Wall decoration has long ceased to be carried out with the help of wallpaper. Structural plaster is a modern and very practical trend in design. Ease of application and a variety of textures allow you to create an exclusive and chic interior in any room. In addition, it is available for finishing facades and other external surfaces.
Structural plaster is a symbol of a finishing material that imitates various textures and creates a unique pattern. It is also called embossed, textural, textured, decorative. In its composition, it is a thick white mass interspersed with various materials - quartz, pebbles, shells, granules, wood fibers.
The basis decorative plaster It is made from a lime-cement mixture, potassium silicate or synthetic latex are less commonly used. Depending on this, it is diluted with ordinary water or a special solvent. Available in buckets or tins of different sizes.
Texture plaster is initially a white substance that can be painted in any color and shade with a special dye. The pattern is obtained due to the grains, which may differ in size. So, small inclusions give fine-grained plaster. At first glance, it is smooth, and only upon closer examination can you see a tiny corrugation. The coarse-grained texture of the plaster consists of large granules. This is how a three-dimensional effect is achieved, images are created, materials are imitated.
Regardless of the structure, such plaster is very plastic, lends itself to any tool in the work. The surface material also does not matter, whether it is brick, metal, cement, concrete, drywall or wood. The decorative mass is easy to apply, securely fastened and keeps for a long time on any surface. Therefore, the scope of structural plaster is wide. First of all, it is used for interior decoration of private houses, apartments, office space. And also it can decorate the facade of the building or the fence on the site.
The choice of varieties of plaster is very huge. This is an ordinary white fine-grained mass, and colored, as well as imitating stone, marble, wood, fabric, which makes it possible to create a unique bas-relief on the wall. Decorative plaster will organically fit into any interior and design style, provide an opportunity for unlimited experimentation.
Thanks to structural plaster, you can create a unique interior and exterior without resorting to large time and financial costs. In addition, it is strong, durable, wear-resistant and environmentally friendly.
Methods and rules for applying structural plaster
Structural plaster for internal works used in the decoration of the kitchen, corridor, loggia, bathroom. Even a non-professional can apply it to the walls. The work is carried out in several main stages.
- First of all, you should prepare the surface of the walls. The old coating is removed, the paint is peeled off. Old plaster it is also desirable to beat off to a brick or concrete slab. The wall must be clean and dry. Ideal evenness should not be achieved, because textured plaster will hide all the irregularities.
- The second step is to prime the wall for better bonding with the future coating. You can do this twice and leave to dry completely.
- The most important and time-consuming stage is the application of the plaster itself. Minimum Thickness plaster should be 1.2-1.5 cm. This thickness of the plaster layer implies an almost perfectly flat surface of the walls. In this case, usually fine-grained mass is used. To hide strong irregularities and differences on the wall, you can apply a layer of up to 5 cm. It is important to remember that the maximum thickness of the plaster should not exceed 7 cm.
Application methods and tools vary depending on the thickness of the plaster on the brick, the level of graininess, the desired pattern. A spatula or roller is usually used. Spraying is also used to achieve the effect of careless application.
- Let the walls dry. The thickness of the wall plaster directly affects the duration of this final stage.
If there is no desire to understand the nuances of working with decorative plaster, then you can not bother. It is only necessary to call a qualified plasterer who has experience in similar work and knows all the features of handling structural plaster.
Advantages of structural plaster
Decorative structural plaster is popular among designers and ordinary people for a reason. The mass of undeniable advantages allows it to be used for any finishing works. What is so attractive about her:
- the material is not afraid of temperature influence, precipitation and humidity, therefore it is used for facing facades and fences;
- applied to any surface, be it concrete, brick, wood, drywall, metal, cement;
- visually hides any unevenness of the walls and height differences;
- plaster - a seamless mass for decorating walls, unlike wallpaper;
- highly resistant to mechanical damage and shock;
- cleans well from dirt and grease with conventional cleaning products;
- available the widest selection different structures, textures, colors;
- the ability to create a unique, exclusive pattern on the wall, visually recreate any material;
- adequate ratio of quality and price.
Modern structural plaster is distinguished by a huge variety of types, allowing you to give the room a stylish and exclusive look. This type of finish is able to perfectly imitate marble, luxurious fabrics, mahogany, and other expensive materials. The bas-relief on decorative plaster will look great. Decorative plaster will perfectly fit into any style and will go well with any design, if you choose the right material for the interior. It looks great, for example, in the art deco style.
