It’s critical to know how much putty you’ll need for your walls in order to prevent shortages and waste. Acquiring the correct quantity can help you avoid wasting time and money, regardless of the size of the area you’re updating or renovating.
The type of putty, application technique, and wall condition are some of the factors that affect how much putty is required. While a broad estimate may be useful, it’s crucial to take these particulars into account as well.
In order to ensure that your project proceeds smoothly and effectively, this guide will walk you through the essential points to help you calculate the putty consumption per square meter.
Factors that affect material consumption
A wide variety of materials exist. The putty consumption per square meter needs to be calculated with each of them having a distinct purpose in mind. Thus, starting putty is used during the initial work when the walls are "roughly" prepared (sealing large irregularities, cracks). A finishing putty is used prior to the application of a decorative coating. There are additional types as well (based on their intended use), such as restoration work for different coatings or leveling the ceiling surface. The number that is needed will need to be determined separately.
Additionally, consideration should be given to the surface itself. It will therefore require a lot more mixture than a surface without such features if the wall has many irregularities, deep cracks, or height variations. As a result, an object must be initially constructed with the fewest possible flaws and distortions. It is important to remember the master’s experience when applying the foundational layer. After such work, many flaws will arise, requiring additional finishing mixture. The prepared solution’s quality as well as the condition of the surroundings are considered.
One crucial step in the process is figuring out the volume correctly. Ultimately, errors can occur not just in the smaller but also in the larger side. Subsequently, a substantial quantity of putty will be discovered to be unclaimed. Nothing can be done about it either. Applied to dry mixes is this. It might thus turn out that a significant amount more money was spent than anticipated.
Vital! Any computations that are "theoretical" must be updated in real time. Put another way, you can’t rely on them entirely because they only include average values that don’t take into consideration the surface’s actual condition.
Consumption rates on various surfaces
Typically, putty is used on the following surfaces:
- which have already been covered with plaster;
- finished with plasterboard sheets;
- others.
Plaster
The external environment indicators are immediately considered in the plastered surface rate calculation. As a result, work can only be done in the climate range that the mixture’s manufacturer has designated.
There is a standard rate of required material for a prepared surface with no major defects. A kilo of material (approximately) is needed for every square meter. This considers every condition that the manufacturer has specified.
Not to be overlooked when working with starting and finishing compounds is the fact that a lot depends on the layer thickness. Therefore, 1–1.2 kg/m2 of the primary mixture are required for a thickness of one millimeter. Additionally, you need 0.5–0.6 kg/m2 for a finishing coating with a maximum thickness of 0.5 mm. As a result, the consumption is more obvious the thicker and more layers there are.
For instance. It has small cracks and irregularities, like a wall. Its dimensions are 2.5 * 3.2 = 8 square meters. You can compute the result:
- We take into account the average consumption of the starting mixture per 1 mm, it is 1.1 kg / m2. The layer thickness will be 4 mm (4.4 kg / m2). We get that for 8 m2, with a 4 mm layer, you need: 8 * 4.4 = 35.2 kg – dry mix. BUT! Here you need to add an error of + 10%. Total: 35.2 + 10% = 38.7 kg.
- Based on the available data, we get the consumption of the finishing layer on the wall. Its thickness will be 1 mm. We get that (per 1 m2) you need 1.2 kg of the mixture. Total: 8 * 1.2 = 9.6 + 10% = 10.6 kg of dry mix.
Gypsum board
Applying a primer to its sheets is preferable as it will reduce the quantity of material needed. This rule applies to other surfaces as well. Thus, the amount of putty mix needed for it is as follows:
- Cement-based. The most expensive method, because per 1 square meter there is about 1.2 kg.
- With gypsum composition. Less expensive way. Consumption per 1m2 is approximately 1 kg.
- Polymer based. This material is the most expensive, but economical. Only 0.6 kg is needed per square meter.
It is much simpler to work with drywall. No special alignment will be needed if the installation was done correctly. Applying the finishing coat and sealing the nail heads and cracks are the most important tasks. It’s very convenient that you can calculate the mixture right away by taking the sheet’s dimensions into consideration.
Other surfaces
Walls are primed, as in previous instances. Thus, the amount of putty needed per square meter on a concrete surface is comparable to that of other surfaces. The most important thing is to take the layer’s thickness and quantity into account. It typically reaches a maximum of 1 cm in these types of tasks. Puttying is also done on wooden walls. You should only apply a very thin layer—no more than two millimeters—here.
Nota bene: There are other factors that affect puffy consumption. For example, a large amount of material could remain in a bucket or on a tool. For many others, applying the mixture would simply take too much time. You cannot use it once it hardens. When answering the question, "How much putty is required?" take this into account.
Starter putty
Putty made of gypsum is most frequently used. It can be used in a variety of ways for interior finishing. It uses between 0.8 and 1 kilogram per square meter on average. This pertains to a flawless surface. The layer may be as thick as 10 mm if they are present. The computation then indicates that the consumption can reach 9–10 kg/m2. A thickness like that indicates at least two overlaps. If not, the hardening solution will start to separate.
The type of surface, layer thickness, and type of putty used are all important considerations when figuring out how much putty is required per square meter of wall. Knowing these elements will enable you to calculate the appropriate amount, resulting in a seamless application that uses materials efficiently.
Finishing putty
The amount of putty used depends on the prior work completed. The consumption will drop dramatically if the base layer was applied correctly. It will typically be 1-2 mm. As a result, roughly 2 kg of material are used per square meter. The initial stage of wall preparation is a crucial procedure.
Type of Putty | Consumption per 1 m² |
Starting Putty | 1-1.5 kg |
Finishing Putty | 0.8-1 kg |
Universal Putty | 1-1.2 kg |
Specialty Putty (e.g., for joints) | 0.4-0.8 kg |
Calculating the proper putty dosage per square meter of wall is crucial to a successful and timely project. It guarantees that you won’t waste any material and that you’ll have enough to cover the surface adequately.
The ultimate amount will depend on various factors, including the kind of putty, wall condition, and the number of layers needed. You can avoid running out of material in the middle of a task and make more accurate calculations by being aware of these components.
You will be able to achieve a perfect wall finish if you have done your homework and have a clear idea of your unique needs.