Reinforcing mesh for plaster: how to apply
The reinforcing mesh for plaster is now used quite widely. This article will tell you how and why it is necessary to make reinforcement for plaster. Recently, reinforcing plaster with a mesh has become popular, popularly known as "Euro repair."
It has become much easier to surface, carefully apply building materials and use modern requirements and standards for repair. The range of capabilities and materials from construction products has also increased, and this is by no means the final version of construction treatments and repairs. The video in this article shows the entire process of doing this work.
The content of the article
Why reinforcement is done and how
Reinforced plaster mesh is used in this work to improve the quality of the coating. It is available for sale and has two types. Its price is not high and everyone can afford such costs.
But after installing it, get a quality coating. Especially if the work will be done with your own hands.
So:
- According to the European standard (this is not a prerequisite), the reinforcing stucco mesh is used in especially difficult cases. It is believed that reinforcement will improve the connection with the wall and protect the surface from the formation of cracks and irregularities. But in reality this is not so.
- To improve the adhesion of the plaster, thoroughly clean the wall with a primer. A grid will only help reduce the visibility of cracks, and not eliminate them completely. We will return to this issue.
- There are 2 types of grids: metal and plastic. But there is already a third kind - a fiberglass mesh (see Fiberglass plaster mesh - types and scope).
- Metal, in turn, is used for plastering surfaces with many defects (such as bumps, protrusions, cracks, which may exceed 5 centimeters in thickness). For such work, it is necessary to use a large amount of plaster, which after drying can swell and exfoliate. This is especially common when stuccoing clay without additives.
Attention: To avoid the situation indicated above, a reinforcing plaster mesh with a large cell and with a gap width of more than 10 mm is used. This is the standard mesh for this type of plaster. In the case of using plastic stacks, the structure of the mesh can be damaged due to the load and aggressive material that will be applied to it. Plastic mesh should be used only for gypsum plaster, which has a small weight.
- It is reasonable to apply a painting plaster reinforcing mesh with a cell width of up to 3 mm when finishing the walls, or plastering with a gypsum mixture of already smooth and defective walls.
- According to the standards, the thickness of the applied plaster mixed with the gypsum mixture should be no more than 15 mm. This will allow the plaster to lie in one layer without any problems.
- When reinforcing the wall, the grid should be recessed into freshly applied plaster sections in depth with a ratio of 2/3 to the entire layer and overlap at least 100 mm (place where two reinforced meshes intersect - overlap should be at least 200 mm).
- Reinforce plaster on the wall, most often recommend not continuous, but only in the place where there is a pair of different finishing surfaces and their elements.If you put a plaster layer on the ceiling, or work in a building that was just built and did not shrink, it is best to reinforce the entire surface area.
What plaster nets are recommended for repair
The most important nuance that a master should follow when choosing a plaster grid is to take into account the thickness of the plaster when applying it.
Attention: The lowest points on the ceiling are calculated (using a laser or building level) in order to evaluate the thickness of the future layer of plaster. From this moment, the volumes of consumable material begin to be calculated.
- After making measurements for further repairs, use one of the options shown below:
- Plaster is not more than 20 mm and there is no rust at the base of the ceiling and wall - it is allowed to use plaster without a grid and proceed to mount the beacons.
- If rusty is used on the surface, it is best to use a fiberglass stucco mesh in order to protect the surface from future cracks and better bonding between the wall and the plaster.
- If the layer of the applied system of material exceeds 30 mm, as indicated above, a metal reinforcing mesh is used (see Plaster grid steel - types and application) The installation of such a grid will protect the surface from peeling during drying.
- If the ceiling surface is uneven and the level of the applied plaster is more than 50 mm, it is recommended to abandon the plaster altogether, and use a suspended or suspended ceiling.
Metal mesh mount
Plaster with a reinforcing mesh is applied according to certain rules. The reinforcing mesh under the plaster is attached using self-tapping screws, in some cases dowels can also be used.
So:
- Before you begin to attach the grid under the plaster, the grid must be cut to the required size and wall measurements, treated with acetone or solvent.
- They always start from the ceiling, fixing the upper edges along the length with the help of self-tapping screws and strengthening the fastening with mounting tape.
- If the wall is concrete or brick, we prepare the hole for the screws in advance and install the dowels.
- We fix the panel over the entire surface of the ceiling, placing the fasteners in a checkerboard position along the length of 400-500 mm.
- At the joints, an intersection of 80-100 mm with each other should be made.
Attention: To speed up the installation of metal mesh, it is recommended to use a dowel - a nail. They, unlike the usual expansion bolt shield, are hammered with a hammer in several blows and do not require additional electrical appliances.
Fiberglass backing
Reinforcing mesh for plaster may well be not metal.
- If the fastening is carried out on a fiberglass mesh, the base should be fixed only at several points of the ceiling, starting from the edge and stretching the fastening with screws along the wall and ceiling.
- Mounting tape is suitable for additional fixation, but it is usually completely useless in such types of work. Self-tapping screws will effectively fix the position, and the plaster is applied without much difficulty. It does not even depend on the thickness of the leveling layers.
Note: Such reinforcing mesh for plaster is sold in rolls. Masters recommend unwinding a roll of canvas and fastening it along the length of the wall, observing the parallelism to the floor.
- Installation should begin from the corner and along the upper joint between the wall and the ceiling.
- At the joints, we provide for the imposition of a panel among themselves.
- If you use one-piece panels of mesh for leveling the coating, you can achieve high strength and reliability of the structure, so you should not cut the mesh, but leave large pieces of canvas.
Reinforced plaster allows you to apply a large layer and at the same time it will stay on the surface for a long time.So before starting work, you should study the photo and make a plan for the work. The instruction will help you in this matter.
