For internal and exterior finish buildings, different materials are used, and among them a worthy place is occupied by finishing and textured plasters, which create a certain relief. Most of them go under painting after drying, although in some mixtures the color is added when it is kneaded, so that the color is ready in advance.
Below we will talk about how to prepare and apply such solutions, and also watch the thematic video in this article as an addition.
Meet - decorative plaster
Definition. It is customary to call textured or figured plaster a decorative finish with granular filler granules.
Sometimes the relief surface (texture) is made with ordinary putty using a trowel, spatula, or simply with your hands.
Varieties and features
- For granular fillers that determine the texture or pattern of the surface, an astringent base is required, and for this different kinds materials . These can be mineral (lime-cement), silicate (potassium silicate), latex and acrylic binders.
- Fillers or granules for textured putties are most often crumbs (screenings) of natural and artificial minerals, but it can also be crumbs of flax, cotton, wood, and the like. Depending on the filler, of course, not only appearance finishes, but the price of the material. According to the drawing, such plasters can be divided into three main types of patterns, these are a fur coat, a lamb and a bark beetle.
- has great popularity, which is growing every day and this is not just a fashion trend, but a reasonable desire to get high-quality decor that will not need to be changed long years. In addition, such plasters are easy to care for - they can be washed with detergents, a rag, a sponge, and even a jet of water from a hose (outside).
Preparatory work
It doesn’t matter at all where it will be - inside the building or outside - both there and there the wall must be even before the start of finishing work. For leveling walls, cement or polymer putties are used, but the cheapest and most reliable way is cement-sand beacon plaster.
To do this, the surface must first be cleaned of old finishing materials such as lime, paint or loose plaster. After that, the wall is swept from dust with a broom or brush and covered with a primer. After the latter has dried (from two to four hours), beacons are set up. The profiles are installed on the same solution that will be used to level the walls in a dotted way or on a path from the mixture strictly according to the level.
The distance between them is determined by which you will work in this moment, that is, the step should be 10-15 cm less than the length of the instrument.
If the surface differences are more than 50 mm, then before the start of the plaster, a cape should be made (without leveling) so that the leveling solution does not slip from the wall. After the cape, you can plaster the very next day. Before applying decorative putty, the cement-sand mortar must dry and this usually takes three weeks (21 days).
Recommendation. If such work is carried out in hot sunny weather, then after they are completed, the wall must be sprayed daily with water. Otherwise, it will be covered with cracks.
In addition, in order to reduce the consumption of decorative putty per unit area, the next day after plastering, rub the wall with a grater or half a trowel.
Firstly, you will get rid of shells on the surface, and, secondly, the solution will not crack when solidified.
Preparing the mixture
It is not for nothing that we pay attention to the preparation of the putty mixture solution, since the quality of the finish and the convenience of its application depend on it. Of course, there should be instructions from the manufacturer on the packaging, but there the main attention is paid to proportions. We want to talk about the duration and methods of kneading.
The kneading is done in a plastic rubberized or galvanized (enamelled) metal bucket using a low-speed electric drill with a putty mixer (not for paint).
If you do not have such a drill, then in this case you can use a conventional power tool, but at the same time set the wheel for adjusting the number of revolutions to the lowest possible position. That is, if you set it to the full minimum, then the engine will not have enough power to rotate the mixer in a thick mass - you need to choose the golden mean.
First, 1/3 of the water is poured into the bucket, and then the powder is poured in the required proportion and stirred for five to seven minutes, and then left for five minutes to settle - this is how the whole mass soaks without exception. Then the settled mixture is beaten again for one or two minutes and then the solution is ready for use.
Recommendation. At one time, you should stir such an amount of the solution that you have time to work out within 20-25 minutes without a trace.
The fact is that the putty will begin to set, which will prevent you from applying it to the surface, and repeated whipping is not recommended.
If you mix the solution after setting, then its molecular structure is disturbed, as a result of which it solidifies for a very long time, and then loses its density and crumbles.
