How to plaster drywall with your own hands?

Plasterboard today is used to solve many problems when decorating premises. With its help, ceilings and walls are aligned, as well as partitions or other similar fences are formed. This material is already initially produced with a flat surface. But for its better preparation, experts recommend plastering drywall. In this way, perfectly flat surfaces can be obtained that are suitable for all types of finishes.

When is the filling done?

The use of drywall sheets does not always allow you to get a high-quality base. These problems are solved with the help of special mixtures that are applied both to the joints and to the entire plane of the material.

Experts recommend using puttying in several cases:

Painting the wall or ceiling. If this is not done, significant drops will be noticeable on the walls, which the paint is not able to level.
Application of decorative plasters. With the help of finishing solutions, adhesion with similar compounds is increased.
Visual alignment of differences that can affect the installation of finishing materials. Often, plaster is applied under the wallpaper.

Plaster should only be applied to moisture-resistant plasterboard walls, as they are able to withstand high humidity. When conventional mixtures are used for such purposes, the result can be unpredictable.

We select a solution

The quality of the drywall coating and the service life of such a surface depends on the composition that will be applied to it.

The modern market offers several types of drywall plasters:

Plaster mixes. The products are perfect for gypsum plasterboards, as they are technically the same substance. The disadvantage of these solutions is the rapid absorption of moisture. Therefore, it will be correct to apply gypsum plaster only in dry rooms, where there is no large drop in humidity.
Cement compounds. This type of mortar can withstand high humidity well. Therefore, with their help, you can additionally protect the drywall sheets from water. They can be used in almost any room.
Polymeric plasters. They appeared relatively recently. They can include both gypsum and cement. But to change the basic physical properties, various types of polymers are added there. Therefore, such mixtures withstand high humidity perfectly. They are versatile and suitable for many tasks. The only drawback of polymer plasters is their high cost.

If you are a beginner and decide to do plastering with your own hands, then experts recommend giving preference to universal solutions. They are much easier to apply, allowing you to get an even surface with minimal blemishes.

Stocking up with tools

Working with sheets and mixtures is carried out with various auxiliary devices. With their help, you can speed up the process, as well as get a high quality surface.

For plastering, you will need several items:

Perforator and nozzle for mixing mortar. If the area is small, then these operations can be carried out manually.

Screwdriver and several attachments of different sizes.
Spatulas. You will need different sized tools. It is important that the end of the spatula is straight.
Reinforcing mesh. Some experts use special paper for this.
Fine sandpaper.You can purchase several types of it, as this will allow you to process the plaster with higher accuracy.

Preparatory operations

Before applying the main layer of plaster, the plasterboard surface should be leveled.

These works are quite simple and involve the implementation of the following operations:

First of all, visually and by touch, they check whether the caps of the screws protrude above the surface of the sheet. If so, then it is advisable to drown them slightly below this level. To do this, simply screw the self-tapping screw a little deeper with a screwdriver. Do not use a screwdriver, as you can simply poke holes in the material or drive the fasteners too deep.
Pay attention to the joints. There must be an edge in these places. In most cases, it is present, since the manufacturers have equipped it with sheets. But if it is absent, you need to carefully cut off the ends of the drywall at an angle of 45 degrees using a clerical knife.

Primer. Drywall processing is carried out with special solutions that can strengthen its structure. But it is undesirable to use mixtures based on alkyds, since these components quickly corrode paper. You can find the right products in specialized stores.
Sealing irregularities and joints. Initially, each hole from under the self-tapping screw is filled with putty. Apply it crosswise with a narrow spatula. It is important not to form a tubercle protruding above the main surface. Before filling the joints, a special mesh is attached to their surface. After that, it is fixed with a liquid solution. Here, the maximum leveling of the surface is also carried out.
If a multi-level ceiling or arch is formed from drywall, then you need to strengthen it with special corners. Please note that they can be external or internal. They are fixed using self-tapping screws or the same solution. After that, in a similar way, fill all the technical holes with the ready-made mixture.

When the preparatory work is completed, you should leave the surface alone for one day. During this time, the composition will dry completely and it can be additionally trimmed with sandpaper. After that, the entire surface is covered with primers. You can apply a drywall primer once after all joints and damage have been completely putty.

Algorithm of work

The technology for applying the solution is relatively simple, but it requires adherence to a few simple rules:

A small amount of the mixture should be cooked, as it hardens quickly. This is important if you are inexperienced and unable to quickly apply the mortar to drywall.
Plastering always begins from the corners, gradually moving towards the center of the wall or ceiling.
The thickness of the applied layer should not exceed 5 mm. If you immediately cover the sheet with a thick layer of plaster, then this will lead to rapid cracking of the material when it dries.
Do not put too much pressure on the spatula when working. This will not produce an even layer.

Each new piece is applied with a slight bead over the previously attached plaster. Thus, a kind of dressing is obtained, which makes it possible to achieve a whole layer.
A spatula with plaster is led at an angle of no more than 15 degrees. If this value is increased, then it is not always possible to obtain an even surface after the first application.
Pay attention to height differences when filling. You should not try to level them with several layers. It is better to let them dry, and then apply a new thin portion of the composition.
Plastering should be done in several cycles. After each operation, you need to give at least a day for the composition to dry.
The final step is to level the plaster. To do this, use several types of plaster paper. At the same time, it is important to achieve a perfectly flat surface with a minimum number of drops. You can optimize this work with a special paint float.Be sure to use personal protective equipment (goggles, gloves and a respirator) for this.

Working with drywall, or rather, plastering it, is a simple operation that only requires time and patience. To get a perfectly flat surface, you should use high-quality materials and follow the recommendations of specialists, all operations should be carried out carefully, in compliance with the technology.

For how to plaster drywall with your own hands, see the following video.