Designers today are given an extensive choice among the abundance different types plasters, in which it is easy for an ignorant person to get confused.
Therefore, you should know that embossed plaster is divided into structural, textured and textured plaster (not quite correct, but taking place, division).
In turn, smooth plaster is divided into the so-called " Venetian plaster"and plaster" silk. All of them have a lot of positive properties, they are easy to maintain, durable and strong. In addition, structural wall plaster does not fade, successfully hides various wall defects, is elastic and vapor-permeable. And the variety of textures, colors and textures opens up endless possibilities for experimenting with style.
Decorative plaster is able to perfectly imitate the texture of "snake skin", "cut wood", "torn stone", "tree bark" and many similar textures.
In appearance, it looks like a thick snow-white mass with viscosity and plasticity. It is applied to the walls in a thin layer with a spatula or sprayer, and then processed with special tools to create the desired pattern. With all the diversity in modern market various decorative finishing materials, it is plasters that represent the most comfortable and convenient form for decorative wall decoration.
Structural plaster has environmental friendliness, durability, resistance to temperature extremes, as well as elasticity, which allows embodying the most creative and original design fantasies in interior design. Due to the porous structure of decorative plasters, they are able to easily pass moisture and, as they say, "breathe", while they are not afraid of water, they are simple and unpretentious in care, easy to wash and clean.
Modern plasters are able to imitate almost all materials without exception, starting with cracked tree bark to the traditional material "Adobe", which allows you to create the effect of rustic walls. All these properties will give housing comfort, novelty and originality. All this allows you to embody structural plaster, a photo of the texture can be seen below:
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Photo of structural plaster, one of the options for wall decoration |
Structural plaster "Bark beetle" in the interior of the house (top view) |
Structural plaster is a granular inhomogeneous plaster mass with the addition of any granules to it, such as small pebbles, wood fiber, pieces of mica or quartz, etc.
Structural plasters are made, as a rule, on a cement-lime (mineral) base, on the basis of potassium silicate, or synthetic latexes. The base itself can be made on solvents or on water based.
It should be emphasized that it is advisable to use water-based plaster for interior decoration, since it is odorless and will not require total evacuation of the owners from the apartment during the repair process.
As already mentioned, as such, structural plaster is a heterogeneous mass with the addition of various granules. It is on the size of such "blotches" that its relief and structure entirely depend. Initially, all plasters have a snow-white color, but you can choose any desired color for them. To achieve the desired shade will help the addition of a special pigment of any desired color. The basis on which the structural plaster is made (polymer, silicate or latex) will largely depend on both the cost of the material and the quality of the plastered surface. Therefore, each type of plaster should be selected based on a specific task.
Mineral plasters are distinguished by high profitability (low consumption). Made from natural, environmentally friendly raw materials, they are the best suited for thermal insulation of facades.
Application of structural plaster - basic principles
Although lime is present in the composition of mineral plasters, surfaces covered with decorative plaster can be cleaned and washed. This is explained simply: the substances that make up the plaster do not allow the lime to “melt”.
Plasters based on artificial latex are also absolutely not afraid of such manipulations. Plus, silicate plasters do not swell and do not get dirty. But it should be remembered that they can only be applied to a specially prepared surface - a coating that contains sand (quartz). For such a coating, plaster made on a mineral basis will do. It is impossible to apply silicate plaster on a dispersion or water-based primer. The plaster will have poor adhesion to the application surface, or will immediately fall off.
We repeat that all structural plasters are initially white. However, by adding a pigment of the desired color to the plaster mass, any shade can be achieved. This can be done in two ways: on your own, by purchasing the desired pigment in a store, or order the desired tinting from a catalog in a store or a company that sells decorative plaster.
Since the composition of the plaster mass includes fractions of different sizes, structural plasters, respectively, can be both fine-grained and coarse-grained. A different pattern on the plastered surface depends on the method of application and on the size of the “grain”. So, structural plaster with a fine “grain” looks almost even, and coarse-grained plaster forms a beautiful pattern of round or transverse grooves. Much also depends on the tool with which it is applied: with a roller or spatula.
