Relief plaster and methods of its application

Gusevsky Andrey Anatolyevich

Stucco Relief

Relief plasters have been used for wall decoration for several centuries. Over time, only the direction of design and variety, and the origin of the patterns on it changed. But to this day, when room decoration with the help of designers has firmly entered into fashion, relief decorative plaster remains the most demanded product in decorating and creating a unique design.

Today we will tell how this material is applied. Also, the video in this article and photo will provide additional information.

Relief plaster and its features

Decorative relief stucco creates not just a pattern on the plane, but it also aligns the surface.

Finishing materials can be divided into two types:

• Leveling mixtures, the purpose of which is to hide imperfections on machined surfaces (see Alignment of walls with plaster according to all the rules).
• Relief stucco. The purpose of this plaster is aesthetic or decorative.

Before deciding to apply it, you should immediately familiarize yourself with its advantages:

• Relief stucco is unique. From Venetian plaster it is distinguished by a huge variety of drawings and patterns. In addition, having excellent ductility, you can experiment with various configurations to obtain a unique design.
• In addition to changing relief patterns on such plaster, various combinations and combinations can be used. We get a huge field for experiments from playing with light, painting, polishing this type of plaster - to create a unique design.
• The wall can easily be represented as a blank sheet of paper on which a work of art is being created. And the painting process is not difficult - you just have to decide on the shade, buy a color scheme and get to work.
• Another advantage of this coating is the protection of the walls from environmental influences. From a practical point of view, relief plaster is an excellent material for sound insulation and thermal insulation. In addition, if you have uneven walls (a tribute to modern construction) with this material, you can fix or hide small imperfections or bends and make a panel or bas-relief of decorative plaster (see How is a panel made of decorative plaster).

Application on the walls of finished products

External relief plaster is applied in several stages, it looks as follows:

Determined with the type of application and preparation of plaster

DIY wall decoration it is quite possible to make the finished mixture, it is available for sale. It is divided divided into structural and textured.

• Textured mixtures are very flexible and it is from them that such wonderful design elements as bas-reliefs appear. Creating a relief on the background - produced using special tools.
• Structural plaster creates relief various patterns with the help of crystals, which are in the composition and have a different configuration and size. After application under the influence of a grater - the room acquires a unique and unique design.

The structural mixture most popular for sales in construction stores called “Bark beetle” has as a pattern - moves, similar to those made by bark beetles in a tree. This is achieved by grinding minerals.

• For the preparation of such mixtures on the packaging there is an instruction. Because as the basis is taken the solidification time of the product. Further work with the remains of the frozen product will be impossible.
• Example: if you can’t work out a certain amount of mortar in 50-60 minutes (time is given for “Bark beetle” plaster), then do not be lazy and knead small portions.
• The curing time of all solutions is different and depends on the substance used in it. Gypsum dries quickly enough, and cement-based plasters require hardening for about 12 hours.

Tips for applying the mortar to the wall

When applying plaster, specialists, as a rule, adhere to a certain algorithm:

• Preparation of the processed wall
• First coat application - foundation
• Terrain definition
• Facing painting

Surface preparation

In principle, all wall decoration work can be completely done with your own hands. Only it is necessary to qualitatively prepare the base plane.

We prepare the walls for applying plaster

So:

• We remove all residues from the surface planned for applying textured plaster. Wallpaper, paint, the previous layer of cladding - all this must be removed. How to determine whether or not to remove the old plaster.
• If you see that with physical effort it crumbles, with a hammer tapping over the entire area a dull sound appears - it means that there are voids under it. Removing such plaster is unambiguous.
• If during physical impact it remains in place, does not crumble at all or slightly, and when tapped with a hammer, the sound is crisp and clear, then it is permissible to leave such plaster in place. Moreover, regardless of the previous operation, it is necessary to inspect the wall for mechanical damage.
• Chips, cracks, potholes are unacceptable, and they should be covered with a small amount of solution. After the wall has been restored and has a uniform surface, and the solution on it has completely dried up, a thorough treatment of this surface with a primer is necessary.
• Different types of primers are used for various wall materials: for concrete walls - mineral, for brick - acrylic.An important point: remember that before priming, the surface to be treated should be thoroughly cleaned - otherwise the level of penetration into the walls will not be so deep.
• When the primer dries (the drying time should also be indicated on the package, but may also vary from the passage of fresh air), it is recommended to apply an antiseptic to the wall to prevent the formation of fungus in the future.

Foundation layer

If work on the dismantling of the previous layer of plaster was not carried out, then proceed immediately to the decorative solution. Otherwise, it is necessary to apply a certain amount of layer to level the surface. Moreover, the decorative mortar is not used for the leveling layer, since this is deprived of practicality and will be quite expensive for the budget.

Application of the starting layer of plaster

• For the first layer, mixtures with good astringent characteristics of the substances contained in them are used. It is strongly not recommended to use mixtures based on gypsum or clay, since they have increased fragility and do not tolerate moisture. Cement-based plaster can quite easily cope with this task.
• After mixing the plaster, it is necessary to apply it on the wall, while at the same time leveling it. If you do not have much experience in diluting such solutions, you need to seek help from specialists or buy finished products in a hardware store. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting a rather heterogeneous composition, which will affect both practical use and significantly spoil the appearance and aesthetic pleasure.
• If the treated wall has a significant curvature, and the thickness of the first layer will be up to 7 centimeters. The application of such a solution will have to be done in two stages, observing the orientation of the beacons. The second run of the first layer is applied only after the first has completely dried. If the wall curvature is insignificant, then the solution is applied with a long tool (rule).

Create patterns and relief

Immediately after the base layer has dried, proceed to the next.

Apply relief to plaster

• The plaster is applied in exactly the same way as the leveling layer, but with the use of graters.
• The relief is formed in several ways - using special tools (wooden or metal), all kinds of metal brushes. If desired, the formation of the relief can even be done with your hands, allowing your imagination to relax.
• By applying a solution of crystals to the surface, the patterns will be formed on their own, all that is required from the artist is to level the surface with a special tool.

DIY embossed stucco video will help you find the right pattern.

To paint or polish?

This is a really tricky question. Is it appropriate to apply both methods? And then what will be the result?

There can be no single answer to this question. You have to decide on the basis of the proposed design of the room to create a harmonious and cozy interior.

So:

• If nevertheless you have chosen staining, then experts recommend the use of facade paint. It paints deep places well enough - highlighting them with a darker color, the hills will be painted with lighter tones. This is the emphasis on height differences. It is recommended to polish the walls with products containing wax. This type of processing gives the wall a glossy effect. This effect combines well with the use of textured cladding, perfectly highlighting the bas-reliefs.
• Remember one rule when using relief plaster: there are no rules! It is only necessary to observe the preparation of the surface and the preparation of the solution - everything else is limited only by the limits of your imagination, to create a unique and unique design of the room in which it will be comfortable. And of course, by the presence of a desire to design your unrealized talents on the wall!

You now know how to make relief stucco with your own hands, the main thing is not to rush and do everything carefully and apply high-quality material. Then the coating will serve you for many years.