Today, probably, you won’t surprise anyone smooth walls, angles and various differences.

The alignment of walls must be approached carefully

When purchasing such a living space (or simply when the time comes), we begin to think about transforming the walls.

Let's consider more practical option- leveling walls with plaster.

leveling the wall with plaster photo

Let's start with the preparatory work:

• Clearing the walls of all unnecessary things: we tear off the wallpaper, putty. If the walls are already “bare”, then we simply wash them off from dust and thoroughly prime them. The durability of your future walls and the result as a whole depends on this stage, since the better the wall surface is prepared, the better the plaster will adhere to it.
• Preparing the tools: construction mixer, buckets (at least two), level, building code(1.5 m or 2 m long), beacons, spatulas, etc. (read about working with here)

leveling the walls with plasterboard photo

After the preparatory work and the purchase of the necessary mixtures, we begin the direct leveling of the walls.

Using a level and ready mixture We put beacons on the wall every meter and a half. Why is it better to attach beacons to the mixture rather than to nails? Because in the first case you can easily correct something.

• With quick movements, apply the mixture between the two beacons with a spatula and level it with a metal rule from bottom to top. Do not try to throw the mixture between several pairs of beacons at once - this will not lead to anything good.

On average per leveling standard wall area 12-15 sq.m. it takes about 6 hours and dries for at least two days (it all depends on the thickness of the applied mixture).

At this stage, it is also important to follow certain rules:

1. there should be no drafts in the room;
2. the air temperature in the room should not fall below + 15 degrees.

After the walls have completely dried, we putty the walls (on average after 7 days).

Carefully installing drywall

Those who like to do clean work with a minimum amount of dust, dirt, various inconveniences and time-consuming resort to leveling walls using drywall. All you need is a screwdriver, CD and UD profiles, a rule and drywall.

However, there are certain nuances (and maybe disadvantages). For example: if you have small room, then after the repair you will have much less square meters, since the distance between the walls will significantly decrease. On average, about 8 cm will be “stolen” from each wall. Also, do not forget that drywall is a very vulnerable material (unlike hardened plaster) and will not withstand even a slight blow.

Well, of course, it’s up to you, as a future worker and tenant at the same time, to choose.

Usually, Finishing work any kind (wallpapering, tiling, painting, etc.) are performed on pre-leveled walls. How can you level the walls? different ways, each of which has enough simple technology, which allows you to cope with the work without the help of specialists.

When choosing a leveling method, it is necessary to take into account the material from which the walls of the house were built.

If you decide to level the walls yourself, it is very important to carefully study all stages of the work; in the process, you must take into account all the nuances, and when preparing solutions and other materials, you must comply with the conditions specified in the instructions.

Considering the initial state of the surfaces, to level the walls, you can use different materials and apply various ways. When choosing a leveling method, it is very important to take into account the type of material from which the walls of your apartment are built.

How to level walls using plaster composition

In most cases, the plaster composition is used to level surfaces for the construction of which materials such as brick or block were used. In addition, plaster is also used for leveling reinforced concrete walls. In this case, it is necessary to use a reinforced mesh or metal frame.

Before leveling the walls, you should think about purchasing specially designed beacon profiles made of metal. The beacons have a standard length of 3 m; if necessary, they can be shortened using metal scissors.

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Beacon installation technology

Before leveling the walls, it is necessary to install beacons. To do this, vertical lines are drawn on the surface using a pencil or plumb line. The location of the first two lines are opposite corners of the wall. The lines are designed for applying mortar moldings (5 pieces each).

The beacons should be recessed into the moldings so that the solution can pass through the holes for fasteners. Next, using a building level, the beacons are aligned vertically.

Having installed 2 beacons on top and bottom, you should tighten the cords. This way you will get the required plane. It is worth noting that in this way it is not only easy, but also to align the walls correctly.

Intermediate beacons are installed at the end of this stage. IN in this case the already familiar scheme is used, the stretched cords will serve as a guide, so the use of a level and plumb lines is not necessary. The distance between each beacon should be equal to the length of the tool with which you will level the solution.

Beacons can be installed in another way, which involves the use of screws and dowels. This method is distinguished by its simplicity and accuracy, but it requires more time.

