What is decorative wall plaster. Decorative plaster: preparation, preparation, methods of work, varieties. Composition and components

Among the many types of interior decoration that are very popular lately, decorative plaster is gaining special importance every year. It is relatively inexpensive, looks great and is very easy to use. Today we will tell you about how to apply decorative plaster.

The benefits of this type of coverage

In order not to be unfounded, let's describe the main advantages that decorative plaster has. Firstly, it is not necessary to pay special attention to the preparation of the wall, but at the same time, it will allow you to reliably mask almost all defects on the surface.

In addition, this type of finish will be appropriate not only on concrete, but even on a wooden wall. There are no joints or other traces of connection, and an attractive appearance can be maintained for years. Do not forget that plastering largely protects your house from fire, along with providing good soundproofing of the apartment.

Composition of the mixture

By the way, what does decorative wall plaster consist of? It consists of several fairly simple components:

• water base with a thickener added to it;
• fillers from marble or granite chips;
• preservatives, antiseptics, agents against fungus and mold.

Where is the best place to apply?

If a person who is far from the intricacies of repair enters a room that is decorated in this way, then he can almost never determine how such an effect was achieved. For decoration, the walls of country houses are the most optimal, although no one forbids the use of such plaster for finishing niches and arches in apartments. In the kitchen, this kind of plaster is generally ideal, if only because of its inability to absorb odors and grease.

We prepare the surface

Before you need at least basic surface preparation. If there was wallpaper or paint on the wall, they will need to be removed as carefully as possible, trying not to leave traces of the old coating.

Read the instructions printed on the package carefully. As a rule, there is a recommendation to apply the composition only to a surface that has been previously treated with a primer. This is especially true for walls made of foam blocks, which have a high absorbency. It is better to remove nails completely or cover them with a thick layer of varnish. Otherwise, a large rusty spot may appear on the wall after a while. If decorative wall plaster will be applied in a newly built or renovated building, then it is enough to simply cover the fresh surface with liquid lime mortar.

What tools will be required?

You will need to purchase a relief roller, spatula knife and brushes, as well as rubber trowels. In general, the set of tools depends on the texture that you prefer to see on the walls. The fact is that the patterns on this plaster appear when the roller moves: it shifts the filler granules, and they form an interesting pattern on the wall. When we apply decorative plaster, we can show all our design skills!

Textured compositions can generally be applied to the surface using a spray gun with a large nozzle diameter. It is in this way that they are made that immediately attract attention because of the unique pattern. By the way, the composition retains its elasticity for a long time, and therefore it can be given virtually any shape that you may like. To do this, there are rollers with a long pile, curly spatulas or soft curly knives.

Getting Started

It is carried out starting from the corners. Please note that the first time it obviously does not lie in an even and neat layer. Try to do the work on the experimental site first, get used to it. In addition, in no case do not leave an open jar for a long time, as the composition in this case quickly begins to dry out, becoming unusable.

Application method

We begin to apply the material on an area of ​​\u200b\u200bno more than 0.5 square meters, otherwise the solution dries quickly. As a rule, the thickness of the applied layer should not exceed two millimeters. The greater the amount of the mixture, the rougher the texture on the walls.

By evenly distributing the solution over the surface, you can begin to create some kind of artistic images. Thoroughly clean the spatula from the solution, after which we begin to smooth the surface with it. Lightly press its bottom edge, then draw down a straight (or winding) line. The spatula from time to time must be thoroughly cleaned of the solution and moistened with water. After all, decorative wall plaster has excellent adhesive properties.

It is not uncommon to see beginners who have a huge piece of material hanging on a spatula. Then all this comes off and falls, inevitably worsening the results of any work.

Your movements during the distribution of plaster can be completely different, because as a result a completely unique and inimitable pattern will be formed. Important! Remove the spatula from the surface to be treated as smoothly and gently as possible, try not to leave traces of it on the surface. If you do not like the resulting pattern, at any time you can slightly moisten the plaster with water and wipe everything.

Before applying decorative plaster in the next area, overlap the already treated area, so you can avoid the formation of joints that spoil a flat surface very much. After application, you need to wait at least a day, after which you can proceed to further work (applying stencil drawings to the wall, for example).

Other decoration methods

All decorative plaster, the photo of which is in the article, can be additionally decorated not only with bizarre and unusual patterns, but even with real paintings. It is absolutely not necessary to be an artist for this: just buy a stencil in the appropriate store, on which you apply a picture. By the way, for this you can use not only paint, but also exactly the same plaster. So your walls will look even more picturesque.

Here's how to apply decorative plaster.

How to make "rain"?

To apply the material at an angle, you must first prepare the walls. First, lines are drawn on them with an appropriate slope. The width between them can be arbitrary, but it should be convenient for you to work with a spatula. After that, glue masking tape on the line.

Work must begin from the top corner of the room. We carefully spread plaster on each strip, and the thickness of its layer should not exceed three millimeters. To create a "drip" structure, the trowel must be lightly pressed against the surface to be treated, and then also carefully peeled off from it.

As a result, the wall will look a lot like a frightened hedgehog. It is easy to fix this: take a moistened trowel, and then gently smooth out the “thorns” with it, moving the tool strictly in one direction. The weaker you press, the more embossed and rough the texture of the wall will remain.

All subsequent strips must be applied with an overlap. All of the above actions are repeated in a similar sequence. If the edges visually overlap each other, this will significantly improve the appearance of the finished surface. The joints should be smooth, but they should not be specially smoothed out.

This method is especially good if you are applying a decorative one. Instead, in this case, you need to use twine stretched diagonally.

In conclusion

In conclusion, we can advise you not to rush, to consistently approach work. We have already said that you should not take areas of more than 0.5 m for work. If you rush, the material will dry out, and with subsequent moistening and grouting, you will no longer be able to achieve such beautiful patterns.

You have probably already seen from your own experience, and more than once, that almost any construction and repair work is quite easy to do on your own. Finishing the room, in particular, decorating the walls with decorative plaster is no exception. The technique of such work is now very common, and therefore accessible to everyone.

The preparation of a solution for decorative plaster no longer requires you to have any skill or time: the modern market offers a huge range of ready-to-use mixtures. Therefore, in today's article we will touch on the types and methods of application.

In addition, it is very important to properly prepare the surfaces for application and stock up on the necessary materials and tools in a timely manner.

The first step to work: select the right materials and prepare the surface

The main thing to consider: the surface you will be on must be absolutely flat. Any defects and deformations are excluded, so first assess the state of the structure and, if necessary, restore them. Clean the wall of dirt, dust, greasy stains, and make sure that it is dry.

A primer will help you in the preparatory work. Apply it before you start plastering, and thus protect the decorative layer from the effects of temperature changes and moisture.

For your information: to prime the wall for decorative plaster, use a special compound. It will serve as a layer between the coating and the base, providing additional protection against deforming stresses.

There are different types of plaster, and the types of primer under it are also different. If the base is weak and prone to shedding, treat it with strengthening compounds. Gypsum plaster or need to be treated with a deep penetration primer.

Now let's decide on the tools necessary for the job. You will need:

• spatula, preferably size 80;
• paint bath - cuvette;
• two-inch brush;
• mulberry size 40 X 140;
• thread roller size 150;
• 2 sponges, bath or coral, rags.

Remember that in order to carry out priming and plastering work, it is necessary to ensure that the room temperature is from +5 to +30 degrees and minimum humidity.

Technology for applying decorative plaster

Now that the surface is prepared, we proceed to the direct application of the material. There are several methods of application, and they depend on the types of plaster and its consistency. Therefore, the following factors should be taken into account:

• liquid plaster is not very convenient to use, since it is completely ready for use and cannot be diluted;
• if plaster with a large filler, for example, crumbs, then it can only be applied manually;
• multi-fraction crumb in the composition further complicates manual application;
• plaster mixes that dissolve with water have less toxicity, but a greater susceptibility to external influences.

There are a few other important points to keep in mind. These include the following:

• 1. On porous concrete or plaster, the applied decorative composition will dry much faster than on oil paint, plastic or polyurethane foam;
  2. A water-based decorative coating can deform the surface of wood, plywood, chipboard and OSB during operation;
  3. To cover the base surface with defects, more plaster will be needed, since the layer must be thicker than usual;
  4. If you are applying a water-based coating to ferrous metal, be aware that rust spots may appear after curing.

Almost all types of decorative artistic plasters harden in the same time. Seizing occurs in 3-5 hours, drying - in 1.5 days, final hardening of the layer - about 9 days.

Let's start with plastering. First, cover all adjacent surfaces with masking tape: baseboard, wallpaper, painting. Apply decorative plaster should be from one corner towards the other. If the wall surface has significant deviations, then you will need to make plaster on the beacons.

How to apply decorative plaster: a sequence of actions

To make it easier to understand the process and bring it to life, we will break the work performed into several stages and consider each of them in detail.

