Not every material used in home renovations is made equal. Certain ones, like Penoplex, are regarded as non-standard and present particular difficulties in terms of completion. Penoplex is a kind of polystyrene foam that is extruded and is highly valued for its exceptional insulating qualities. It can be challenging to work with, though, especially when attempting to achieve a smooth, paintable finish, due to its non-porous, smooth surface.
Is putty compatible with Penoplex and other comparable materials? is a question that many homeowners and do-it-yourselfers frequently have. The good news is that it is feasible with the correct methods and a little bit of expertise. Standard wall finishing techniques might not function as intended, so modifications are required to guarantee a long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing outcome.
The potential applications and difficulties of puttying Penoplex and other non-standard materials will be discussed in this article. Choosing the appropriate method is essential for a project to be successful, whether you’re trying to smooth out surfaces or get them ready for painting. Even when working with unusual materials, we’ll walk you through the process and offer advice to help you get the greatest results.
- What should the surface be like for putty
- How to putty unusual bases
- Fiberboard, chipboard, hardboard and other wood-like materials
- OSB
- Insulation materials – polystyrene foam, penoplex, mounting foam
- Clay foundations
- Paint, whitewash
- Video on the topic
- Puttying penoplex glue with painter"s mesh (1 video)
- How to easily, without a frame, level an insulated wall!
- Will decorative plaster stick to penoplex?
- How to plaster penoplex walls on a balcony 100% way!!!#plaster_penoplex #penoplex
What should the surface be like for putty
If the following criteria are satisfied, you can be sure that the plaster or putty will lie on the surface and stick to it well:
- The leveling mixture must match the type of material being coated. For example, there are special putties for wood (see.How to putty wood: materials, tools, process technology), metal, silicate bases, as well as universal mixtures suitable for finishing a wide variety of materials.
Kindly take note. Additionally, the putty needs to be appropriate for the task at hand—internal or external.
- Instructions for puttying surfaces require that they be porous, rough. Most compounds do not fit onto a perfectly smooth, glossy base.
Or the adhesion to the surface is not strong enough, as a result of which the putty quickly crumbles. Therefore, such bases are pre-prepared by covering them with a special primer (see.Types of construction primers and their scope of application) or artificially roughening them. - The surface must be strong and stable – not crumble, crumble or delaminate. The same applies to the coating applied to it earlier: if it does not adhere well, it is completely cleaned off before puttying.
- Rigidity is one of the requirements for the surface being finished. It is clear that soft and flexible materials are deformed under mechanical action, which will cause immediate peeling of the putty. But the necessary rigidity can be created using a reinforcing mesh and a sufficiently thick leveling layer.
Let’s examine whether putty can be used to repair some potentially problematic materials based on these fundamental prerequisites. Is it worthwhile to do? Will many years of trouble-free use of putty-finished surfaces justify the cost of materials and labor?
How to putty unusual bases
Let’s look at the primary surfaces that might require plaster or putty mixture leveling. They can be found both when new buildings are completed and when older ones are being renovated.
Fiberboard, chipboard, hardboard and other wood-like materials
They are frequently used as sheathing for walls and ceilings or as internal partitions. Leveling and sealing the seams between the sheets is required if they are going to be painted or covered with wallpaper later on. Could fiberboard and other materials made from waste wood processing be puttied? Yes, but keeping in mind that wood naturally absorbs moisture and distorts during swelling and drying.
What does this signify? that the material must be covered with a primer made of water-insoluble acrylic resins in order to lessen its absorbency before finishing. The actual procedure is the same as plastering or puttying drywall:
- The first stage is dust removal from the surface and priming.
- The second stage is the putty itself. First the joints between the sheets, then the entire surface.
- The third stage is sanding after drying, re-priming and finishing.
Suggestions. Finishing polymer or gypsum putties are advised for such surfaces, which exhibit good adhesion and the lack of significant defects.
OSB
This new building material, made from wood chips and resin, has recently been actively used for the construction of frame houses. It is also the basis of SIP panels, in which a layer of insulation is glued between the OSB sheets.
External and internal structures formed by it require decorative finishing, since not everyone likes the appearance of the material. But is it possible to putty OSB? After all, its surface, filled with a binder, is very smooth, it will not allow the leveling compound to stick firmly to the base.
It is possible, but also with the observance of a special technology, one of the stages of which is surface preparation. Its purpose is to give the material roughness and better adhesive properties.
This is done like this:
- The plane is treated with abrasives that tear off the top layer and make the boards rough;
- The surface is de-dusted;
- A deep penetration primer is applied to it.