Finishing work
After the leveling layer has set, a layer of primer is applied over it and allowed to dry - this can take from two to six hours, depending on the humidity and air temperature. The mixture on the wall can be spread with a spatula directly from the bucket, but you can use a construction falcon for this, as shown in the photo above (you do not have to bend over to the bucket every time).
Also, for applying plaster to the wall, you can use two spatulas - small (10-12 cm) and large (30-40 cm) - narrowly applied to a wide one, and then applied to the wall.
In any case, you can’t get by with one spatula, since you need a wide blade to spread the mixture over the surface (you can also use a malka), and a narrow one to pick up the solution from a bucket. Modern spatulas are made of stainless steel, so no impurities remain in the putty (they used to be made of ordinary metal and rusted).
To give the texture the proper look in a decorative sense, the plaster is rubbed with an ordinary grater in certain direction. That is, due to a certain direction, granular granules furrow the surface, while creating a pattern or pattern that will depend on your desire, or rather, on the movements of your hand.
You can also create a direction of grooves in one direction, and then, on top, create another direction that intersects the previous one.
You can also create a relief surface with your own hands in the literal sense of the word - after applying the plaster on the rough base, make directional movements with your hand, as shown in the top photo. They also use an ordinary clothes brush for this - after it there are very beautiful directional grooves.
Conclusion
White or grey colour textured plaster, most likely will not suit your taste, so the right color will come to your aid, which is sometimes added directly to the mixture, and sometimes applied to the surface.
Also, sometimes the surface is tinted with two or three shades, highlighting each level of relief (foam rubber sponges, brushes, brushes and paint rollers are used for this). And, of course, as with any plaster, here you can use a stencil, which can make significant changes in the design of your interior.
To create in a room original design walls, it is not necessary to use decorative plasters. You can make side surfaces with an interesting texture from ordinary putty. A creative approach to design allows you to save money on the purchase of expensive materials and express your individuality. Familiarization with the sequence of work and methods of finishing will help you choose the best option for creating an original interior with your own hands.
Preparatory stage
A carefully prepared wall surface helps to extend the period of operation of decorative plaster made from ordinary putty. The alignment of the walls does not have to be brought to an ideal state; the textured finish skillfully masks minor flaws. To eliminate significant differences, gypsum putty or sand-cement mixture. Gypsum mortars are classified as more modern materials are easier to work with.
Important ! The use of gypsum-based compositions is possible in conditions of moderate humidity, in other cases, cement mixtures are used.
The entire procedure for preparing the surface for applying decorative plaster with your own hands, the basis for which is putty, consists of the following steps:
- First, the wall is cleaned of dust and various contaminants, the old finishing layers in the form of wallpaper, paint or plaster are removed.
- If there is a predisposition to cracking, reinforcement must be made on the wall with a plaster mesh. A reliable surface is immediately coated with a deep penetration primer.
- To improve the quality of the further layer of decorative plaster allows a pre-applied starting layer of putty. There is no need to treat the wall with a finishing solution.
- The drying time of the solution depends on its composition and the surrounding climate. You can proceed to the formation of decorative plaster after a certain period, which lasts from 4 hours to 2 days.
- Before applying decorative plaster with your own hands, the walls again need to be treated with a primer on the surface of the starting putty. These measures improve the adhesion of the adjacent layers.
Before you start creating your own masterpiece, you should choose the processing method you like, prepare the tools, calculate the need for materials and purchase them in required quantity. One of the options for finishing the wall with putty, which successfully imitates decorative plaster, is shown in the following video:
Ways to decorate walls
Upon completion of the preparatory procedures, they begin to form a mixture for decorative plaster with their own hands. The usual putty and grout for joints are poured into the container in a ratio of 1: 1, cold water pour in gradually until a thick solution is obtained.
Remark ! The mixture for decorative finishing should not flow down the walls. Stick to the consistency of the selected texture.
There are several ways to form a texture pattern:
- using a roller;
- using a notched trowel;
- using ready-made stencils;
- brush, trowel or other hand tools.
