Putty - a building substance in the form of a paste, designed to level ceilings and walls before further finishing. In its composition it has film-forming elements, coloring pigments and fillers that have the properties to fill and eliminate cracks, as well as level uneven surfaces. For a clear leveling of the surfaces in the room where the repair is being carried out, it is first of all important to know how to spread the putty and observe the correct mixing proportions. In addition, it is necessary to be able to use putty correctly, know the methods and technology of its preparation, mixing features (consistency density), important rules for using and working with this mixture, and also understand the types of putty.
Types of putty
- Putties prepared for use. Sold in finished form in plastic buckets. The peculiarity of this substance is short-term storage.
- Dry mix - designed for kneading. Sold in bags and is the most common use case. The advantage of dry mixes is a low and affordable price, convenient transportation, the ability to prepare any degree of viscosity you need, as well as a long shelf life. The disadvantage of dry types of materials is that the resulting mass must be applied to the surface as soon as possible after kneading, to prevent its hardening.
Types of binder
- Cement. Putty with a cement base is characterized by high water resistance, and it is intended for use in rooms with a high level of humidity. The disadvantage of such a substance is precipitation after application to the surface, after which it is necessary to apply an additional layer. Also, this type of relatively slowly hardens, which may cause small microcracks.
- Polymer. This type is the best and highest quality coating, but fakes are often found due to the high price.
- Gypsum. This species does not sag. It can be applied in a thin layer. The disadvantage of this type of substance is the fear of temperature and moisture changes.
The choice of putty
- Starting - designed for primary surface treatment of window and door slopes, walls and eliminate irregularities. Often starting putty used instead of plaster. With the correct dilution of putty, good adhesion of the substance to the surface can be achieved, which is much better than that of plaster. The advantage of this type of solution is the speed of drying. For example, plaster becomes in 25-28 days, and starting putty in 3-5 days.
- Putty for applying the second layer - designed to apply a thin layer of a few millimeters. Consists of fine-grained fractions. Sold in convenient plastic bags, and is used in the last stages of applying the material to walls and other surfaces. This type of substance is very convenient to knead.
- Special putty - designed for special needs. The purpose is indicated on the package. There are several types: acid-resistant and waterproofing.
Preparation of putty
The preparation of putty is a very responsible process, since in order to know how to properly dilute the substance, it is necessary to understand for what stage of finishing work it is necessary.
The starting putty should have a thick consistency, to be applied in a very thick layer, which will hide any uneven defects in walls or other surfaces. Thickness layering on walls or the ceiling can be up to 5 cm, so the material must be applied in several layers.In order for the solution not to “float” and set too quickly, it must be diluted with clean river sand, observing a 1: 1 ratio. This method is used exclusively for interior finishing work on gypsum mixtures. A good, thick layer of applied material on walls or ceilings should not shrink, warp or crack.
Finishing putty has high requirements and preparation technology. For interior finishing work, mixtures prepared on the basis of gypsum are used. Experts say that the dry fraction should be very fine, so that the coating of walls or other surfaces will be perfectly smooth.
To prepare the mixture, it is necessary to prepare
- Capacity. For kneading, you need a capacious plastic bucket or any container of a convenient shape. If there is no plastic container, you can use any galvanized or enameled container. But it is the plastic container that is best suited, since it is very convenient to knead in it.
- Next, you need to prepare clean water at room temperature without debris, dust and rust.
- In order to qualitatively dilute the mixture, the best option is to use a drill with a nozzle. The drill should have a soft start mode in order not to splash the room, and rotation in both directions. The ideal stirring speed for the mixture is 600 rpm, which will help to mix well and saturate the mixture with air bubbles. If such a drill is not available, it can be rented from a supermarket or tool supply company for as long as you need. If options with a drill are not possible, you can stir by hand, but this is a very laborious process.
- You will also need a paint brush, a container of water and a small spatula.
- A container with water, designed to wash the nozzle from the drill.
How to breed putty, step by step instructions
- It is necessary to fill the mixing container with water in the amount indicated on the package.
- Next, you need to wet the walls of the container, as they should be wet.
- Pour putty into the water in an amount according to the instructions.
- The mixture should stay in water without stirring for 5 minutes, it should become sour.
- Next, you can start the mixing process. If necessary, add more mixture or water.
- Rinse off unused putty from the edges of the bucket. This can be done with a spatula or brush. Stir further by moving the nozzle from the drill clockwise and counterclockwise, up and down.
- Pull out the drill and dip it into a container of water, turning it on at low speed to wash the nozzle (if this is not done in time, the nozzle will remain in the putty).
- The resulting consistency needs 15 minutes to infuse, after which you need to add a few tablespoons of PVA glue, which will strengthen the consistency, give elasticity and softness.
- Mix again and you can use the resulting solution for its intended purpose.