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Primer application stage

Before starting the leveling process, the surfaces must be primed. This way you can ensure good adhesion, as well as facilitate the next stage of work (applying plaster). The primer composition can be purchased at any hardware store. When choosing a primer, make sure that the composition is suitable for the material you will be working with.

To apply the primer, you can use various painting tools; you can use a spray gun, brush or roller. When working with surfaces that are highly absorbent, take the time to apply several layers of primer. It is worth adding that many craftsmen prefer to use plain water when processing brick walls.

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A little about plaster mixtures

To level surfaces, you can use different types plaster compositions. Their main difference is the used binder component. Plasters that have:

• gypsum base;
• cement base;
• lime base.

These mixtures are distinguished by their ease of use; they can be presented in dry form in construction stores. It is recommended that interior wall finishing be done using a gypsum-based plaster composition.

Before preparing the dry mixture for use, it is very important to carefully study the instructions on the package.

As a rule, certain proportions of water are used to dilute the mixture. The composition must be mixed well, using a construction mixer or a convenient improvised object.

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Do-it-yourself wall plastering technology

Plaster is applied to surfaces in three main stages. If we consider the option with alignment brick wall, then at the first stage spraying is performed. To apply the second layer of primer, it is necessary to use a solution of a denser consistency. The layer should be from 5 to 6 mm. The final stage is called covering. The finishing layer, as a rule, is the thinnest, and it should bring the wall to the most equal level.

Before applying each layer plaster mixture It is very important to spend enough time drying the previous layer. In addition, we must not forget about applying a primer composition to each individual layer of plaster. Each layer of primer must be dried.

Plastering walls is a fairly lengthy process so that the result does not disappoint; it is very important to act strictly according to the instructions.

There are many ways to finish walls, but most of them require a level and straight base, but in reality everything is not so smooth. Walls modern houses and especially buildings old building They only seem smooth, but are not suitable for cladding with tiles, laminate or panels, since they have horizontal or vertical differences invisible to the eye. In this article we will tell you how to properly level the walls under finishing any materials.

Any renovation begins with preparation, and leveling walls is no exception. In this case, first of all, it is necessary to determine the degree of surface unevenness in order to know how best to level the walls and how much materials will be needed.

How to determine the degree of curvature of a wall:

1. Arm yourself with a long construction rule 2-2.5 m long. Drive a nail into the corner of the room closer to the ceiling, leaving the head sticking out 2-3 mm (so that you can tie a string to the nail). This nail is your starting beacon.
2. Tie a nut or any other weight to a cord or strong thread and hang it by the nail so that the weight does not touch the floor. Wait until it stops swinging and the thread forms a straight line.
3. Drive the second beacon nail into the bottom of the wall and drive it in just enough so that the head and thread are at the same level.
4. Repeat this procedure with another corner on the opposite wall. As a result, you will get 4 beacons around the perimeter and 2 straight lines, respectively.
5. Take a long thread or cord and stretch it between the top nail of one part of the wall and the bottom nail of the other (diagonally). Repeat with the second pair of beacons. When you fasten the threads crosswise, make sure that they do not touch the surface of the wall.
6. Now, with the help of these threads, stretched over four points, you can determine the condition of any wall in the room.

Selecting an alignment method

Leveling with dry mixtures

Leveling the walls with plaster, as practice shows, is the most universal option, relevant for any finishing material, be it wallpaper or tiles. Despite the high labor intensity of working with mixtures, you get a better and more durable result.

How to level walls with putty:

Helpful advice: When choosing a dry mixture, pay attention to the thickness of the layer, as well as the nature of the binding component. For example, it is recommended to use gypsum solutions for rooms with low or normal humidity, since such walls in the kitchen or bathroom will quickly become damp and crack. For wet rooms, choose mineral-based mixtures. Cement plaster You can prepare it yourself by mixing 1 part of cement grade no lower than 400 with 6 parts of sifted fine sand and diluting everything with water to a creamy state. You can vary the amount of sand to get different plasticity of the solution - the less sand, the more plastic the solution, and it is easier to work with (but then you will need more cement, which means repair costs will increase). Attention! Use ready solution you need 1-2 hours in advance, otherwise it will harden or lose its properties, so do not knead large volumes at once.