1. Surface priming ensures the reliability of all subsequent coating, so it is required. The soil mixture is applied with the help of a maklovitsa (make sure that the hairs are strong enough), and as carefully as possible. It is impossible to allow prints on the surface of the wall, otherwise they will be viewed. After the primer dries (at least a day), proceed to the next step.

2. Now the main layer is applied, right now the texture of the drawing will be formed. The solution is placed on the wall with a polished metal trowel, paying attention to the fact that the layer should be thin. To get a structural abstract drawing, apply strokes in different directions so that each new one overlaps the previous one.

It's important to know! Be sure to keep the tools you use clean. So that the working composition does not freeze before you start applying it to the wall, stir it in small portions.

3. After the final hardening of the base, proceed to applying the finishing layer, or ironing. This will give the resulting pattern richness and depth. Apply small strokes of the working composition to a limited part. After the plaster has set, place the trowel flat against the base of the wall and buff the surface hard to a glossy finish. Its quality will depend on the type of solution. Treat the entire surface of the wall in this way.

4. After 24 hours, your wall is completely finished. If you wish, you can make the final touch: rub the surface with a wax composition, which can not only give an extra gloss, but also improve the quality characteristics of the texture. Wax is applied to the wall with a trowel, in a thin layer, with light movements.

Now the walls of your apartment are covered with an original pattern, and it is especially pleasing that you are the author of this magnificent work.

Various technologies for applying plaster

There are several different types of decorative plaster, and the technologies for applying them, as well as tools, allow you to achieve different textures. For this, a brush, a relief roller, a spatula, a trowel or a spatula are useful. Lime and will allow you to achieve a wide variety of fantasy textures.

A few more ways to apply decorative plaster

There are several more fairly simple ways to turn a layer of plaster into an original textured coating. For example, apply a solution with a consistency of sour cream to the primer, level and lean a regular sponge at certain intervals. Wet the sponge in soapy water so it doesn't stick to the surface.

Give the terrasite plaster a texture of strokes. It must be done on a fine-grained set solution. A simple comb will help you with this, with which you will make notches. Processing can be started 1-5 hours after applying a layer of plaster.

You will achieve the effect of a split stone by driving a tongue into an already hardened one. Recesses in the places of chips will give the necessary grain to the surface.

Another way to perform plastering is spraying. In this case, the composition is applied to geometrically complex surfaces, slopes and decoration elements. This method allows you to increase the aesthetic effect with the help of plasters of different fractions. For example, the composition thickness of 3 mm is taken as the basis, and 1 mm for slopes and additional elements. To do this, you will need to stock up on a special spraying apparatus.

The spraying process on each wall is carried out continuously, from top to bottom, covering the previous one with a new layer. If you need to stop working for a while, stick masking tape along the end of the layer line. The adhesive tape is removed only after the plaster has been applied and its structure has been formed.

Where else can you apply decorative plaster?

But did you know that if you approach the process, then decorative plaster will help transform your home? In this part of the article, you will read the recommendations and see a photo of the decoration of furniture and interior items with decorative plaster. With the help of imitation woodcarving, you will radically change the look of, for example, an old shoe cabinet.

Here's what you need for this:

• plastic napkin 1.5 mm thick;
• rubber spatula, medium size;
• decorative plaster (domestic will cost less, but in quality it is in no way inferior to imported);
• acrylic paint;
• double sided tape.

First of all, you will need to prepare a stencil. To do this, on the back of the napkin and cut along the contour with nail scissors, a blade or a knife.

Important to remember! Stencil drawing is not just a pattern, it has a certain specificity. Do not forget to leave jumpers, otherwise the pattern on the napkin will crumble into fragments.

Prepare the surface of the cabinet: degrease it and rub it with sandpaper. Attach the stencil with double-sided tape and carefully apply the plaster with a spatula. Before the mixture has set, remove the stencil. Do not worry about the fact that the "tails" will remain on the plaster: they will be removed later.

After the mixture is completely dry, sand it, but not too thoroughly: slight bumps mimic the carving better. Wipe the surface with a clean cloth and paint to match the color of the wood. You can apply grooves on wet plaster, or when painting - lines characteristic of oak bark in a darker color.

At the end of these works, the product can also be polished with a piece of woolen cloth.

We told you about the easiest ways to apply decorative plaster. We hope that our master class will help you in your work, and in your comments you will tell about your practical experience. We look forward to your questions and suggestions, and will be happy to discuss your options for using decorative plaster. Easy work and good luck in your work!

Sooner or later it's time to make repairs. Regardless of what it will be, capital or cosmetic, you will have to change or refresh existing decorative wall and ceiling coverings. For many, this process seems difficult. However, in fact, even without special knowledge and skills, it is quite possible to carry out a decorative wall covering with your own hands. Next, we will analyze this work in more detail. The article will also list the most popular decorative wall coverings. Photos of the surfaces can also be seen below. It all depends on your imagination and taste.

General information

As you know, the decorative wall covering, whatever it may be, is laid on a prepared base. The surface must be free of grease, dry and clean. You can finish the walls and ceiling using various materials. It can be plastic or drywall or tile. Today, the most popular is the coating of walls with decorative plaster. It should be noted that this material is applied to flat surfaces. Therefore, before starting work, it is necessary to carefully prepare the base, eliminate all defects.

Tools and materials

For work you will need:

• rule;
• Master OK;
• grater;
• a set of spatulas;
• plumb and level.

To facilitate the work, experts recommend purchasing ready-made mixtures. In hardware stores today a wide range of products for and ceilings is presented. Ready mixes are very easy to work with. It is enough to dilute dry formulations with water in the proportions recommended by the manufacturer and mix thoroughly. The material is poured into a container filled with water. It is best to mix the solution with a drill with a special mixer nozzle. This greatly speeds up and facilitates the process.

Surface preparation

Before you carry out a decorative coating of the walls, it is necessary to level the base. This is done using "starter" mixtures. The wall is pre-wetted with water. A small amount of the solution is placed on a grater, and then thrown onto the surface with a spatula or trowel. After that, the area that needs to be leveled is overwritten. If there is not enough solution in any areas, it must be added in small portions. Further, after the mixture seizes, it is overwritten completely. The correctness of the application must be checked with a level.

Features of wooden surfaces

Plastering of such walls is carried out according to a special technology. Previously, the surface is cleaned of dirt and dried. Small notches are made on the wall. They will provide better adhesion of the material to the base. Next, you need to fill the shingles - some kind of crate. The optimal cell size is 4 x 4 cm. Thin slats are used for shingles. Stuff them crosswise at an angle of 45 degrees relative to each other. The edges of the rails are fixed on the wall. Before fasteners, the elements are wetted with water so that they do not crack.

Alternative option

The traditional technology of plastering a wooden surface has been described above. This method of roughing out the base has been used for many years. Today, instead of shingles, a special mesh is more often used. It can be metal (twisted, solid, wicker) or polymer (synthetic). The mesh must be firmly attached to the surface. After that, plastering is carried out according to standard technology. Experts recommend using lime mortar with the addition of cement or gypsum. It is desirable to add PVA glue to the finished mixture (it will slow down the setting) in the amount of 200 g per 10 liters. The solution is applied in a layer no more than 2 cm thick.

Finishing (decorative) wall covering

Before applying the material, it is necessary to determine the type of solution. This is due to the fact that different decorative wall coverings require a certain preparation of the base. For example, a "Venetian" requires a perfectly flat surface. Before you carry out such a decorative coating of the walls with your own hands, the base will need to be puttied. As a result, the surface should be prepared in the same way as for painting. If the walls are finished with fine-grained decorative coatings, then fewer requirements are imposed on the base. For relief, structural mixtures, the surface can be prepared less carefully. However, in any case, the base should be without strong drops, pits and bumps.

Material selection

Many consumers have serious difficulties in connection with the wide range of products on the market. In addition, in some cases, wall covering with decorative plaster is carried out according to a certain technology, and skills and knowledge are required. However, there are quite affordable ways to get a spectacular surface finish at a lower cost. Let's look at some of them next.

Roller application

This is perhaps the cheapest and easiest way to finish. For using a roller with a relief pattern. Experts recommend using mixtures that are sold in buckets. Before covering the walls with plaster, the surfaces should be treated with a primer. You have to wait until it dries. Then it is easy to apply immediately using a roller with a relief. The pattern can be very different. At the same time, it is possible to emphasize the depth of the relief and its features if additional surface coloring is used.

Stamping

This method involves the use of a stencil. The technology for applying decorative plaster in this case practically does not differ from that described above. Only here it is not a roller that is used, but a special stamp.

Other fixtures

In this case, there is practically no relief pattern. When applying plaster, a special trowel, a spatula with teeth or a comb is used. It should be noted that the options for laying materials on the surface are not limited to those described above. The drawing can also be obtained with the help of improvised means, for example, a plastic bag, a sponge.

