rule, they are plastered mainly for decorative purposes, so the thickness of the plaster is in the range of 2-15 mm.
Wooden surfaces
Plaster is rarely applied to walls of this type, since the solution does not hold well. Before applying to a wall made of wood, mixtures of reinforcing mesh are mounted. It can be plastic, metal or wooden. Wooden and metal products are fixed on self-tapping screws or nails, and from plastic to glue. The thickness of the plaster is not regulated, since it is needed only to hide the grid. The recommended layer is 2 cm.
Drywall surface
Using GKL, walls are mainly aligned, so the material requires only decorative finishes. If you decide to use plaster, then you need to purchase high quality sheets. As a rule, 2 mm is enough for decoration, the maximum allowable thickness of the plaster is 10 mm. If it is necessary to apply a thicker layer, a reinforcing plastic mesh is pre-fixed.
Heaters
Contrary to the assertion of some experts, it is necessary to plaster mineral wool, polystyrene and other heat-insulating materials. Work begins to be carried out with the installation of a reinforcing mesh. Next, a small layer of solution is applied to hide the mesh, and only after that - the main one, 1-2 cm thick.
The thickness of the different layers of the solution
The first layer is spray. It is applied in order to keep the bulk of the solution better on the coating. For its application, a liquid solution is used. It simply slips on the surface of the wall and does not even out, so that after it dries, an uneven coating is obtained. It will be much better to lay on the bulk of the plaster mortar. It is allowed to apply a layer on concrete and brick walls no more than 5 mm, on wooden surfaces - 8 mm.
After the first layer has dried, plaster is applied to the surface with a thick layer, which is the main one. The thickness of the lime compounds or gypsum plasters should be 0.7-3 cm, cement mortars - 0.5-5 cm.
The last applied coating layer (nakryvka). Its minimum thickness is 2 mm. The largest layer should not exceed 5 mm.
Possible deviations
When performing simple plaster , deviations are possible. They should not exceed 15 mm along the entire wall, and 3 mm per meter. The maximum deviation for high-quality coatings is 1 mm per 1 meter, for the entire wall - 5 mm. Moreover, the number of deviations is limited. For example, for every 4 meters of square surface there can be a maximum of 3 defects when using conventional plaster. For a high-quality surface, their number should not exceed 2. The depth of such irregularities should not exceed 5 mm for simple coatings, and 2 mm for high-quality coatings.
Exception to the rule
Sometimes the curvature of the wall is so great that you need to apply much more mortar than a 5 cm layer. For this, a reinforcing mesh is used.
Despite the fact that plaster is not the most expensive building material, it needs a lot, so sometimes it is better to abandon it and use drywall boards.
How can I control the solution layer?
For control use special beacons. These are metal guides, the length of which is 3-4 m and the thickness is 6-10 mm. The convenience of six-millimeter products is that they allow you to apply a small layer of solution. Ten-mill guides are more comfortable and stiff.
Lighthouses are mounted after work with a plumb line and revealing the curvature of the coating. When installing, 30 cm deviate from the corner, draw a straight line, apply a little solution and fix the beacon, level it, after which a second one is installed at the opposite corner. The remaining guides are installed on the wall every 130-150 cm. After this, they begin to plaster. Do this so that the solution does not go beyond the beacon.
Experienced specialists can change the thickness of the plaster layers based on their personal experience, but it is highly undesirable for beginners to deviate from the given parameters and recommendations of the manufacturer.
Plaster consumption per 1 m2 of wall
Before starting repairs, you need to know how much material is needed. It depends on the following parameters:
- application area;
- uneven walls;
- layer thickness;
- characteristics of the used stucco mixture.
Typically, the consumption of plaster on 1 m 2 of the wall is written on the packaging, which allows you to independently calculate the right amount of mortar.
The standard consumption of different types of plaster is as follows:
- Gypsum Used to align the ceiling and walls. It features high strength and moisture resistance. For 1 square, the consumption is 9 kg (when applying a layer of 10 mm).
- Cement. It can be used for exterior and interior decoration. Most often, the mortar is used to cover masonry, concrete walls and old cement. For 1 m 2, the consumption is 17 kg.
- Decorative (structural). Great for wall decoration, replacing paint, wallpaper, etc. Use for interior and exterior use. Consumption - 3.5-4 kg per 1 square meter (with a layer of 50 mm).
- The bark beetle. This type of plaster is great for decorating facades. The material has a pleasant relief structure, which serves as a finishing decorative layer. "Bark beetle" is characterized by high strength, moisture resistance and economical consumption. Consumption per 1 m 2 on average 2.5-3 kg (with a layer of 1 mm).
- Knauf Rotband. This is gypsum plaster of a German manufacturer, widely known in the Russian market. Its composition includes only high quality raw materials. The material belongs to universal finishing compounds. It is prepared on the basis of building gypsum using additives that slow down its setting and improve the quality of adhesion to the surface. Knauf Rotband gypsum plaster consumption with a layer thickness of 1 cm is the norm of 8.5 kg / m².