Leveling with plasterboard

It is much easier to level walls with plasterboard than with dry building mixtures. This job is much cleaner, faster and more suitable for novice builders. A wide range of gypsum boards allows you to work in almost any room, even with high level humidity. In addition, drywall allows you to level walls with strong differences in height and horizontality, which would require applying an overly thick layer of plaster. And although this method is relevant for finishing with wallpaper or paint, in some cases it is the only way to get even and smooth walls.

There are two ways to install gypsum boards to level walls: on a frame and with glue. The first method is suitable for surfaces with serious differences and helps to level wooden walls, the second can hide minor surface defects and get a perfectly flat base for finishing. It is also possible to combine these two options to achieve a neat connection between the walls and ceiling. The frame method is the most common, so we will consider it first and in detail.

To make the frame, a special metal profile for gypsum plasterboard is used. Fixation is carried out using self-tapping screws. Before telling the instructions on how to level the walls under wallpaper or tiles, one nuance should be mentioned frame method– due to the large thickness of the resulting cladding, several centimeters of useful wall area are lost on each side (about 4-5 cm). And if in a spacious room this may not be noticeable, then for small rooms it is better to use another method.

Instructions and video on how to properly level walls:

1. Remove the old coating from the walls and clean the surface.
2. In this case, priming is necessary not to increase adhesion, but to strengthen and protect the walls from moisture and fungus. If you are sheathing external wall or a wall in a damp room, treat it with an antiseptic.
3. Build a frame from a galvanized profile, first installing a UD profile along the floor, ceiling and adjacent walls to form a frame. Then inside this frame you can attach jumpers from a thinner CD profile, which will hold plasterboard sheets. All the intricacies of the fastening process are described in more detail in the article “”.
4. When the frame is ready, you can begin installing the gypsum boards, but before that you need to measure, draw and number them so that they clearly fit into the given area. GCR is convenient because it can be easily processed at home with available tools. The article “” describes everything in detail.
5. To seal the seams between sheets of drywall, use a special self-adhesive mesh. Glue it onto the seams, and then cover it with starting putty to bring it flush with the surface. Subsequent treatment of the wall depends on the chosen cladding. If you are laying tiles or other dense, non-transparent material, you can simply cover the joints with putty and that’s it. But before painting or wallpapering, the wall should be completely covered with white finishing putty with a layer of 1-2 mm, sanded and primed. The article “” says a lot of useful things on this topic.

Now you know what you can use to line the walls with tiles, wallpaper or any other finish. We hope this article will help you quickly and efficiently make repairs yourself. Finally, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with one more useful video how to level walls with plasterboard:

The interior looks harmonious with smooth surfaces and right angles. Modern styles unevenness is masked to a minimum with decor. Create beautiful room Leveling the walls with your own hands will help. The process is labor-intensive, but accessible to everyone. No special training is required. Necessary tool is reduced to a minimum.

Do-it-yourself wall alignment will help you create a beautiful room.

An experiment by a nerdy friend to learn how to level walls

Vadik and I have been friends for a long time. He is serious about science. Outwardly, he doesn’t look like a “nerd” at all; he works out in the gym. Whenever possible, he works out his muscles, helping me at a construction site. Now we're busy interior decoration the house that my friend is building for himself. Any joint work begins with questions: why and how to do it yourself.

Vadik’s cottage has several rooms and he wanted to learn how to level the walls in various ways:

• plasterboard directly on the walls;
• installation of a metal profile frame;
• wooden frame for plasterboard;
• plastering walls according to beacons.

For the purity of the experiment, we did not use the one I had. professional tool. We used amateur and a minimum of special: rule and linear level.

Now we are busy with the interior decoration of the house that my friend is building for himself.

The rest of the accessories and tools are standard, for overhaul with your own hands:

• spatulas;
• drill with various attachments;
• screwdriver;
• jigsaw;
• roller;
• tassels;
• metal scissors;
• cord;
• grinding machine.

For measurements and calculation of material consumption, tape measure and calculator.

Wall Leveling Tools

We make a frame and cover it with plasterboard

In the most big room the walls were uneven. In addition, it was necessary to hide many wires and pipes of various systems. They decided to level the walls with plasterboard attached to the frame. This method allows you to simultaneously install insulation. But all we had to do was put cork panels to insulate the sound. The main thing is that loud music in the living room does not interfere with relaxation in other rooms.
The work my friend had to do was not difficult; he could do everything with his own hands.