Special formulations

You can get an original surface not only using different tools and fixtures. Manufacturers produce various grades of plaster. With the help of certain compositions, you can create a unique pattern on the surface.

"bark beetle"

The plaster got its name due to the pattern that is obtained when it is applied. The pattern resembles the traces of a beetle that remain on the surface of the tree. Plaster "bark beetle" is used for decorating both external and internal surfaces. Among the advantages of the material it should be noted:

• resistance to temperature and humidity changes;
• moisture resistance;
• strength;

The mixture is based on mineral fillers and a binder. As the first, particles of quartz, granite, marble are used. It is they who create the necessary pattern on the surface.

Decorative stone effect

A very attractive option is the design of the surface under the marble. Applying such a coating yourself is quite realistic. However, in the process of work, it is necessary to follow the sequence of actions, carefully follow all the steps. This cover has a sophisticated look. Other advantages of the material include:

• incombustibility;
• durability and strength;
• resistance to external factors.

This coating can be applied both indoors and outdoors. The material is in perfect harmony with the interior in a classic style. In addition, decorative marbled plaster is distinguished by a variety of shades. An important advantage of the material is ease of care. During operation, the surface does not lose its attractive appearance, does not wear out and does not turn pale.

Finally

Of course, there are a lot of varieties of decorative plaster, as, in fact, the methods of its application. If there is a desire to create a beautiful surface without significant costs, then you need to choose simpler mixtures, the laying of which does not require special knowledge and can be done with available tools and fixtures. To create exclusive surfaces, it is better to invite a specialist. However, in general, the process of applying decorative plaster is quite simple. The main thing is to carefully prepare the foundation.

Decorative plaster is a solution used for finishing walls outside public buildings and private houses, as well as inside apartments, offices and other premises. Its main purpose is to improve the aesthetic and decorative qualities of the surface. In the article we will consider all types of decorative plaster for walls.

The word "plaster" is of Italian origin and literally translates as "gypsum" or "alabaster". The composition of the plaster mixture for decoration has common components with ordinary plaster - sand, lime, cement, but its main difference lies in the addition of various granulates - dry bulk substances in the form of small granules, for example, stone chips, wood fibers, etc.

• Decorative plasters can be sold ready-made, that is, previously diluted with water or a special solvent, such mixtures can be used immediately for work. Dry components can also be supplied, which must be diluted according to the instructions before application.
• Depending on the end result and the design idea, various fillers can be added to the decorative plaster: small pieces of mica, shells or small pebbles, which, after the plaster layer has hardened, will look organically on the wall. In addition, in this way it is possible to achieve the effect of additional surface volume.

Types of decorative plaster for walls

The surface can be decorated in various ways, for example, simple plaster can decorate a wall, giving it a perfectly smooth structure. Of course, thanks to the special composition, it became possible to obtain a relief effect, achieve a glossy surface or imitate any natural materials without much effort.

Decorative plaster is distinguished according to several principles. For example, according to the type of filler, it can be:

• textured;
• structural;
• Venetian.

The textured and structural appearance form a rough surface and they are usually called embossed plasters, and the Venetian forms a perfectly flat surface, so it is referred to as a smooth type of plaster.

All of these types are made on the basis of environmentally friendly substances, due to which they are considered safe, reliable and durable materials.

There are several types of plaster according to the binder used.

• Acrylic. The binder is a high molecular weight polymer (acrylic resin), which provides good elasticity of the applied layer. It may contain organic and inorganic pigments, due to which the composition acquires a different color. Acrylic decorative plaster is sold as a ready mix. The disadvantage of this type of coating is low vapor permeability, so the material is limited in use. Also, plaster is exposed to UV rays, over time, the coating may begin to crack. Acrylic resin in the composition, allows you to paint the mixture in any desired color using pigment pastes.

• Mineral. The binder is cement. It has a relatively low price and is most often produced in the form of a dry mixture, which must be diluted with water before work. An excellent option for decorative plaster for bathroom walls and for outdoor use. In humid weather, slightly less water should be added to the solution. It is considered the most environmentally friendly decorative material. Over time, such a coating only becomes stronger, has good resistance to UV rays, but is afraid of mechanical damage, in addition, it is not advisable to wash it with devices that use high pressure. The standard color of such plaster is considered to be a light range.
• Silicone. The binding component is synthetic resins. It is used for exterior decoration and for interior work, it has plasticity and ease of application. They are resistant to UV rays, do not attract dust and odors. Forms a moisture-repellent layer during application, due to which silicone decorative plaster is used for facing external walls in a zone of high humidity. Produced in the form of a ready-made mixture, various colors.
• silicate. The binder is liquid glass (alkaline potassium carbonate, quartz sand and potassium hydroxide). It is distinguished by high strength of the applied layer, resistance to mold and decay, as well as the ability to repel water. The mixture has impregnating, adhesive and astringent qualities. It is applied practically on any surfaces, has an excellent indicator of fire resistance and vapor permeability. Supplied as a ready-mix, various color shades. One of the most reliable plasters, the service life can reach 50 years or more.

Silicate and silicone plasters are most often used in facade decoration and construction in humid climates.

Textured plaster

• This is a plaster with a coarse, highly viscous structure. The filler is linen fibers, wood, mica, mineral chips (granite, marble) or small pebbles. It is used for decorating brick, concrete, plastered and wooden surfaces. Great for outdoor decoration and interior work.

• Due to the special particles in the composition, textured plaster hides large defects and most surface irregularities. For its application, it is practically not necessary to pre-prepare the walls, it is enough to dry and clean them, if there are peeling coatings, they should be removed, and then an adhesive composition or a special “concrete contact” solution should be applied, this is necessary for reliable adhesion of the plaster to the wall.
• The applied layer has high hardness, water resistance and forms an air-permeable coating. The surface obtained as a result of application can be an imitation of natural stone, natural leather, wood or fabric. Among the types of decorative plaster, textured is the most common, in addition, it has a relatively low price.
• The plaster is supplied for sale in various containers, weighing 9, 18, and 50 kg, dry and ready for use. It can be tinted in any color during application, or painted after drying. Average consumption up to 2 kg per 1 m2. The larger the filler, the more composition is required for applying one layer. It is not recommended to use plaster for outdoor work during rainy or damp weather, and at temperatures up to + 7 degrees.
• It is possible to apply textured plaster without the use of highly specialized tools, and there is also no need to involve professionals, even with self-decoration of walls, many design options are obtained.

Subspecies of textured plaster

• Lamb- plaster has various sizes of stone grains, is applied to mineral bases, the surface is rough and uniformly grained.

• Fur coat- the surface after application is rough, in the form of a slight "hairiness", the main component of this mixture is cement.

• bark beetle- composite plaster, with fine stone filler, when applied, forms a grooved texture resembling the surface of corroded wood.

The peculiarity of textured plaster is that the surface relief appears immediately after application.

Structural plaster

• A material having a thin layer structure, made on an acrylic or silicate basis. As a structure-forming substance, marble chips or quartz elements are used. Outwardly, it looks like a granular heterogeneous mass. It is applied to decorating of walls in rooms and finishing of facades.

• It may be fine-grained and look like an almost even layer when applied, as well as medium-grained, after drying such a plaster, a kind of relief appears. It adheres well to most mineral surfaces, drywall and chipboard.
• Structural plaster forms a layer with excellent air permeability, resistant to moisture and atmospheric phenomena. Available in 9, 18 and 50 kg packages. Supplied in the form of a ready-mix, it is not allowed to add coloring pigments to the composition. Apply with a trowel to a dry, clean surface, previously treated with a deep penetration primer. The consumption rate when applied in one layer is 3 kg per m2.
• It is not recommended to use in damp rooms or during rain during outdoor work, the air temperature should be above +7 degrees. Plaster can be applied in various ways and with tools: with a smooth spatula, roller or sprayer. So, to obtain the effect of waves, coarse-grained plaster is used, which is applied in a circular motion with a spatula.
• Very often, structural plaster is used for finishing walls in corridors and bathrooms, as well as for finishing facades, fences and gates. For interior work, it is recommended to use a material made on a water basis, quick-drying and odorless. The resulting surface is sufficiently impact-resistant and resistant to mechanical damage. Wet cleaning of the plastered wall is allowed.

Venetian plaster

• This phrase appeared as a result of the literal translation of the phrase "stucco veneziano". It is a decorative multilayer coating. Such a plaster mixture is made with the addition of marble chips and slaked lime. It has a fairly homogeneous structure. It became widespread in ancient Rome, when a lot of dust and small particles remained when working with marble, which began to be used as a material for facing.

