Plaster for the bathroom: features of work in wet rooms. Decorative moisture resistant plaster Waterproof plaster

Modern materials for wall decoration, one of which is moisture-resistant plaster for the bathroom, allow the use of this finishing technology in wet rooms on a par with traditional options - tiles, painting, panels. And, if you follow certain technologies in using this type of plaster, it can be a worthy replacement for painting or tile, since the material is quite original, durable and diverse.

Wall preparation

A feature of the use of moisture-resistant decorative plaster in rooms is the preparation of walls. The main ability to resist moisture just depends on the materials that are used to level the walls and form the basis for the decor. Special moisture-repellent cement-based mixtures or gypsum plasters, such as Rotband, are well suited for this.

Today, there are also more modern materials, such as sanitizing plaster for the bathroom. This is a type of cement-sand mixture, to which certain components are added, due to which it has, over other plaster options, a number of advantages:

• Creation of a moisture-proof layer;
• The ability to regulate the microclimate of the room, absorbing and releasing moisture;
• Resistant to salt precipitation, which destroy most building materials, especially in a humid environment;
• Crack resistance;
• Environmental Safety.

Options for decorative plaster for bathrooms

There are a lot of types of decorative plaster, so it is difficult to subject it to a certain classification. Consider the main options and the possibility of using them in a humid environment.

Depending on the substances that make up the plaster, there are: mineral, silicate, silicone and acrylic. In order for the moisture-resistant decorative finish for the bathroom to please for a long time, it is necessary to choose the right look for it, and for this it is important to know the features of each.

mineral plaster

Mineral decorative plaster in its composition includes cement and lime. To give texture, crushed marble is also added. The larger the pieces of marble, the deeper the surface relief of the plastered wall will be. This type of wall decor is waterproof plaster for the bathroom, because it contains waterproof components. It is convenient to take care of such a finish - pollution is easily washed off with ordinary water;

Waterproof decorative mineral-type bathroom plaster has good water vapor permeability. This creates comfortable conditions in the room due to the fact that the walls can "breathe". Also, the mineral finish is not affected by time, endurance only increases with aging. Almost all types of this type of finish have a light shade.

For your information: The disadvantages of this type of plaster are intolerance to constant vibrations and low elasticity. When choosing it to work in the bathroom, you should take this into account.

Polymer plaster

Acrylic (polymer) plaster is a water-based mixture that is ready to use. It contains synthetic resins and ash elements, as well as glass, crushed marble. The color scheme of this type of finish can be selected at will, since it can be tinted.

Before using this type of finish in the bathroom, you should consider all the positive and negative sides. The positive thing is that acrylic plaster has a high resistance to water, on the other hand, it has practically no ability to pass steam, like any polymers, so it is better not to use it in rooms with poor ventilation. Also, water-repellent acrylic-based bathroom plaster can last up to fifty years;

silicone plaster

The composition of this type of plaster includes silicone resins. For those who plan to make repairs in the bathroom forever, this type of wall decoration is the most suitable. The durability of silicone plaster is more than sixty years.

The use of silicone plaster for finishing bathrooms is facilitated by water repellency and ease of cleaning from dirt, and mold and fungus do not start on such walls.

Important to know: Moisture-resistant silicone-based bathroom plaster is quite resistant to ultraviolet radiation. If the room is open to the sunny side, this type of plaster will be ideal.

Silicate decorative plaster

The basis of this type of wall decoration is potassium glass, also called liquid glass. Walls covered with silicate plaster perfectly repel water, resistant to the spread of fungus and mold. At the same time, this finish has a high vapor permeability.

The choice of colors is unlimited: the moisture-resistant silicate-based decorative plaster for the bathroom has more than 250 different shades. Among the shortcomings of this plaster, a rather high price can be noted.

