DIY gypsum plaster: the process of manufacturing and application

Making your own gypsum plaster mixture at home is a useful and economical way to take on a variety of wall finishing tasks. You don’t need to purchase pre-made plaster mixes to accomplish professional-quality results; all you need is a few simple supplies and tools.

The ingredients are readily available, and the process of creating gypsum plaster is simple. Whether your goal is to repair damaged walls, smooth out uneven surfaces, or get your walls ready for paint, you can tailor the consistency and drying time of this do-it-yourself method to meet your unique requirements.

Applying your gypsum plaster correctly is essential to getting a smooth, long-lasting finish after you’ve mixed it. You can give your walls a polished, polished look by using some simple techniques and a little perseverance.

Step Description
1. Mixing Combine gypsum powder with water in a clean bucket, stirring until smooth. The mixture should have a thick, creamy consistency.
2. Application Using a trowel, apply the plaster to the wall in even strokes. Work in small sections to ensure a smooth finish.
3. Smoothing After applying, smooth the surface with a plastering trowel. Keep the trowel slightly angled to avoid creating ridges.
4. Drying Allow the plaster to dry completely. This can take several hours depending on the thickness of the application.
5. Finishing Once dry, lightly sand the surface to remove any imperfections, creating a smooth finish ready for painting or other decoration.

Making your own gypsum plaster at home is an easy and affordable way to have smooth, long-lasting walls. All you need are basic tools and home-improvement skills.

Main characteristics and features of application

A gypsum-finished room

Interior finishing work is the primary application for plaster mixtures made with gypsum as a base. Horizontal and vertical surfaces are first leveled with gypsum plasters to get ready for decorative finishes to be applied.

You can seal chips, cracks, crevices, and other surface imperfections with this mixture. In addition, you can form slopes and corners with gypsum finishing materials.

Important: Rooms with an air moisture content of no more than 60% are permitted to use leveling mixtures based on gypsum. It is preferable to use hydrophobic finishing materials instead of gypsum plasters in rooms with high relative humidity.

Application of plaster mixture by machine

Thick layers of gypsum mixtures can be applied without weakening the finish’s strength. As a result, you can level both minor and large irregularities using such mixtures. Furthermore, this kind of plaster is frequently used to level walls with a tilted level in addition to removing relief from specific surfaces.

Among the principal benefits of gypsum plasters are the following:

  • versatility of use;
  • high degree of adhesion, due to which the mixture sticks to most surfaces;
  • ease of solution preparation and ease of application;
  • environmental safety of the finishing material due to zero content of toxins and allergens;
  • wide choice of finishing options;
  • affordable price of the solution, regardless of the brand of dry mix.

The low level of hydrophobicity of the finishing material, which makes plaster unsuitable for finishing the facade, is one of its many drawbacks, as was previously mentioned.

Composition of dry gypsum mixes and factory packaging

The picture shows dry mix packaging from the factory.

The foundation of factory production’s standard dry mixes consists of gypsum combined with several light fillers. Furthermore, the composition incorporates certain modifying additives that affect the material’s properties such as adhesion, degree of plasticity, and drying speed.

Because ready-made mixtures adhere to widely recognized regulations and standards, their properties are generally similar, even though each manufacturer uses a different composition of components.

Production line for dry building mixes in an industrial setting

Dry mixtures are supplied in specialized packaging for convenience of use and storage. Finishing materials made of gypsum are typically packaged in sturdy kraft bags. The majority of builders are satisfied with bags weighing between 15 and 30 kg on average.

The mixture-filled bags need to be kept in dry, well-ventilated spaces. Microperforation may be used in packaging to preserve the contents’ best consumer qualities.

The mixture may harden and lose its suitability for further use if the warehouse’s moisture content parameters are higher than usual. Because of this, it’s crucial to confirm the material’s quality before purchasing factory plasters.

Important: Mixtures typically have a 6–12 month shelf life after which some of the material’s consumer qualities are lost and the quality of the wall finishing cannot be guaranteed.

Methodology for self-preparation of plaster mixtures

The solution’s consistency and suitability for use are shown in the picture.

You have a limited budget, but you still need to finish a sizable room? In this instance, let’s think about what kind of gypsum plaster you can make quickly and affordably on your own.

