Do I need to putty the walls if they are smooth? Is it always necessary to prime and putty the walls before gluing wallpaper? Do-it-yourself putty on walls for painting

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Finishing putty for wallpaper: technology self-application, plus answers to frequently asked questions

Greetings, readers of my blog. In this article I will talk about preparing walls for wallpapering. I will also explain whether it is possible to glue wallpaper onto the finishing putty and whether it is necessary to putty the building surfaces before gluing.

I hope the topic of the article will be of interest to many, since this finishing coating for residential interiors still remains one of the most popular finishing methods.

How to level a wall without the need for subsequent sanding

Yes, there is no mistake in the title, since the instructions I offer allow you to level the building surface without the need for putty. This advantage is relevant if repairs are carried out in one room, while the remaining rooms in the apartment are used for their intended purpose.

Materials and tools

Good directional lighting is the key quality leveling walls

To level a wall plastered with a cement-sand mixture, we will use following materials and tools:

• Putty "Vetonit Polymer" on an adhesive base with crushed marble as a filler;

The advantage of this mixture is its long pot life. Having made the solution and not finished it completely, you can cover the container with sealed plastic film and the mixture will not dry out for a long time.

• Acrylic primer with good penetrating ability;
• Velor and paint trough for working with primer;
• Narrow spatula 13 cm;
• Spatula wide 35 cm;
• Spotlight or portable lamp;
• A container for preparing a solution from a dry mixture and a hammer drill with a mixer attachment.

I would like to immediately warn against using a drill to mix the dry mixture. The putty must be mixed thoroughly, passing the whisk throughout the entire volume, and this is a considerable load, due to which regular drill overheats and may fail. With a hammer drill you can mix any volume of solution without worrying about the load on the motor.

Application technology

The instructions for leveling walls with putty in two layers without sanding are as follows:

• On initial stage we go through all surfaces, including corners, with the edge of spatulas and thus remove unevenness and protruding lumps on the plaster;

This work must be done in a timely manner, otherwise the lumps will come off and leave grooves on the putty. For ease of work, when cleaning corners, we use a narrow spatula, and for cleaning the main surface, we use a wide spatula.

• After the surface is cleaned, cover it with one layer of primer;

• After the primer has completely dried, we begin preparing the leveling solution in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions;
• We will perform the leveling in two layers, so make the first layer thicker to fill the microrelief, and the second layer thinner.

• After the solution is ready, use a narrow spatula to apply it along the entire edge of the wide spatula and apply it to the wall;

• After applying the putty to the surface, we tighten it so that the tool rubs along the surface of the wall, and so that the putty fills all the recesses;

Grinding of the finished surface is carried out due to the presence of transitions. So that there are no transitions and the wall does not need to be sanded, we apply the mixture, for example, from bottom to top, and then pull it towards us, that is, from top to bottom. As a result, the laid layer spreads evenly over the surface, and no streaks or sagging remain.

• We go through the entire wall, after which we leave the surface until the applied layer dries completely;

For the Vetonit Polymer brand mixture, the manufacturer indicated a drying time of 1 day. For gypsum putties this period is much shorter, approximately 4-6 hours.

• After the leveling layer has completely dried, we go over it with the edge of a wide spatula in order to remove the smallest irregularities that you might not have noticed when leveling with the first layer;
• We prepare a solution with the consistency of sour cream, that is, more liquid than when applying the first layer;

• We go through the entire wall with a more liquid solution, tightening it in the same way as when working with the first layer;
• After the leveling layer has completely dried, we prime the wall, and after the primer has dried, the surface is ready for wallpapering.

If all of the above steps have been completed correctly, there will be no need to sand the surface. If there are still transitions, it means that the putty was tightened incorrectly. However, there is nothing wrong with this, and you will just have to go over the wall with a paint float and a diamond mesh.

I would like to immediately draw your attention to the design of the wide spatula. If you pick up such a tool with a working part width of more than 30 cm, you will see that the edge is slightly curved. This does not mean that the tool is defective, no - this is a feature of all wide spatulas.

So, when leveling the applied putty, we move the tool along the surface with the side where the edge is convex. If you draw with a concave edge, the ends of the working part will leave streaks. Let me clarify: small and barely noticeable, but in order to leave stripes on a layer of putty 1-2 mm thick, this is quite enough.

By the way, one more important point, on which the quality of the finished finish depends, is the ability to hold a spatula. The photo shows an example of how to hold a spatula in order to fully control the tool.