Types of plaster by application technique

All of the above options for bathroom plastering allow you to realize different design ideas using different application techniques:

• "Goose skin" or "fur coat". This technology is performed with a piece of newspaper crumpled in a lump or a sponge wrapped in cellophane, with which the relief is stuffed on the surface of wet plaster;
• "Bark beetle". This decor is implemented using a construction grater and plaster with inclusions of a large fraction. Furrows are formed as a trace of these coarse-grained inclusions in the process of vertical or horizontal alignment of the plaster with a float;
• Decorative grooves are applied to the wet finish with a conventional or special spatula. In this way, you can imitate masonry made of stone or brick;
• Venetian technology is currently the most popular way of decorative wall decoration. It is implemented by applying mixtures of different colors in layers, with constant grouting and scraping off the layers. The result is an imitation of masonry or marble.

Conclusion

The sphere of repair is constantly developing and pleases us with new opportunities for a creative approach to interior decor. For example, quite recently, decorative plaster for the bathroom seemed to be a very exotic way of finishing, but today it is used very widely. We introduced you only to the main options for this type of coating. We hope that this information will be useful to you.

Despite the fact that our civilization is moving forward and constantly developing, creating more and more new technologies, it still does not forget about old materials, constantly improving them and bringing them to the ideal. These are good technologies, which many modern masters unfairly forget about for one simple reason - new materials and technologies are easier to use. This, of course, is good, but with their simplicity, they also received disadvantages that affect the durability of the repair. For example, drywall - in contrast to it, well-made plaster is able to serve and protect walls from destruction for much longer. Moreover, it can do all this effectively with equal success both indoors and outdoors, both in dry operating conditions and in a humid environment. We will talk about this material in this article, in which, together with the site, we will deal with the question of what is plaster for wet rooms and what are its features?

Plaster for rooms with high humidity photo

Plaster for wet rooms: what is it

Plaster for rooms with high humidity differs from the standard version only in its ability to repel moisture. Such characteristics of the material are achieved by introducing special modifiers into its composition, which give the material the necessary qualities. The result of the use of additives are high technical characteristics of moisture-resistant plaster.

And this is with regard to the main features of the material. Among other things, waterproof plaster is very easy to apply without the use of special technical means - everything is done the old fashioned way by using a spatula and a rule. And that's not all - almost all materials of this type can be further modified by introducing additives into them. For example, in order to speed up the process of solidification of the mixture, gypsum can be freely added to such plaster - in general, in this regard, this is quite a standard material that modern builders use extremely rarely for the reason indicated above.

Varieties of plasters for wet walls

To date, two main types of plaster mixtures are used for finishing rooms with high humidity.

What else you need to know about the varieties of moisture-resistant plasters is that they are classified according to other criteria.

1. Appointment. In this regard, all currently existing compositions, including gypsum and cement, are divided into two large groups - leveling and decorative plasters. What is the difference, it will not be necessary to explain for a long time - leveling plasters can be applied in a very thick layer, but are intended for thin-layer coatings.
2. The degree of readiness for work. Here, in general, everything is simple - when planning repairs using plaster, you need to know that any composition (both decorative and leveling) can be purchased with equal success both in finished form and prepared independently.

Modern hardware stores are replete with various plasters, including plasters for wet rooms. Buying them is the easiest decision. But if you really want to save on repairs without losing its quality, then it is better to use the second option. How to create a water-repellent plaster with your own hands, we will tell further.

Self-made wet plaster: options

Plastering the walls of wet rooms can be done not only with the help of special compounds - water-repellent properties can also be given to an already finished plastered surface, which is the easiest. The fact is that self-preparation of a dry mix with the desired characteristics will require you not only to know the proportions, but also equipment capable of observing all these proportions. In general, the matter is complicated, even if we talk about additives introduced into the wet solution. The easiest way is to use other options that are no worse than those offered in stores.

In general, moisture resistant is a very specialized material and it is practically not used in apartment repairs. The only exceptions are decorative mixtures used in bathrooms instead of the usual tiles. As a rule, they are made on the basis of acrylic and successfully resist moisture even when it directly hits the walls.

In conclusion of the topic of what plaster for wet rooms is, I will say a few words about the difference between moisture-resistant and water-repellent plaster. These are two different things. The first option is able to withstand short-term exposure to high humidity (wetting followed by drying), and the second is designed for operation in a wet environment, that is, when moisture is constantly exposed to plaster - for example, in a pool bowl, under tiles. In fact, this is a complete waterproofing.

