You can do without leveling the ceiling with putty only if you decide to use newfangled stretch, suspended or slatted ceilings as a ceiling covering. If you opted for the classic version of a painted or wallpapered ceiling or a suspended plasterboard structure, there are no options here: putty is absolutely necessary. To understand how to putty the ceiling with your own hands, detailed instructions and a master class will help you.
Choosing putty
To begin with, let's find out what putty to putty the ceiling.
The putty mixture can be:
- cement (moisture resistant, well levels);
- gypsum (easy to use, easy to grind, only for dry rooms, quickly hardens);
- polymer (for finishing leveling, has a long setting time, suitable for inexperienced craftsmen).
Also, putties are divided into:
- starting - for leveling the surface with differences from 0.5 to 5 cm;
- finishing - applied in a thin layer, allow you to get a flat and smooth surface;
- universal - can replace the first two mixtures when finishing the ceiling with minimal irregularities.
Some experts recommend using Knauf's Rotband instead of starting putty, a dry plaster mixture with excellent adhesive properties. Using Rotband, you can not only putty problematic surfaces, such as painted ones, but also combine the operations of plastering and starting puttying the ceiling with serious flaws.
To understand which putty is best for the ceiling, when choosing, pay attention to the following characteristics:
- Hardening time - the longer the better, especially if you do not have puttying experience.
- Drying time - if each layer dries for a long time, the repair may be delayed.
- Moisture resistance parameters - if you are going to putty the ceiling in the bathroom or in the kitchen, choose moisture resistant putty.
- Flexibility - for easy application.
- Strength indicators.
Tools
The set of tools with which the ceiling is putty is quite simple and includes:
- 3 spatulas (the first is up to 60 cm wide, the second is 10–12 cm, the third is narrow for hard-to-reach places);
- roller and container for the primer composition;
- a bucket of 15–20 liters for preparing a solution;
- drill with a nozzle for mixing putty mixture;
- sandpaper or mesh for grinding.
We prepare the surface
Puttying the ceiling will allow you to get a good result only with high-quality surface preparation, which is as follows:
- The old finish is removed from the ceiling. Whitewash and wallpaper - with water, paint - with a washer and a spatula or drill with a nozzle.
Tip: old putty, like paint, does not need to be removed. If you hear a dull sound when tapping the surface with the spatula handle, this area must be cleaned of putty, a sonorous sound indicates a good adhesion.
- The surface is cleaned of any contaminants, including mold. Use a disinfectant solution: copper sulfate or a special preparation.
- The state of the surface is assessed. Necessary repair cracks and gaps between tiles, potholes. To do this, they need to be expanded, treated with a deep penetration primer, and then filled with plaster or putty, preferably based on latex. After drying, the seams or damaged areas are reinforced with sickle.
Important! Be sure to wait for the surface to dry before each subsequent step.
- If there are large differences, puttying the ceiling is done only after leveling with plaster.
- A primer for a deep penetration ceiling is applied on the surface in two layers.The second layer should be passed after the first one has dried, working with a roller in a perpendicular direction.
A few words about primer
Ceiling primer - the most important stage of preparation for puttying, which must be treated with due attention. A deep penetration ceiling primer will not only reduce putty consumption, but also strengthen the base and enhance adhesion, which is especially important for a horizontal ceiling surface.
Antibacterial and moisture-resistant deep penetration primers are suitable for the ceiling in the bathroom, such as:
- Ceresit CT 99;
- Olympic Grundierung;
- Milkill.
The plasterboard ceiling can be primed with quick-drying compounds of the following brands:
- "Bolars";
- "Optimist";
- Knauf;
- Unis.
Primers for concrete floor slabs that protect against moisture penetration:
- "Ceresite";
- "Optimist";
- "Bolars";
- Axton.
Instead of these compounds, a blocking primer consisting of white spirit and acrylic copolymers can be used. It provides excellent adhesion even on smooth surfaces, is water resistant and does not saponify.
Ceiling plastering technology
How to properly putty the ceiling so that it turns out perfectly even?
For work, you will need two types of mixture: starting and finishing, although you can use a universal one.
- For the base layer, a coarse starting composition is used, which copes well with various defects.
- The final layer is done with a finishing compound.
Note! There can be several layers of putty of each type, their number depends on the degree of unevenness of the ceiling and on the required quality of the final coating.
Preparing the mixture
If a dry mix is used, the putty must be closed, i.e. cook. Without going into details, mentioning all putty mixing tricks, you need to do the following:
- Pour water into the container in the required amount (see instructions on the package).
- Pour putty into the water.
- Wait about 5 minutes, then mix the putty with a mixer.
- Make sure that the consistency resembles liquid sour cream, adjust the density if necessary.
- After 15–20 minutes, stir the infused solution and use as directed.
Puttying process
Puttying the ceiling with your own hands is done using the following technique.
- With a narrow spatula, putty is drawn from the container and distributed in the center of a large spatula with a sliding motion.
- A large spatula is placed on the surface and pulled towards you until the mixture remains on the ceiling. The optimal angle of the spatula is 20-30 degrees. Some time after the start of work, you will understand how to properly putty the ceiling and be able to handle the spatula more confidently.
- Repeat the same steps further, maintaining the same pressure on the spatula. Narrow stripes remaining after the spatula are best rubbed immediately with the next movement.
In order for the putty to dry quickly after application, and subsequently not crack, the layer should not be thicker than 5 mm.
Important points:
- In order to putty the ceiling surface as evenly as possible, start from the area adjacent to the window: it will be easier to immediately see your shortcomings.
- To understand how to putty a plasterboard ceiling, you need to familiarize yourself with the general drywall plastering technology - there are no special differences from the surface treatment of the walls in this case.
- Putty plasterboard ceiling under the wallpaper is also mandatory, and must be carried out in full, not limited to the processing of joints and attachment points.
If you're wondering "how to putty a ceiling for painting”, keep in mind that the technique for applying the mixture will be the same. The difference is as follows:
- in the thoroughness and accuracy of the work;
- in the number of putty layers: at least 2 layers of starting and finishing mixture are required;
- as a polish.
Grinding
12 hours after the plastered ceiling has dried, you can start sanding it. You can do this with sandpaper, and even better - properly selected grout mesh. After finishing the sanding procedure, apply another coat of primer to the surface.
Keep in mind that the sanding process is very dusty - protect your eyes, respiratory organs, as well as floors and furniture in the room.
You can get a visual representation of the process of puttying the ceiling by reading the detailed master class on the video.
