Methods of grouting plaster

Plaster grouting is a crucial step in giving your walls a polished, seamless finish. Whether you’re working on new construction or renovating an old plaster surface, using proper grouting increases the plaster’s durability and ensures a seamless appearance. Knowing the various techniques at your disposal can greatly impact the caliber of your output.

Plaster grouting can be done in a variety of ways, each best suited for a particular project’s needs and desired outcome. Knowing your options will help you select the approach that will work best for your needs, whether it is a modern approach using cutting-edge materials or a traditional method that has withstood the test of time.

In this post, we’ll examine the most popular grouting methods, emphasize their advantages, and provide helpful advice for getting the greatest results. These tips will help you create beautifully finished walls whether you’re a professional or a do-it-yourself enthusiast.

Method Description
Manual Grouting Applying grout by hand using a trowel or spatula. Ideal for small areas or detailed work, ensuring precise control over the grout application.
Mechanical Grouting Using a grout pump or sprayer to apply grout. Suitable for larger areas, offering faster coverage and uniform application, but requires careful setup and maintenance.
Injection Grouting Injecting grout into cracks or voids in the plaster using a syringe or specialized equipment. Effective for repairing structural damage and filling gaps.
Premixed Grouts Using pre-packaged, ready-to-use grout mixtures. Convenient and consistent in quality, but may be less flexible for specific project needs compared to custom mixes.

Tool

A float is a specialized tool used in the work. This device comes in various varieties:

  1. Wooden. The simplest option, which can be made independently. Excellent for working with standard mixtures made on the basis of gypsum or cement.
  2. Foam plastic. Due to low strength, it is used exclusively for final leveling of solutions that do not contain a large fraction in their composition.
  3. Metal. Well compacts the applied mixture and helps to achieve ideal evenness.
  4. Polyurethane. A modern variety that is lightweight.
  5. Spongy. For manufacturing, materials of different densities are used, which helps to obtain different textures of the decorative surface.

The instrument is ready ahead of time. When using a used float, make sure all dirt is removed from it completely. Make sure the base of a new tool is perfectly flat and undamaged before buying it, especially if it’s made of fragile materials.

Features

In order to attain the intended outcome, it is imperative to consider certain subtleties:

  • To obtain an ideal coating, the covering method is used. This method consists in applying a thin layer of a similar solution to the dried plastered surface. The thickness should not exceed 2 mm. This option is suitable in situations where the previously used mixture included large fractions. This is typical for rough cement compositions.

  • Grouting walls after plastering on a gypsum base can be done without a cover. Due to the structure of the solution, the coating is smooth and without preliminary manipulations.
  • There are various options for final leveling. Each of them is selected based on what facing material will be used in the future.

Either way, the task will demand a great deal of precision and effort.

Grouting is an essential step in plaster finishing that guarantees a smooth, long-lasting surface. To achieve a seamless finish, this process entails smoothing out imperfections and filling in any gaps. Using specialized tools and techniques to apply the grout evenly and thoroughly, addressing both small cracks and larger voids, are effective grouting methods. You can improve the appearance and durability of your plastered walls and create a polished, long-lasting look by selecting the appropriate method and materials.

Options for standard grouting

In case the plastered surface serves as a foundation, there exist multiple fundamental choices for carrying out the task.

Dry grouting

Following the coating’s initial setting, this procedure is initiated. For work, graters made of polyurethane or metal are employed.

  1. A container with water at room temperature is prepared. The tool is checked for contamination of the sole.
  2. The grater is moistened in the liquid and pressed to the surface. Do not press too hard, otherwise small scratches may remain on the coating. But if you press very lightly, there will be no effect. That is why it is necessary to maintain uniform pressure on all areas. The technology is not always the same: if there are bulges, the pressure on the tool should be increased, and if there are depressions, it should be reduced. The main principle is circular movements, which should be directed from top to bottom.
  3. In the corners, you need to install the tool parallel, and perform the movements vertically. It should be taken into account that the solution gradually accumulates on the sole, which must be periodically cleaned.
  4. If the coating is too dry, then it is moistened. A sprayer is ideal for this, which allows you to control the amount of liquid.

As a result, you can have a wall that is prepared for applying wallpaper or ceramic tiles once it has dried.

The "running away" method

How should plaster be rubbed in preparation for later surface painting? It will not be possible to eliminate even the tiniest imperfections if you only use the prior technique. In this situation, the "running" option is employed. This process is initiated right away following the completion of dry grouting.

The work is done on a specialized float that has rounded edges; the surface is not wetted. One crucial detail is that there should only be one direction in which the movements are performed: vertically. In other words, the coating is separated into roughly one square meter conditional sections. The grater is then placed in the designated location, pressed, and moved up and down successively. All walls are processed one by one.

Of course, following the guidelines the first time around is the only way to achieve the ideal outcome when plastering.

Wet grout

Using a plaster solution directly is an additional grouting option. This is the guiding idea:

  1. A little prepared mixture is collected on a grater. It is important to consider that its structure should be quite liquid.
  2. The tool is applied at an angle to the surface, the composition is evenly distributed.
  3. The sole of the float is cleaned of excess.
  4. Then the tool blade is installed on the coating and arcuate movements are made.

Note that this option requires sufficient time to finish. Furthermore, nearby areas should be moistened if they appear to be drying out.

Methods of decorative grouting

There are two methods for grouting plaster with floats, given that the composition is intended to be decorative. Both times, the tool is chosen on its own. A device with a smooth sole is purchased to achieve a soft relief, and special textured floats are used to achieve a more expressive texture.

Method one

The coating can be grouted as follows:

  1. A prepared plaster solution is applied to the base. In this case, the mixture is not smoothed out. But it is important to observe one condition – the layer must be located evenly, without skipping areas.
  2. It is necessary to wait for some time to allow the composition to set. Readiness can be easily checked by pressing a spatula to the surface, the mixture should not stick.
  3. The float is slightly moistened and moved with light pressure in one direction. You cannot allow strong pressure, this can smooth out the relief being created. The main thing is to remove excessively protruding areas.

A coating with a texture that resembles natural skin will be the end product.

Method two

  1. The selected composition is laid in a layer of no more than 3 mm. Unlike the previous option, it is evenly spread over the surface, you need to get a practically smooth coating.
  2. After the preliminary drying of the solution, grouting is performed. In this case, the movements can be multidirectional.
  3. The float is sometimes moistened and excess composition is removed.

Note that if you use a textured tool, the relief will stand out even more.

Selecting an appropriate grouting technique for plaster is essential to attain a flawless, long-lasting surface. It is important to match the technique you choose to the particular needs of your project, whether you choose to use traditional or modern techniques. When applied correctly, plaster has a longer lifespan in addition to improved appearance.

Trying out various methods and instruments, like grouting tools or sponges, will enable you to determine which method works best for you. Before beginning the grouting process, make sure the plaster has had enough time to cure in order to prevent problems like uneven surfaces or cracking.

You can obtain a high-quality finish that improves your walls’ appearance and usefulness by paying close attention to detail and adhering to best practices. Your grouting efforts will produce a polished and long-lasting result if you take the proper approach.

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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