How to apply silk plaster with your own hands

The composition and characteristics of silk plaster, the preparation of the mortar and methods of application to the wall, the positive aspects of using this decorative coating.

The content of the article:

Silk plaster is a picturesque wall covering made of silk fibers and chemical components, imitating the fabric of the same name. A feature of the material is the presence of silk elements that give the room a chic look. The article provides useful information about the properties of the material and the method of applying silk plaster on its own.

Composition and components of silk plaster

Silk plaster stands out for its catchy look: after processing the wall, it seems that it is decorated with silk fabric. The effect is created by the main component in the plaster - artificial or natural silk fibers, as well as cotton and cellulose.

In the manufacture of the material, the following components are used:

• Polyester. The basis of the material is responsible for the elastic and strength qualities. The higher the percentage of the substance, the stronger the coating.
• Acrylic mixes or cellulose adhesive. Tie all the components together.
• Special Ingredients. Prevent the appearance and development of fungus and mold on the wall.
• Dyes. There are a wide variety of colors, because the natural color of the plaster is silver-white.
• decorative elements. These are sparkles, mineral chips, mother-of-pearl. With such fillers, plaster looks different from different angles.
• Additional components. Allows you to decorate walls with different styles, such as wet silk, velvet surface, wrinkled silk, etc. The addition of marble chips adds volume to the plastered partition.
• . Changes properties if there are more impurities of the same type. For example, mineral additives reduce abrasion resistance, while acrylic and silicone additives increase it. Therefore, when buying, study the composition of the mixture, the possibility of using the material in different conditions depends on it.

Unlike conventional building plaster, sand is not added to the decorative composition.

Silk plaster can be applied to many surfaces: concrete, brick, wooden walls, metal partitions, etc. Special additives allow you to decorate walls, even without removing the old coating, painted with oil and alkyd paints.

As a rule, the mixture is prepared from two components: the main one, consisting of an adhesive composition, and additional elements responsible for the decorative front part. The main component is sold in the form of dry small granules or cotton wool, it resembles children's ornamental material. Packaged in 1kg plastic bags.

Advantages and disadvantages of silk plaster

Silk plaster gives the wall good performance and decorative qualities. We can highlight the following positive aspects of the coverage:

1. Plaster allows you to qualitatively process surfaces of any complexity, walls with ledges, openings, and numerous corners are easily covered.
2. The technology for preparing the mixture is very simple, it is enough to dilute the workpiece with water.
3. The coating does not lose its original appearance for a long time.
4. Applying the mixture to the wall does not require experience with similar material, everything can be done independently.
5. On the wall covered with silk plaster, there are no seams and joints, it is not required to connect the patterns.
6. Preparatory work does not involve careful preliminary leveling of the base wall. The material is able to mask small wall defects. After finishing, a smooth surface is obtained.
7. Silk plaster increases the soundproofing and heat-insulating characteristics of the base.
8. During the application of plaster on the wall, you can create panels, contrasting elements, images.
9. The properties of silk plaster make it possible to replace damaged areas.
10. Silk plaster in the interior is considered a universal coating. Facing can decorate walls in any room - bedroom, living room, kitchen.
11. Minor damage is quickly removed by moistening the area with water from a spray bottle and smoothing the area with a plastic spatula.
12. Material - plastic, fits well on the wall.
13. Silk plaster has a large color palette, you can choose a color for every taste.

Like all building materials, silk plaster has disadvantages. The coating absorbs moisture and odors well, which limits the scope. If stains and other contaminants remain on the base wall before coating, the silk plaster will draw them in and they will appear on the finished surface. The coating wears out quickly, so it is recommended not to use it in places where it will be subject to intense mechanical stress.

When choosing silk decorative plaster, use our recommendations:

• Artificial and natural silk differ in color and price. The first option is more often used, because artificial silk is cheaper, and the color can be any
• Silk plaster based on a natural component is expensive, but the interior turns out to be author's and luxurious.
• Natural silk plaster does not change color for a long time, does not fade in the sun.
• Silk coatings with the addition of cotton or cellulose are inferior in appearance to the previous version, they are less durable, but are cheaper.
• Plaster fibers can be of different sizes, their size is indicated on the packaging of the material.
• Plaster with long silk fibers looks more impressive, but it is more convenient to apply fine-grained materials to the wall, because mechanical devices can be used for this.
• Silk plaster looks luxurious, it can not be used in any room. It looks good in the office, living room and corridor.
• In offices and workrooms, it is recommended to use textured dark-colored plaster. In residential areas, decorate the walls at your discretion.
• In the kitchen, create a coating with care, after finishing work, protect the plaster with a special varnish, but in this case it is impossible to carry out a partial repair of the coating.
• In the bathroom, use silk plaster with water-repellent properties. Before decorating the wall, carefully treat it with antifungal impregnation, and after finishing work, be sure to protect it with varnish.
• A wall with a large number of irregularities can be decorated with plaster under "wet" silk. The special composition of this material smoothes and masks defects. This type of plaster can be used to decorate arches and walls with ledges.
• During operation, the plaster should not touch the furniture.
• To protect the silk plaster in the outer corners from damage, be sure to use special metal pads.