Formation of "Fish Scale"
Decor decorative trim, imitating fish scales, the whole room is not common. It is much better to focus on a section of the wall, using ordinary putty for this purpose. The thickness of the layer and the pedantry of the performer determine the final result of the original wall covering. The procedure for working on homemade decorative plaster is as follows:
- Putty 3-5 mm thick is applied to the surface of the wall, if you wish, you can make a more embossed image with your own hands, the layer can be increased.
- With a spatula 8-10 cm wide, starting from the corner of the area to be formed, a pattern is systematically applied. To do this, the tool forms recesses that form a checkerboard pattern along the diagonal. If the required lines are incorrectly applied to the decorative plaster, the oversight is easily corrected: the putty is gently smoothed out and the furrow is created anew.
- After complete drying, the surface of the wall is painted. Golden hues will help to emphasize the original relief of decorative plaster.
If you want to add variety to the facade of the building, imitation of fish scales can be done using semi-circular movements with a trowel, as shown in the photo below:
Familiar "fur coat" in a new way
The well-known relief of decorative plaster called "fur coat" can now be made by a new method. To form a textured surface with your own hands, you will need quite a bit: ordinary putty, a wide spatula, an impressive piece of plastic film or a trowel. Initially, it is necessary to apply a putty layer 2-4 mm thick on the surface to be decorated and evenly distribute it with a spatula. In the final version decorative plaster will be voluminous, so it makes no sense to strive for perfect smoothness.
Important ! Such a site should be processed in order to have time to use the induced solution and at the same time the imaginary decorative plaster did not have time to dry before the start of its construction.
You can get a relief structure in three ways:
- In the first case, the trowel is gently pressed into the putty and released. Thus, a rough surface is formed, resembling decorative plaster. In conclusion, too voluminous relief can be smoothed out with circular movements of the tool.
- Instead of a trowel, you can make a lump out of a piece of plastic film with dimensions of 30x30 cm, which is applied to freshly applied putty. The solution will stretch behind the polyethylene, creating bizarre spikes and successfully imitating the use of decorative plaster.
- If you want to have a less voluminous relief on the wall, the surface treated with ordinary putty is completely covered with polyethylene, tracking uniform contact. A day later, the film is removed and a moderately structured surface is contemplated, which is difficult to distinguish from a wall treated with decorative plaster.
The correct consistency of the putty solution is the key to a high-quality coating for decorative plaster. It should firmly adhere to the wall and reach well for the film. Therefore, at first it is better to do an experiment on a small separate area. It is worth noting that this method of applying putty is not acceptable for children's rooms, because the child's outdoor games can provoke scratches on delicate skin. How to decorate the facade of the building under a fur coat with your own hands, you can see in the following video:
Other methods
There are many more ways to turn a layer of ordinary putty into an original surface with decorative plaster. Here are a few of them:
Various reliefs help to create rollers with special nozzles. By treating them with a freshly applied layer of putty, a interesting texture. A few examples are shown in the photo below:
Even an ordinary fluffy roller, carried out once on a wall with putty, will create a non-uniform texture. If you want to reduce its volume, it is enough to carefully walk over the surface with a spatula.
Carrying out semicircular movements with a hard bristle brush, you can make an exclusive pattern, as in the following photo:
For a kind of “rose” pattern, you will need to prepare a special tool with your own hands. A ball crumpled from a newspaper is wrapped in thin polyethylene so as not to get wet. By applying a simple device to a newly applied layer of putty, a pattern resembling flowers is obtained.
Finishing
To give the putty layer a complete look and achieve a final resemblance to real decorative plaster, I paint the surface.
Advice ! The use of two matching shades of colors will help to emphasize the volume of the relief.
To begin with, with a long pile roller, paint the entire surface in a single color. After the starting layer has dried, they proceed to the final stage of transforming the putty into decorative plaster. Using a roller with a short pile, the protruding details of the relief are painted in a darker or lighter shade. After 30-40 minutes, you can add glaze, which is prepared from wallpaper glue and panel varnish. It is applied to decorative plaster with a sponge by plugging. In conclusion, the entire surface with applied putty is covered with acrylic varnish. One of the proposed ways to design a wall for decorative plaster is shown in the following video:
- Advantages of decorative plaster
- Materials and tools necessary for work
- Surface preparation
- The main methods of applying plaster
Decorative plaster is considered one of the most complex and beautiful types of indoor wall decoration. Despite the low cost of materials for work, this process is considered quite expensive in terms of labor intensity. Therefore, plaster decorative wall do-it-yourself will cost you several times cheaper if you decide to do the work yourself.