Alignment using the frame method

It’s just inconvenient for one person to do it, and I helped:

1. Wall preparation is simple. We measured the curvature of the walls using a linear level.
2. Along the perimeter of the room, a line was cut on the floor along which the drywall will be attached.
3. Vadik used self-tapping screws to secure the guide profile to the floor along the markings.
4. I secured the hangers along the vertical lines.
5. A friend inserted the rack end of the rack profile into the guides on the floor and secured it to the hangers with self-tapping screws. I held it, helping to level it. You can independently fix the racks in the corners and pull the cords to align the middle profiles.
6. Vadik did the binding of the openings himself.
7. The height is greater than the length of the plasterboard sheet. I attached planks horizontally under the joints using crabs. This is done in a checkerboard pattern, just like the sheets are placed.
8. The drywall was quickly screwed to the profile. Used self-tapping screws and a screwdriver. Tightened so that the head of the screw sank slightly.
9. Vadik repaired the joints and dents from the fasteners himself the next day, after the primer had dried.

A friend asked how to line the walls with wallpaper. To do this, all that was left was to clean up the uneven areas and go over it again with finishing putty. Before painting, we covered all the walls with primer and then with the starting compound. After cleaning, my friend did everything with his own hands using the finishing solution. Each time, the protrusions were identified with a ruler and cleaned.

We install smooth walls, drywall without a frame

In a room with relatively flat walls, a friend was learning how to install drywall without a frame. Preparation consisted of determining the slope of the walls and removing protrusions. We marked depressions and deviations from the vertical. They put a solution in those places. The largest holes were additionally leveled with pieces of drywall.
I helped Vadik install the drywall. The sheets are large and difficult for one person to level. He applied the mixture onto the sheet with a notched trowel in spots along the perimeter and axis of the sheet. We then placed the drywall flush against the previous sheet. Leveling was done with a rubber mallet. A friend tapped the sheet on the ledges while I held the level. Then the horizontal plane was checked with a cord.
They sharpened it right away, since they placed horizontal joints with an offset. A day later, Vadik covered everything with primer and finished the putty and cleaning with his own hands. Preparation for finishing took place without my help.

Leveling walls with plasterboard without frame

Wet leveling of walls using beacons from the profile

The tile is heavy and it is not advisable to glue it to drywall. Therefore, Vadik mastered the alignment of walls using beacons and learned to plaster with his own hands.
I explained to a friend how to install beacons on the wall. First you need to prepare the surface, determine the curvature and mark vertical lines at a distance of one and a half meters. For myself, I take a step more - two. But the friend has no experience. Gypsum mortar is applied to the marking in slides every 30 - 40 cm. A beacon profile with a rounded top is installed in it. It is leveled and pressed into the solution. First, the outer beacons from the corners. Then the cords are stretched and the middle profiles are aligned along them.

Plastering on beacons - reliable way wall alignment

Plaster hardens quickly. Therefore, the beacons are placed one at a time immediately after pouring the solution. The next day Vadik began plastering cement-sand mortar. We bought the mixture dry, ready-made. A friend threw the composition onto the wall with his own hands and drew the rule from bottom to top. The long bar easily slid along the surface of the beacons. Then he added the solution to the depressions and repeated it all over again.
The next morning, when the walls had set, we carefully pulled out the beacons. They grabbed the top edge and bent the plank away from the wall. Narrow grooves must be sealed after the solution has completely dried. You can align the walls according to the beacons and not remove the profile, but only on the internal walls.
After complete drying, the walls were primed, puttyed with a starting solution, then with a finishing solution after cleaning.

Pulling the mixture using the beacon rule

Making beacons from gypsum profile

Vadik was interested in how to install beacons on a wall without a profile. In the next room, he leveled the walls according to my instructions with his own hands.

He already had experience working with gypsum mortar and the rule:

1. The vertical curvature of the wall is measured and marks are made.
2. Along the marking line, a continuous strip of solution is poured under the beacons.
3. The rule is carried out vertically from left to right along the entire height of the wall.
4. The resulting protrusion is checked with a level and corrected. Unfilled areas are covered with plaster.