Do-it-yourself wall plastering technology

Wall decoration with silk plaster is carried out in several stages. Failure to follow the sequence of work will lead to various unaesthetic consequences.

Necessary tools for plastering walls

A high-quality wall covering with silk plaster cannot be obtained without special tools. Depending on the type of material for applying the mortar to the wall, various devices will be needed:

1. Consistent silk plaster is applied with a spatula or trowel. It is recommended to use a transparent tool that allows you to adjust the thickness of the applied layer and the pattern of the coating.
2. Silk plaster with a fine texture can be applied with a spray gun if there is a “MH” mark on the packaging of the material - machine application. The spray attachment is selected according to the characteristics of the material, which affect the diameter of the nozzle and the power of the blower, for example, the viscosity of the plaster solution. For mechanical application, you will need an air blower or compressor that creates a pressure of 0.5 MPa with a capacity of 400 l / min. The nozzle diameter of the compressor gun should be 5-10 mm. According to these data, it can be seen that the power of a household vacuum cleaner will not be enough.
3. To obtain embossed patterns, stock up on a textured roller, a fine-bristled brush, a sponge and other accessories.

Preparing walls for applying silk plaster

Before applying plaster, remove old coating, paint, adhesive, etc. from the wall and inspect it for defects. Despite the ability of the material to mask defects, walls, cracks and dents larger than 3 mm should be puttied. If you ignore this operation, then stains will appear on the surface, peeling of the coating or discoloration of the finished wall is possible.

Silk plaster adheres well to any surface, but the walls must be properly prepared before work. Preparatory work depends on the material of the wall:

• On concrete walls, you should carefully consider the presence of various stains. It will not be possible to disguise them with staining. In this case, the problem area should be puttied, then primed with a facade primer and painted to match the purchased silk plaster or white. Fix crumbling surfaces with strengthening compounds.
• If a sand-cement plaster is applied to the base surface, it is checked for delamination. Problem areas are cleaned, puttied and strengthened with special means. It is not allowed to leave stains and stains on even plastered surfaces. To prevent negative consequences, problem areas should be painted over with oil or alkyd paint that is compatible with this silk plaster.
• On plasterboard walls, pay attention to fasteners. Drown the heads of the self-tapping screws into the slab, no traces of rust should be visible, therefore it is recommended to completely putty the walls from the GKL. Especially carefully seal the gaps between the panels, they can appear on the finished wall. After pre-treatment, drywall sheets should be painted with a composition of white paint and PVA glue in a ratio of 3: 1.
• Wooden surfaces made of chipboard, MDF, moisture-resistant plywood must be plastered with special mixtures and impregnated with a primer.
• Metal surfaces require special preparation before applying silk plaster. The material fits well only on a painted surface, so the walls should be treated and painted accordingly.

Preparation of a mixture for wall plaster

Silk plaster is produced in two types - ready-made and dry compositions. In the first option, the material is sold ready for use. Before work, it is enough to dilute the mixture with water to the desired consistency.

Dry preparations go on sale in parts, from several components, packaged in bags, which are connected in a certain way. The solution is prepared according to the instructions supplied with the product. Depending on the contents of the plaster and its configuration for sale, the methods for preparing mortars can vary greatly.

A typical scheme for preparing a working mass is as follows:

• Mineral and decorative additives are added to the package with dry microgranules, their quantity is determined by the master. The more additives, the less areas of fragmental repair will be noticeable.
• For the preparation of some types of solutions, it is necessary to make a color separately, and then pour it into the liquid mass. For such cases, a special container for dosing the coloring element is supplied with the plaster.
• If you want to add glitter to the plaster, pour it into the water before mixing.
• Shake the package with the workpiece thoroughly to evenly distribute the components.
• Pour enough water into a plastic dish to dilute one packet of material. The amount of liquid is indicated on the package. The water temperature should not exceed 35 degrees, otherwise the granules will “brew” and turn into hard lumps.
• The mixture is poured into water and mixed by hand, the contents are passed through the fingers. It is not allowed to use mechanical means, after which the structure of the silk plaster will be disturbed. After mixing, no lumps should remain in the solution; partial mixing of the powder is not allowed. This can lead to uneven wall color or poor adhesion of the plaster.
• Several packages of the mixture are diluted in different containers and left to swell the adhesive mass.
• The solution is prepared 12 hours before work, usually it is kneaded in the evening in order to start applying it to the wall in the morning.
• Immediately before plastering, solutions from different containers are poured into one and mixed, leveling possible differences in shades. Water can be added if necessary to obtain the desired consistency.