Types of decorative plaster: smooth, textured, embossed.
Advantages of decorative plaster
There are many different materials for finishing surfaces with decorative plaster. They differ in textures, shades and features of application. To better understand whether it makes sense to apply decorative plaster on the walls, it is advisable to consider its main features:
- Can be applied to any surface. The advantage of this finish is that plaster can be applied not only to brick or concrete walls, but also to wood, plastic or metal. If you properly prepare and carefully degrease the surface, you can achieve a very high-quality and durable result.
- Excellent masking properties. It is decorative plaster that can help almost perfectly mask all sorts of surface imperfections. This includes not only small grooves, but also significant cracks and irregularities. After all, with the right decor, even bumps can be turned into a stylish artistic idea.
- No seams or joints. Due to this, the surface will appear to be completely integral. This cannot be achieved with wallpaper. And even paint can not always guarantee such a result. Plaster will ensure the uniformity of the wall.
- High level of resistance to temperature extremes and fire. These are very important features. They make it possible to finish in this way in rooms with any microclimate. The main thing is that it can decorate walls located in the immediate vicinity of fireplaces and central heating radiators.
- Another important feature is resistance to moisture and fungus. As a rule, walls finished with decorative plaster can be safely washed even with the use of special products. Care should be taken only with solvents that can spoil the color if the plaster has not only a relief, but also a certain shade.
- High durability of the coating is ensured due to the combination of all of the above features. Such a finish can serve for many years without requiring repair. This can be achieved by observing the subtleties of the finish.
Decorative plaster withstands temperature extremes and perfectly resists mold.
The listed characteristics make it possible to use decorative plaster not only for internal works but also for external ones. At the same time, you can not be afraid at all that the coating will deteriorate from the influence of external environmental factors.
So, the main features of this coverage are considered. As you can already see, plaster has solid advantages. Of the shortcomings, only the high cost of the process and the complexity of working on individual patterns should be singled out. But if you decide to master everything on your own, then such shortcomings will not particularly worry you.
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Materials and tools necessary for work
Finishing in this way involves several stages, none of which can be excluded from the process. You should have the following materials and tools at hand:
- Soft cloth.
- Plaster container.
- A set of several spatulas. In addition to them, there must be a trowel. Without it, it will be almost impossible to depict the desired relief on the surface.
- Tassels.
- Rubbing sponge. There are three main types of sponges. The toilet sponge is quite soft, it is ideal for grouting. Coral sponge can be used to give a certain relief pattern. She is able to give a very interesting ornament on the wall. A horse sponge is perfect for a rough grout base. It can help in creating a beautiful relief.
- Several textured rollers.
- Stamps.
- Primer.
- cement mortar.
- Putty.
- Rubber gloves to protect hands from paint and grout.
- Stick for mixing plaster.
Tools for processing decorative plaster: a - cycles; b - nail brush; c - comb; g - roller; d - roller-shovnik; e - bush hammer.
Most important point is the choice of decorative plaster. It has several components. The first component is the pigment. It gives the plaster a certain shade. Pigments can be purchased separately. So you will have the opportunity to mix them, achieving the desired color.
Fillers and all kinds of modeling elements allow you to achieve relief. The larger the fraction of filler particles, the larger relief elements can be made (and vice versa). Polymer binders are the main functional elements of decorative plaster. It is on their quality that the durability of the future coating will depend. As a rule, the binders included in the composition plaster mixture, can be both organic and mineral.
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Surface preparation
Any art begins with their preparation. First you need to prepare the surface. Working with this type of finish does not imply anything particularly complicated. However, you need to take into account and fulfill the basic requirements for preparation.