The result is semicircular tubercles. Medium beacons are made using cords stretched horizontally. The next day Vadik was plastering the wall. Then I primed it and finished it with putty to the desired condition for painting.

Gypsum beacons

We pay special attention to aligning the corners

Drywall becomes smooth. Plaster requires leveling the corners of the walls. I use corner spatulas for this. They represent a plate bent at a right angle. On one the handle is attached along the protrusion, on the other in the depression. It is enough to draw from the bottom up, and a clear angle is formed in the plaster layer.
I embed a perforated corner profile into the solution, setting it plumb or level. Then I smooth the surface. This method not only makes the corners even, but also strengthens them. Aligning corners with your own hands without a profile is a difficult procedure for novice craftsmen.

Not all apartments can boast of smooth walls. And if this may not be noticeable when wallpapering, then when installing ceiling plinth, all the shortcomings immediately emerge. Most often this can be found in houses built in the 50s and 60s. Depending on the degree of curvature, there are several ways to level the walls with your own hands. They will be discussed in the article.

Leveling walls with plasterboard

This is the most acceptable option for leveling walls and ceilings with your own hands. Fastening sheets of drywall does not require special skills, and the work is done quite quickly. There are 2 ways to do this. If the curvature of the walls does not exceed a level difference of 4 cm per 2 linear meters, then the faster frameless method is suitable. If it is necessary to hide communications or additionally insulate the walls during leveling, install a frame.

Before starting work, you need to select the right material:

• for living room with normal humidity Regular drywall will do gray front side;
• for the bathroom or any other room with high humidity, to level the walls, choose a special moisture-resistant gypsum board with green front. It has special impregnations, but costs a little more than usual;
• for rooms that have high fire-resistant requirements, for example a kitchen, it is recommended to choose GKLVO. These sheets are moisture and fire resistant, have green color with red markings.

Technology for leveling walls with plasterboard without a frame

When the walls are almost flat and have minor differences, the stages of work will look like this:

• thorough preparation of the base, including complete removal of wallpaper or paint to the plaster layer;
• Next, it is recommended to tap the entire wall; if voids are found or the plaster is coming off in some places, it must be cleaned and a layer of putty applied to level it;
• at the end, remove all dust from the walls using a broom or vacuum cleaner. If this is not done, the layer of dust will reduce the adhesion of the adhesive to the base;
• Now the surface can be primed. Since gypsum board sheets are heavy, it is better to use special primers for concrete containing sand. This will increase the reliability of fastening to glue;

• Drywall adhesive is always sold dry. Before work, dilute the required amount (it is better to prepare a little for the first time) of glue. The consistency should be similar to an adhesive composition for tiles, that is, to be quite thick. For kneading, use a screwdriver or drill with a mixer attachment. Before starting work, it must sit for 5 minutes;
• The method of applying the glue will depend on what facing material In the future it is planned to apply it to walls lined with plasterboard. If it is wallpaper, then glue is applied around the perimeter and in the center in small portions. But for finishing with heavy tiles or stone, the adhesive composition is distributed evenly with a notched spatula over the entire surface of the sheet, also having previously applied it to the wall itself;
• The gypsum board sheet is applied to the wall, leveled and pressed tightly by gently tapping it with a rubber hammer or fist. Do not forget that this is a fragile material and can easily crack.

• If there is a socket at the attachment point, then before attaching the sheet, its location is marked on it. You can cut it after fixing it directly in place;

Tip: cutting drywall evenly and accurately is quite difficult, so there are often miscalculations. It is best to immediately putty such places using serpyanka. If the hole is made in the wrong place, then it must be sealed with alabaster.

• Having attached the first sheet in the corner of the room, the second one is mounted closely to it. They should be located on the same level. If, when pressed, the glue comes out beyond the sheet, it must be immediately carefully cleaned off with a spatula. There should not be even small gaps between the sheets.