Method one

Making homemade putty

The following ratios can be used to create a low-cost, high-quality mixture:

  • one bag of plaster mix such as ABS, Rotband or Ecogips;
  • a similar volume of small wood sawdust;
  • three to four bags of building plaster.

The mixture is simple to make; all of the ingredients are combined thoroughly in a dry state until a uniform consistency is reached. The mixture can then be put into dry containers, such as plastic bags, and kept there until needed.

Prior to usage, the mixture is thoroughly mixed using a specialized mixer or a hammer drill equipped with a stirrer attachment after being diluted with small amounts of water.

Factory plaster mixtures are composed with moisture-retaining additives that control the rate at which the solution dries. This or that plaster is therefore convenient and simple to work with.

We add a retarder, like wallpaper glue, to the main composition of the hand-prepared solution to stop it from setting too quickly.

Important: Since not all wallpaper adhesives work well with gypsum, we suggest CMC glue as a reliable substitute.

In order to increase the plaster’s malleability, slaked lime is added. Furthermore, the ideal bactericidal qualities are provided by the lime used in the solution’s mixing. Consequently, there’s a better chance that the walls won’t develop mold.

Method two

The photo shows how OSB is finished using a manually mixed mixture.

In order to make premium gypsum-chalk putty, the following materials are required:

  • chalk – 3 kg;
  • gypsum – 1 kg;
  • five percent solution of wood glue (the amount is determined by the consistency of the mixture).

There are two primary steps in the preparation of the mixture: finely grinding the chalk and combining all the ingredients into a single mass. You will need a clean, at least 10-liter container, a specialized mixer, or a hammer drill with an attachment to complete the task.

First, combine the gypsum and crushed chalk. Once these components have combined to a powder with a consistent consistency, add the glue and stir until a semi-liquid mass with a light gray color forms, free of noticeable lumps and compactions.

Important: Because putty made using this recipe dries quickly, it is best to add glue as a binder to the dry mixture right away before applying it to the surface.

It is advised to use the mixture made per this recipe for final leveling rather than rough leveling. Applying the putty will be straightforward and easy if it is properly prepared.

Method three

With the help of this recipe, you can make a putty mixture that’s meant to be used for painting surfaces.

The primary components you’ll need are:

  • gypsum – 2 kg;
  • drying oil – 1 kg;
  • siccative NF-1 – 100 grams.

It is appropriate to use this putty to finish oriented strand boards. The siccative is being used in this instance to expedite drying.

If the mixture is meant to be used later, chalk powder can be added in the same amount as gypsum. The mixture will therefore dry more slowly and keep its initial performance characteristics for a longer period of time.

Advice: Wear a respirator, goggles, and gloves when creating plaster solutions. Do not disregard personal safety equipment.

Method four

Applying mortar made of lime and gypsum

The consistency of lime plaster mortars is comparable to ordinary plaster, but they dry slowly. For this reason, thin layers of this kind of mortar are used. In addition, every new layer is applied only after the preceding layer has fully dried.

Gypsum is added to lime plaster to ensure application ease and convenience. This yields a composition of lime and gypsum, the layer of which dries in about 5 minutes on average and has optimal adhesion.

One part gypsum powder and three parts lime mortar are combined to create lime-gypsum mortar.

The following are the preparation instructions for the composition:

  • Place gypsum in a container and, adding water in small portions, mix thoroughly until a gypsum dough is obtained.
  • Then add lime mortar to the resulting composition and again mix everything.

Important: In order to prevent the solution from losing its intended strength, thoroughly mix for no more than one minute.

  • The finished solution is used for its intended purpose immediately after preparation.

Finishing your walls with homemade gypsum plaster can be an incredibly satisfying and economical project. It only takes a few simple ingredients and tools to create a batch that works for you.

Everything about the process is simple: mixing the mixture and evenly applying it to the walls. The secret is to take your time and work carefully to achieve a polished, seamless finish.

By adhering to the specified procedures, you can attain excellent outcomes and furnish your walls with a robust and appealing surface. With this do-it-yourself method, you can take charge of the interior design of your house, which makes it a useful and artistic project.

Video on the topic

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Dmitry Stepanov

Professional decorator with 10 years of experience. I know everything about renovating apartments, houses and offices. I will be happy to share my knowledge and experience with you.

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