How to prepare walls for decorative plaster

The final appearance and longevity of your finished surface are determined by the preparation of your walls for decorative plaster. It’s important to take the time to properly prepare the walls before beginning any construction or renovation project to avoid future issues like peeling, cracking, or uneven finishes.

Although the procedure appears simple, there are a few crucial steps that must be followed exactly. Every step, from surface preparation and repair to base coat application, is critical to the successful adhesion and attractive finish of the plaster.

We’ll walk you through the essential procedures in this post to prepare your walls for decorative plastering, ensuring a seamless and polished outcome. Even if wall finishing is new to you, you’ll find these helpful and simple-to-follow tips.

An impeccable decorative plaster finish requires careful wall preparation. Clean the surface first, making sure to get rid of any old paint or wallpaper as well as dust and dirt. After that, use filler to patch any holes and cracks and smooth out any uneven spots to create a level, smooth base. To guarantee that the plaster sticks well and dries evenly, use a primer last. By following these instructions, you can make sure your decorative plaster looks great and lasts a long time.

What is needed for preparation

To prepare walls for decorative plaster, the following equipment and supplies are needed:

• spatulas;
• building level and plumb line;
• sandpaper, grinding machine with polishing and cutting wheels;
• paint brush;
• drill with impact function (a hammer drill is too heavy and powerful for this type of work);
• polyethylene film, masking tape or scotch tape;
• sponges and rags;
• screwdrivers;
• mixer attachment;
• mixing container;
• putty;
• solvent;
• primer.

A sprayer might also be necessary. Should the walls have previously had wallpaper applied, you might need to soak them with this solution.

How preparatory work is carried out

It is important to note from the outset that this work should be done last. In other words, the apartment should have double-glazed windows and door frames installed from the start, and the flooring should be laid and ready for use. Generally speaking, all work that could potentially reflect on the wall surfaces, either directly or indirectly, has been finished.

The following procedures are involved in getting walls ready for decorative plaster:

• First of all, it is necessary to remove the remains of the old coating, for example, wallpaper, paint or putty. Wallpaper is removed with a spatula after preliminary soaking, paint is washed off with a solvent, and the putty is beaten off with an impact drill. Then you should remove all fasteners from the wall. Screws and dowels are removed with a screwdriver, nails – with a nail puller. Also, after removing the old coating, reinforcement elements may appear, they must be cut off with a grinder.

• After this, you should tap the wall with a hammer to identify weak spots. If potholes and cracks appear, then they are sealed with putty. If they are deep and wide, then they are sealed in several stages.
• The next step is to apply a primer with strengthening properties, after which you need to wait about 4 hours for it to dry. If we are talking about bathrooms, kitchens or other rooms with high humidity, you need to treat them with a special antifungal substance and wait about 4 hours again.

• After the primer has dried, proceed to puttying the surface. This procedure is carried out using wide and narrow spatulas. After applying the putty, it is necessary to check the evenness of the surface with a building level and a plumb line. The putty layer is the basis for decorative plaster, so you should carefully level it. At the end, it is necessary to sand the surface using sandpaper or a grinding machine, and its surface should also be fine-grained.

• Next you need to apply a layer of deep penetrating primer. A paint brush is used for this. Most decorative plasters do not have a high level of adhesion, so over time the material may simply fall off. A primer is needed to ensure tight contact. Requires 2 coats at 3-4 hour intervals to allow to dry.

Now that the plaster surface has been properly prepared, you can start painting the walls.

Note: If you plan to apply a thick layer of textured or textured plaster, you do not need to put putty on the surfaces. However, "Venetian" or thin layers of the previously mentioned finishing materials need to be puttied. The longevity and aesthetic appeal of the walls will be compromised because a thin layer will not be adequate to seal cracks and potholes that appear after the decorative material dries.

Advice from experts

The following subtleties should be considered when preparing walls for plastering.

It is advised to cover the furniture, windows, and floor with polyethylene film before beginning any work. Use masking tape to seal the ceiling space next to the wall and baseboards. You should allow at least 48 hours for each layer of putty to fully dry; using heaters or hair dryers to expedite this process is not permitted. If not, there could be surface cracking.

When it comes to work on the basement or facade, the walls must be pre-strengthened with serpyanka inside the room and with reinforcing mesh outside. Ideally, a unique liquid impregnation should be used to reinforce the primer layer. In the event that this composition is chosen, you must ensure that the surface to be treated has the capacity to absorb liquid. As a result, avoid using adhesive or materials based on alabaster.

At least two centimeters should be added to the thickness of the primer layer that is applied to the walls beneath the decorative plaster. If not, applying a thicker layer of decorative coating will be necessary to get a uniformly smooth surface, which will cost more money. You have to wait for about seven days after applying the primer, and during that time, you have to keep wetting the layer with water (you can use an ordinary kitchen sponge for this).

Test application of plaster

Experts with years of experience can skip this step, but beginners are strongly encouraged to complete a practice application. In order to accomplish this, either choose a small area of the wall that is closer to the corners, or use a piece of drywall that has been pre-finished to match the wall’s surface. You must assess the final surface’s quality, texture, and color once the test layer has dried. Plastering can be safely started if everything is in order.

For decorative plaster to be applied flawlessly, the wall must be properly prepped. By spending the time to thoroughly clean, smooth, and prime your walls, you create the foundation for an amazing outcome that will last for years.

Plaster adheres better if the surface is clean when it is first applied. An important first step is to remove any old paint or wallpaper, as well as any dirt or dust. Thorough cleaning is essential because even a small amount of residue can affect how well the plaster sticks.

It is equally important to smooth down the walls by sanding down rough spots and filling in cracks. This gives the plaster a level base, which is essential for a polished finish. Uneven walls can result in flaws that could be challenging to fix in the future.

Lastly, priming the wall appropriately gets it ready for plaster application. Over time, the primer lessens the chance of peeling or cracking by improving the plaster’s ability to bond. It is worth the extra effort to complete this step because skipping it can cause problems later on.

You can make sure that your decorative plaster looks great and endures for many years by following these steps.

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