It is in this position that it is easiest to ensure uniform pressure with the edge of the spatula on the surface to be finished and, thus, avoid the appearance of stripes and transitions.

Is it necessary to putty at all?

So, you have read the instructions for leveling the walls, but the question arises: is it necessary to putty the wall before wallpapering? This is a very common question asked by people who decide to renovate for the first time.

I can only answer this question in the affirmative - yes, it is necessary for a number of reasons, including:

• The need to level the terrain;
• Necessity general strengthening plaster layer;
• Ensuring better adhesion;
• Reduced primer and glue consumption;
• Easy to dismantle wallpaper for subsequent repairs.

Do you think the walls you are going to wallpaper on are perfectly smooth? Most likely this is not the case.

For example, on a plastered surface cement mixtures, upon careful examination you will notice a microrelief. You will find a less intense, but still micro-relief on walls finished with gypsum starting putty.

If you do not level the microrelief, but glue it on an unprepared surface, then the rough surface of the rough plaster will probably appear through the thickness of the wallpaper, and it will be impossible to correct this defect without dismantling the wallpaper.

By the way, if you glue on an unprepared surface, there is a high probability that on top of paper or vinyl covering dark spots will appear due to uneven absorption of the glue.

A slightly different situation with gluing on plasterboard structures. The surface of the drywall is smooth and does not require leveling, but there are inter-plate seams that must be sealed. As a result, the absorbency of the gypsum sheet and the putty seam will be different, which means a stripe will be noticeable at the seam site.

If you glue wallpaper onto unprepared plaster, there is a high probability that the coating will crumble over time and the wallpaper will come off. A layer of finishing putty laid on the plaster will fill the microrelief, which means it will strengthen the surface and prevent it from crumbling over the next 5-10 years.

Plaster, no matter what materials it is made with, is characterized by high absorbency. As a result, a lot of glue will be used, and it costs money. In addition, the rapid absorption of the glue does not allow the wallpaper to be glued evenly, since the underside of the canvas remains partially dry.

By plastering the surface of the walls, you can reduce the absorbency of the surface, as a result of which the underside of the wallpaper will be evenly glued. In addition, any finishing putty, after drying, is different high degree adhesion compared to unprepared surfaces.

And finally, if the wallpaper is glued directly to the drywall, there will be problems if you decide to change the coating over time. As a rule, in this case, the glued wallpaper is torn off with fragments of reinforcing cardboard, which will peel off in strips to the plaster. For comparison, it is much easier to remove pasted wallpaper from a surface treated with finishing putty.

What to choose for wall decoration

So, you need to putty the walls before wallpapering, so I suggest you decide what kind finishing putty better for wallpaper.

All putties offered for sale are classified according to the degree of readiness and composition.

According to the degree of readiness, they differ:

• Dry mixtures that need to be mixed with water before use;
• Ready-made mixtures that just need to be mixed before use until a homogeneous consistency is obtained.

Operational characteristics of both categories finishing materials are the same, provided that you can correctly prepare a solution from a dry mixture. By the way, the price of dry mixes is always more affordable than the cost of ready-made analogues, and this is true if large surfaces need to be leveled.

Based on their composition, commercially available putties suitable for leveling walls are divided into the following categories:

• Gypsum-based dry mixtures that have become widespread thanks to affordable prices and ease of use;
• Based acrylic resins– ready-made solutions, which are characterized by versatility of use and the possibility of application in both thin and thick layers;
• Based on PVA glue - ready-made solutions that differ in the content of bactericidal additives and are suitable for both final leveling, and for sealing cracks;
• Oil-adhesive compositions are ready-made solutions suitable for application to concrete and plastered surfaces both for wallpapering and painting;
• Latex compositions are ready-made solutions that, after hardening, are characterized by elasticity and resistance to cracking.

What to choose for DIY application? Choice optimal option depends on the materials used during the initial leveling of building surfaces and on the budget allocated for repairs.

If you have little money and little experience with leveling mixtures, I recommend choosing inexpensive ones gypsum putties. Such materials are on sale from various brands, and therefore there will be no problems with the choice.

If you decide not to skimp on the purchase of finishing materials and if there is a busy highway or railway tracks near the house, I recommend choosing latex putty. The fact is that this category of finishing materials, after drying, demonstrates the greatest resistance to seismic activity and shrinkage processes.

Now that you know which finishing putty to choose for wallpaper, let’s look at the instructions for preparing building surfaces with your own hands using a simple and accessible tool.

Conclusion

Now you know that It is mandatory to putty the walls before wallpapering, The technology of work and recommendations for the selection of materials are described in sufficient detail.