Suggestions. Using a primer combined with fine-grained mineral particles (such as quartz sand) as a filler is recommended. In addition to strengthening the base, it will become more textured to improve putty adherence.
For OSB finishing, acrylic or gypsum compositions are advised, just like in the previous instance.
Insulation materials – polystyrene foam, penoplex, mounting foam
It is common practice to insulate buildings with special materials in our climate. But what should you do once this work is finished? Is it feasible to apply putty to the mounting foam used to seal gaps around windows and doors? or wall-mounted penoplex boards? Yes, without a doubt, given that these materials possess the surface strength and required porosity for adhesion to leveling mixtures. Furthermore, by employing reinforcing materials and thickening the putty layer, inadequate rigidity is fixed.
Conventional cement adhesives are used to adhere the fiberglass mesh to the penoplex. The surface is leveled and sanded with finishing putty once they have dried. In order to complete the polyurethane foam-treated areas, a sharp knife is used to cut the material away from the plane to a shallow depth. A coarse leveling compound is then used to fill the resulting depression, followed by a finishing compound. Alternatively, the surface is continuously puttied after rough leveling.
Clay foundations
Old buildings were frequently "smeared," or had shingles finished with clay mortar. These are tiny wooden slats that are fastened to the walls to provide support for the mortar. Unfortunately, no putty—not even pre-primed putty—will stick well to such a surface, so this time we’ll provide a negative response to the question: can putty be applied to clay?
Steps to take in this situation:
- If the surface is relatively smooth, with only minor defects in the form of cracks and small potholes, it can be cleaned of falling and peeling pieces and re-leveled with the same clay. And then cover with whitewash, water-based paint or wallpaper.
- It is better to completely clean old crumbling surfaces from clay, then plaster or putty with compounds corresponding to the type of base material.
- Fix a steel reinforcing mesh on the walls, plaster and putty it.
Suggestions. All of these techniques require a lot of work and do not always yield great results. The simplest method is to use sheet materials to cover the walls along the frame, then use standard technology to level them.
Paint, whitewash
Old buildings frequently lack flawless finishing because, a few decades ago, builders painted the walls and applied a whitewash directly to the plaster ceilings, skipping the step of leveling the planes. Should you need to fix such flaws, you should find out if paint or putty can be applied over them. This is dependent upon the physical characteristics of the coating and how well it sticks to the base. Let me clarify:
- Chalk and lime whitewash, like quite modern water-based or water-dispersion paint, swell when exposed to water. This means that when applied to whitewashed or painted surfaces, these coatings will absorb moisture from the solution.
Of course, there can be no talk of the quality of such a finish – it will fall off already during the drying process. Therefore, the whitewash must be scraped off with a spatula, having previously soaked it in warm water. After which the surface is dried and primed as usual.
- Oil and enamel coatings can be putty if they adhere well to the walls, but they need to be roughened. If the paint is cracked, peeling or crumbling, it is scraped off.
Material | Can it be puttied? |
Penoplex (Extruded Polystyrene) | Yes, but requires proper surface preparation and use of a suitable primer to ensure good adhesion. |
Plastic surfaces | Yes, but it"s essential to use a primer designed for plastics before applying putty. |
Metal surfaces | Yes, but a metal primer is necessary to prevent corrosion and ensure the putty adheres well. |
Glass | No, putty will not adhere well to glass surfaces. |
Fiberglass | Yes, but surface must be sanded and primed for proper adhesion. |
When applied correctly, putty can be used on non-standard materials like Penoplex and prove to be quite effective. But it calls for extra care in the selection of appropriate products and preparation. Assuring strong adhesion is crucial because these materials are frequently smoother and less porous than conventional surfaces.
It’s crucial to properly prime the surface with a product made for smooth or non-porous surfaces before beginning. By creating a suitable base for the putty to adhere to, this step helps to avoid long-term problems like peeling or cracking. For a long-lasting finish, it’s also essential to choose a flexible, premium putty that works well with the material.
Puttying non-standard surfaces like Penoplex opens up possibilities for creative finishes and improved insulation, but it may require a bit more work and specific materials. Through proper execution and selection of the appropriate materials, you can accomplish a seamless, long-lasting outcome that improves the look and feel of your area.
Penoplex and other non-standard materials can be puttied, but doing so calls for specific methods and the right supplies to guarantee a smooth and long-lasting finish. Although putty isn’t typically used with these materials, you can still get good results if you prepare the surface properly, which includes priming the surface correctly and using putty that works well with it. To prevent problems like cracking or poor adhesion, it’s crucial to adhere to the particular instructions for each material.