• Visually finished layer resembles the surface of natural marble or onyx. Proper finishing with Venetian plaster requires special skill. It should be applied with a flexible rubber spatula, in thin strokes, in several layers (5-6), each of which requires thorough drying. The material is quite expensive, but the resulting effect fully justifies its price. Most often, Venetian plaster is used in rooms decorated in antique or classical style, as well as in baroque style.
• Thanks to various application methods, matt or glossy surfaces can be achieved. The plaster is intended for indoor use only. The mixture may be tinted. Available in containers of 8 and 16 kg. The surface to be decorated must be clean, level and dry. Before facing the walls, it is recommended to pre-reinforce, and then putty and prime. If the technology is violated, cracks can form on the decorative plaster, which are very difficult to get rid of.
• In addition to the stone surface, Venetian plaster can imitate precious metals, due to the special staining with special pigments. Using such a finish indoors, you can achieve the effect of increasing space, due to the refraction of light. This coating often acts as a basis for complex panels and frescoes.

Specific types of decorative plaster

• Colored plaster - made on the basis of acrylic and marble chips. Possesses high adhesion to mineral surfaces, water resistance and sufficient hardness. The color scheme is represented by fifteen shades. It is applied to a dry, cleaned surface, in one layer. To prevent noticeable joints, the mixture must be brought to the corner. Equally suitable for both outdoor and indoor work.

• Roller plaster- contains a filler of natural origin of various fractions from 1 mm to 2.5 mm. When applied, a texture is formed with small channels-recesses. It is applied to registration of facades and decorating of walls in office and premises. Tinting or surface staining is allowed. It is applied to the surface with a wide spatula, and then rubbed with a trowel in circular, cross-shaped, vertical or horizontal movements.

• latex plastic- allows you to create a smooth finish with a slight gloss, imitating the texture of a smooth stone or marble, as well as various relief surfaces. The material is resistant to cracking, has high moisture resistance, so that the plastered surface is easy to clean. The mixture can be tinted in various colors, while in order to achieve the effect of the structure of natural stone, the colors should not be thoroughly stirred. The mixture is applied only on even walls, previously puttied and treated with a deep penetration primer.

• "Wet Silk"- the coating, which resembles the surface of a fabric, contains mother-of-pearl particles, the overflows of which imitate the overflows of flowing silk. Tinting in any color is allowed, several color variations are initially produced: white, gold, garnet, silver and bronze. The formed surface possesses high moisture resistance and perfectly transfers damp cleaning. An excellent option for decorative plaster for kitchen walls.
• "Sea breeze"- the coating has a translucent structure, with a slight pearly sheen. Fine-grained sand is added to the composition. Can be tinted, several basic colors are available: gold, white, garnet, bronze and chameleon. Used for interior design.

Advantages of decorative plaster

Plaster-based decorative coating has won the love of many designers, thanks to its special properties and qualities that distinguish it from other materials for interior decoration.

• Able to hide irregularities and defects of the decorated surface;
• applied to most known materials (brick, stone, concrete, wood, drywall and many other coatings);
• does not absorb odors;
• has high sound-absorbing properties;
• has a unique and inimitable design;
• application does not require special surface preparation;
• differs in high indicators of resistance to any atmospheric phenomena;
• The resulting coating has breathable properties;
• forms a moisture and frost-resistant layer;
• due to the special plasticity, it is possible to process structures of any complexity, as well as create all kinds of patterns and drawings;
• forms an environmentally friendly, practical and durable coating that is resistant to mechanical stress;

Decorative plaster walls in the apartment

To obtain a high-quality decorative coating, the mortar should be applied using tools that do not have defects, damage, chips, cracks or nicks. Each type of plaster mixture involves its own finishing methods and techniques, to give the surface expressiveness and special artistic properties.

Venetian plaster

• Venetian plaster, for the manifestation of the necessary pattern, requires multi-layer application. The work is carried out with various widths of stainless steel painting tools (spatula, trowel). The main layer is applied with the widest tool, while gaps should remain on the surface. Strokes are made wide and asymmetrical. All subsequent layers should cover the gaps of the previous application. To give more expressiveness, each layer can have its own color shade.

• The applied layers are dried in turn, each of them is leveled and additionally polished with a smooth steel tool. This method is called ironing, due to which the surface acquires a glossy appearance. If additional gloss is required, then the plaster can be covered with a special varnish or wax. Due to the translucent layers, the effect of depth and volume is achieved.

Relief decorative plaster

• A slightly different finish is embossed decorative plaster. In this case, no special treatment of the walls is required, as for applying smooth plasters. It is enough to remove old finishing materials (painting, wallpaper, whitewash), clean and dry the surface.
• After that, the walls are treated with a primer. This procedure is carried out about a day before finishing with embossed plaster. It is best if the primer will have antibacterial properties that prevent the development of fungi and mold.
• The plaster mixture is applied to the primed surface with a wide soft spatula. Immediately after that, you need to give the layer a relief. It is worth doing this very quickly, as the composition instantly seizes.

• You can get the desired pattern on textured plaster using tools such as spatulas, sponges, rollers, trowels or stencils. For example, using a rubber roller, before each application of the texture, moisten it in water. The work is carried out immediately over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe wall (from corner to corner), otherwise noticeable seams cannot be avoided.

Structural plaster

• Structural plaster is applied with a stainless steel trowel. The layer should slightly exceed the grain size. The treated surface is kept for 2-3 minutes, and then smoothed in a circle with a plastic trowel.
• This method provides a uniform distribution of the granules present in the composition over the treated surface. The excess mass of the mixture is regularly removed from the trowel with a small spatula.
• Structural plaster, as well as textured, forms joints when applied, so the work is carried out from corner to corner at a time.

Tip: if there is a need to paint relief plaster, then it is worth doing it 10-14 days after application.

Basic coating care

The decorative coating formed by embossed or smooth plaster is sufficiently durable and resistant to mechanical damage and atmospheric phenomena, therefore, in the first year after application, no special care is required.

• This material does not absorb odors and does not attract dust, and also contains water-repellent substances, due to which the surface, if necessary, can be easily washed with conventional detergents without chemical fillers. When cleaning, it is best to use a soft cloth or sponge, avoiding hard brushes, metal scrapers, pumice or plastic.
• To increase the service life of the plaster coating, special waxes or glazing compounds are applied over the dried decorative layer. Artificial or beeswax helps to increase the waterproofing of the surface, and when applied to Venetian plaster, it gives extra shine.
• The wax composition is supplied ready-made. With it, you can emphasize the smallest details and the depth of the relief applied decorating mixtures, while increasing their resistance to mechanical stress, there is additional protection from dust, dirt and moisture. Protective wax is available in two versions: with a mother-of-pearl effect, which has a silvery-white tint and in a translucent form, with a yellowish tint.

• It is necessary to apply such a product in a double layer, using a spatula, sponge or brush, and after drying, polish with a soft cloth. Wax surfaces must not be cleaned with solvents, only soapy water or clean water is allowed.
• Glaze is an almost sheer, light coating designed to give additional shade, in addition, it adds volume and emphasizes the contours of the relief. It can have several shades imitating gilded, silver or bronze surfaces, as well as simply white, transparent or iridescent. The agent is applied with a brush, sponge, rubber spatula or a special mitt. Can be washed with detergent or soapy water.

Protective compounds are used for all types of plaster used for wall decoration indoors and outdoors. Thanks to such means, it will last longer, will not crumble or crumble, which means that care for it will be minimal.

How to update the decorative plaster coating

If necessary, remove the decorative coating from the wall, you can use several methods:

• repainting in a different color - is made in the case when it is required to change the color scheme;
• removal to the concrete base - when it is necessary to apply another version of the plaster;
• puttying on top of the layer to the state of a smooth, even wall - such a surface can be finished with a light decorative material, such as wallpaper.

Decorative plaster for walls video

When choosing decorative plaster, it is impossible to say which kind of it is better or worse. It all depends on the personal preference of each and the requirements put forward for the finished result, as well as on the availability of a certain budget, because the price of decorative plaster for walls sometimes differs by an order of magnitude. It is quite easy to apply one mixture, for example, textured and structural, and you can do it yourself, but you will need to involve specialists to apply Venetian plaster. It is necessary to remember this when purchasing a decorative coating.

The desire of many owners of private houses to give their home a completely unique look is quite understandable. Relief plasters come to their aid, which are made from solutions on various bases and applied to the surface of the walls either with special tools, or with improvised, sometimes completely unexpected objects, depending on what effect is planned to be obtained.

Do-it-yourself decorative wall plastering is a great way to stand out from the crowd. Before deciding on the choice of the desired pattern and the technique of its reproduction, it is necessary to consider various finishing options. After the desired relief is determined, it is advisable to conduct a practical lesson, and plastering it in accordance with the plan.

Some techniques for working with decorative plaster can be called art, since three-dimensional paintings with various subjects are molded from it, which can become an exclusive decoration of the wall of an apartment or a country mansion. Experienced craftsmen, using them, create real works from ordinary plaster mass that set the style for the entire design of a room or facade.