The solution is prepared in an amount that is enough to finish one wall. If unused solution remains, it can be added to the next batch. You can also freeze some of the solution and use it in case of restoration of the coating. Low temperatures do not affect material properties.

How to apply mortar to walls

Before applying silk plaster, treat the wall with a special acrylic-based primer, despite the fact that the material has good viscosity. The solution is allowed to be applied to a completely dry wall.

The amount of material can be determined theoretically, based on the calculation of 1 kg - per 4-5 m 2 of the wall with a layer thickness of 1.5-2 mm, but adjustments should be made for the texture of the plaster. A large texture coating will require more material than a small one. In case of alteration, purchase one package of the mixture in reserve. Decorative glitter, which is often sold separately, is bought at the rate of 1 sachet per 1 pack of putty.

Wall decoration starts from the corner. The prepared solution with a plastic trowel is applied to the wall in random order with small strokes, at a small distance between them. The trowel should be held obliquely, at an angle of 10-15 degrees to the surface, the wedge is easily controlled visually.

The process is similar to spreading butter on bread. The thickness of the initial layer is up to 2 mm. It must be remembered that roughness appears on the surface of a thick layer, and the substrate is visible through a very thin layer. It is recommended to apply the solution from the light side to the dark side, so the unevenness is more noticeable. To apply the mixture in the corners, buy an angled spatula. The corners are formed by moving the spatula outward.

The silk fibers are laid in the direction of the spatula movement. In this way, you can create background images. There are several ways to apply the solution:

1. Technique "moon" - smears are applied with radial movements.
2. The droppe technique involves the use of short strokes in various directions when applying silk plaster, resulting in patterns in the form of curls.
3. The effect of "wet" fabric is obtained with a very thin layer of the mixture.
4. The appearance of silk plaster is shown after applying numerous layers of mortar in the same style. When using special textured brushes, you can get the illusion of crinkled silk or a velvety surface.

2 hours after applying the plaster, it is recommended to moisten the wall and process it with a grater, controlling the work with side lighting. As a result, all irregularities and furrows will disappear, and a flat surface will be obtained.

Silk plaster dries within 48-72 hours, the process is affected by room humidity and air temperature. To speed up drying, you can periodically ventilate the room and turn on the heaters - silk plaster is not afraid of drafts.

If you do not like certain areas of the coating, you can redo the silk plaster with your own hands. To do this, it should be wetted with water and wait until it softens. Then it is removed with a spatula, a fresh layer of coating is applied on top and carefully processed to the level of neighboring areas.

After the plaster has dried, it is recommended to cover it with a colorless acrylic varnish. The top layer will protect the coating from moisture and odor absorption. The smooth surface protects the surface from dust and makes it easier to clean the walls. Dust can be collected with a vacuum cleaner, and small dirt can be removed with a damp cloth or stationery eraser. However, varnish deprives the coating of the ability to pass air. Also, varnished plaster is difficult to restore after damage.

Methods for decorating silk plaster

The wall, decorated with silk plaster, looks elegant in itself, the surface displays a variety of shades. If desired, the partition can be decorated with additional decoration:

• On dry plaster, they are carried out with a trowel, creating patterns in the form of a herringbone, waves, etc., maintaining one direction of the lines. Instead of a trowel, you can use a medium-hard bristle brush or washcloth.
• Also, a mixture is applied to separate sections of silk plaster, which differs in shade from the base. To do this, you need a tray where the mixture is poured. The sponge is dipped into the mortar, drawn over the rough surface to remove excess mortar, and then applied to the plaster.
• Fragmented decorations can be created on the surface. On a section of the wall, a drawing is made with a pencil (for example, a flower) and the inside of the image is removed with a knife. The borders of the picture are protected with masking tape. The recess is filled with a solution of silk plaster.
• The stacked layers can be tinted with a shaggy roller. Color is used as paint, which was added to the bulk of the plaster.

How to apply silk plaster - look at the video:

Wall decoration with silk plaster allows the owners to get a beautiful individual interior and surround themselves with affordable luxury. Despite the considerable cost, the demand for such surface cladding remains consistently high.