Advantages of structural plaster
- Can be applied to any interior or exterior surface: cement, concrete, brick, wood, drywall, etc.
- Perfectly masks the defects of the coated surface: any swelling, old paint, microcracks.
- It has good resistance to scratches, impacts, etc.
- After drying, the surface can be cleaned and washed with detergents containing no solvents.
- Able to withstand temperatures from -35 to +75 °C. (in some cases even from -50°С)
- The high plasticity of the plaster mass allows you to create a variety of reliefs.
- Due to the microporous surface, it allows the walls to “breathe”.
- Sufficiently durable coating.
- Acceptable ratio of price and quality among decorative coatings.
Features and scope of structural plaster
Option for applying structural plaster in the bathroom
A distinctive feature of structural plasters, as already mentioned, is good plasticity and "obedience" under any tool. Such mixtures do not need to be diluted, or mixed with something: they can be purchased ready-made in metal buckets of 15-25 kg.
Structural plaster can be applied to almost any surface, both external and internal, such as: cement, concrete, brick, wood, drywall and many others. But most often this type of plaster is used in the decoration of halls, bathrooms (there is a feature associated with the heat and moisture regime, for more details, see the materials about decorative plaster in the bathroom and the features of plaster for the bathroom) and bathrooms.
Structural plasters can be used for decorating both interior spaces and facades. When choosing, you should consider which component is dominant in their composition. So for finishing inside a dwelling, it is advisable to choose a water-based plaster that does not have a smell.
Structural plaster - the material is quite plastic and pliable. It should be applied to the walls with tools such as a spatula or roller. The indisputable advantage of this material is its undemanding to the surface on which it is applied, whether it be concrete, brick, alloy, drywall, wood or cement, as well as its excellent ability to mask defects.
Recently, decorative structural plaster "Bark beetle" has gained wide popularity. It owes its name to a certain similarity of the texture, the surface processed by it, with the pattern remaining on the tree species, the bark beetle. The bark beetle mixture is successfully used as an external decorative plaster for the final, final processing exterior facades, as well as an extremely original and impressive look in interior decoration interiors (photo can be seen above). The final desired appearance of the plastered surface varies depending on the grain size of the crumb filling it, the color scheme and the method of application.
The ability to give the plaster any desired color, as well as apply over the finished surface water-based paint significantly expands the options for the use of this type of plaster. Structural plaster "Bark beetle" is absolutely not capricious, it can be applied to a concrete surface, drywall, and even chipboard. The main and obligatory condition when working with the "bark beetle" is the requirement for the continuity of the application process, to ensure the uniformity of the pattern. After a few minutes, you need to process the surface with a grater to obtain the desired texture.
Structural plaster "Bark beetle" is characterized by the highest performance properties: wear resistance, strength, aesthetics.
Do-it-yourself structural plaster - application process
So, consider the application of structural plaster on the wall in stages.
First stage. Wall surface preparation
The surface of the wall must first be freed from wallpaper and layer old paint. It is not necessary to achieve perfect smoothness - the applied structural plaster will level the wall and smooth out other irregularities. The main thing is that there are no obvious bumps and depressions on the surface.
Second phase. Primer
In the process of application, the primer, penetrating into microcracks, strengthens the surface of the wall. And, in addition, it protects it from dampness, swelling and mold.
Third stage. Applying the plaster
After the primer dries, you can let your imagination run wild. To give the walls the effect pitted with grooves, it is better to purchase fine-grained plaster with the addition of natural stone granules or simply with large grains, as well as textured roller. And if you want to imagine yourself on the ocean in a mysterious limestone grotto, apply coarse-grained plaster in a circular motion with a spatula. There can be a lot of options, and they are limited only by the imagination of the master, and below you can watch a video on this topic:
Structural plaster, video - the process of applying decorative plaster.
In this article we will tell you what structural plaster is, talk about it positive aspects, we will find out what it consists of, we will give advice when choosing this material, we will say a few words about the manufacturers, we will learn the technology for preparing walls and methods for applying material to the wall.
Structural plaster. General information
You probably guess that structural plaster is one of the varieties of decorative plaster. Ordinary plaster, which has cement, sand and sometimes lime in its composition, is intended for leveling walls, brick, concrete, wood, so that later on it was arranged decorative coating, wallpaper, ceramic tiles or paints. This plaster already in its composition has various fillers made of mineral chips, mica, quartz, stone chips and other materials, thanks to which certain patterns are created on the wall. The main difference between structural plaster and textured plaster is that textured plaster involves the creation of some kind of texture on the wall, imitating fabrics, leather and other materials that have a three-dimensional appearance.
