How to plaster columns

Although plastering columns may seem like a difficult undertaking, with the right advice, it’s a simple procedure that can give your room a polished, polished appearance. Plastering adds a smooth, finished surface that improves your columns’ appearance and durability, whether you’re updating an old column or installing a new one.

Prepare the surface of your column first. Verify that it is dust- and debris-free, clean, and dry. To make sure the new plaster adheres correctly, you must remove any old paint or plaster from the column. Additionally, applying a primer or bonding agent can improve the plaster’s adhesion.

Next, prepare your plaster as directed by the manufacturer. Apply a base coat to the column’s surface using a trowel, making sure to spread it evenly. Let the base coat dry completely before adding more layers. Apply at least two coats of plaster, smoothing each one as you go to prevent lumps and imperfections, for the best results.

To achieve a flawlessly smooth surface, you can lightly sand the final coat after it has dried. This stage guarantees a polished appearance by assisting in the removal of any small flaws. Plastering columns can change your area and give any room a sense of elegance with a little perseverance and attention to detail.

Preliminary hanging

Regardless of the surface being leveled, the outcome of plastering work directly depends on technological processes like hanging. Additionally, this process becomes more challenging the more complicated the column’s shape.

• Take at least columns with entasis: their distinctive feature is a mushroom-shaped form – that is, the trunk is thicker at the base, and it narrows at the capital. There are also columns with double entasis, which have the greatest thickness in the center, and the narrowing goes not only to the capital, but also to the base.

Kindly take note! A unique rule that replicates the surface’s curvature, akin to a template, is required in order to plaster a column of that type. The image above shows what it looks like. You can make it yourself by drawing a smooth, curved line on the board from which the rule will be cut, and measuring the amount of narrowing with a straight rail and ruler.

• If there is a bump on the surface of the column, it should be cut down if possible. When this is not possible, then the protrusion can be hidden in only one way. In this case, in all other areas you will have to increase the thickness of the plastering.

You will find instructions on how to install beacons and marks on the plastered surfaces of columns in the upcoming chapter.

The device of marks

The method for hanging beacons on straight columns is the same as that for hanging them on walls (see Plaster beacon: types, purpose, installation). They have a nail driven into the top portion of them so that the thickness of the plaster is equal to the distance between the cap and base surface. It is surrounded by a mark, which is hammered in at the bottom, and a plumb line is tied to the cap.

• Next, a cord is pulled between the extreme marks and nails are hammered in the gap. How many there will be in total, the craftsmen are guided by the height of the columns, and the initial state of their surface.

If plastering multiple columns in a row is required, the extreme columns are hung first, and then a cord is pulled between them, marking the remaining columns along the way.

Columns with a curvilinear contour

A slight variation in hanging is observed for columns with varying diameters. Measure the radii of the trunk’s thick and thin sections first.

Should the entasis be limited to the upper portion, drive a nail into the column’s base and create a 2 cm-thick mortar mark. After that, drop a plumb line from the capital down until the string comes into contact with the nail’s head.

• Now, in the area of ​​​​the entasis, measure the distance from the plumb line cord corresponding to the difference in the thickness of the columns. To fix this mark, also hammer a nail into the tapering part of the column. This should be done by two people: one person holds the plumb line, and the other measures the difference in radii and makes a mark.

• The next step is to make marks along the entire radius of the column. To do this, small – the size of a palm, portions of the solution are thrown along the ring, at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other. Then a plumb line is passed from the side, and the protruding parts of the stuck-on bosses are carefully trimmed along the line of the cord.

This produces exact marks, the surface of which acts as the beacon device’s primary reference point. These marks have to completely encircle the columns. They are positioned atop various kinds of semicircular and round pillars.

At least two of these rings are made if the straight column’s trunk is up to five meters tall. There might be more ring marks if there are any narrowing areas.

Beacons

Round columns require different plastering because, in addition to markings, beacons must be placed on them and surround them all the way around. As you can see in the above diagram, a template ring must be made in order to accomplish this.

• From two wide boards 25 mm thick, a shield is knocked down with your own hands. On it you need to draw a circle that will correspond to the diameter of the column plus 2 cm (thickness of the screed). This can be done with an improvised compass: a pencil tied with a thread to a self-tapping screw.
• If the column has a polyhedron cross-section, then the template should have a corresponding contour. In this case, the polyhedron should be inscribed in a circle, guided by knowledge from school geometry. After the outlines of the column are drawn, the lath connecting the two halves of the shield is removed, and cuts are made along the contour applied to the boards.

• The cut areas are well cleaned and sanded, after which the halves of the shield are put back together. For a round straight column, one template is enough. If there is entasis, at least two of them are made, or even more – it all depends on the specific configuration of the trunk. The template is installed on a ring mark, and to prevent it from sliding down, nails are hammered in under it or mortar is applied.

After that, mortar is poured into every crevice that appears between the column’s surface and the template’s circumference. He can remove the connective rings by grabbing and lightly hammering the wood.

After the template is removed, any shells that have formed on the beacon are sealed and the surface is smoothed. Plastering involves setting the rule based on the beacons and pulling out the column surfaces using them as a guide.

Any plain structure can become an exquisite focal point in any room by adding plaster columns. To ensure proper plaster adhesion, begin by properly prepping the column surface. To create a smooth foundation, use a base coat after applying a primer, if necessary. Apply the finishing coat after the base coat has dried, being careful to smooth out any blemishes as you go. A long-lasting and exquisite finish can only be obtained through proper curing. With a little planning and maintenance, your columns will improve the overall appearance of your room in addition to being useful.

A simple way to protect and improve the look of columns is to plaster them. You can add character to any space with a smooth, polished finish by using the proper techniques. Prior to applying any finishing touches, make sure the surface is properly prepared, the plaster is applied evenly, and it has had time to set.

Remember to use high-quality supplies and equipment. Purchasing high-quality plaster and a sturdy trowel will simplify the process and yield longer-lasting results. Additionally, practice your technique on a small section of the column first, rather than trying to finish it all at once.

Plastering columns can be a satisfying do-it-yourself project if you have a little perseverance and attention to detail. These steps will assist you in creating a polished appearance that blends in with your overall design, whether you’re replacing an outdated column or adding a new one to your area.

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