First you need to remove from the wall all the fragile remnants of the mortar and other finishing materials. After that, you need to free the surface from dust, cover with a primer. When it is absorbed, get down to repairing cracks and large recesses. Too large cracks are sealed with ordinary cement mortar. Minor cracks, pits and pores can be covered with putty.
This is followed by the entire surface on which it is planned to apply the plaster, coat with a special cement putty. The layer should not be thick, but it does not need to be made transparent either. It makes no sense to achieve perfect evenness, because after decorating all minor defects will disappear on their own.
A layer of plaster should be applied over the putty. Beacons do not need to be used, as this is not necessary. Not ordinary plaster is used, but one that basically contains expanded vermiculite. Usually such mixtures are already sold in dry form. Before work, you just have to dilute them with the amount of water indicated on the package and mix well. When the solution dries, it is necessary to treat the surface with a deep penetration primer. When it is absorbed, the surface should be vacuumed.
Please note that if you are going to do Venetian plaster, then you do not need to prime the wall. The best option for a Venetian would be to use a sand substrate. To do this, you need to mix a small amount of ordinary quartz sand with acrylic paint, stir the composition well and carefully cover the entire surface with it. This will serve as the main base plaster. Instead of sand, you can still use pearl powder, but it will cost you a little more.
There are many options for finishing walls with finishing materials - these are wallpaper, paint, polymeric materials.
One of the modern and popular types of giving the walls of a house or office a cozy or presentable look is decorative plaster.
With all its advantages, this type of finishing materials has a significant drawback - high cost.
It is clear that you have to pay for the quality and beautiful appearance. But is it possible to reduce costs by using cheaper materials?
Yes, in this case there is. Do-it-yourself decorative plastering from ordinary putty will significantly reduce the cost of finishing work without compromising their quality.
Decorative plaster - what is it?
There are two types of plaster that should not be confused with each other - coating and decorative.
Coating is a homogeneous mass consisting of a mixture of cement, sand and water. It is intended for rough finishing of surfaces in order to level them. 
Subsequently, some finishing material is applied to it - wallpaper.
Decorative or textured is a homogeneous finishing material, the basis of which is the same cement. But due to the variety of additives, they distinguish:
- Gypsum;
- Mineral;
- Acrylic or polymer;
- silicate;
- Silicone.
A distinctive feature of this material is the presence of fillers in its composition to give a finish of various structures (cellulose fiber, stone chips, various pigments and plasticizers). 
Depending on the type of decorative plaster, you can give the walls a different design in color and texture.
In addition, it fulfills its main purpose - with its help, they hide their defects.
If ordinary, coating plaster is easy to prepare with your own hands immediately before use, then textured plaster is sold in hardware stores ready-made and is by no means a low price.
Is it possible to prepare this finishing material yourself, reducing costs, but without losing quality? The solution is to prepare decorative plaster with your own hands from ordinary putty.
putty
If you use ordinary putty as a finishing material, you can get a texture that is in no way inferior to the texture of decorative plaster.
True, at the same time, you will have to work a little on the finish coating, which gives the walls originality and beauty. 
A coating based on ordinary putty fits well on all types of surfaces - brick, aerated concrete.
The plasticizers added to the composition of modern putty mixtures make them very pliable and easy to use even for beginners.
Coatings based on such mixtures are strong and durable, they do not deteriorate from moisture, do not fade, do not absorb odors.
This is an environmentally friendly coating - it does not contain toxic substances.
In addition, the use of these mixtures improves heat and sound insulation in a home or office.
Please watch the video on the topic of the article:
And if we add to these advantages the fact that the price of the putty mixture is much lower than the price for a similar volume of finished textured plaster, then the choice becomes obvious.
Cooking technology
Subject to all the rules and a creative approach to business, the result will exceed all expectations!
We always strive to make repairs in our house, unlike those made by our friends and neighbors. To do this, we begin to fantasize and come up with some original ideas decor. But why invent, if everything has already been invented before us, and it’s enough just to use it correctly in your ideas when finishing the same walls and ceiling with the most ordinary putty or plaster.