The decoration of premises with difficult operating conditions must be treated very carefully, avoiding the use of materials that may not withstand the aggressive effects of moisture and temperature changes. For example, it is not recommended to use gypsum putty or wallpaper in the bathroom - they will not last long. But cement and polymer moisture-resistant plasters are highly resistant to such influences. They will be discussed.

Moisture-resistant plaster mixtures can be different both in composition and purpose:

• Some are intended solely for leveling surfaces and preparing them for applying a decorative coating. For example, moisture resistant paint or tile.

• And the latter are themselves a decorative material that does not require subsequent finishing.

Note. Moisture-resistant decorative plaster for the bathroom is applied in a thin layer, therefore, with uneven walls, it requires preparation of the base with leveling compounds.

Of course, you can also level the walls with the help of sheets of moisture-resistant drywall (see Finishing ceilings and walls with drywall: tips from the master). It will perfectly cope with this task, it can be applied to any coating, and it will serve reliably. But only until the neighbors from above flood you. Such a possibility cannot be ruled out if you live in a high-rise building, so it is better to use more reliable materials.

Leveling compounds

Leveling is the removal of the surface into one plane without drops, holes and bumps. The material that is used for this should adhere well to the walls and serve as a solid base for decorative finishes.

Since the air humidity in the bathroom is high, it uses moisture-resistant plasters (see Consider which plaster to choose for the bathroom), the main binder of which is cement or polymer resins. These are ready-to-use or dry mixtures that require mixing with water, the proportions of the components in which are carefully selected.

But gypsum plasters should be used with caution, as they withstand such operating conditions only if the surface is tiled with careful grouting, which excludes the penetration of moisture under the cladding.

Note. There are moisture-resistant gypsum mixtures with special additives that make the plaster more resistant to moisture. But not to direct exposure to water! The instruction to them says that they can be used for plastering walls and ceilings in wet rooms.

If you nevertheless decide to use gypsum plaster (see Gypsum dry plaster mixture: features of use), as it is more convenient to use and does not give shrinkage cracks, experts advise you to play it safe and protect the surface leveled by it with coating type waterproofing materials. However, with a flood from above, it will not save you, because water will penetrate to the coating from the unprotected side.

We offer you a comparative price analysis of the most popular plasters intended for wet rooms. The cost may change over time or depending on the region, so we advise you to take it just as a benchmark for comparison. It is given for a bag of 25 kg.

The specified consumption of the finished mixture is designed to create a leveling layer with a thickness of 10 mm.

Compositions for decorative finishing

If you need moisture-resistant decorative plaster for the bathroom, then the selection criteria are the same: it is advisable to avoid gypsum-based compositions, using cement and polymer mixtures. In principle, there is nothing complicated: you just need to look for a note on moisture resistance on the packaging.

• Such a characteristic is possessed, for example, by polymer plasters STUC DECO and STUC GRANITO, which can be given different textures, acrylic plaster with the effect of "orange peel" Dufa Kratzputz aussen. They cost much more than leveling compounds, but they are applied in a thin layer, so a 20 kg package is enough for 10-30 square meters of surface.

• Also, decorative moisture-resistant Venetian plaster can be used to finish bathrooms. But it is desirable to cover it with a protective layer, which is often used as a special Optimist wax for plastered surfaces, which creates a protective moisture-resistant film.

Advice. Venetian plaster is one of the most difficult to apply. Therefore, if you do not have experience, do not risk applying it yourself. Many other decorative compositions are much easier to work with.

Such a finish is good in that it creates an integral seamless coating, which, in terms of its strength and moisture-resistant characteristics, is not inferior to tiles. In addition, both of these materials are perfectly combined with each other, allowing you to create an interesting and original design.

The only limitation concerns the texture of the surface: it should not be very embossed. In the depressions, recesses and grooves, water will definitely accumulate and mold will appear. In addition, washing such a surface is very problematic.

You should not hope that moisture-resistant plaster for the bathroom will save you from all the problems associated with high humidity and direct contact with water and detergents on the walls. You can count on this only if the finishing technology was strictly observed during the work.

