The preparation of walls in the form of a delicate finish often determines the quality of the coating to a greater extent than the characteristics of the cladding material. After all, the slightest roughness is capable of disrupting the entire planned image, distorting both the geometry and texture of the surfaces. This is especially true for such sensitive material as wallpaper. They should only be glued on smooth surfaces with proper preparation. For such purposes, putty for walls is optimal. Which one to choose for wallpaper? The question is not simple, since a lot depends on the wallpaper itself and on the current state of the walls. Below are recommendations on how to deal with this task.
What are the options for puttying?
Today, there is no clear division of putties according to certain criteria, including composition. This is due to the huge variety of combinations of ingredients and the development of technologies for modifying solutions with additional additives. Nevertheless, the principle is the separation of the compositions of binders - cement, gypsum and polymer. All of them are good in their own way, but each has its own characteristics. What putty to choose for walls for wallpaper? In this matter, we can proceed from the requirements for maintaining the structure of the canvas and adhesive qualities, that is, adhesion. The leveling effect will also be important - how much the composition will be able to provide self-leveling at the work site without additional correction. These and other qualities of different compositions will be discussed below.
Cement putty
To some extent, the basic and most common option for preparing the walls for wallpapering, which before there simply was no alternative. Immediately it should be noted that for paper wallpaper should be selected finely fractional means - with small grains. Also in this category, a good putty for the walls under the wallpaper will be made on a cement binder base of grades 400 or 500. As for the filler, it is advisable to choose compositions with river sand. It differs in the fine-fraction structure of small crystals, and most importantly, without impurities.
Cement putty is also highly appreciated for its durability, but in terms of a combination with wallpaper this quality is not the most important thing. Resistance to external influences is much more important. For example, what kind of putty is better to putty walls under the wallpaper in the kitchen or in the bathroom? Initially, only liquid, fiberglass or silicone cloths can be used in this room, but even in this case their structure should be protected from moisture. This is especially true for the back, where the wallpaper is glued to the wall. Humidity will also affect the adhesive base, which over time will lead to peeling of the material. And in this sense, cement putties are advantageous for their water resistance. They are not absolutely tight, therefore they do not accumulate condensate, which excludes the development of harmful biological processes.
Gypsum putty
A worthy replacement for cement and cement-lime compositions, which allows to obtain the same layer of leveling coating with less effort. As the name implies, the function of the binder in this case is performed by gypsum. What is this component good for?
Unlike the same cement, gypsum does not crack and does not settle - these mechanical movements are unacceptable in relation to surfaces glued with wallpaper. Another thing is that cement compositions themselves are rarely used in rooms where there are risks of construction subsidence. This can occur in heated areas with large temperature differences. It is in such conditions that gypsum putty for walls is showing its best qualities. Which one to choose for wallpaper? You can’t count on the moisture-resistant effect - gypsum does not tolerate moisture in any manifestations. However, the presence of antiseptic properties will insure the coating from negative processes of structural destruction upon contact with water. Again, initially gypsum putty should be selected only for a dry room. Otherwise, it is a favorable cover for wallpaper. Using it, you can easily create a thin-layer smooth base, ideal for sensitive decorative finishes.
Polymer putty
Polymer blends, which are used for fine leveling surfaces for wallpaper, have many features. How to putty the putty on the walls, choosing from this segment? It should be guided by sealing compounds, but not counting on the ability of the material to the effect of the primer. Filling deep cracks and dents with them is meaningless. The function of polymer blends is to correct minor defects, as well as to create the optimal physical and chemical basis for future coatings. In particular, polymer putties endow surfaces with water tightness and moisture resistance.
Also, the advantages of polymer mixtures include high adhesion, easy sanding and the ability to correct the applied mass for several days. The material is very plastic, which allows you to precisely adjust its structure to specific needs. But what to do if it is necessary to combine the characteristics of moisture resistance, ductility and strength for the base foundation - which putty for walls under the wallpaper is better for such purposes? Mechanical resistance is not the main quality of polymer mixtures, and to give strength it is better to use cement or gypsum binders. But thanks to the special reinforcement of the putty layer, it is possible to provide high crack resistance and minimize shrinkage. In this case, the reinforcement fibers are selected for a specific composition, since we are talking about a small thickness - from 0.5 to 5 mm.
Types of putty by purpose - what to choose?
Putties differ not only in composition, but also in purpose. This is not about the scope, but about the specific tasks of the material in relation to preparatory finishing. For example, after the completion of capital work on the construction of the surface structure, serious flaws and defects may remain. As already mentioned, a polymer composition with its thin coating is not suitable for deep primer purposes - it is an extremely delicate smoothing putty for walls under the wallpaper. But which one to choose as the base? At the initial level, it is desirable to lay the so-called starting putties or compositions of the first layer. Such mixtures are characterized by a large fraction and increased viscosity to reliably fill deep holes and cracks. Both gypsum and cement can act as a binder for such putties.
You can then use universal mixtures. These are complex multicomponent putties, which combine the properties of strength, adhesion and leveling. There is a special modification for putty and bonding. It is used in the repair of damaged old coatings, eliminating chips and cracks.
