Plaster is a composition that allows you to form a finishing layer. The word comes from the Italian stuccatura, which means lime, gypsum, alabaster. Classify the plaster according to its intended purpose. It happens:
- ordinary;
- special;
- decorative.
Description of the main varieties of plaster
Conventional plasters are used to level walls, to form an even, flat surface for subsequent application of thin-layer decorative coatings. These compositions allow you to protect the facade from environmental influences.
Special plaster is a mixture that is used as a shielding insulating layer. This material allows you to provide sound-absorbing, x-ray and heat-saving properties. As for decorative plaster, it is used in the finishing of ceilings, walls, as well as structures, which allows to increase their aesthetic expressiveness.
Varieties and description of decorative plaster
Decorative plaster is a composition that can be classified into several varieties. Among them:
- color;
- stone;
- Venetian
- terrazitic;
- silk.
The color version is suitable for finishing window and doorways, as well as interior walls. Stone plaster appearance resembles natural stone. The Venetian variety is like real marble. For the decoration of facades and internal walls, a terrazite mixture is used.
Features of Silk Plaster
Silk plaster is intended for interior use. It is not combustible, consists of synthetic or natural fibers, does not accumulate static electricity, and can have various textured and color solutions. When applied to the surface, silk plaster does not form seams, the material does not crack during shrinkage, and is flexible.
Silk plaster is a composition that has the only drawback, expressed in low water resistance. However, if the surface after drying is treated with a moisture-proof varnish, the composition can be operated in rooms with high humidity. These include bathrooms and kitchens.
The most popular traditional plasters
The most common conventional plasters today are:
- lime mixture;
- cement-sand mortar;
- gypsum material.
Lime mortars are used during external and internal works. The main advantages of this material are speed and ease of use, as well as high environmental friendliness. Lime solutions also have disadvantages, which are low strength compared to other materials.
These solutions are made from river sand and slaked lime in a ratio of 4: 1. Cement-sand plasters are used for exterior and interior use. The prevalence of these mixtures is due to the cheapness of the material. It is characterized by a higher complexity of application, but the coating is stronger in comparison with gypsum or lime mortars.
A solution of sand and cement is prepared in a ratio of 4: 1. Lime or PVA glue is added to increase ductility. If you follow the application technology, then the life of the coating will exceed several decades. Cement-sand mixtures can rid the surface of deep flaws.
Description of gypsum plaster
Stuccoing is usually done with a plaster composition. With it, you can achieve a smooth coating of white color. The main disadvantage of this material is a higher cost compared to peers. It should be noted also low vapor permeability, low strength and lack of moisture resistance.
Manufacturers often try to save money by adding asbestos-type chemicals unfavorable to human health in gypsum plaster. They give the surface a whiteness. But gypsum plasters can simplify the finishing cycle and reduce the time spent on the leveling process.
The difference between plaster and putty
Quite often, consumers ask themselves how plaster differs from putty. These are two completely different materials. In order to understand the difference, it is necessary to understand what these mixtures are, and also what they are intended for. For example, plaster is a building compound with which you can align the internal and external walls, as well as the ceilings. Putty is a building mixture for leveling the surface of walls.
There is a difference between the two materials, it is that the plaster allows you to smooth uneven walls and blockages, while putty can cover minor defects, joints and cracks. Therefore, this solution is often used to finish drywall sheets. Putty differs from plaster also in that it practically does not shrink.
If you will use the plaster at home, it will also save money, since it is cheaper due to coarse-grained mineral filler. This mixture is much stronger than putty, because crushed stone is added to the ingredients for strength during concreting. This is the right solution for plaster, because the strength depends on the fraction of the filler. This also explains that this mixture is superimposed on a rather thick layer.
If you still cannot decide whether to putty or plaster, then you should deal with this issue in more detail. Stucco, for example, allows you to align rubble, ceilings and walls. If you are faced with the need to align defects, scratches, cracks and potholes, as well as chips, then you must use putty. When it is necessary to apply a layer of more than one, then plaster is used, otherwise putty should be purchased. Now it’s clear that for the initial decoration of the wall, plaster is required, and only after that you can start applying putty, which perfectly prepares the surface for gluing wallpaper or painting.
Positive feedback on the bark beetle plaster
Stucco, reviews of which you can read below, can be used by you for various works. For example, the variety "Bark beetle", according to consumers, has many advantages. The material is durable, environmental safety and reliability, because it is made from natural components.
The composition is unusually light, as it has mineral fillers, which eliminates the load on the building structure. Consumers like the material is weather resistant. It tolerates direct sunlight and low temperatures. Not even a hail or hoarfrost is terrible for the Bark beetle. Decorative plaster can be applied independently without any problems. After drying, it acquires refractory properties, and the initial brightness will not be lost even under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.
Caring for the coating, according to customers, is quite simple. It can be washed with water, into which a small amount of detergent is preliminarily added. A rather important factor is the fact that the layer does not create favorable conditions for the emergence and development of fungus and mold.
Home craftsmen also choose “Bark beetle” for the reason that it is rather difficult to damage, so you can clean the surface with a vacuum cleaner or a hard sponge. Having visited the store, you can pick up the necessary shade of "Bark beetle" from a huge color scale. Usually this decorative composition is white, but subsequently the surface can be painted in any shade. Wall plastering "Bark beetle" can also save, so this mixture is so popular.
Features of machine wall plastering
Machine plastering of walls made it possible to ensure the speed of work and save mortar. The mixture is consumed in smaller quantities for the reason that it is saturated with air, as a result of which its volume increases. As practice shows, applying three layers to the surface using a machine method can save up to 9 kg of the composition per square meter. The advantage of the machine method is that manual kneading is replaced by mechanical. The mixture is homogeneous, thanks to this, unevenness does not form on the wall. Driving the car is quite simple, and the result will be a high-quality and even wall decoration.
DIY plastering
If plaster was chosen as the material for the decoration, the work can be carried out independently. To do this, the surface is cleaned and primed, and after drying, you can begin to finish. The dry mix is diluted, but you should not knead the entire volume of the available packaging at a time. The solution should be distributed evenly with a spatula.
The layer should not be thicker than the size of the granules. Textured plaster is applied in horizontal or vertical rows. In one pass, it is necessary to capture the entire height or width of the base. As soon as the plaster has been applied, it should be left for 20 minutes for easy setting, only after this it is necessary to start grouting, which should be done taking into account the desired pattern. Textured plaster is painted on a dry layer with a brush or roller. The dye can also be added to the solution, and the mixture is applied on the surface in a colored form.
Conclusion
Before applying the plaster, the surface can be supplemented with beacons, which will allow an inexperienced master to carry out high-quality leveling. If we are talking about internal work, then the application of the composition is carried out in several layers. Fine-grained plaster is usually used for interior decoration. If among the ingredients contains medium fractional filler, then the solution is best used for facade decoration. Most often the bark beetle plaster is sold ready to apply.