Namely:

• Both the base and the already dried plastered surface must be treated with a waterproofing compound (see Waterproofing primer for wet rooms) or a deep penetration primer;

• It will not be superfluous to treat with fungicidal agents that prevent the formation and development of fungal microorganisms, mold;

Advice. You can immediately look in stores for a primer with antifungal additives.

• If the plaster is carried out on beacons, fixed on the walls with gypsum mortar, then when removing the beacons, after the plaster has set, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the places of their fastening on the walls from gypsum;

• If you are preparing a mortar for plaster with your own hands, do not spare cement, strictly follow the proportions recommended for this brand. Adding liquid glass to the solution will help make the coating more durable and waterproof;
• If the walls are leveled for tiling, try to do the job as efficiently as possible, not hoping that minor flaws can be corrected by the thickness of the tile adhesive layer.

Conclusion

Increasingly, traditional tiles in the decoration of bathrooms are giving way to decorative plaster. But even under the tile it is necessary to level the base, and for this you can use only moisture-resistant plaster mixes. You know the basic principles by which they should be chosen. And how the application process itself takes place, the video in this article will tell.

One of the easiest ways to redecorate a bathroom is to plaster the walls. For this purpose, special moisture-resistant compounds are suitable. In this article, we will analyze in more detail how to protect walls and ceilings in wet rooms, which plaster is best suited for this.

There are waterproof and hydrophobic plasters. Waterproof well tolerate exposure to high humidity.

Compositions with hydrophobic properties create a waterproof film on the surface that repels moisture.

Another type of plaster mixtures for the bathroom is sanitizing (drying). These compounds are intended for finishing surfaces prone to efflorescence, mold and fungus.

Moisture resistant plaster

Types of moisture resistant and hydrophobic plaster mixtures:

Leveling- for correcting the plane of walls, smoothing bumps, small irregularities. Waterproof leveling plasters are made on a cement basis.

Important! Gypsum solutions in the bathroom are not recommended. Gypsum does not tolerate contact with water, and additives do not protect against direct exposure to moisture. You can use a gypsum mixture for the bathroom if you make additional treatment of the walls with waterproofing or tiling.

Decorative. This type of plaster is applied in damp rooms with a very thin layer, so at least two base layers must be applied under them. Compositions based on acrylic and silicate are distinguished by high moisture resistance.

Several brands of leveling plaster mixtures for the bathroom:

1. Water-repellent plaster Profit Hydrophob - designed for leveling walls and ceilings outside and inside the building, it is especially recommended for finishing rooms with constantly high humidity (bathrooms, showers, pools, etc.) and frequently wet facade fragments.
2. Dry cement waterproofing mixture for leveling walls and ceilings in wet rooms CONSOLIT 540. Hydrated lime and a complex of special additives that are part of it create a mortar with high water-holding capacity.
3. WEBER VETONIT TT 40 is a cement-sand composition for manual and mechanized application.
4. Knauf plasters: Grunband, Unterputz, Zokelputz (only as a decorative base).
5. Brand Founding: Startwell PC21 facade, Slimwell PC23 thin layer, Flywell PC24/1 ML cement light, Prowell PC20 stucco spray (for the first layer).

These plasters are suitable for rough finishes for painting or tiling. Read about how and with what to align the walls under the tiles.

Moisture-resistant decorative plaster mixes:

1. Ceresit: ST35 (bark beetle), ST174 pebble silicate-silicone, acrylic mixtures (ST 60, 63, 64), Decor plus hydrophobic (water-repellent).
2. Knauf Diamant.
3. Bases: Exterwell fur coat, modeled (to create an original texture), tinted (colored).

Advantages of moisture resistant plasters:

• vapor permeability - plastered surfaces “breathe”, condensation does not form on them;
• create conditions unfavorable for the development of mold, fungi, bacteria;
• versatility - level, decorate, disinfect bathroom walls;
• ease of maintenance of plastered surfaces;
• low price of finishing;
• a large selection of color options, textures;
• complex preparation is not required before application;
• efflorescence does not form.

Sanitizing compositions for wet rooms

Sanitizing plaster mixtures are used for:

• restoration of damp walls in old buildings where conventional mortars are unsuitable;
• quick drying of surfaces in wet rooms;
• prevent the appearance of efflorescence, colonies of mold, fungus.

