When it comes to plastering, the plastering solution’s preparation has a big impact on the caliber of your work. It takes more than just combining ingredients in this process; it also requires knowing exactly how much of each ingredient to use and knowing its function. The secret to getting a smooth, long-lasting finish on any project, no matter how big or small, is knowing how to set up a suitable plastering solution.
A plaster mix’s three main components—a binder, a filler, and a solvent—each serving a distinct purpose. Everything is held together and the plaster’s good surface adhesion is ensured by the binder, which is typically lime or cement. The mixture gains bulk and texture from the filler, which is usually sand. Ultimately, the binder is activated and a workable consistency is produced by the solvent, which is typically water.
Not only that, but additives are also essential for improving the functionality of your plaster. You may add materials to enhance workability, boost strength, or stop cracking, depending on the project. The success of your plastering project will depend on how well these elements are balanced, so accuracy in measurements and mixing methods are crucial.
- Main binders for plasters
- Basic recipes
- Cement
- Gypsum
- Lime
- Clay
- Combined
- Prices for plaster mixes and their components
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Main binders for plasters
Determine which ingredients will be in the plaster solution before you begin preparing it to be applied to walls and other surfaces.
Generally speaking, every plaster mixture has the structure shown below:
- Binder – a material that ensures adhesion to the wall and adhesion of filler particles.
- Filler – a structural element in the form of mineral granules that gives the polymerized plaster the necessary mechanical properties. Sand is most often used as a filler, but sometimes other materials are added to the solution – crushed quartz, granite, marble, brick chips, etc.d.
- Water – a solvent that ensures the hydration of the solution.
- Additives – pigments, hardeners, plasticizers, etc.d.
Bags of construction quicklime
Understanding the types of substances used is crucial because plasters are typically categorized according to the binder used. The table below allows you to compare the features and applications of different binders:
Material | Features |
Lime | Construction lime is the most popular binder for plaster mortars. The history of its use is more than one hundred years, and although today lime plasters are partially displaced from the market, their share is still quite significant. |
The only material used to prepare plaster mortars is slaked lime, or fluff. The whole idea is that if you use quicklime material, the composition will naturally start to slake and take on an uneven structure when mixed with water.
The cement-based plaster must dry slowly in order for all of the granules to have time to react with the liquid and form stable insoluble complexes. There’s a chance that uneven hardening will cause the plaster layer to crack if you try to expedite the process.
A smooth, long-lasting finish depends on the proper proportions of binder, filler, solvent, and additives when making a plastering solution. The mixture is held together by the binder, given body by the filler, and easy spreading by the solvent. Additives can hasten drying times or improve workability. Comprehending the appropriate ratios for these elements is essential to attaining a polished outcome free from issues.
Basic recipes
Cement
Portland cement M400 and sifted river sand are the two main ingredients of the cement plaster mix. The mixing process uses cool, clean water.
Kindly take note! While M400 is a universal choice, other brands of cement can be used occasionally. In this instance, the material’s strength will be adequate to ensure that the finished surface can support all operational loads.
Ingredients and mixing implements
The components’ ratios vary depending on the layer that the solution forms:
- spray – 1 part cement to 2.5-4 parts sand;
- primer – 1: 2-3 respectively;
- covering – 1: 1-1.5.
The steps involved in preparing cement mortar for plastering are as follows:
- Take a dry clean container, into which we first pour sand, and then cement. When preparing a large volume of plaster mortar at once, to facilitate further work, we fill it in layers.
- With a trowel, spatula or shovel (depending on the volume of material) mix the dry components until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
- Then pour in water. This should be done gradually, in small portions, constantly stirring the solution to avoid the formation of large lumps.
- To speed up the work, you can use a mixer attachment for a drill. In this case, it is worth working at low speeds, since too intensive mixing leads to stratification of the solution.
Manual mixing is possible for small portions.
- The main trick in cement plaster is choosing the optimal consistency. It is very important that the material retains mobility, but at the same time is not fluid, otherwise the plaster immediately after application will slide from the walls.
Counseling! It is worthwhile to mix the trial portion of the solution first when creating the composition for the first time in order to assess its qualities. We retain and apply the proper proportion of wet to dry components in the future.
Finding the ideal consistency is simplest to do through experimentation.
Gypsum
Plasters based on gypsum are available for purchase as dry mixtures that are ready to use and have a verified ratio of filler to binding. All we can do is properly knead the material until it reaches the ideal consistency.
Be mindful! Since gypsum compositions are relatively inexpensive, trying to knead such plaster by hand will not save you even a pennies. In any event, compared to factory production, the material quality will be lower, and it will be more challenging to locate appropriate components locally.
Among the most widely used combinations on a gypsum binder
The following algorithm is used when preparing the gypsum plaster mixture:
- Take a wide clean vessel (it is convenient to use a special construction bucket made of thick plastic) and pour into it the volume of water specified in the instructions for the mixture. Optimum liquid temperature + 10 – 15 0 C.
- Pour in the dry component of the mixture, evenly distributing it over the entire area of the water mirror.
Crucial! The bottom layer will almost certainly continue to be under-moistened if you do the opposite and add water to the dry composition, which will cause the composition to become stratified. Thus, we will have extra liquid at the bottom, which will come in very handy when the job is finished. The plaster mixture will eventually dry out, allowing the material from the bottom of the bucket to just reach the ideal moisture content when we need it.
- Take a drill with a nozzle and mix the composition, avoiding its stratification.