Leveling walls with plasterboard with very strong unevenness

In some cases, the walls have significant differences in height, but it is not possible to make a sheathing frame. For example, if the room is very small. If you don’t want to work with putty, you can also turn to gypsum board sheets. In this case, the order of work will be as follows:

• in fact, it will not be possible to do without a frame entirely, but instead of slats or a profile whose thickness is at least 3-4 cm, plasterboard will be used. To do this, a sheet 9 mm thick is cut into strips 10-12 cm wide;

• they are glued vertically in increments of 40 cm. It is advisable to use glue with the greatest fixation; apply it in a thick layer. In the future it will be he who will take upon himself maximum load. The composition is given time to fully set - 2-3 days;
• Then the sheets themselves are glued to the finished frame. In this case, it is better to abandon the 12.5 mm thick wall option and choose thinner and lighter 9 mm thick plasterboard, originally intended for the ceiling.

Advice: despite its apparent ease, leveling walls with plasterboard without a frame is quite labor-intensive and difficult. It is necessary not only to choose the right adhesive composition, but also to carefully seal all the resulting joints with putty.

Aligning walls with plasterboard with frame

• When arranging the frame, preliminary preparation of the walls is reduced to a minimum. But it is still advisable to remove all loose coating, be it peeling wallpaper or crumbling plaster. If possible, walls are treated with antiseptic primers.
• Both inexpensive wooden slats and special ones are suitable for lathing. metal profiles. The latter are recommended for use in rooms with high humidity. If wall leveling work is carried out in wooden house, then the frame is attached using self-tapping screws, in an apartment with brick or concrete walls You will need a hammer drill and dowels.
• The first profile rail is mounted in the corner vertically along the entire height of the wall. All subsequent ones are arranged similarly in increments of 60 cm. This distance is due to the standard width of the plasterboard sheet of 120 cm.

• On all other walls, slats are attached in the same way. Be sure to make a sheathing around each window and doorway in the form of a border. When it is finished on all the walls to be leveled, they begin to attach the sheets.
• First, place whole sheets, starting from the bottom. Standard height is 250 cm, for most city apartments this is enough to make a seamless coating. When the ceiling height is higher, a patch of plasterboard cut to exact size is made on top.

Tip: GKL sheets around the perimeter have beveled edges, making them easier to putty. Therefore, when connecting small pieces of materials, you must try to ensure that these edges are at the joints.

• For fixation, black 35 mm self-tapping screws are used in 15 cm increments along all slats, which are located under the sheet. They should fit into the material in such a way that the caps do not stick out, but do not go deep either, but are exactly flush with the surface. When the sheet is completely screwed, you need to check all the screws; it happens that some of them begin to stick out. In this case, they should be tightened.

Tip: special tools are sold to cut drywall, but for small scales a regular utility knife will do. First, firmly apply a guide (for example, a rail, a level) and make an even cut along it with a stationery knife, deepening it into the material as much as possible. We must try to cut through all the plaster, for this you need 2-3 passes with a knife. Then the sheet in this place is lightly pressed and reverse side cut through the back of the cardboard. As a result of such work, a lot of gypsum dust is generated.

• Attaching all the drywall is only the first step in leveling the walls with your own hands. Then they are primed and first only the joints and places where the screws are screwed are puttied. For greater strength and to prevent subsequent cracking at the joints of individual sheets of drywall, they are glued with sickle tape. It goes deep into the putty composition so that it does not protrude beyond its limits. Having finished the work, the composition is left to dry for a day.

• Next, apply a finishing layer of plaster or putty over the entire surface of the wall. This is a difficult job, during which you need to make an absolutely flat surface of the entire wall area. No sagging or depressions should be allowed. Even further sanding with a special grater will not completely hide them, and they will certainly appear not only through painting, but even through textured wallpaper.

Leveling walls with putty

• One more traditional way leveling the walls - this is with the help of putty on the beacons or without them. It is used in the construction of new brick houses or when renovating apartments.
• To do the job efficiently, you need to choose the right putty composition. They differ in composition depending on the intended operating conditions. There are two main types: gypsum and cement putty. Let's look at how to work with each of these compounds.