The advantage of their use is the possibility of dehumidifying the premises without mechanical impact, due to the constant pulling of moisture from the inside. The surface of the sanitizing plaster is porous, that is, it has a larger area than the usual one. Due to this, moisture evaporates 10 times faster. Salts in the process of water evaporation remain in the pores of the coating, do not protrude on the surface.

Several brands of sanitizing plaster mixtures for the bathroom:

• Ceresite hydrophilic CR 61 and hydrophobic CR 62.
• Baumit Sanova Putz S.
• Thermal insulation ThermoUM and ThermoUM Xtra.
• Thermal insulation ThermoSAN for highly damp and saline surfaces.

How to level the walls in the bathroom

cement plaster

The best option for leveling the walls in the bathroom is cement-based plaster mixes. They create a durable waterproof coating. But their disadvantage is a longer drying time than gypsum.

To save time, not to dilute excess dirt and not to mix up with the composition, it is recommended for beginners to purchase ready-made dry mixes.

But if you decide to prepare the solution yourself, then for this you need: Portland cement grade M400 or M500, washed fine sand and a plasticizer.

Materials are mixed in the following proportion:

• M400: sand - in a ratio of 1:4;
• M500: sand - in a ratio of 1:5.

plasticizer added to increase the elasticity of the mixture, facilitate plastering, increase the adhesion of the solution and reduce cracking. Its amount depends on the concentration, it is necessary to see the instructions from the manufacturer. The plasticizer can be replaced with a liquid detergent, adding it to the water before mixing the plaster in an amount of 0.5-1% by weight of the resulting cement.

Plaster for wet rooms is a necessary element of finishing walls and ceilings in the presence of high humidity. A bathroom, a room with an indoor pool and some other specific indoor areas are not advisable to be lined with conventional materials. Water will do its job, and soon all the landscaping work will be in vain. The plaster under the influence of moisture will cease to perform its functions, and the facing tiles will begin to fall off. Special mixtures that can withstand such extreme conditions can save the situation.

Any plaster performs the following main functions: leveling the surface and providing a reliable base for finishing wall cladding for ceramic tiles or ceiling for painting, as well as for immediately forming the final coating (decorative plaster). The main problem in rooms with high humidity is the penetration of moisture into the finishing materials, which leads to the loss of their basic properties, gradual destruction and the appearance of mold, fungi, and other harmful microorganisms.

Thus, an important requirement appears - increased moisture resistance, or better, complete moisture impermeability. This problem is solved in 2 main ways: the use of moisture-resistant plaster mixtures and the creation of a moisture-proof layer from a special coating or by impregnation after its application.

The choice of direction for ensuring moisture resistance depends on the purpose of the room and the finish of the walls and ceiling. Moisture-resistant plaster, taking into account the indicated features, can be of several types: cement, gypsum and using polymer fillers.

cement mixtures

Cement plaster is a mixture in which cement is used as a binder and sand is used as a filler. Waterproof plaster is created by adding special ingredients to the cement-sand composition. Excellent quality and high performance are ensured when using ready-made dry mixes, which, before application, need only be diluted in water in accordance with the instructions.

Of the cement mixtures, such ready-made moisture-resistant plaster for the bathroom and other wet rooms is noted:

• EC waterproofing plaster: widely used for finishing stone surfaces;
• AZOLIT-VSh: can be used for brick and concrete walls;
• Murexin Waterproofing Hydro Basic 1K: used in very high humidity or in water (pools);
• MAGMA GidroPlaster: suitable for all surfaces;
• Profit Hydrophobic: often used as an additional layer of previously applied plaster, to increase its water resistance;
• Ceresit CR 65: used for all substrates.

Cement moisture-resistant plaster can be made by hand. The basis is a mixture of cement (not lower than M300) and sand in a ratio of 1:3. Sand should be of medium grain size. The use of excessively fine (dusty) sand leads to cracking of the plaster, and coarse sand impairs the technological quality of the solution. When plastering rough brickwork, you can use a ratio of 1:4. As an additional ingredient, experienced builders use PVA glue to increase water resistance and washing powder to increase the plasticity of the solution.