Still have questions about the suggested instructions? Ask about what interests you in the comments to the text. In addition, I recommend watching the video in this article, I’m sure you will find it interesting.

When you need to get perfectly smooth walls, dry sheet plaster is used, but in this case the question arises whether it will be necessary to putty the drywall before wallpapering, since it is already smooth. Let's consider all the nuances and find the answer.

Are plasterboard walls really smooth?

This kind of finishing is carried out precisely for the reason that dry plaster is made up of sheets of cardboard, with which quite a lot of paper is covered on both sides. thick layer gypsum It is logical that the front surface of this material is really smooth. But the wall itself, after finishing, may have quite a lot of minor, almost imperceptible to the eye, irregularities. First of all, these are the seams. No matter how carefully you adjust the profiles of the aluminum frame, they will still not be on the same plane with an accuracy of a fraction of a millimeter.

Perfectly smooth plasterboard walls

Consequently, at the junction of two sheets, a small difference may form, unnoticeable against the background of the entire sheathing, but which appears after painting or wallpapering. Often chamfers are made on the edges of sheets of dry plaster, which are designed to obtain a more precise and neat joint. As a result, a fairly distinct groove appears along the seam, which will be clearly visible under the wallpaper. Other places where unevenness almost certainly appears during the installation of drywall are fastening points; screw heads are visible on the surface of the sheets. Even if you screw them in flush, the protrusions and recesses after wallpapering will still be felt.

Moreover, it is difficult to maintain high accuracy of screwing to a certain level, and some caps will protrude above the surface, others will be too deeply recessed. And finally, the most rare unevenness occurs in areas where the drywall was bent to obtain it by piercing it with a special roller with rows of teeth, followed by moistening. Here, small holes in the form of recesses will almost certainly be felt through the wallpaper.

Several main reasons for applying putty

It would seem that this type of finishing is needed only where obvious protrusions and recesses are visible on the surface. Drywall is visually smooth, and the seams are often almost invisible. So, maybe if we use, for example, non-woven fabric or vinyl, we can do without putty? Let's find out whether it is necessary to putty the drywall before wallpapering. So you have good ones, thick wallpaper, which will definitely hide all minor irregularities, including the joints between the sheets, which are sewn onto the frame completely without flaws. However, there are still seams, and under the sheathing, if dry plaster is not glued to the wall, there is a void. This way, air will remain at the joints under the wallpaper, as well as at the fastening points where the screw heads are located. As a result, the finishing vinyl or non-woven covering may begin to peel off over time.

Applying the mixture to gypsum board walls

You can, of course, remember the problem areas listed above and try to hide only them under a layer of putty. Then the wall covered with plasterboard will become completely flat. But let’s imagine that someday you want to stick not vinyl, but rolled fiberglass that can be painted. And, tearing off the old wallpaper, along with it you will begin to tear off pieces of cardboard that cover the sheets of dry plaster. In addition, it should be borne in mind that the surface of the cardboard coating of dry plaster has a color very different from putty, and stains of applied putty will be clearly visible through most types of wallpaper after it has dried. And if you cover the walls with waterproof plasterboard and plan to stick white wallpaper on it, the green color of the sheets will be fairly visible.

There are several other reasons for pre-spackling dry sheet plaster. Firstly, such a finish will increase the durability of the skin and its reliability, especially taking into account priming. Secondly, by applying a thin finishing layer of putty, you can eliminate defective areas, if any, on the drywall. And finally, moisture-resistant sheet dry plaster has a water-repellent surface, which is why not every wallpaper glue will fit well on it - either there will be no adhesion (sticking), or the substance will collect in drops. Putty, like a special primer, is applied, among other things, to such surfaces, so such finishing must be done so that the wallpaper has good contact with the drywall.

We choose a mixture suitable for its properties - is the finishing mixture suitable?

We have dealt with the question of whether it is necessary to putty the wall plasterboard under the wallpaper, now let's decide on the materials. First of all, it should be remembered that such finishing mixtures are divided into starting and finishing mixtures. And if you have already covered the walls with dry sheet plaster, this completely replaces the rough finishing and even partially finishing. After all, the surface of drywall is initially very smooth. This is why we don’t even consider starting mixtures as an option for finishing; you only need finishing mixtures. But suppose you didn’t know this and have already started covering the sheet metal with a rough layer. What should I do - clean everything off and putty again? Not at all necessary. Actually, you have only strengthened the dry plaster, now you need to thoroughly rub the surface, achieving a certain degree of smoothness.