Fine-grained or coarse-grained plaster, due to the presence of solid particles in its composition, forms various grooves and depressions on the wall under the grater or spatula of the master. The grain of the plaster can be in the range of 0.7-3 mm. Depending on the size of the granules, it is possible to obtain both an almost even, uniform surface, and a furrowed one, resembling an old tree, eaten by a bug, or with wavy grooves resembling fur.
Due to the presence of various fillers in the solution, ranging from stone chips to vegetable fibers, sparkles and other things, it is possible to obtain surfaces that imitate various materials, which creates a unique and inimitable interior in the room.
To obtain an imitation of sandstone stone, plaster with a grain size of not more than 0.3 mm is used. The texture of ragged stone is obtained by using a composition with a grain size of 1.5 mm. The well-known bark beetle plaster is achieved using a mortar containing 2 mm granules, and imitation of the bark of an old tree with deep convolutions is performed with plaster with 3 mm granules.
The drawing is also influenced by the tool used to apply the structural plaster. With a grater, roller, spatula or sprayer, various surface structures are obtained.
By appearance such plaster is a monophonic mass white color with filler grains of different sizes. To get the desired shade, certain pigments are added to it. By adding the desired color scheme, the master can get exactly the shade that will harmoniously fit into the overall interior of the room.
Advantages of structural plaster
This plaster is used both for finishing facades and interiors. Besides good quality material is different:
- durability;
- mechanical strength;
- high resistance to temperature fluctuations from -50 to +70 degrees Celsius;
- the ability to apply it to any surface - wood, drywall, concrete, brick and metal;
- the ability to expose the surface finished with structural plaster to cleaning and washing with any detergents;
- environmental friendliness, as it consists of natural components, the walls covered with such plaster breathe;
- plasticity, which makes it possible not to prepare a perfectly flat surface;
- well masks minor wall defects.
Composition of structural plaster
The material can be based on latex, mineral binder, acrylic and silicates. The performance depends just on the type of binder, which can be made on a water basis or using solvents.
Latex in the composition plaster mortar helps to give the desired shape and improves adhesion to the substrate. Plaster on silicate base It is convenient because it does not leave stains behind.
- But you should be aware that such solutions can only be applied to a surface containing sand (quartz). It is also not recommended to finish surfaces previously painted with water-based or dispersion compositions due to poor adhesion of structural plaster to these surfaces.
Mineral-based mortars can be used for facade finishing, as they have good thermal insulation properties. In addition, mineral plaster is very economical compared to other compositions.
It must be said that structural plaster is not an ordinary material; specialized stores and firms are engaged in its sale. As a rule, firms have in their staff professional designers, who will help to choose the optimal composition together with the customer, will draw up a design project. And since the application of such material may not seem easy for everyone, the company that sells the plaster composition offers its craftsmen. They are more likely to make exactly the kind of flooring that was originally intended by the client for their home.
To begin with, you should see what fine-grained and structural coarse-grained plaster is in practice. To do this, the seller must show samples of both on the wall, and not in the catalog. If you decide to apply such plaster yourself, then you should try to make a small piece on the wall of fine-grained and coarse-grained plaster yourself, compare the result and only after that acquire required amount solution for finishing all planned surfaces.
Of great importance in obtaining a particular pattern is the use different instrument. Therefore, when performing samples, you need to use a roller, a spatula, and a grater, moving them in different directions, from which the drawing on the wall will take on a completely different look.
Experts advise nevertheless to resort to the services of professionals for decorating walls with structural plaster. You need to understand that each manufacturer of this material produces plaster only according to its own recipes and the craftsmen know all the secrets of these compositions. Of course, you can hire a familiar master or try to do it yourself, but there is such a thing as a master and an artist. So - the master will do high-quality work on the very high level according to a custom-made sample, just like a master, and an artist can make a real masterpiece, catching the right concentration of color in time, or find exactly those movements with a tool that will create a unique colorful pattern on the wall.
