How to choose a trowel for wall putty?

Every family sooner or later needs to make repairs. Whether it's the purchase of a new spacious apartment or the need to renovate an old home, you want this serious and time-consuming undertaking to go as smoothly as possible. An important role in this process should be given to the choice of high-quality and convenient tools and devices. Preparing everything you need in advance can save you time and money so you don't get distracted by unnecessary shopping trips in the future.

During repairs, a spatula will almost always be used., and probably more than one. This tool is useful for several types of repair work, including wall putty.

Translated from German "spatel" means "shoulder blade". It is a plate with a handle. The plate can be of different shapes and sizes, depending on the purpose of the spatula. Also, the materials from which the working part of the tool is made differ.

There are different variants of the spatula - some are suitable for removing old wallpaper, others are suitable for grouting or tiling and evenly applying the adhesive layer. There are tools for grouting surfaces, scraping off old paint, filling walls, leveling surface materials or laying bricks.

Spatulas used for different types of work should be selected strictly in accordance with their purpose. At different stages of the repair, different versions of this tool may be needed. Below we will consider the types of spatulas used when filling wall surfaces.

This type of tool is used to cover the surface of the walls with plaster and putty mixtures, as well as for the subsequent leveling of the applied solution and eliminate irregularities. Facade trowels are advisable to use for work on large areas of the surface prepared in advance. These products are distinguished by their relatively high cost due to the improved performance of the tool. Facade trowels are made of materials with increased strength and durability.

The blade of the working part is rigidly attached by an aluminum profile to the tool handle, which minimizes the risk of bending and breakage of the product. The handles of the front spatulas are comfortable, rubberized, firmly in the hand and do not slip out during work. The width of the working blade varies between 150-800 millimeters.

These products are sold in any building supermarket. They are a work surface with a scalloped outer edge, secured in a rubber or wooden handle. These spatulas are specially designed to create an even layer of adhesive of the required thickness on the surface of the floor or walls. The tool is indispensable for laying tiles, ceramics and porcelain stoneware.

The correct selection of the tool will save the glue solution, as well as ensure high-quality contact of the tile with the wall or floor material. In addition, it is convenient to use the serrated surface to remove excess adhesive already applied from working materials.

The angled type of the tool looks like a working blade made of metal curved at a right angle with a comfortable handle. Such a spatula is used for filler work in the corners of rooms. The shape of the tool allows you to comfortably level the surface of the corners between adjoining walls or under the ceiling. The problem with using an angled trowel can arise if the initial planning of the room is not done with the correct angles.

In "Khrushchev" buildings, it is often found out during repairs that the angle between the walls is clearly sharp, or, conversely, obtuse. Such features of the rooms make it difficult for the angled spatula to access the work site and reduce the quality and uniformity of the putty application in hard-to-reach places. Therefore, often when carrying out repairs, preference is given to the installation of decorative corners at the joints where the design project allows.

It is similar in purpose to the front spatula, but differs from it in design. Sizes range from 200-450 millimeters. Painter's spatulas have a thinner working edge. Often they are made from metals of not the highest quality, which has a positive effect on their cost and availability. However, this entails a reduction in their service life and greatly increases the likelihood of breakage under strong compression or bending.

On the other hand, the small thickness of the working part in combination with the flexibility and elasticity of the material makes it possible to use such a tool for applying thin layer of putty solutions. This property of the painting trowel determines its predominant use at the finishing stage of work when applying the final layer of the coating. Also, such a tool is quite suitable for cleaning walls and removing an old layer of wallpaper, filling cracks and removing small roughness and irregularities on the walls.

Rubber putty tools are made from resilient, dense and flexible types of rubber. The price of the product will depend on the size, manufacturer and material characteristics. Sizes range from the smallest, designed for hard-to-reach areas of the treated surface, to large specimens.

Rubber spatulas with a wide working part, connected to a rubber or wooden handle, are used to work on wide areas of the surface covered with liquid, flowable mixtures and solutions. Smaller spatulas are ergonomic and suitable for applying thin finishing layers of putty or plaster, for filling joints, grouting joints, as well as for eliminating defects on walls and other surfaces. Often, rubber spatulas are sold immediately in sets of several models of different sizes. The tool is characterized by high elasticity, a wide range of applications and often has no joints, since it is made entirely of rubber.

In addition to spatulas for applying rough finishing materials, there are products specialized in decorative finishing. Decorative plaster is in demand in the construction market and is often used for the renovation and decoration of residential premises. The standard finishing tool is the trowel. This is a tool with a complex four-sided shape of the working part. The trowel usually has a wooden or rubber handle. With the help of the edges of the working part, decorative plaster is applied to the walls and ceiling, which stretches well, creating a textured layer.

The choice of the trowel should be made directly by the finisher., since the convenience of the handle of the tool determines how easy and comfortable it will be to work with it when painstakingly applying a patterned layer.

In addition to a trowel, special floats are used to obtain the textured surface of the decorative coating. To create an interesting relief, a special plaster with the unusual name "bark beetle" is often purchased. After processing the desired model with a grater, the decorative coating created by the "bark beetle" acquires a relief resembling wood eaten by the beetle of the same name. This design option looks expensive and original. It is best used in classic interiors.

Another type of decorative coating tool is a special spatula equipped with a polished blade, similar to a paint spatula. It is also convenient for applying thin layers of finishing material, it comes in various widths and usually differs in average cost due to the use of stainless materials in the manufacture of the working part.

As already mentioned, repair tools can vary greatly in both price and quality of workmanship and materials of manufacture. Spatula models designed for professional craftsmen will last longer and will undergo more than one repair.

In building supermarkets, a wide range of spatulas of various standardized dimensions is presented. When choosing and buying products, you should pay attention to the width of the working surface. An oversized spatula, incorrectly selected for a particular type of work, will deform and bend, which ultimately lead to breakage and the need for replacement, as well as poor quality of repair work.

It is better to choose a facade type of spatula with a width of 300-400 millimeters, but it is recommended to take into account the area of ​​the treated surface. The final choice will always be individual. For a rough putty, narrower models are needed, and very small ones are useful for areas with difficult access, crevices, cracks and corners. If there are serious potholes and pits in the walls, a large tool will be required to simultaneously apply a large layer of material to the defective area.

The plastic handle is easier to clean from the finishing materials. The cost of such models is not high, but low-quality plastic can be inconvenient for the hands, especially when applying force. The same applies to the material of the working side. The stronger the working part, the less likely it is to spend money on a new tool instead of a broken one, but in this case, you will have to fork out for a large amount at once.

You can putty with a mechanized handle with replaceable cartridges or choose a homemade tool. You can replace the device at any time, choosing the one that is more convenient for you to work with.

The range of spatulas presented on the construction market includes both imported models and domestic production options. Give preference to the products of large brands, delve into consumer reviews and do not risk buying a "nameless" model. Approaching the choice of the tool carefully and wisely, you can be sure that the repairs carried out will be durable.

For information on which spatula is better to choose for wall putty, see the next video.