Applying finishing putty to walls

The disadvantage of starting mixtures is that, due to their coarse grain, they very quickly transfer moisture to the drywall, which absorbs it no less actively (if these are not moisture-resistant sheets). And often you simply do not have time to smooth out the damp layer with the rule. As an option, it is allowed to use plaster beacons, but in this case the layer of applied mixture will be too thick. Therefore, if we already started with the starting line, we need to finish with it wall cladding gradually, in small areas, and then just go through it with a grater. It is much easier to work with, it is fine-grained and on smooth surface It is applied in the thinnest layer, sealing even the most unnoticeable recesses. The main thing is that, regardless of the mixture chosen, first apply a primer to the casing.

Under no circumstances should you use putty for exterior use to decorate premises; it may contain components necessary for resistance to climatic factors, but harmful to health.

Be sure to pay attention to the main component composition of the mixture, in particular, to the filler included in it. It can be either cement or gypsum; there are also brands with polymer components. It is clear that in rooms where air humidity is quite high, for example, in the bathroom and kitchen, it is best to apply finishing on a cement base. Gypsum is best suited for residential premises, just where wallpaper needs to be glued. However, you also need to apply a primer over the puttied sheathing in order to increase the adhesion of the adhesive you have chosen. Polymer putties are considered universal, but they are the most expensive of those listed.

There are also ready-made and dry mixtures. This needs to be done here too right choice. The fact is that the dry mixture can be purchased in large quantities, because it is stored for a very long time. This will allow you to avoid a situation where suddenly there is not enough putty, and there is no identical composition in stores. However, you need to know how to knead it, especially if you are going to finish drywall. A consistency that is too thick will quickly release moisture into the sheets of dry plaster and crack, while a consistency that is too thin will float around with unsightly streaks. The finished compositions are stored for a very short time, but they have exactly the consistency that is needed to cover walls and partitions made of plasterboard. This putty must be used immediately, opening the container immediately before finishing.

The subtleties of puttingtying drywall under wallpaper - why do you need a lamp?

So, the walls are sheathed, everything necessary building mixtures, including primers, have been purchased, all that remains is to finish the sheets of dry plaster. First of all, make sure you have sickle tape on hand, which is made from fiberglass. You will need it at the stage of caulking the seams. First, inspect the joints, and if you notice somewhere that the sheets are not on the same plane, that is, there is a stepped transition, carefully cut construction knife at an edge angle to create chamfers. The greater the angle they have, the better you will smooth out the ledges between the sheets. This way, you can make a more beautiful joint by filling the seams with putty.

GKL walls after putty

Let's move on to the fastening points. The screws are usually set flush into the drywall, but sometimes in a hurry they may not be screwed in all the way. To check how well the installation is done, simply run a metal spatula over the caps, pressing the tool firmly against the surface. If you don’t hear a metallic grinding sound and nothing interferes with the movement of the spatula, you can start sealing the fasteners, but if you find any flaws, you need to screw in the screws deeper. At the same stage, it is advisable to inspect the surface of the dry plaster and carefully remove any accidentally torn pieces of cardboard covering from it. If a gypsum layer is exposed somewhere, it’s not a big deal; such an area will still be hidden under the building mixture.

Now prime the entire surface. Next, after the composition has dried, apply the first layer of putty and press the serpyanka into it along the entire length of each seam, simply applying it to the surface and pressing it into the mixture. Smooth out any compound that protrudes through the mesh tape again. It is best to grab the fastening line with a sickle so that the mesh lies on top of the screw heads, but this is not critical, you can simply cover each head separately, especially with a large installation step. Take the mixture onto a spatula in small portions and apply in one motion, pressing the tool firmly to the surface at an angle of about 60 degrees. When one stroke is applied edgewise to another, sometimes sagging results; there is no need to try to smooth them out; they will be removed when grouting.

Now let the already applied mixture dry and then carefully go over it with a grater, or perhaps with fine sandpaper. Having achieved smoothness, prime again and wait until the composition dries. Now you can apply a layer of putty to the entire surface of the drywall using the technique described above for working with a spatula. You should start from the corner, and from the very top of it, gradually moving down and to the side. You will get the ideal result if you apply 2 layers of the finishing mixture, always with priming in between. Each of the layers, including the primer, must dry well, so this work will take at least 3 days if it is possible to finish the entire room at once during the daylight hours. Before wallpapering, prime the walls again.

