How not to make a mistake when choosing plaster for the ceiling

Selecting the ideal plaster for your ceiling may seem like a difficult undertaking. It’s simple to feel overwhelmed by the abundance of options available. The secret is to know what each kind of plaster has to offer and how to best suit your individual requirements.

Every plaster, from contemporary acrylic to conventional gypsum, has advantages and disadvantages of its own. While some offer a smoother finish or faster drying times, others might be better for areas that are prone to moisture. By being aware of these variations, you can steer clear of typical blunders and get the greatest outcome for your ceiling.

This post will walk you through the steps and point out the important things to think about. By the time it’s all over, you’ll know enough to make an informed decision and guarantee your ceiling looks exactly how you had pictured it.

What is attractive about plaster

The type of ceiling material ultimately determines which type of plaster to use. After all, there are various materials available today. It’s also important to determine whether this coating is appropriate for your situation; it might be better to just use a different material for the cladding. So let’s immediately determine our goals for using this coating.

• This is the most optimal option in terms of cost-effectiveness. Plaster allows you to improve the ceiling without large financial investments. Cassette and stretch ceilings are much more expensive than building mixtures.
• Almost all plaster solutions are environmentally friendly for humans and the environment. After all, neither cement nor gypsum emit any substances harmful to health.
• Plastering the ceiling has another undeniable advantage – it does not steal the height of the room. The thickness of the plaster layer does not exceed 5 centimeters.
• It is worth noting that suspended and stretch ceiling coverings also do not reduce the height of the room by much. This depends on what materials are chosen.

• Plastering the ceiling surface does not require large expenses if it is done independently. If you use the services of the master, then you will have to pay a lot of money for work. After all, this work is quite expensive.
• Plastering hides differences in the levels of ceiling surfaces and walls only in a limited range of 5 centimeters. The reason for this is not so much the colossal consumption of building material, but the threat to life. A thick layer of plaster may not stay on the ceiling and, falling, cause irreparable damage to human health, even death.
• To plaster, you need to have experience in performing this type of work. Many types of suspended ceilings can be installed quite well even by a person who has never done this before. But plastering large surfaces is unlikely to be within the power of a beginner. The first time it is very difficult to achieve a smooth ceiling surface, which is necessary for painting (see. How to paint a ceiling with paint: do it yourself).

How to do plastering

We will now discuss what to do as a first step when plastering the ceiling surface. In this case, the ceiling material comes first, and surface preparation will be contingent upon it.

Surface inspection

Initially, you must determine if plastering the ceiling is actually necessary.

• If the differences in surface levels are five millimeters or less, then you can get by with just puttying the ceiling. To do this, you need to use a wide spatula and a rule.
• If the differences are more than five centimeters, then plastering is dangerous for a person. Beginners should limit the plaster layer to a level of 3 centimeters.

Preparing the surface for plastering

Let’s look at the least desirable option: the ceiling surface is full of numerous cracks and variations in height levels, and the old plaster layer has been partially destroyed and infected by fungi.

How to get the surface ready in this case:

• First, you need to wet the entire surface to be treated with water. The procedure should be repeated twice with a frequency of 2 – 3 hours. This will soften the old plaster layer so that it can be easier to remove in the future. Wetting significantly reduces dust levels.
• Using a hard spatula, you need to clean the ceiling surface so that the floor slabs are visible. To clean difficult areas, use a hammer drill. The seams between the slabs must be freed from plaster, which holds weakly.
• Remaining cement dust and lime can be washed off with a sponge soaked in water.
• The next step is to treat areas affected by mold. The minimum surface area to be treated should be 20 centimeters. In rooms with high humidity, the entire ceiling is treated.

Note: Any liquid that contains chlorine (like regular "Whiteness" or a comparable product) is effective at eliminating mold and mildew. However, an antiseptic primer not only eradicates the fungus but also keeps it from growing back. It is not advisable to save in this situation.

• The final stage of preparatory work includes priming the ceiling surface with any primer. This will strengthen the outer concrete layer and improve its adhesion to the plaster mixture.

It’s crucial to realize that the plaster you choose for your ceiling has the power to make or ruin your project. Choosing the incorrect plaster can result in future expensive repairs, poor finishes, and cracks. Pay attention to important details like the type of finish you want, the material of the ceiling, and the moisture content of the space to avoid these problems. You can choose a plaster that not only looks fantastic but also endures for many years without any issues if you take these factors into account.

Which plaster to choose

It goes without saying that plastering a concrete ceiling differs greatly from plastering a clay ceiling. Here, various compositions are merely employed.

They will determine how the solution is prepared and how the application guidelines are applied. Let’s take a quick look at what’s available for purchase and the ideal applications for each composition. While reading the instructions that come with each package is a must, you also need to become familiar with some of the material’s features.