Leveling the surface of the walls with gypsum putty

• This is an excellent composition if you need to level the walls of a small area. This is due to the fact that the composition hardens and sets quite quickly. For this reason, it is also recommended for repairing and sealing small cracks or chips that need to be repaired as quickly as possible and work can continue.
• It is sold in dry or prepared form. The second option is preferable for those who have little experience in working with such compositions, and therefore the application speed is low. Dry putty should be diluted with a drill at medium speed and in small quantities. After mixing the mixture, it is immediately applied to the wall. The edges are completely smoothed out, bringing them to “zero”.
• The finished solution is sold in bags or buckets. There is no need to keep the entire container open during work, but it is advisable to take small portions into an additional container.
• Putty is applied to the walls in a thick layer. To do this, take the mixture with a spatula and attach it to the wall using a spray. As a result, it should fill the entire wall very tightly, with virtually no gaps. And it is immediately leveled with a wide spatula. Movements are made smooth without too much pressure. It is necessary to achieve smoothness and evenness of the layer. The first layer is aligned horizontally. As a rule, it is enough, but if a second layer is required, then it is applied only after the previous one has completely hardened. Align it vertically.

• Having used the entire composition in the container, it must be cleared of the remnants of the old mixture, otherwise it will turn into hard lumps and spoil the next portion.

Tip: putty has poor adhesion to painted surfaces. Therefore, if the foundation has an old paintwork, then it is completely cleared. If that doesn’t work, then use a knife to make as many cuts as possible.

• Experts recommend using a simple method to achieve absolute smoothness of putty walls. To do this, it is moistened with a spray bottle or any other sprayer 15 minutes after completion of work. And immediately level with a metal spatula. In this case, a finishing layer of plaster is no longer needed and you can immediately apply paint or glue wallpaper.

Leveling the surface of the walls with cement putty

At its core, cement putty is similar to mortar. But only purified components are used for it, such as:

• fine sand that has been cleaned to remove large particles;
• high quality cement with polymer additives.

All this made it possible to create a solution of high quality and with the required elasticity. The setting time is longer than that of the gypsum analogue, so a larger area can be treated at a time, carefully leveling the surface.

Stages of work

• Cement putty is sold in dry form. To prepare it, you need to take the required amount of clean cold water and pour the mixture into it, stirring continuously. This can be done using a drill or manually. If the composition is not made according to the instructions, then in the end you need to achieve homogeneous mass with a viscous consistency.

Tip: if you need to level a large area of ​​walls, you can save money and prepare the solution yourself. To do this, mix cement of a grade not lower than M400 ¼ part of the mass and add fine-grained sand ¾ part of the mass.

• The walls are treated with a primer, and a thick layer of putty is applied to them by spraying with a spatula. And it is immediately leveled with horizontal smooth movements. For finishing, after 20 minutes after completion of work, it is moistened with water and smoothed with a spatula.

• It is recommended to check the surface of each layer using a level or a long rule.
• If the thickness of the putty layer is from 2 to 4 cm, you will need to use a painting mesh to strengthen it. With a layer of 5 cm or more, you cannot do without a special reinforcing mesh made of thin metal.
• The best way to level walls with plaster is to work with beacons. By setting them correctly, you can be sure of high-quality subsequent leveling with the mixture.

Leveling walls video

Aligning walls with beacons

Materials suitable for use as beacons:

• metal profiles specially designed for this purpose, which are sold in all hardware stores;
• To install string beacons, wire or thin cable is suitable.

Stages of work

• First of all, beacons are placed. Depending on the chosen method, they are attached to cement mortar or self-tapping screws. With this method of leveling walls, it is imperative to take care of an even rule, the length of which is at least 2 m. The distance between the vertical beacons must necessarily be less than the selected length of the rule.
• Dowels are attached to the top of the wall at the required pitch, and the lighthouse cable is tied to them. Having leveled it vertically using a level, a second dowel is attached from below, and the cable is pulled tightly between them. This cable will become a guide, under which a high path of cement mortar is applied so that the string is fixed on it.

• When the mortar is completely dry, the cable is removed, and the remaining cement mortar becomes the future beacon for leveling the wall.
• Profiles are attached in a similar way. But with the difference that they don’t have to be removed. If it is decided to remove them, then the resulting grooves are finally filled with putty.

Mixtures for leveling walls

Based on the composition of the mixture for leveling walls, they are divided into: cement, gypsum, polymer or complex. In addition, depending on what grain size is used in them: concrete, mortar or dispersed.