The main advantage of cement plasters is their high strength and good water resistance. However, it is necessary to note the disadvantages of such a solution:

1. A long period of complete curing, when the required strength of the layer is achieved only after 25-28 days, which delays the entire process of finishing work. Factory mixtures have additives that accelerate drying, which reduces the period to 6-8 days.
2. Cracking. This process is typical for cement compositions and becomes most pronounced in the presence of significant temperature fluctuations. In ready-made mixtures, this disadvantage is leveled with the help of special plasticizers.
3. A rather dark color of the plastered surface, which causes increased paint consumption.

Gypsum compositions

By its nature, gypsum has such an important drawback as the ability to actively absorb water. Despite this, gypsum plaster is often used to finish the bathroom, especially the ceiling. Contributes to the popularity of the material whiteness, which facilitates painting, ease of leveling the surface and the speed of complete drying. To eliminate the main drawback, additives (for example, PVA glue) are used in the preparation of the mixture and the coating of the gypsum layer with a special water-repellent primer. When applied, a thickness of no more than 25 mm is recommended.

Waterproof gypsum plaster is produced by various companies with the introduction of special ingredients. So, a mixture based on Rotband gypsum (Knauf) is designed specifically for rooms where there is high humidity, incl. for bathrooms. You can also note the ready-made moisture-resistant composition UNIS Teplon.

Compositions with polymer additives

Modern plaster mixtures are made on the basis of polymer filling, which gives them high water-repellent properties, plasticity and strength. They are not subject to cracking, even with strong temperature fluctuations. Perhaps the only drawback is the increased cost.

We can distinguish such common compositions:

1. Profit Barrier. This is a cement-polymer mixture that can act as a waterproofing. It showed itself well when applying plaster under ceramic tiles.
2. Waterproofing plaster Consolit 540 is a multi-component composition based on a cement-polymer mixture.
3. Dufa Kratzputz aussen plaster has an acrylic base. Finds application as moisture resistant decorative plaster for a bathroom. It has an original texture – “orange peel”.
4. Moisture resistant mixes STUC DECO, STUC GRANITO. They contain a polymer as a binder. They have a decorative effect.

The choice of one or another plaster composition largely depends on how the finish coating will be provided, as well as on the purpose of the plaster - wall, ceiling. Most often in wet rooms, wall cladding is made of ceramic tiles. In this case, the requirement for the strength of the material under prolonged exposure to moisture and ideal surface leveling come out on top. The appearance of small cracks does not play a significant role, as does the color of the plaster, since it is reliably masked by tiled lining. In such circumstances, the most acceptable use of cement or cement-polymer mixtures.

A different picture arises in preparation for painting the surface. Paint cannot hide even the smallest defects, but on the contrary, it shows them. This is most noticeable when arranging the ceiling in the bathroom. Any cracking during drying of the composition is unacceptable. With such requirements, the choice is often made in favor of gypsum plaster.

Quite often there is a desire to apply a plaster that does not require additional external coatings. This issue can be solved with the help of decorative plaster, which is also sold in a waterproof version. The decorating effect is achieved in different ways: different colors, three-dimensional texture, imitation of natural materials. It is not recommended to apply a decorative layer with deep grooves in bathrooms (for example, the so-called bark beetle plaster), because. various microorganisms can settle in them, which leads to the formation of mold.

Of the ready-made compositions, Ceresit and Knauf plaster mixtures are widely popular. The combination of tiled cladding and areas with decorative plaster has originality. Most often, when creating a kind of interior, Venetian plaster is used. To increase the reliability of these coatings, the application of an external protective layer is recommended. One of the common options is a wax composition, for example, Optimist plaster wax.

In rooms with high humidity, it is better to protect yourself and apply additional protection to the plaster from the harmful effects of water. Additional waterproofing properties are provided by the application of a thin, superficial primer from Aquastop. Impregnation of the material with special antiseptic compounds or coating with a fungicidal primer will protect the walls and ceiling from mold.

Plaster for rooms with high humidity requires a special approach in the choice of material. It is necessary to use waterproof mixtures specially designed for such purposes. Additional protection will not be superfluous, but will help increase the life of the finishing coatings.