Cement-based plaster mixtures

In most situations, this composition works well if you’re wondering how to plaster a concrete ceiling. For ceiling surfaces, cement-based plaster is distinguished by its maximum strength and extended service life.

Be aware that this plaster is both universal and able to apply a smooth, uniform coating. It can be used to finish building facades and decorate interiors of rooms with different humidity levels.

Given that it frequently develops cracks, cement plaster is not to everyone’s taste. However, this is untrue. Infractions of the mixture preparation guidelines and the technology used to apply the mixture to the ceiling surface can lead to cracking of the plaster layer.

The following is a list of typical and frequent errors:

• First of all, this is non-compliance with the ratio of the mixture components recommended by the plaster manufacturer. Cement is a material that is highly sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and humidity. When drying, cement can shrink significantly. Modern plaster mixtures contain various fillers. In this case, the filler is sand of different types of fractions. Fillers provide the plaster structure with greater density, which reduces the stress of the plaster layer during the hardening process.
• Many people do not take into account that the substrates on which plaster is applied have varying degrees of moisture absorption. The base, made of a material that quickly absorbs moisture, must be treated with primer before plastering. If you ignore this stage, the plaster layer may dry out due to loss of moisture and become covered with numerous cracks.
• Drying the treated surface too quickly often leads to cracks in the plaster coating. It is unacceptable to speed up the drying process with a fan heater or a building hair dryer, creating drafts. After all, the plaster will dry incorrectly: the outer layer will be covered with a dry crust, and moisture will remain inside. This will inevitably lead to cracking of the surface.

Gypsum-based plaster mixes

Using this material will work best for plastering a wooden ceiling or a plasterboard ceiling. You are left with a surface that is even and smooth.

Plaster mixtures containing gypsum offer the following unquestionable benefits:

• Unlike cement plasters, gypsum mixes dry much faster. They only need a few hours to dry completely;
• Gypsum plasters have excellent adhesive properties, which is an important aspect when finishing a ceiling surface;
• Maintain a favorable microclimate of the room, absorbing excess moisture and giving off the missing;
• They have an improved composition. This is achieved by adding fine quartz, perlite or lime sand.

One of the drawbacks of plaster made of gypsum is its restricted range of applications. A coating like this is extremely susceptible to high humidity.

• To plaster the ceiling surface in the bathroom with gypsum mortar, first of all, it is necessary to ensure good ventilation of the room. Gypsum plaster has the ability to dry quickly, which limits the time it takes to complete the work. This is quite a big problem for beginners. Currently, gypsum-based mixtures with the addition of substances that increase the time range for completing the work have appeared in construction stores.
• Additives are an important component of plaster mixtures, although they make up no more than one percent of the total volume. Using various additives, plastering mixtures are endowed with a number of additional useful properties that were absent. There are additives that can retain moisture, there are those that increase the adhesive and antiseptic properties of the material. This allows you to improve the quality of repair work.

Clay-based plaster mixtures

This composition will provide the best results when plastering clay ceilings because its homogeneity will guarantee surface adhesion and a long service life.

Mixtures of plastering clay let you solve several issues at once:

• You can do without buying a clay solution, but prepare it yourself. Clay is quite common in nature. Therefore, you can find it on your own site to prepare the solution, digging a hole one and a half meters deep. To make a mixture, you need to add some components to the clay.
• Clay is an environmentally friendly material. It is not harmful to human health.
• Due to the fact that the purchase of a plaster mix is ​​not required, the cost of repair work is reduced.

Additionally, Clay possesses significant advantageous technical traits:

• High degree of flexibility allows it to be used even in regions with increased seismic activity. Clay has the same flexibility as lime plaster. It is not subject to cracking.
• Long service life in any climatic conditions. Clay is not afraid of high humidity, temperature changes, strong gusts of wind.
• Clay is capable of fairly rapid recovery. There is no need to replace the entire coating, you can repair only those areas where there is damage.
• Clay has an average level of vapor permeability. Clay solution has excellent hygroscopic characteristics.
• Due to the structure of ionic bonds, it has excellent protective properties against insects and other pests.

It’s not difficult to select the ideal plaster for your ceiling. You can make a decision that improves the appearance and longevity of your ceiling by taking into account the particular requirements of your area and being aware of the various types of plaster that are available.

Don’t forget to account for the room’s moisture content, your budget, and the desired finish. These straightforward factors will assist you in avoiding typical blunders and guarantee a seamless, durable outcome.

You can confidently choose a plaster that will highlight the best features in your ceiling and give your room a polished, professional appearance with a little research and attention to detail.

Video on the topic

How to plaster the ceiling: select tools and plaster mixture for repair

Secrets of plastering ceilings

Applying plaster to the ceiling / How to plaster ceilings?

12 MISTAKES of plastering walls that you need to know. How not to ruin a renovation at the very beginning?

The main mistakes when puttingtying walls and ceilings. #35

16 mistakes when plastering walls.