When finishing drywall with putty, it is highly recommended to use a powerful source of artificial lighting, placing it on the side of the area to be finished. This will allow you to identify all the flaws and eliminate them when grouting the first layer and applying the second layer.

Any repair done by yourself, no matter how complex it is, must be done with high quality. Therefore, you should not ignore the preliminary work, and be sure to take into account all the nuances of preparation, the sequence of stages, one of which is putty, including the finishing putty.

You can better understand what needs to be done before gluing, what exactly putty is needed for, what to putty on, how to putty on walls under wallpaper, etc. First things first.

Before gluing wallpaper, you need:

• Get dry walls. The walls should not be damp. Walls that are not dry enough, or high level atmospheric humidity will interfere with quality gluing. If you want to fix the situation yourself, you can turn on the heater or ventilate the room.
• The walls need to be washed. Fungus, mold, stains - all this is unacceptable before gluing. After this treatment of the wall, it needs to be primed.
• Old wallpaper can be left, but only those that do not come off easily. Those wallpapers that come off on their own after simple manipulations must be torn off.

Almost always the surface is sanded before it is puttied. This is best done with sandpaper, which can be purchased at the construction market.

Puttying walls under wallpaper: process details (video)

Which putty is best for walls under wallpaper?

First, decide whether you need dry putty or a ready-made mixture. Dry putty is a mixture of binder, filler and various additives. This mixture is diluted with water before use; this should be done according to the instructions. The only downside of this putty is that it can be used strictly within a period of eight hours to a day.

Ready-made putty is an already diluted mixture; after this putty is applied to the wall, dries, shrinkage occurs. Therefore, such putties are not applied to the finishing layers.

In the case of putty under wallpaper, it is the finishing putty that is needed. It is believed that best samples such finishing mixtures fractions differ in fillers up to 100 microns, then grinding is not required.

What is the difference between dry putty and ready-mixed putty (video)

How to properly putty walls under wallpaper

Before puttying, the wall is covered with a primer yourself; this is a special liquid that turns into a waterproof film on the wall. Primers can be acrylic, as well as alkyd, glyphthalic or perchlorovinyl.

After the primer, a base putty is applied, this is done like this:

• To transfer small portions of putty from a container onto a spatula, it is better to use a small fifteen-centimeter spatula;
• The putty is applied to the surface from left to right, then the putty is removed from the area by moving from right to left;
• The putty should be applied overlapping so that one layer overlaps the other;
• The spatula is brought to the wall at an angle of 30 degrees, which equals the ideal gap between the wall and the spatula;
• You need to move the spatula correctly, diagonally, so that the material is evenly distributed in all directions.

At the bottom of the wall, the spatula must be moved from the bottom up, both applying the putty and removing its excess.

Wallpapering on plaster without putty

And this option is possible if the wall is smooth, the layer of plaster is relatively good, and nothing falls off in pieces. Make sure there are no defects in the plaster. But you still can’t glue without a primer, and the primer must be of high quality.

Is it possible to glue wallpaper onto plaster without putty?

In this case, you have to apply the primer on the plaster yourself in many layers. There are certain primers with additives; these additives increase the primer's resistance to moisture and mold.

Before priming the wall, take care of your safety. Be sure to wear a respirator and thick protective clothing to avoid getting dirty. The composition is best applied with a roller or brush, whichever is more convenient for you.

The nuances of a primer without putty:

• The mixture is applied from top to bottom, generously;
• Do not apply primer in one layer, two – at least, or even more;
• Wallpaper can be glued only after the primer has completely dried; if the canvas has come off, you need to apply more liberally to the wall with your own hands.

That is, very often the plaster is primed, and wallpaper is glued onto the primed plaster. But why is puttying still considered the preferred procedure?

Do I need to putty the walls before wallpapering?

There are at least three good reasons, which prove the need for putty.

Why you need to putty:

• Putty rubs all the pores of the plaster layer. This improves the contact of the finishing coating with the surface.
• Putty reduces subsequent glue consumption, and prevents the finishing layer from coming off the wall.
• Putty smoothes out all unevenness, seals small cracks, making them invisible.

In addition, the putty also prevents the cement-sand surface from gradually crumbling.

Preparing walls before wallpapering (video tutorial)

Is it possible to glue wallpaper onto putty?

It is possible and necessary, and you definitely should not avoid this stage. Remember one rule - wallpaper must be glued to flat wall, even perfectly flat. And putty just helps the wall become smoother, with your own hands you can repair all the cracks that can appear through the wallpaper if putty is avoided.