At the final stage and with easy leveling, the finishing putty of the walls under the wallpaper is used, which provides a smooth surface without the smallest flaws. As a rule, this group is represented by polymer mixtures stacked in a thin layer - up to the same 5 mm.
It is not at all necessary to use all types of putties to obtain an optimally finished surface. The selection of specific mixtures will be determined by the current state of the rough base. But it is in cases with wallpaper that the finish layer must be present, as the most effective from the point of view of creating a flat surface.
Which manufacturers to prefer?
The range of dry mixes is quite extensive. It is formed by manufacturers of different levels and territorial locations. But what putty for walls under the wallpaper will not disappoint during operation? Professional plasterers recommend using the following brands of products:
- Vetonit KR. Soft oily mixture of white color, which will create a strong and even coating with a thickness of 1-3 mm for subsequent decorative pasting. A big plus of this composition is the presence of environmentally friendly organic components, which is rare for binders designed for finishing surfaces.
- Siltek. In this line you can find high-quality grouting mixtures. If there is a question about which wall putty for walls to choose for the purpose of pinning up serious defects - Siltek mix will best cope with this task.
- Dufa Acryl-Spachtel. A worthy variation of the finish coating, which not only smooths the surface, but also allows you to perform texture modeling. After solidification, the hard coating can be sanded with fine-grained abrasives, adjusting the surface geometry in detail.
- Knauf. Nonprofessionals are also familiar with the products of this company. The brand is widely known for high quality products. In addition to the standard compositions of this brand, you can recommend a specialized putty for wallpaper for walls made of gypsum plasterboard “Knauf Rothband Pasta”. The fact is that gypsum panels are a rather problematic material both in terms of adhesion and in terms of high requirements for moisture protection. Most existing polymer blends are not allowed to finish. In turn, the Knauf Rotband Pasta compound is designed specifically for the finishing of gypsum fiber sheets in order to prepare for further decorative coating.
Putty preparation
An optimal microclimate with a temperature of not more than 10 ° C should be created in the working room. The rough surface should be solid - without large cracks and chips. The defects are fixed either by starting putty or by cement-sand mortar. If you plan to putty concrete walls under wallpaper, then it is advisable to sand the base with coarse-grained abrasives. Further, the surface is cleaned of dirt and cement dust, which reduces adhesion. After this, you can begin to prepare the putty. It is diluted in cold water with the proportions specified by the manufacturer of the specific composition. On average, 20-25 kg of the mixture is used for 6-7 liters of water. Stir the solution preferably with an electric drill with a mixer nozzle for 3-5 minutes.
Putty application technique
From the bucket with the solution, a little mass is selected, which is laid out on the spatula and applied with flat cakes to the surface with light slaps. Here the question arises - what kind of putty for wallpaper for walls to choose so that it does not slip from the surface during installation? At a minimum, this should be a composition with increased adhesion. But a few tricks will eliminate this problem after buying putty. Firstly, the solution itself should be thick, but in moderation, since the liquid in the right consistency provides the necessary binder during the solidification process. Secondly, in the first minutes of operation, the optimal size of the mass laid on the surface is selected. The smaller the portion of the applied solution, the longer they linger on a vertical surface.
The problems will bring corners in the room. In such areas, the mass is laid and leveled with a small angle trowel or trowel. In some cases, they also use sealing hardware - perforated corners.
The mass is distributed in arched movements at an average pace. The alignment of the walls with putty under the wallpaper is carried out with a large-format metal spatula. When the final layer dries, you can further adjust the coating with a grater or mesh-abrasive. It is important to carry out these operations with a protective mask on the face and gloves, since grinding dust is very harmful to both the skin and respiratory organs.
General tips for progress
Finishing is a delicate process that requires close attention to detail. There are many technological subtleties and nuances. They are hardly noticeable, but have a significant impact on the quality of the result and the convenience of work. Most often, experts pay attention to the following points:
- Putty should only be used with stainless steel tools.
- On wooden, foam block, plastic and metal surfaces, laying plaster is not recommended in principle. The same applies to primers.
- It is advisable to avoid laying on surfaces with old decorative coatings. At the preparation stage, they are dismantled. Difficulties can arise only with paint coatings. What wall putty for wall paper will be better in contact with paint? This will be an unstable combination in any case, but it is possible to reduce the risks of coating failure with the help of special preparations and additives that improve the adhesion of the composition.
- The finished coating during drying is protected from sunlight and draft.
Conclusion
Putty as one of the preparatory measures for leveling the walls should be considered as an aid. First of all, you should evaluate the capabilities of the primer. It will provide a seal of defects and a small leveling effect. How much additional finishing measures will be required after that depends on the type of wallpaper. But in any case, alignment will not be superfluous. Another thing is that the financial costs of laying additional layers of finish do not always pay off. For example, polymer wall putty for wallpaper in Moscow costs about 700-800 rubles. for 20 kg. If you take into account that 1 sq. M. 2-3 kg of the composition, then the costs will be tangible. For the same reason, dilution of dry building mixtures with sand fillers is popular today. The volume of the solution, of course, increases, but you should not wait for an improvement in the quality of the finish.