- It must be remembered that for surface finishing in living quarters it is better to use water-based structural plaster. Compared to other types, this one does not have a pungent odor, otherwise, while working with other plasters, the room should be freed from residents, and especially from children and the elderly.
A little about the manufacturers
Plaster mixtures from German and Italian manufacturers. Both those and others produce high quality plaster, which, in principle, is not much different from each other. However, each manufacturer has its own secrets of compositions, its own additives that allow the plaster mass to acquire unique qualities. For example, the Italian plaster Elastrong incorporates an elastomer that stretches and, in the event of an interseasonal shrinkage of the house, hides all the small cracks that would definitely appear if it were used. ordinary plaster. And Atlas plaster of Polish origin contains special hydrophobic additives that make it possible to clean the plastered surface with a wet method.
tinting plaster composition produced on the spot, by the master. But some manufacturers offer to make the desired tone of the plaster mass using a special machine and a tint card. Of course, you need to understand that such services require additional payment and are used for large volumes of surfaces to be finished.
Do-it-yourself structural plaster
Consider the preparatory work that needs to be carried out and the technology for applying plaster to the wall.
Preparatory work
Before you start applying the plaster mass to the walls, the latter should be pre-prepared for this operation. Old coatings are removed, if there are too large protrusions or cracks, pits, then they should be eliminated. Deep concavities of the wall, and cut down or chop off strongly protruding parts. To avoid the appearance of cracks on puttied deep areas of the surface, you can use sickle tape or stick on problem areas non-smooth non-woven wallpaper. The joints of the sickle or wallpaper are carefully puttied and cleaned with sandpaper - zero, after which the puttied places are again primed with deep penetration compounds.
Each putty layer should dry for about a day.
Minor wall defects can not be sealed with putty, since structural plaster in this case itself acts as a putty mass and perfectly hides small cracks or irregularities.
- Experts advise not to use alabaster or materials based on it to seal deep cracks or level walls.
After preparatory work, the room must be clean, without traces of debris and dust.
Cleaned and prepared surfaces are treated with a primer, which improves the adhesion of the structural plaster to the surface and prevents the subsequent formation of fungi and mold. In rooms with high humidity - bathrooms, toilets, kitchens, it is recommended to use special primer compositions against fungi.
Surfaces to be finished with this plaster are primed with deep penetration compounds. The exception is wooden bases, for which a special mineral-based primer is used.
On surfaces that are not particularly dense, weak, a special strengthening primer is applied. To further strengthen the surface, you can use a primer paint. It is applied after the first primer has completely dried. The paint helps better reinforcement joints, if the base is made of drywall or chipboard, plywood, etc.
Application of structural plaster
Making wall plaster with a decorative composition is not so difficult task in terms of physical labor costs. But, as experts recommend, it is better to get advice from professionals before starting work, who, with maximum literacy, will help you choose the right composition and manufacturer, advise on how to make the finish correctly, which in the end will allow you not to make mistakes and save, perhaps, a lot of money.
Do-it-yourself structural plaster on small area surface will allow you to see with your own eyes what should be the result. At a positive result you can continue to work on finishing the walls. Otherwise, it may be necessary to strengthen the shade or weaken it.
- The test is needed in order to make the entire composition of the plaster mixture in one tone and immediately. If you do a separate tinting for each area of the surface, you can get a surface with different shades.
The application of the material begins from the top of the wall or ceiling, if the latter is also finished with this type of plaster. In this case, you need to follow some recommendations:
- compliance with the texture, for which the plaster mass is strongly pressed during grouting and smoothing;
- the thickness of the plaster layer should be about 2 cm, which allows you to get a plain surface;
- after the applied layer is leveled and wiped, it is drawn into squares;
- the first layers of plaster should be moistened for two weeks, and only after that it is applied finishing layer structural plaster, which creates a given surface pattern.
First, the cornices and corners are plastered. The solution is applied with horizontal and vertical movements so that ridges are formed at the intersections. These ridges are formed by the edges of the spatula. The first coat should dry within 6 - 8 hours, depending on the thickness of the coat it may take longer, up to two days. After the layer of plaster has gained strength, the sharpness of the ridges is removed with sandpaper, and the resulting dust is removed with a damp sponge, roller or clean rags. The next step in plastering structural composition there will be finishing of slopes, niches, recesses and other small fragments of walls. The lower part of the walls is processed last so that the spray from above does not remain at the bottom of the wall.