So, schematically the putty-primer process goes like this:

• Cracks must be properly cut with your own hands, and any flying pieces of plaster must be removed;
• After this, the surface is thoroughly primed;
• Coarse primer is applied in a thick layer to seal all cracks;
• If the unevenness is very large, the priming process is repeated;
• After leveling the wall, you take the finishing putty, cover the entire surface of the wall, the wall should become smooth and one-color;

After the wall has dried, you can paste the wallpaper.

How many layers of wallpaper putty do you need?

The starting layer of putty can be very thick - up to 5 mm. To properly putty a wall, you can get by with two or three layers. Finishing layer, unlike the starting one, can be more subtle.

The putty can be completed by sanding; for this, a regular sandpaper. To see if the sanding was done properly, hold the lamp to the wall at an angle.

Another emphasis: two or three layers of putty are enough, but still sometimes a primer is applied after them. Experts advise applying it in almost all cases, and only then gluing it.

Chipboard putty for wallpaper

Which putty to choose for chipboard is a very important question. Since chipboard is not a stable base, a two-component epoxy putty is suitable in this case. This is a strong putty, durable, good for processing joints.

Chipboard joints can be reinforced with mesh. To press the putty into the seams, you need either a wallpaper spatula or another tool convenient for you. The putty will not stick to a metal spatula, but it is less flexible than oil and acrylic compounds.

After applying the putty, the surface of the chipboard should dry for up to 24 hours. If drying time needs to be reduced, use a heater.

How to putty OSB board under wallpaper

You can’t just paste wallpaper onto yourself with your own hands. OSB plate, the glue contains water, and eventually the material will begin to grow in volume and the wallpaper, of course, will fall off.

The following instructions will tell you how to putty wallpaper on an OSB board:

• Apply a layer of soil to the slab deep penetration resin based;
• Wait until the soil layer dries completely;
• Next, a layer of putty is applied to the slab;
• Elastic reinforcement material is applied on top.

Only this sequence will allow for high-quality pasting OSB wallpaper stove.

Puttying walls: complete master class (video)

What to putty on depends on the type of surface and your financial capabilities, but the fact that finishing putty on the wall before gluing is necessary is not even discussed. How to putty walls under wallpaper - putty in at least two layers, prime, check the integrity of the plaster, try to choose good glue and then the wallpaper will look perfect and delight you with its appearance a very long time.

Many people are perplexed about the need to putty the walls after plastering them, because the plaster seems to have been applied along the beacons, so the surface turned out to be perfectly smooth, and you can glue wallpaper on it, apply paint or finish it with other materials. Plastered walls do not require puttying only if tiles are subsequently laid on them, glued MDF boards or fiberglass wallpaper. But these materials practically create new surfaces. And putty allows you to create the most even base for finishing with paint or more traditional wallpaper.

The most important task of putty is to level out all the depressions and irregularities on the surface.

Why do you need puttying?

So, you need to putty the walls for at least 2 reasons.

1. All pores of the plaster layer are rubbed with putty. This improves the contact of the finishing coating with the surface to be finished, reduces the consumption of the adhesive mixture and prevents the finishing layer from peeling off the wall or ceiling.
2. Puttying allows you to level out all the unevenness and repair microcracks that remain, albeit unnoticeable, even after the most skillful plastering. In addition, the putty prevents the gradual disintegration of the cement-sand surface.

Scheme for applying putty to the wall.

After wallpapering or applying paint, all the slightest irregularities will stick out very clearly. In addition, the particles of the top layer of plaster are weakly adhered to each other. Plain coatings will not be able to hide these defects, and textured finishes or coatings with a pattern applied to them will only partially mask the unevenness.

You should immediately warn possible question about whether it is necessary to putty plasterboard (after all, it is a very even and smooth material), the answer is in the affirmative, since the sheets of plasterboard are joined together and attached to the profile with self-tapping screws. During installation, dents, extra holes, etc. may form on them. In addition to sealing seams, irregularities, and holes, puttying creates a single leveled surface on the gypsum board that interacts with the coating equally over its entire area.

By the way, the joints of any board materials (plywood, OSB) prepared for subsequent finishing with paint, varnish, etc. are puttied.

We must not forget about one more reason for puttying surfaces. It is carried out (even if you have not re-plastered them) after washing off the whitewash from the walls or ceiling, cleaning the surfaces of paint or old wallpaper. In any case, after removing the old finishing materials, the planes need to be leveled. We can only hope that the answer to the question of whether it is necessary to putty walls and ceilings was comprehensive.