It is these two finishing materials that provide great opportunities and with their help you can give the surface a unique texture that will not go unnoticed by your guests. Making decor from putty with your own hands is not difficult and does not require any additional investments, which is especially nice. But the walls in the apartment will sparkle with completely different colors than before, and the price for this type of finish will be minimal.
We prepare the composition and start finishing
Before starting work, you need to decide exactly what you want to get as a result:
- Drawing on the wall, squeezed out in putty.
- Relief surface or waves and geometric shapes.
- Grainy decor of different looseness.
You also need to know exactly from what we will prepare the composition for the design of all surfaces - putty or plaster. According to the idea, this does not matter much, only in the case of putty there will be much more opportunities, since this mixture can take any form - a drawing or an aged wall, matting, waves, etc.
Stucco is slightly denser in composition and will be somewhat more difficult to give it the desired texture. But, if you still want to dwell on this variant of wall design, then do-it-yourself decorative plaster from ordinary putty will help you in this matter as well as possible.
Making a mixture
To prepare the composition of the desired density, you will need:
- Putty itself - any dry mixture from which you can prepare a solution will do.
- Grout for seams on the surface.
- Color and acrylic paint of the shade that you want to see in your house on the walls or ceiling.
- The ground is white.
- Lacquer and glaze of the desired shade.
It remains to combine putty and primer together to the desired density so that the composition does not spread and is not particularly hard. This is necessary to give a textured pattern to the surface without rolling the plaster into lumps and without the rapid drying of the entire solution.
In principle, this is all you need to know in order for decorative putty plaster to help you with finishing works make the walls more attractive and give the whole interior its own style.
Tip: before deciding on the concentration of the composition, it is better to try decorating the surface on a small piece of drywall in order to know for sure whether to add water to the mixture or what you have prepared will do.
Surface preparation
It does not matter what you will do - plastering or for the upcoming work.
For this:
- The surface is cleaned of old lime, if any, paint and debris residues.
- The walls are covered with a primer.
- Next is the starting putty.
- If a . Minor irregularities can be left unchanged, as the drawing will visually correct everything.
Tip: if a gypsum composition was used to level the walls, then we must remember that this mixture dries faster than ordinary putty and it cannot be allowed to harden earlier than expected. Before the last stage of finishing, the surface must in any case be coated with a primer.
Phased work
We talked about plaster and its preparation, now we turn to putty. Preparatory work the same as in the case of plaster, but for the application scheme there are special instruction below, but it all depends on the desired relief.
Miscellaneous decorative putty do-it-yourself walls are reproduced as follows:
- A simple relief on the surface can be done with a conventional spatula. To do this, the entire composition is applied to the walls and its thickness should not be more than 4 mm. After that, the spatula is pressed in and released, resulting in a rough texture.
- The second way is to “draw” with a narrow spatula when applying the solution in different directions. Original bloopers can be randomly distributed, either from top to bottom and then to the side. In any case, the decor will be original.
- You can also give the entire space graininess. For this, the most ordinary sponge is suitable, which should be walked over the surface. The photo shows some types of this design, both putty and plaster.
- And the simplest is a specially purchased spatula with a relief edge, with which you can make different patterns on any surface.
Tip: There are different ways to decorate the walls and the patterns are just as varied. If you want something original, then invite a finishing stylist for this job or find additional information on the net yourself. But without experience in this matter, it is better to practice on a piece of drywall first, and only then move on to the main decor.
After all the work done, the walls and ceiling should be covered first with primer, and then with a coloring solution. If desired, varnish is additionally used at the end to fix the result for a longer period.
Outcome
Now you know that decorating the walls in your apartment can be done on your own at minimal cost. At the same time, the flight of your imagination is unlimited, and you can create any images on the surface up to paintings, especially if you are an artist from God ().
The video in this article has a lot useful information on the issue of puttying and plastering walls with a decorative composition and, looking at it, you will get answers to many questions. Beautiful design at home - it is always a holiday of the soul, and if the work is done by one's own hands, then it is doubly pleasant.
Experiment and don't be afraid of change! Everything can always be fixed.