If necessary, in order to achieve a certain surface effect, several layers of structural plaster can be applied. The technology is preserved.
The last layer, after the ridges of the mortar are cleaned and dust removed, the wall surface can be tinted (if white plaster was used). The applied color is rubbed with a rubber sponge to create tone transitions. If an artificially aged surface is made, a damp foam rubber sponge is used, which is rubbed with color until the expected effect appears. Sometimes final stage may be the application of transparent or colored wax.
It should be borne in mind that such plaster can dry up to 4 weeks in order to acquire the necessary strength.
How much does structural plaster cost
To answer this question, you need to make a big analysis of everyone who trades in such material. This material is available in different brands and different manufacturers, there are ready-to-use and there is one that needs to be finalized, white and tinted, with different fillers - all this affects the cost of plaster. To date, materials from foreign manufacturers are popular. Basically, the price is determined by the cost of 1 kg of plaster mixture. Below 100 rubles per kilogram, there are no prices.
However, the cost of plastering is not always the end result of the choice. Different solutions have their own consumption rates per square meter. Plasters of the same cost can cover different areas.
Therefore, before you buy this or that plaster material, carefully read everything that is written on the package.
If the decoration of the premises is carried out by hired craftsmen, then there is a wide range of prices for the work. The cost of one square meter of the finished surface depends on the professionalism of the master, on the task assigned to him - to make the surface mother-of-pearl, shiny, or trimmed with wax, and so on. Judging by Moscow and St. Petersburg, the average price of finishing one square meter is about 500 rubles.
That's all. Today we talked about what structural plaster is, talked about its positive aspects, found out what it consists of, gave advice on choosing this material, said a few words about manufacturers, learned the technology of preparing walls and methods of applying material to the wall.
Venetian plaster
Plastering walls with structural plaster - practical and quite budget way wall surface finishes indoor areas. Agree, smooth walls are banal and boring ... It's time to give them a little eccentricity!
Structural plaster in its appearance is a heterogeneous granular mass with the addition of various granules, small stones, mica, wood fibers, quartz, etc.
To bind the components together, a cement-lime mixture, potassium silicate or synthetic latex, potassium silicate or a cement-lime mixture are added to it - these additives are made on the basis of a solvent or water-based.
Structural plaster is sold in metal cans or small buckets ready for use.
Structural plaster for interior work, photo
Benefits of using
Structural plaster of any surface will add volume and relief, hide uneven walls, small chips and cracks.
Even if for the first time you take up plastering wall surfaces and decide to do all the work yourself, with your own hands, do not worry: there will be no obvious flaws and flaws.
You can apply a mixture of structural plaster on any surface: wooden, concrete, plasterboard and even metal, cover it with chipboard and OSB boards.
In addition, this finish is distinguished by:
- high mechanical strength(she is not afraid of light blows and scratches;
- lack of response to temperature fluctuations within the range from -45°С to +70°С;
- water resistance, which is why it is ideal for finishing the relaxation area in the bath and surfaces in the bathroom;
- durability(service life - at least 10 years);
- practicality, because disinfection with treatment with solutions containing chlorine is allowed;
- affordable price.
Which one to choose: mineral or acrylic?
The main characteristics of structural mixtures for plastering depend on the type of binder on the basis of which the material was made.
Mineral
Mineral mixtures are made from lime and Portland cement. They are sold in the form of a dry mix, packaging - paper containers. Prepared by adding water. This material is characterized by good vapor permeability and high environmental properties, the warranty period is 10 years.
We note a few more advantages of mineral compositions:
- fire safety;
- low price range;
- high resistance to fungal infections and mold.
There are also disadvantages - we highlight the following:
- requires careful dilution of the mixture and its thorough mixing;
- final coloring is a must;
- sensitivity to mechanical stress and vibrations, as a result, the appearance of microcracks is not excluded.
Mineral structural plaster will last about 10 years.
Structural plaster, photo Acrylic
Consider now acrylic mixtures: they contain acrylic resin as the main component. This is a water-dispersion mass, ready to use. Acrylic mixture is packed in plastic containers with different capacities.
The advantages of acrylic mixtures are as follows:
- resistant to deformation and mechanical stress;
- elastic;
- do not emit harmful volatile fumes;
- do not require surface priming.