Why putty is clarified. It remains to figure out how to do this correctly so that the walls under the wallpaper or the ceiling become truly perfectly smooth. First of all, it is necessary to select the correct leveling compounds that are best suited to certain operating conditions.

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How to choose putty

Well-known brands of putty mixtures.

Today, manufacturers offer dry and ready-made mixtures. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Dry formulations can be stored for a long time, but when diluted they are only good for a short time. At the same time, dry mixes are cheaper, but also have high versatility. Ready-made solutions have a long shelf life, but are more expensive than dry solutions. In addition, putties diluted by the manufacturer tend to shrink.

Mixtures are also divided according to such indicators as the binder component. They are:

• gypsum, which are easy to apply and process, practically do not shrink, but are afraid of moisture;
• cement, suitable for work in rooms with high humidity, but lose volume when solidified;
• polymeric, providing better alignment and elimination of surface defects, besides, these putties are very elastic, but they are also the most expensive.

Putty mixtures differ in one more feature - their purpose for a certain stage of work. They are divided into:

Table of characteristics of putty solutions.

• leveling (first layer), which are used for preliminary application;
• finishing (second layer), used for final leveling;
• universal ones, which are laid both as the first layer and as the final one, however, their versatility is achieved at the expense of deteriorating characteristics in relation to “narrow-profile” mixtures.

Choose putty compositions that are most suitable for your “work area”. The recommended area of ​​application of the putty is marked by the manufacturer on each package of this product.

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How to putty correctly

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Puttying under wallpaper

It is not difficult to putty walls under wallpaper. Putty is put on a spatula and stretched over a certain area. But in order for the work to be carried out efficiently, you need to follow the recommendations.

Scheme of grouting joints with a spatula.

1. The wall must be cleared of grains of sand.
2. The surface is primed. As a result, a dense crust forms on the wall, which also improves adhesion.
3. The putty is applied after the primer has dried. The thickness of the leveling layers should not exceed 2 mm, otherwise when drying the coating may crack and crumble.
4. Start putting putty from one of the corners of the wall. Start leveling from the bottom.
5. Apply putty to all corners of the wall. You can use an angle spatula. The mixture is not applied to it, but using a syringe gun directly into the corner. The spatula only smoothes it out.
6. After finishing the corners, start working on the main surface.
7. Apply the mixture onto a spatula in small portions. For now, use a narrow tool. Once you get better at it, you can use a wider spatula. Remember that wide instrument levels out big square, but it will also be somewhat harder to work with it due to the increase in the mass of the mixture.
8. Work with 2 spatulas. Apply the narrower putty to the main one. In addition, with the second spatula you can adjust the amount of mixture on the first one, remove excess from the spatula, move the putty towards the edge, etc.
9. The putty is applied in diagonal movements. Each subsequent portion of the leveler is overlapped with the previous one.
10. After the first layer has dried, which lasts at least ½ day, the surface is sanded with a special abrasive mesh attached to a block or jointer, since the edges of the spatula leave marks on the wall in the form of grooves and sagging.
11. The wall is primed again.
12. The putty is applied one more time. This is done only to correct the remaining unevenness, and not to create another layer.
13. The surface is cleaned again. Dust is removed from it. The walls are primed, but only for wallpapering.

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Leveling for painting

List of basic tools for puttying walls and ceilings.

Still, wallpaper is less demanding on the condition of the surface than paint. The walls under it should be finished with greater care. True, water-based coatings are to some extent capable of hiding minor surface imperfections, while enamels, on the contrary, will stick them out. Therefore, puttying for painting is carried out with a large number of leveling layers, with a spatula of smaller width, and sanding is carried out with a thinner abrasive.

It should be noted that defects may remain invisible or, conversely, appear when different angles lighting, so sanding of each layer must be carried out under the light of a lamp brought close to the surface. There is another way to determine how correctly the plane is formed: a rule is set on it, and a flashlight is turned on on the opposite side near it. All surface curves will be clearly visible. Excess putty is removed with sandpaper or a spatula, and the depressions are outlined with a pencil. After this, the unevenness is sealed with a leveling mixture, and a new layer of putty is applied.

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What is needed for puttying

So, you don't need many tools for puttying. It is enough if you have:

• a set of several spatulas with a blade width from 80 to 600 mm;
• corner spatula;
• a rubber spatula, which may be needed in hard-to-reach places;
• abrasive mesh;
• the jointer on which it is attached.

As you can see, not much is needed to make the walls or ceilings smooth. Just be patient and carry out the work with due diligence. A positive result will not be long in coming.