For a long time, decorative plaster was used to decorate walls, and with a change in interior styles, its plot patterns and relief changed, becoming more complex or, conversely, for the sake of fashion, simplifying. It has not lost its relevance to this day - in our time, with the help of a similar technology, both the facade parts of buildings and the interior walls of the room are finished.

Most often, a plaster coating is used, which, in addition to being decorative, also performs a protective function, preventing moisture and dust from penetrating to the main wall.

For interior walls, a uniform pattern finish or an embossed plot panel can be used. Choosing a relief in the form of a picture to decorate your home, you can be sure that it will be guaranteed to be original, since it is almost impossible to depict the same drawing twice in this technique in exactly the same way.

Reliefs applied to the wall are usually covered with one or more shades of color, which give them a deeper volume. If desired, when the original color of the decorative plaster gets tired, it can be easily changed to another. Moreover, this process can be carried out both on a homogeneous coating and on a panel. The paint is applied to relief panels with a brush and sponge, and on a homogeneous surface - using a spray gun or roller.

Decorative plaster can have a deep relief, which is called a bas-relief - it protrudes 8 ÷ 15 mm above the wall surface, or it can be almost smooth and stand out only in color. Today, in construction stores, you can find compositions that, when applied with a conventional spatula, can form a relief surface, and for some of them special nozzles are used that are installed on rollers. They are able to imitate tree bark, tall grass, layered rocks and many other three-dimensional drawings.

The plaster mixtures used to create the relief are quite plastic. They are easy to apply on a pre-prepared wall surface and transform into various patterns.

Fundamentals of technology for applying textured plaster

The work on finishing the walls with decorative plaster is carried out in stages, in accordance with the requirements of the developed technology. It includes several stages.

• The first step is to determine the pattern that will have to decorate the walls, as well as the tools needed to reproduce it. The relief sample during work should be in front of the eyes so that its contours can be repeated. This is especially important if the plot version of the panel is chosen.
• Next, you need to prepare the tools that will knead the plaster composition, apply it to the wall and create a relief pattern.
• When everything is ready, you can proceed to the preparation of the walls. This process is carried out in almost the same way for both facade and indoor walls - it includes cleaning surfaces from old coatings, rough leveling, and then priming them. It is better to choose the composition of the primer with antiseptic additives, then the walls will be protected from damage by mold, fungus, moss, etc., as well as from the creation of nests by insects.
• Then, a starting leveling layer of plaster is applied to the prepared, well-dried surface - it will become the basis for the textured finish layer.
• After the starting layer is well dried, the wall surface is recommended, once again, to create a higher adhesion between the layers of the plaster composition.

• The next step, again, after the soil has completely dried, a finishing textured plaster is applied, from which the relief is formed. In some of the techniques used, the upper part of the applied plaster is compared to one plane, and textured recesses remain inside, creating a uniform but chaotic relief.

• When reproducing some drawings, the application of several layers of decorative plaster is required, in which case each of them requires good drying.
• Further, if the color has not been added to the plaster mixture, the paint is applied on top of the textured layer. If the surface is given a uniform pattern with recesses, then it is best to carry out this process with a spray gun. If it is planned to produce an uneven color, then you can use a sponge or a brush for tinting. The paint should be applied in such a way that it emphasizes the beauty of the relief of the decorative coating. When tinting a panel, the paint is applied in several stages to create a visual perception of its depth.

When performing work, you must strictly follow the step-by-step instructions. Making any changes to the relief manufacturing technology can adversely affect the design result. Therefore, do not rush - it is necessary to thoroughly dry each of the layers, observing their order. It is better to immediately prepare for the fact that it will take more than one day to create a high-quality relief wall covering.

Now that the general principles of decorating a wall by applying decorative relief plaster to it are known, it makes sense to consider the tools that can be used for these technological operations.

decorative plaster

Tools for working with relief plaster

Finishing the wall with decorative plaster and forming a relief pattern with it, use the following tools:

• To mix the plaster mortar, you will need a drill and a mixer nozzle. With their help, you can easily and quickly enough, without much effort, make the mixture plastic and homogeneous.

• Spatulas of various sizes - these tools can be called the main ones in working with any plaster, since they are indispensable when applying any of the layers of the finish.
• or a trowel are also quite often used to cover surfaces with plaster solutions.
• A special mitten, which is used both to create a relief and to color it.

• Brush with hard or soft bristles, plastic wrap, rubber gloves, sponge or plastic dishwashing net.
• The use of a roller and rubber nozzles for it can be called the most popular way to make a wall embossed. The variety of these devices allows you to choose one of the many textured patterns offered by the manufacturer.

In addition, using this technique, the work is faster, and the print on the wall is neat and aesthetic, however, such reliefs cannot be called exclusive. Nozzles for rollers can have patterns of floral patterns, waves, various curls, geometric shapes and others.

Reliefs imitating the texture of leather or tree bark, as well as other natural materials, look especially impressive.

Nozzles can create a textured pattern, located vertically or horizontally, chaotically or perfectly correctly - this factor will depend on the preference of the owner of the finished housing.

Textured plaster expands the possibilities of transforming walls, and the presence of a variety of tools opens up scope for creating numerous drawings. It should be noted that craftsmen who are professionally engaged in this art often use completely unexpected tools and household items, such as wood chisels, manicure spatulas, or even ordinary teaspoons, when making reliefs.

Materials for decorative plaster

In addition to well-chosen tools, it is necessary to choose the optimal plaster composition. The range is quite wide, as many well-known manufacturing companies offer special ones that allow you to easily transform the facades and premises of houses.

Starting plaster

In addition to the decorative mixture, it is necessary to purchase starting plaster, with which it will be possible to level the surface of the wall, preparing it for relief design. For this purpose, it is better to purchase compositions made on the same basis as the finish, then we can say with confidence that good adhesion will be created between the base and the outer plaster layer. So, for the starting, leveling layer, fit:

• Plaster starting on a plaster basis. A distinctive feature of this mixture is a short time before setting, so you need to work with it very quickly. If there is no experience in leveling walls, then it is better to choose a mixture that will allow for longer work.

• For example, a cement-based mortar is perfect for both experienced craftsmen and beginners. It can be bought ready-made, or you can make it yourself from cement and well-sifted sand, taken in a 1: 3 ratio. For the plasticity of a home-made mixture, PVA glue or liquid soap is often added to it. Thanks to these components, the solution will become softer and at the same time “sticky” to the walls, and it will be easy to work with.
• Sometimes clay is used for the starting layer, which can also be purchased at a hardware store in an already prepared form. Most often, clay mortar is used for plastering a wooden surface, but recently masters still prefer more modern materials for work. Although clay has numerous positive qualities, such as elasticity, good adhesion to the surface, environmental friendliness, and in addition, it is a "breathable" material.

Decorative plaster compositions

For decorative finishing, special plaster compositions are used, which are also made on different bases. They are intended for a variety of relief patterns, so some of them are equipped with various additives. On the packaging, the manufacturer indicates the name of the relief for which this mixture is intended, since solid crumbs from different materials can be used as additives, having a large and small fraction and giving various finishing effects.

The proposed table presents some types of decorative plaster, which are most often used for finishing the facade of the house and walls inside the premises.

As can be seen from the presented table, plaster mixtures are produced in a dry and pasty state. Ready-made pastes diluted to the desired consistency will usually cost a little more than dry mixes, but they are much easier to use, since you do not have to calculate the proportions when kneading.

Ready-to-use plasters can be used immediately after the primer dries on the prepared wall. Upon completion of the work, the rest of the mixture is closed in the packing bucket, and during the next stage, the paste can be reused, since it can be stored for quite a long time in the closed state.

If you want to create your own plaster, you can take as a basis the recipes given in the table below:

Priming compositions

Wall primers used at the preparatory stage are sold in pasty and liquid consistency.

plaster

• To treat the wall for applying the starting layer, it is recommended to use deep penetration liquid compositions, including antiseptic additives.

• After the starting plaster has dried, it should also be primed, thereby creating a good basis for the finishing decorative layer. For this process, it is best to use a primer that has a thicker, closer to pasty consistency.

Each of the layers applied to the wall must be completely dried, and only after that the next one can be applied. Otherwise, the plaster may begin to crack or peel off the surface.

Coloring compositions for decorative plaster

They can be tinted, or they are painted before starting work. Sometimes the color is applied by the manufacturer to the plaster, in other cases color additives are purchased separately and also added to the paste or dry mix before kneading or applying it.

Another option for giving the finished decorative plaster the desired color is to paint it with a spray gun, roller or brush. In this case, a white or gray composition is applied to the wall, and then, after it dries, it is given a uniform or three-dimensional coloring.

For painting textured plaster applied to the wall, water-based paints are used - these are emulsion and water-dispersion. Such paints are produced in various colors, but if you wish, you can give them a shade yourself, by purchasing a separate white “base” and the color you like. Their mixing is done immediately before applying to the wall, in which case you can achieve a darker or, conversely, lighter shade, which will help give the pattern on the wall volume and depth.