Warranty period for acrylic-based structural plaster is at least 15 years.
Flaws? They are:
- accumulates static electricity and attracts dust;
- exposed to ultraviolet rays.
Structural plaster in the interior, photo Silicone
Silicone mixtures are made on the basis of silicone polymer compounds. The basis silicate plaster- a solution of sodium and potassium silicates on a water basis. Produced in a ready-to-use form.
Among the advantages it is worth highlighting:
- hydrophobicity;
- high tensile strength;
- excellent vapor permeability;
- high wear-resistant and dirt-repellent properties;
- resistance to ultraviolet influence.
Silicone plaster is not a cheap option, moreover, it has a specific smell, which disappears after the plaster layer dries.
Silicone structural plaster is durable and can last 25 years or more.
Before applying the plaster layer with a silicone composition, a preliminary primer of the wall surface is required.
Important! It is necessary to apply silicate structural plaster very quickly due to the drying of the mixture, so as not to encounter a color difference on the wall later.
Fillers and colors
Volumetric and unusual three-dimensionality when applying structural plaster is obtained due to the modeling fillers present in the composition.
As modulators are used:
- marble and quartz chips (often given a spherical shape);
- pebbles and fine calibrated gravel;
- mica flakes so that the treated surface acquires a noble sheen due to these inclusions;
- polymer granules (one color or multi-colored);
- silk, wood, viscose fibers.
Depending on the dimensions of the listed modeling elements, a fine-grained or coarse-grained surface can be obtained.
High and general decorative indicators of structural plaster: you can get surfaces with imitation of colorful mosaics, natural stone, reptile skin or cork. The most popular plaster mixtures, depending on the effect obtained, are “bark beetle”, “fur coat”, “pebbles”, “lamb”.
You can tint structural plaster in the following ways:
- give specific color plaster on their own, adding pigment to the mass. Be careful about the dosage of pimento so as not to overdo it. Stir the composition after adding each portion of the coloring pigment;
- when buying in a store, you can ask to tint the plaster in the desired color. This option is simpler, and the guarantee of the desired result is higher.
Remember! If you plan to paint such a surface in one color in the future, structural plaster will lose its texture! Plan the color in advance, because any color can be added to the composition.
See the gallery below for options and examples of the relief of applied structural plaster:
Structural plaster in finished form is a heterogeneous pasty solution with different fillers: stone chips, sandstone, grains of minerals and shells, inclusions of mica, fibers. This material allows you to embody the most daring design fantasies in the interior.
In the article we will tell you what types of structural plasters are, their features and characteristics. We will also analyze the technology, how structural plaster is made, and suggest interesting and original ways of applying the mortar.
Types of structural plaster
Decorative structural plaster is available for sale only in white, before applying it, you can add a pigment of the desired shade to it, or paint a finished and well-dried finish. The basis is a polymeric or mineral binder and fillers of different fractions.
The texture and expressiveness of the surface depend on the size of the inclusions, the larger they are, the more pronounced the pattern. For example, to get the texture of traventino, it is recommended to use mixtures with inclusions of 1.5 mm in size, for a bark beetle pattern - 2 mm, and an imitation of bark is obtained if you use a solution with 3 mm granules.
Travertino on the facade of the building, made in the technique of spraying and smoothing
Structural plaster for outdoor use can be with the addition of solvents: acrylic, silicate, silicone, but indoors it is better to use mineral mixtures diluted with water.
We offer our readers a video on how do-it-yourself structural plaster is made, the video demonstrates various methods of applying texture.
Application area
Coarse-grained solutions are usually used for finishing facades and plinths of buildings, as separate elements and accent spots in the interior. Structural plaster for interior work has smaller inclusions, the coating is homogeneous, smooth, without deep relief and grooves.
Mortars adhere well to stone, brick, concrete walls, on chipboard, OSB, plywood and even some types of insulation. To avoid cracks in the finish coat, it is necessary to correctly correlate the basis of the solution and the base material on which it will be applied. For shell rock and porous concrete: foam and gas blocks The best decision- silicate structural plaster.
Coating bark beetle additionally decorated for masonry
Latex mixtures must not be applied to coatings treated with a dispersion or water-based primer. If the walls are pre-plastered with a mortar containing sandstone, it is recommended to use a mineral composition of structural plaster.