Similar materials

Often when renovating an apartment with your own hands, the question arises whether it is possible to glue wallpaper to concrete or plasterboard walls without putty? To find the answer, you need to understand in what cases this can be done and how to properly prepare the surface before gluing.

From competent preparation walls depends on the durability of the finishing coating and the aesthetic appearance of the room. Wallpapering without puttying the walls requires careful preparation, but allows you to save on other materials (plaster, tools, etc.). Experienced craftsmen Beginners are advised to read carefully possible difficulties that arise when working with different types plaster.

What wallpaper can be glued without puttying the walls? Craftsmen recommend giving preference to denser non-woven and vinyl models. Fashionable today, liquid wallpaper is one of the types of material that adheres perfectly to any surface, including a wall treated with plaster. Before applying them you need to carry out preparatory work, as for other types of finishing materials.

Why and how to prime walls for wallpaper?

Priming the surface for gluing the canvas - necessary stage under repair. Many people mistakenly believe that it can be skipped, because the material already holds up perfectly. Experts think otherwise, and here's why:

1. Applying a primer to plaster increases the adhesive ability of the surface. The adhesion between the wall and the material will be stronger, which means the repair will last longer for the owner.
2. The primer is selected for each room individually. There are moisture-resistant and heat-resistant primers. The durability of the repair depends on the correct choice of material.
3. Proper priming of the surface also affects the quality of repair work.

How to properly apply primer to a plastered wall? Using a wide brush or roller, carefully apply the solution to the entire surface. Only after the work is completed and the soil has completely dried can you start gluing the wallpaper.

Surface preparation

How to do without wall putty for wallpapering? So that the repair is of high quality and lasts long years you need to prepare the surface for applying the material. To work you will need the following tools:

• glue bucket;
• sandpaper;
• measuring tape;
• roller and brushes;
• plumb and level;
• scissors and knife;
• spray bottle with water.

When installing wallpaper to replace old wallpaper, the latter must be removed from the wall. Removing them is quite simple. Old paper sheets are moistened with water and carefully removed using a spatula. If it was not possible to remove all the material, then the surface is cleaned of irregularities and paper residues with sandpaper.

After cleaning, the walls are washed with water and dried. Pits, cracks and other serious defects will have to be smoothed out using putty. You can use starting mixtures for this. Nails and screws must be removed or recessed into the wall and also puttied.

Uneven walls will have to be brought to perfection with starting putty. Especially if the finishing material is very thin. Liquid wallpaper can be applied to a concrete wall without putty.

When the walls are leveled with plasterboard, the joints are treated with putty. After it dries, they are cleaned with sandpaper. GCR also needs additional processing. Without a primer, when gluing wallpaper onto drywall, all the moisture from the glue will be absorbed into the surface, which will lead to peeling of the canvas and soaking of the base.

Wallpapering without first plastering the walls (video)

Glue selection

Not only the preparation of the surface for wallpapering affects the final result. Success also depends on the chosen adhesive composition for the material. The type of glue is selected strictly based on the selected type of canvas. For regular paper materials will suit standard version based on methylcellulose. To hang heavier wallpaper, you should choose adhesive composition with the inclusion of PVA. Fiberglass wallpaper is attached using a special type of glue that increases adhesion to the surface.

Modern adhesives are supplied in the form of a dry mixture, which is diluted with water before use, following the instructions. Manufacturers add certain substances to the glue that reduce the drying rate and provide protection against mold and mildew.

Stages of gluing wallpaper on plaster

Before gluing, you need to make sure that the surface is flat and smooth, without joints or cracks. After preliminary preparation and priming, you can start working with the canvas. The adhesive composition is mixed in a separate clean bucket. To improve its properties, it should be allowed to stand for 5-10 minutes. thick brush thin layer glue is applied to the wall and wallpaper. After application, fold the canvas in half, glue it inside and let it “rest” for about 5 minutes. This trick will enhance the wallpaper's adherence to the wall.

Then the canvas is unrolled and glued to the wall, starting from the corner. Evenness is checked using a plumb line. First, the canvas is pressed in the middle and, moving from the center to the edges, smoothed out. You need to get rid of air bubbles under the wallpaper as much as possible. If this fails, then the canvas will have to be re-glued.
Liquid wallpaper is applied to the entire wall in one go. The layer should be as thin as possible. They dry from 1 to 3 days, depending on the thickness.

Wallpapering on plaster without putty work is quite possible. If you strictly adhere to the application technology, the result will please the novice master for many years. How to wallpaper on concrete walls, described step by step in the video below.