Until today, the most popular compositions were those based on lime, sand or cement. This is due to their low price, good ductility and moisture resistance. But they are increasingly being preferred to more modern polymer mixtures that have best characteristics and more versatile.

Composition of dry mixes:

• binders, functional fillers. Their function is to prevent the solution from hardening too quickly. They also reduce the hygroscopic properties of the mixture;
• cellulose ethers. They must be present in the composition, as they are thickeners and prevent separation of the solution. To work with negative temperatures, antifreeze components are turned on;
• modifiers. They can radically influence the characteristics of the putty. For example, increase or decrease the hardening rate. If work with putty is planned at high temperature, you need to take a composition with an extended hardening time;
• aqueous inhibitors. Thanks to them, plaster compositions for leveling walls have high plasticity without adding large quantity water. In this connection, the strength of the finished coating is significantly improved;
• polymers. This is the most important component. It is thanks to him that the adhesion of plaster to any surface increases. In addition, polymer components improve resistance to mechanical damage.

Advice: when choosing a dry mixture for leveling walls, you need to pay attention to the following characteristics:

• on the size of the sand fraction in the composition;
• per brand of cement. It is designated by the letter "M" followed by a numerical value. The higher it is, the better quality cement used, but its price is also higher. To level the walls in an apartment, you should not overpay for M400 or M500, which are intended for load-bearing walls. The composition marked M 150 is quite sufficient;
• for the presence of polymer additives.

Cement-sand mixtures for leveling walls

• In factory conditions, polymers are always present in its composition. When making it at home with your own hands, dishwashing liquid is added as a plasticizer. The cement-sand composition is universal and suitable for use in rooms with high humidity.
• For rough leveling, a cheaper mixture containing coarse sand is suitable. To create a smooth surface you need to choose finishing putty with fine sand.
• The main advantages are low price and the ability to do it yourself, as well as suitability for work by a person with no experience.

Disadvantages include poor adhesion to concrete base, prolonged drying, as well as a fairly high probability of cracking. The composition is viscous and heavy, which makes working with it physically labor-intensive.

Cement-lime mixtures for leveling walls

• Their properties are similar to gypsum plasters. Instead of sand, it uses lime, which gives the solution elasticity, preserving its quality longer.
• Lime prevents the appearance of mold and mildew on the walls and regulates the level of humidity in the room. Unlike the previous composition, it adheres well to concrete without prior preparation. And if necessary, drill a hole in the wall, it will not crumble.

Disadvantages: higher price than sand mortar and low compressive strength.

Gypsum mixtures for leveling walls

• This great option for use on walls in residential areas with normal humidity. When applied, an environmentally friendly and vapor-permeable layer is formed.
• In addition to being flexible and easy to use, it dries quickly, which reduces the time repair work, and also has sound and thermal insulation characteristics. Suitable for leveling walls where there are differences in height up to 6 cm.

But still, the high cost, hygroscopicity and rapid setting make it less universal.

Heat-saving mixtures for leveling walls

Today you can find these on sale. This is an excellent option for apartments in panel houses, where the walls are quite thin and do not have additional insulation.

• Heat-saving plaster is made on the basis of a dry cement-lime mixture with the addition of perlite or polystyrene foam beads. They are suitable for rough leveling and require application over a finishing leveling layer.
• To achieve the desired effect, the layer of such plaster should be 10 cm thick. But due to low adhesion, it is recommended to spray it first. To do this, the mixture is diluted more liquidly (the consistency of sour cream) and sprayed onto the walls with a layer of 2-3 mm.

Tips for purchasing a composition for leveling walls with plaster

• It’s better to pay more, but buy plaster from a well-known manufacturer that has proven high quality of its products.
• For leveling walls made of foam concrete, a gypsum composition is best suited. It quickly absorbs moisture from the applied composition, so at the end of the work, water is sprayed on top so that the composition does not crack.

• Though gypsum plasters and are more expensive, but their consumption is more economical. So, on average, to level 1 m2 of wall you will need 15 kg of cement composition and only 10 kg of gypsum.
• You should not buy the entire volume of plaster at once (if you need a lot). First, try it out and if it’s convenient to work with, buy the rest.
• Improper storage damages the plaster. Gypsum begins to set too quickly, and cement begins to slide off the wall when applied.