Silicone structural plaster for facades and rooms is considered universal. It is very plastic, endures large stress loads, finished coating Able to stretch and bend a little. The mixture is hydrophobic and at the same time has high vapor permeability characteristics, has antibacterial properties, and repels dust.
How to make structural plaster with your own hands
High-quality polymer-based formulations can only be prepared under production conditions. But mineral structural plaster is easy to do with your own hands. The simplest and affordable recipe- this is a common cement-sand mixture in a ratio of 1: 3, it is used for finishing facades and plinths. More often applied mechanically, sprayed, thus obtaining a “fur coat” or “lamb” coating.
Lamb cover used for decoration architectural elements visibly enlivens a plain and smooth finish
For indoor work, it is better to add fine sand to the cement-sand mortar, washed from clay inclusions and passed through a sieve with a 3 * 3 mm cell. For plasticity, 1 hour of lime dough is introduced into the mixture and liquid soap. The solution is more homogeneous, the coating is even. The composition is applied to the surface, leveled, then, with a special roller with a short pile, a “fur coat” pattern or other relief is made. To create a pattern, different techniques and devices are used, which we will discuss below.
Good to know: For the preparation of structural plaster, it is better to use white cement from M500 and higher and natural pigments. Filler: marble chips, granules, fibers can be bought on the construction market. The ratio should be adhered to: 1 hour binder: 3 hours. filler, pigment 2-10% of the total mass.
Application methods and tools
Structural plasters are applied to a clean, dry surface. The layer thickness is selected individually, from 2 to 20 mm, depending on the quality of the base and the granularity of the solution. For thick finishes, such as on facades, small irregularities and cracks can be left uncorrected. Structural plastering technology implies a mandatory priming of surfaces, a deep penetration mixture is recommended.
Important: If the structural plaster is tinted before application, then the base must be prepared. Usually it is 2 layers of gray opaque primer or in the color of the mixture.Tools and techniques for applying structural plaster
Above, we have already described how the texture of a fur coat is made. Consider other popular ways to create a beautiful relief surface.
To obtain the traventino structure, the mixture is applied with a stainless steel trowel. The first layer is even and smooth. After drying, a second layer is applied in small strokes with a pass. After 15 minutes, the cakes are leveled and, as it were, pulled out with a trowel. Watch the lesson on how structural plaster is smoothed out correctly, the video explains all the nuances of creating a drawing under a natural stone. For greater naturalness, grooves can be made according to the pattern, imitating masonry.
To create a bark beetle structure, the plaster is applied in an even layer, with a thickness equal to the grain size of the inclusions. Without allowing the layer to dry, we process the coating in a circular motion with a trowel.
With this technique, the grains are pulled behind the tool, forming characteristic grooves.
Drawing rain is best done with a medium grit solution. The mixture is applied in neat diagonal stripes, each layer slightly overlapping the previous one. When the solution sets, the coating is also leveled diagonally with a trowel, rubbed until grooves form.
The process of applying plaster with the effect "Rain"
To get others decorative effects, you should show creativity, for example, level the solution with a trowel vertically, horizontally, or with strokes in a checkerboard pattern.
Separately, we will talk about the possibilities of structural plaster when applying drawings with improvised materials, rollers, brushes and even hands. Here the fantasy is not limited by anything, but for such work it is better to use thin and fine-grained, almost homogeneous solutions.
Principle textured coating simple: first, a base, even layer of plaster is made, and the selected pattern is already drawn on it using tools:
- Stiff bristle brush - furrows, imitation of a woven surface, fabric folds, waves.
- Roller with a medium fur coat helps to create the texture of the rock.
- A structural roller for decorative plaster can be with any ornament, from floral to abstract, the variety is so great that the choice depends only on your preferences. In order not to buy a tool in a store, you can wind a rope, polyethylene, fabric on a regular roller.
- Sponges, crumpled paper, polyurethane stamps, stencils are a great opportunity to create your own individual pattern on structural plaster.
We offer you several original ways how structural plaster is made, video tutorials will push you to be creative and teach you simple, but effective and beautiful decorating techniques.
After the solution has dried, the surface must be sanded, if necessary, painted and covered with a protective layer. Wax is usually used for glazing or acrylic lacquer water based, 2 coats.