To expedite the task, utilize a drill.
- It is advisable to use up the entire prepared volume in 30-40 minutes, since then the binder will begin to set. Naturally, you should never repeat diluting the plaster mixture with water – the mechanical characteristics of the coating made from such a material will deteriorate greatly.
Lime
Choosing a binder is the first step in making lime plaster mortar. It’s great if you have excellent lime dough, but if not, you can make it yourself.
Lime slaking. The picture illustrates how quickly the process happens.
- Pour quicklime into a barrel or box to about 1/4 of the total volume.
- Take clean water and fill the lime with it to half the capacity.
Kindly take note! It only needs to be lightly moistened if slow-slaking lime is used.
- During the reaction, the volume of the material will increase.
- After completing the preliminary quenching, add water, dilute the composition to the consistency of lime milk and pour it into a special tank. Usually, a hole dug in the ground is used as such a reservoir.
- After 24 hours, pour sifted sand into the lime, and lay an earthen “castle” on top – a layer of soil up to 0.5 m thick.
- We keep the material for two to three weeks. During this time, the slaking process is completely completed, and the milk is transformed into lime dough, which has the consistency of fairly thick sour cream.
The dough is mixed in a container.
The preparation of the solution itself is a very straightforward process:
- Place the lime dough in a clean container.
- Sift the sand to remove large particles and organic debris.
- For 1 part of the dough, take from 4 (for spraying) to 1.5 (for covering) parts of sand.
- Stir the solution, achieving such a consistency that the lime mass sticks to the spatula in a thin layer.
Lime mortar has an almost infinite shelf life, in contrast to cement and gypsum compositions. The mass should be kept in a tightly closed container to prevent drying out. Before using, add a small amount of water and thoroughly mix.
Clay
As previously mentioned, fireplaces and stoves are finished with clay plasters.
They are constructed as follows:
Soak the clay beforehand.
- First, prepare the components: take clean clay, sifted sand and salted (tablespoon per bucket) water. Instead of salted water, you can use skim milk to prepare the solution – skim milk, which is a waste product of the dairy industry and is very inexpensive.
- Before starting to prepare the plaster mass, clean the dry clay from plant residues and soak it in water.
- Let it stand for two days, drain the water and thoroughly mix the clay until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
- Add sand to the clay (in small portions), and then pour in skim milk or salted water.
The material ought to be substantial, yet flexible.
Counseling! The ideal weight ratio for clay and sand is one to three. Occasionally, a fatter solution of 1:1.5) is prepared for covering.
- Clay plaster must be tested by applying it to a small area of the surface. If the material cracks after drying, add sand, if it crumbles when touched, increase the clay content.
- The material dries slowly, so it can be stored for 3-5 days. Naturally, to prevent drying, the container with the solution must be hermetically sealed.
Utilizing the substance in finishing furnaces
Combined
We might require a combination solution, such as lime or cement plus gypsum, to address a number of issues. In its preparation, alabaster or dry gypsum is utilized.
Dry gypsum for construction materials
- Divide the finished solution based on lime or cement into two equal portions.
- Place the first portion in a clean, dry container.
- Pour in the alabaster and mix the material very quickly.
- Place the second part of the solution in the container and mix again.
The material needs to be applied as soon as possible after preparation—within five to ten minutes—because gypsum accelerates the polymerization of lime or cement binder. This indicates that the mixture needs to be made in tiny amounts and stirred continuously afterward to prevent it from setting too quickly.
Prices for plaster mixes and their components
Plastering is one type of work that should have a budget set aside early in the planning stages of any renovation. At this point, the table will be helpful to you as it provides an estimated cost of the materials needed to prepare solutions as well as ready-made mixtures:
Ornamental arrangement on a cement foundation
Material | Unit of measurement | Average cost, rubles |
Eurocement M-400 | 50 kg | 245 – 300 |
Quicklime | 50 kg | 280 – 350 |
Lime dough | 20 kg | 170 – 200 |
Refractory clay "Pechnik" | 20 kg | 240 – 500 |
Sifted river sand | 1 t | 350 – 700 |
Knauf Diamant plaster | 25 kg | 350 – 420 |
Gypsum plaster Teplon Unis | 30 kg | 280 – 350 |
Vetonit TT plaster mix | 25 kg | 360 – 450 |
Heat-resistant plaster "Terracotta" | 25 kg | 410 – 480 |
Clay-based composition that resists fire
Binder | Cement, lime, or gypsum; typically 1 part binder. |
Filler | Sand or fine aggregate; usually 3-5 parts filler. |
Solvent | Water; add until the mixture reaches a workable consistency. |
Additives | Plasticizers or fibers; used in small amounts to improve workability or strength. |
A smooth and long-lasting finish in plastering depends on using the proper mix. Every part, from the filler that adds bulk and structure to the binder that keeps everything together, is essential. Selecting the appropriate solvent guarantees that the mixture can be worked, and additives can improve particular characteristics like strength or drying time.
It’s important to comprehend these elements’ proportions. Problems like cracking, poor adhesion, or an uneven surface can result from using too much or too little of any one ingredient. It’s important to understand how the materials interact and make adjustments based on the particulars of your project, rather than merely following a recipe.
You put yourself in a successful position by taking the time to properly prepare your plastering solution. The proper combination will facilitate application while also enhancing the quality and durability of the finish. Remember that the cornerstone of any excellent plastering job is a well-prepared solution.