Lacquer for decorative plaster

For textured plasters that have a shallow relief or a relatively smooth surface structure, a varnish or wax protective decorative coating is usually used.

Varnishes can be matte or glossy, and can significantly enrich the color of the wall finish. Thanks to even one layer of varnish, the plaster will retain its original appearance much longer.

In some cases, in order to achieve the desired effect, it is better to apply varnish on the wall surface in several layers. For example, if an imitation of polished stone or crocodile skin is reproduced on the wall.

Wax is most often used as a protective agent for Venetian plaster, which can acquire a matte or even mirror shine after application. Wax has no smell and is an environmentally friendly material. It is able to protect the wall covering from dust and yellowing, and besides this, it creates a water-repellent layer, and at the same time it has good vapor permeability, that is, the walls do not lose the ability to “breathe”. Due to these qualities, the wax coating can be used in living rooms and in rooms with high humidity.

Wax is produced in a colorless version and retains the color of decorative plaster in its original state. In addition, it can be tinted with metallic pigments or pearlescent additives. For example, the CERA wax shown in the illustration is available in three color options - colorless, silver and gold, which allows you to enrich the decorative finish with a pleasant soft sheen.

masking tape

In some finishing works, you can not do without the use of masking tape. It is used to protect adjacent surfaces when working on one of them, as well as in cases where it is necessary to separate different textured or color patterns from each other. The tape is easy to stick to any surface and can be removed without leaving marks. It has a low price, so in any case, stocking up with all the materials necessary for finishing, it should be purchased as an aid.

When buying any finishing materials, it is very important to pay attention to the manufacturer's clarifications, which are placed on the packaging - about what kind of work they are intended for, internal or external. Many compositions for external use are also well suited for decorating the walls of rooms, but materials for internal use when applied to the facade, alas, will not last long.

Versailles plaster

Wall surface preparation

Now, having figured out how to choose a material, and what tools will be needed for work, we can proceed to consider the process of preparing walls for applying plaster solutions.

Preliminary preparation of wall surfaces

To get a quality result, it is very important to clean the wall well from old coatings, and such actions are performed both on external walls and on internal ones. It is imperative to remove old wallpaper, paint or whitewash from them, otherwise the starting layer of plaster will have insufficient adhesion to the surface.

The main measures for the preparation of wall surfaces are shown in the table below:

Illustration
	Removal of the old layer of plaster from the walls. This process is especially important to carry out very carefully if the old decorative coating has begun to peel off from the main surface. If you need to remove a thin plaster layer, then for this purpose you can use a grinder or a construction grater with coarse-grained sandpaper installed on it.
	In the event that the walls are covered with wallpaper, the old canvases must also be removed. Usually pasted old wallpapers are moistened with a spray gun, and this process is carried out several times, since the canvases should get wet up to the wall itself. After that, the finishing material is removed with a spatula.
	Another option for cleaning walls from wallpaper is steaming. For this purpose, a special tool or a steam iron is used, and in addition, an air humidifier can be used, which is directed towards the wall that needs to be cleaned of wallpaper.
	If the wall is painted, then the paint layer must also be peeled off, otherwise the plaster layer simply will not lie on the wall. Paint removal is done with a scraper, softening the old paint with a hot stream from a building hair dryer. You can also apply the abrasive method using a grinder with an iron brush or an electric drill with an abrasive nozzle.
	After the old decorative coating is removed from the wall surfaces, a leveling plaster layer or simply the capital concrete base itself will open. On concrete, depressions and irregularities are often found, which will have to be leveled by applying a putty layer.
	If a good quality plaster is found that does not separate from the main wall, then it can not be cleaned off. In this case, notches with a depth of 5 ÷ 7 mm are made on the surface of the wall with an ax or a chisel. They will be necessary to ensure better adhesion of the leveling starting layer to the wall. However, they often do without them, using modern primers of the "betonokontakt" type, which provide excellent adhesion of the applied plaster compositions.
	However, quite often the situation is such that the old plaster has to be removed completely, as it crumbles and does not adhere securely to the surface. This flaw can be detected when notches are applied, since when tapping in some areas of the wall, the plaster layer can “bump”, or even just fall off. If a layer separation occurs on a large section of the wall, then it is best to remove the old coating completely - the process, as they say, has already begun, and no one can guarantee that the remaining areas will be stable.
	After the old plaster layer is removed, serious damage can be found on the wall in the form of deep cracks. They must be repaired, otherwise they will eventually appear on new plaster layers, and the work will be spoiled.
	The detected cracks are embroidered, that is, they are made wider and deeper. Then they are cleaned and treated with a deep penetration primer. Their filling is carried out with a plastic repair compound. Special repair solutions are on sale, and for interior work, you can use the usual starting putty. The repair mortar must fill the entire volume of the cut crack, to the full depth or width. If a wide crack is found, then it can be filled with mounting foam with a slight expansion. Its excess, which came out after the material hardened, is cut flush with the wall. In some cases, to strengthen the crack and avoid its manifestation through new finishing layers, a reinforcing serpentine mesh is glued on top of it on the putty mortar.
	After the repair “patches” on the cracks dry out, they must be cleaned with a construction grater with an abrasive mesh installed on it first, and then with sandpaper.
	The next step is to coat the wall with a deep penetration antiseptic primer. If the first layer of primer is absorbed into the wall surface without a trace, then one or even two more layers of primer are applied. The primer composition will penetrate into the pores of the plaster or wall material, strengthen its surface and create good conditions for adhesion of materials. The solution can be applied with a roller or with a wide brush. Each subsequent layer is applied only after the previous one has completely dried.

On a primed and dried wall, plastering can be done.

Applying a base leveling layer of plaster

The next important stage is plastering, which finally prepares the surface for further application of decorative plaster. Alignment is carried out on a primed and well-dried wall.

Methods of plaster leveling of surfaces may vary somewhat - depending on the material of the wall and the quality of the surface. But the general technology is still general, and more about it in the table below:

illustration	Brief description of the operation to be performed
	If, when checking the wall with the help of a building level, it was found that it requires major alignment, then beacons made of special metal profiles are placed on the surface as the first step. They are fixed on the wall with a step of 1000 ÷ 1200 mm, controlled vertically and horizontally using a building level and a long rule. The fixing of these profiles is carried out using a cement mortar with the addition of gypsum or only a gypsum mixture, since this material sets quickly and will not delay the subsequent work. Between the slides of the solution, on which the beacon profiles are attached, they maintain a distance of the order of 400 ÷ 500 mm.
	Having set the beacons, you can proceed to mixing the plaster. It must be homogeneous, without hard inclusions, otherwise it will be problematic to align it to the ideal, since voids can form near large hard fractions, which will weaken the coating. Before applying the solution, the wall can be slightly moistened by spraying it with a spray bottle or a brush. The next step is to throw a thick layer of plastic solution onto the surface, which should be 30 ÷ 50 mm higher than the beacons. Excess mortar will be removed by the rule when leveling the plaster.
	Further, the wet solution applied to the wall is leveled with a rule that moves along the beacon guides. Work begins from the bottom of the wall - as a rule, slowly, it rises up, while it is slightly moved from side to side for better distribution of the solution in the space between the beacons. At the same time, the excess plaster mixture is usually collected, which can later be used for application to adjacent sections of the wall.
	After plastering the surface, it should be left for 2-3 days to set. At the same time, it is recommended to spray the wall periodically with water to obtain greater strength of the applied layer. Further, the still wet plaster is overwritten, throwing cement milk over it. These works are carried out with the help of a plaster trowel or grout, which is lightly pressed against the wall and the surface is rubbed in a counterclockwise circular motion, making it even. The worn surface is left to dry completely, which depends on the thickness of the layer and can take from 5 to 15 days.
	The dried plastered wall should be well primed using a paste-like thick primer, which is applied with a roller. Hard-to-reach areas of the wall are processed with a narrow brush. A water-based primer dries quickly enough, so very often after 2-3 hours it becomes possible to proceed to the next stage of work.
	If we are talking about interior work, then in order for the result of wall finishing to be of high quality, it is recommended to apply a thin, 1.5 ÷ 2.0 mm, layer of gypsum-based plaster to the leveling plaster layer. It will make the surface smooth, correcting all the shortcomings of the base layer. The plaster is applied with a metal trowel or with a wide spatula, making semicircular movements. At the same time, it must be remembered that the gypsum mixture quickly sets and hardens, therefore it is impossible to knead a large amount of the solution, since it will no longer be possible to “revive” it by adding water. It should be noted that as this starting layer for decorative plaster, you can also use a ready-made cement-based mixture, or one of the common putty compositions. After drying this layer, it must be primed.

Decorative plaster - application and painting

When all the leveling layers are dry and the wall is fully prepared, you can proceed to the final stage of work - applying a decorative plaster layer.

Several popular embossing methods

This is perhaps the most interesting creative process, after which the wall will take on a completely updated look. For this stage, a decorative paste-like plaster mass or a dry mixture is used, which is kneaded independently, in the same way as the base solution, that is, using a mixer mounted on an electric drill.

In any case, the mass should be plastic and homogeneous, unless, of course, such a coating as "bark beetle" or "lamb" is chosen, which contains additives from stone chips. But even with such a solution, the solid fractions should be distributed in the plastic mass quite evenly.

Illustration	Brief description of the operation to be performed
	Venetian plaster can have a different relief pattern, but it is always shallow and chaotic. However, sometimes it is the background for clear geometric or floral patterns. Decorative plaster is applied with a metal or rubber spatula in thin layers, the number of which can be from 5 to 8. Despite such a considerable number of layers, the total thickness of the plaster made using this technique is only 3 ÷ 4 mm.
	To reproduce Venetian plaster, an already tinted composition is most often used, otherwise it will be necessary to color it after completion of its application and drying, and in this case, part of the intended effect will be lost. The desired effect of the "silk" surface is achieved by the presence of several layers of the same color, each of which is applied and rubbed in different directions. Thanks to this technique, strokes that differ in direction give a different reflection of the light hitting the wall. Thus, the surface shines with a silky sheen. In some cases, in order to create the effect of a deeper spatial volume, translucent from the inside, several color shades close to each other are taken.
	Each of the layers of the plaster composition applied with strokes is smoothed out, but this process is carried out with tangential movements with the application of certain efforts. For each of the layers, professional craftsmen use spatulas and trowels of different thickness and width, creating a multilayer chaotic relief pattern from the solution. With the help of this plastering technique, it is possible to imitate the pattern structure of various finishing stones on the wall. To enhance the imitation effect, after completion of the plaster application, after waiting for it to dry, the surface is polished with wax or covered with matte varnish.
	A more affordable option for a non-professional embossed plaster. The composition is applied with a conventional spatula in one or more layers, each of which must be dried. The relief of each layer can be smoothed out, or its protruding fragments can be left in their original form. Smoothing the solution is carried out with a metal trowel, with gentle touches. Using this technique, you can create various reliefs, and their shape and direction will depend on the creative mood of the master.
	If you intend to create a relief that has the correct smooth shapes and lines, you can use a notched trowel (trowel), usually used to apply glue when finishing surfaces with ceramic tiles, or a special comb to reproduce it.
	This type of embossed pattern will be easy to reproduce for the master who first picked up a plastering tool. The first step is to apply a layer of plaster on the wall using a conventional wide spatula, and it is not necessary that it be perfectly even. Then it displays a relief in the form of semicircles, checkerboard lines or other patterns that you can come up with on your own.
	Another version of the relief, available for reproduction for any creative person, is an impression from an ordinary polyethylene film on wet plaster applied to the wall. In this case, fantasy can also not be limited, since the film can be used unfolded or rolled into a roller, as well as simply crumpled it randomly. In addition, you can come up with your own version of the use of this material, since, achieving the desired pattern, you can safely experiment with a solution and a film.
	When removing the film, after it has been pressed against wet plaster, it will inevitably pull the mortar along with it, and as a result, peculiar relief protrusions are formed that can be smoothed with a spatula or trowel. Using this method of creating decorative plaster, you can use a tinted solution, or paint it after the wall dries after applying the relief.
	Quite popular for decorating both internal and external surfaces of walls is such a textured pattern as "bark beetle". For this, a special plaster composition is used, which includes hard stone fractions with a size of 1.5 ÷ 3 mm. Such a solution is applied using a metal trowel, and it can be distributed on the surface in different directions, depending on what relief is intended to be obtained. Rigid fractions when applying plaster leave furrows that mimic damage to the surface by insects. These in-depth stripes can be arranged vertically, horizontally, diagonally, in the form of a semicircle or whole circles - the direction of the relief pattern will depend on the preference of the master and the intended design.
	A frequently used tool for applying relief is a roller, which leaves a textured pattern on the surface of the wall. This method of recreating volume can be used by any homeowner, even if he has never done plastering before. It is enough to purchase a roller with a relief you like on its rubber nozzle and leave an imprint on a fresh solution applied to the wall. The choice of nozzles is so great that they can be chosen for any, even the most sophisticated taste. If desired, the nozzle on the roller can be made independently, using pieces of foam rubber, wound coarse rope, plastic wrap, fur, fabric with a deep relief or other materials that can leave the necessary impression on wet plaster.
	If it is planned to create the correct floral pattern on the walls, in the form of grass and leaves of various shapes and sizes, then a roller with such a pattern will have to be purchased ready-made. The work on decorating the walls using this technique takes place quite quickly, since there will be no failures in the process - the plaster mixture is applied and distributed on the surface with a spatula, and while it remains wet, it is passed over with a roller, which will leave the selected pattern on the surface.
	And this is a completely simple way that does not require special expenses for the purchase of a tool for reproducing relief. For the finishing process, a regular flat brush with soft or hard bristles is used, depending on how clear the pattern is to be obtained. The relief is recreated according to the same principle as when using a spatula with a notched comb - according to a fresh plaster mortar applied to the wall.
	Another technique of decorative plaster, which is not performed over the entire surface of the wall, but only in its individual areas. One of the above-described types of shallow relief can serve as a background for it. Panels are usually made from gypsum plaster. The composition is applied in slides to the marked area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe wall according to the drawing and left to dry. After drying, cutting tools are used - it can be a knife, cutters of various shapes and a spatula - with their help, the necessary forms are created. In addition to the incisors, you will need sandpaper with fine and medium grain, which smooths out the cut out elements of the three-dimensional pattern. In order not to spoil the wall, it is recommended to experiment by creating a small panel or its individual parts on a plywood sheet. Only after making sure that everything works out, you can proceed to reproduce the intended relief pattern on the wall.

In addition to those listed above, there are other items that can be used to create relief patterns on the surface of the wall. For this purpose, not only professional tools are widely used, but also improvised devices or even fragments of plants, for example, tree leaves or branches of various thicknesses.

Painting decorative plaster

As mentioned above, you can buy colored decorative plaster in hardware stores, but working with it is much more difficult, since it is necessary to reproduce all complex ones with one color. Therefore, most often a white plaster mixture is chosen, which, after final drying, is covered with the selected shades, which greatly expands the creative possibilities of the home master.

In addition to applying color to a finished relief wall, there is another technique for creating a colored surface. In this option, a certain color scheme is added to white plaster before it is applied, and then a relief on the wall is made from material of different shades. This is a fairly complex technique, and a professional artist or a person with the appropriate talent can handle it. Therefore, the best option is to color the finished relief.

Usually, water-based paints are used to paint decorative plaster, to which the desired color is added. It is recommended, when choosing a color, to make it one or two shades darker, since when the paint dries, it will brighten.

Illustration	Brief description of the operation to be performed
	The most used technique when giving color to relief plaster is covering it with a light tone of the selected shade. Such coloring will become unifying for the entire composition. The paint is applied to the entire plane using a roller, after squeezing it out on the ribbed surface of the paint tray. If the relief has a depth of more than 5 mm, then a long-haired roller is used to tint it, or especially deep fragments are tinted with a soft brush.
	The first paint layer is applied in one go, otherwise the coloring will turn out to be uneven. Therefore, if the paint is tinted on its own, it must be kneaded so much that it is enough for the first layer for all the walls in the room or at least for one wall, but always for its entire area. This is especially important if the surfaces will be painted in one color without additional shades and streaks. Coloring is carried out in different ways, depending on the depth of the relief and the desired end result.
	One of the options for uneven staining is done with a sponge. Then, on a still wet painted surface, they pass with a soft cloth or a dry sponge, barely touching the protruding elements of the relief. This execution technique is aimed at enhancing the “depth of space” of the relief not only with the help of volume, but also with the use of color play.
	This method of finishing decoration consists of two stages - painting and cleaning the protruding elements of the relief with sandpaper. In the first step, the entire area of ​​​​the walls is painted with a common color - this process can be carried out using a roller or spray gun. The second step is done after the paint is completely dry. Fine-grained sandpaper is installed on a construction grater, after which this tool is passed along the protruding parts of the relief. In this way, paint is removed or lightened from the surface, thereby showing a three-dimensional pattern. If desired, the cleaned surfaces can be covered with paint close in tone to the main color, darker or lighter than it, depending on what effect you want to get. A light shade is usually chosen, as it visually increases the volume of the relief.
	A relief panel can only be made by an experienced master, but you can try to paint it yourself. However, you need to take into account the fact that this process is quite complicated and lengthy, since it will have to be done with thin brushes, so the work will take a lot of time. It is recommended to cover the finished plaster relief panel with a primer, dry it, and only then proceed to painting. You should not take pure bright colors, as the relief will not be visible behind them. Therefore, they are diluted to the state of shades of the selected color, or a certain amount of them is added to white paint.
	In this variant of painting decorative plaster, two colors are used - one is the main one, and the second is an auxiliary one, which will highlight the relief pattern. The work is carried out in two stages. First, the entire surface is covered with one, primary color. This process can be carried out with a roller, a wide brush or a spray gun. Then this layer should be well dried. The second stage consists in applying paint with tangential movements to the protruding parts of the relief with a soft brush, foam sponge or mittens worn on the hand. The applied paint should be thick enough, and the brush or sponge should be dry.

Video: an interesting example of painting a wall finished with embossed plaster

The final stage of work on decorative plaster is coating the walls with varnish or wax. This process must be carried out carefully, as by applying the final layer carelessly, you can spoil the whole work.

In conclusion, I would like to say that if there is little or no experience in performing decorative plastering, then it is not recommended to choose too complex design techniques. In the same case, when a specific drawing is chosen and a decision is made to reproduce it on the wall at all costs, you should carefully study the instructions and practice on a small section of the wall or plywood shield.

Video: demonstration of various techniques for applying and decorating decorative plasters

"Versailles plaster": technology available to everyone - step by step

In the final section, as an example, the design of the wall with the so-called "Versailles plaster" will be considered. In the proposed finishing technology, instead of the plaster composition, two types of putty are used - starting and finishing, which allows you to save a decent amount on finishing. In addition, the advantage of this method of original decorative wall decoration is that even a novice master can do it. The main thing is to acquire high-quality material and use it correctly.

In addition to two types of putty, to obtain the desired result, you will need "Quartz-primer" for application to the wall under decorative cladding, which creates increased adhesion between materials, and also prevents the putty from drying too quickly. The presence of this material is a prerequisite for decorating a wall using this technology.

In order for the plaster layer to turn out to be aesthetic, it is necessary to purchase two more components, without which the desired effect will not work.

This is, firstly, a decorative coloring coating of the "Adagio Silver" type - on an acrylic binder, containing small metal particles of various shapes. Gives a very interesting iridescent effect, giving the wall a silky look.

Secondly, the so-called glitter is used, consisting of the smallest particles of a polyester film of various shapes. This component is also added to one of the decorative wall trim layers.

Illustration	Brief description of the operation to be performed
	The first step is to knead the model mass, consisting of starting and finishing putty in a 1: 1 ratio. Mixing takes place as follows: Part of the starting and part of the finishing putty is poured into the container with water in turn, then the sequence is repeated, and so on until the required amount of dry mix is ​​​​filled. If necessary, a little water is added to the bucket, and then the mass is mixed with a mixer attachment. Further, the finished solution is left for 10 ÷ 12 minutes - this time is necessary for it to "ripen". After this time, the mass is mixed again until a homogeneous state. It should be very well mixed and have a consistency of medium density, that is, not very liquid, and not thick.
	The finished putty composition is applied to the prepared, leveled, treated with "Quartz-primer" and dried wall surface. If the mass is applied not from the ceiling, but below, along the broken line on the wall, then it is recommended to first stick masking tape on it, which will help keep the upper part of the wall clean and keep the upper border of the decorative finish even. Work starts from the top line. First of all, the putty mixture is distributed along the masking tape.
	The applied layer should have a thickness of 2÷3 mm. Particular attention should be paid to filling the joints of the planes, for example, if the putty will be applied from the ceiling line. The mixture is applied to the wall with a trowel, in a relatively even layer. This work can also be done with a spatula having a width of 300÷350 mm. It should be noted that in this finishing option, you don’t have to try too hard, leveling the solution to perfect smoothness, the main thing is that the material layer has the same thickness over the entire plane of the wall and is fairly even. The smoother the putty layer, the easier it will be to see the flaws in the relief pattern.
	An even facing layer is applied to a height of 1000÷1500 mm from the top down the wall. Then a relief pattern is formed on the wet putty. For this, a plastic trowel with a plate pointed in front is used - in shape it resembles an iron. Work starts from the corners or the top line of the wall. The master makes wave-like movements, stretching the mass, at the same time creating a chaotic pattern in the form of stripes going in different directions. With the help of a trowel, the mass, as it were, rises above the surface, creating a larger volume of decorative coating and leaving behind furrows of different widths, most often located diagonally on the surface. The convenience of creating a relief in this way is that the drawing applied to the solution can always be corrected if the master does not like it in some way.
	Having developed the first batch of putty, and having reached approximately the middle of the wall in height, the next portion of the mortar is made. During this time, the mass applied to the wall will already have time to grab. Therefore, many craftsmen have the problem of combining the plastered area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe wall with the already set mortar and the fresh, just mixed mass that will be applied below. The joint between the two areas of the wall should be completely invisible.
	In order for the merging to go smoothly and become completely invisible, a fresh solution is applied with an overlap on the already applied layer by 150 ÷ ​​200 mm, and then the overall layer is smoothed out. This process must be carried out along the entire line of the union of the two zones - the upper and lower.
	The overlap line must be smoothed out well, and then a general relief pattern should be applied to it.
	The embossing starts from the area where the drawing has already been applied. It turns out that it is, as it were, “picked up” with a trowel and extended to a uniformly applied unifying putty layer along its entire length.
	Combining the two zones of the wall, it is important to ensure that there are no deep dents or pronouncedly even stripes from the trowel on it. Such defects must be smoothed out and these areas should be given a general relief, since in these areas they will be especially noticeable. When working on the connecting line, it is recommended to step aside and inspect the work area from a distance. So you can more clearly identify the shortcomings and immediately correct them.
	Then, the model mass is applied to the entire lower part of the wall in an even layer, and a relief is formed on it, in exactly the same way. When the wall is completely covered with this primary layer of embossed putty, it is left to dry completely for two days.
	When the wall dries, a spatula is passed along its surface, with which it is necessary to clean the protruding sharp edges of the relief stripes, since they must be rounded.
	Then, the entire surface is processed with a construction grater, with sandpaper No. 60 installed on it. Grouting is carried out with a slight pressure, in a circular motion counterclockwise.
	After processing, a relief surface with smoothed protruding edges of the pattern should be obtained. An additional check of the surface, that is, its smoothness, can be made by running the palm of your hand over it. If untreated areas are found that scratch the palm, then this flaw must be corrected immediately. The treated surface must be thoroughly cleaned of putty dust - this process is done with a soft wide brush or brush.
	The next step is to treat the surface with a deep penetration primer. The soil is applied with a roller with a pile nozzle. The composition must be well distributed over the wall, collecting all the resulting smudges. This layer dries in 1.5÷2 hours.
	Next, a white water-based paint is taken, a color scheme of the selected shade is added to it (in this case, the master used a beige dye), and the mass is well mixed until smooth. The paint should be applied easily and not be too thick, therefore, if necessary, the solution is diluted to the desired consistency with water. The relatively liquid composition of the paint, when applied to the wall, will become translucent, which, in combination with other layers of different shades, will create the illusion of space.
	The paint is first applied to the edge of the wall with a brush, and then the main part of the surface is tinted using a roller with a pile nozzle. It distributes the mass well over the relief surface, filling all the recesses of the pattern with paint, and when rolling out the composition, it collects its excess. As a result, the surface should be neat and evenly painted, without smudges. After the entire surface is covered with a tinting composition, it is left to dry completely. Water-based paint, applied in a thin layer, will dry for about two hours.
	Further, a composition made of a conventional primer and "silver" - the dye "Adagio Silver" is applied to the surface using a foam roller. The mixture is prepared in a 1:1 ratio, that is, in this case, the master took 250 × 250 grams of these materials. The resulting mixture should have a fairly thick consistency and not smudge at all. The mass is applied to the wall without pressure, so that only the upper protruding elements of the relief are covered with it. Recesses should not be painted with this composition.
	The mixture is gently rolled over the entire surface of the wall, highlighting the relief with color.
	Next, you will need to prepare a finishing composition that will transform the surface of the wall beyond recognition. It consists of a water-based varnish and a small amount of glitter. The varnish is diluted with water, in proportions of approximately 1: 3, and mixes well. The addition of water is necessary so that a hard uneven glossy crust does not form on the surface of the wall after it has been coated.
	A small amount of glitter is added to the varnish, about a tablespoon per 0.5 liter of composition. The solution is then thoroughly mixed by vigorous shaking. Before you start shaking, the lid of the container with the composition must be tightly closed.
	Further, the finished varnish composition is applied to the relief plaster using a foam roller and is well distributed by rolling over the wall surface. After completing this stage of work, the finish can be considered complete. It remains only to wait for the wall surface to dry, and then remove the masking tape limiting the wall.
	The last illustration shows the result of this rather lengthy work on the design of the wall. But then, you see, the technology is not so complicated, and the resulting finish looks very original.