What are the corner spatulas and how do they work?

The design of the angled trowel makes it possible to quickly and accurately remove corners while working with putty or plaster, that is, to greatly facilitate the construction process. But before you run to the store for a miraculous spatula, you should make sure that the angles in the room are really 90 degrees, otherwise it will be useless. If the angle is slightly more or less than the right one, and the pedantry of character requires perfect repair, engage in leveling the corners, then a curved spatula will definitely come in handy for plastering a room.

A conventional trowel is a construction tool that looks like a plate with a handle and has many functions. It is used for throwing on the wall and rubbing various building mixtures, that is, when puttying and plastering before finishing. In addition to its direct purpose, the spatula can be used for other purposes, for example, removing old wallpaper or painting, used for laying cinder blocks, bricks.

The angled spatula is a highly specialized tool. All of the above actions are not performed by it. The device is intended only for filling and plastering the inner and outer corners. Its shape differs from a conventional construction trowel in its 90 degree bend of the working blade, so this kind of tool can only serve corners.

The angled spatulas are thicker and stronger than their flat counterparts. This shape allows you to process two surfaces at once between walls, ceiling or floor in one run. Each wing measures 7 cm or more in width. The tilt of the handle to the bend of the spatula is 20-30 degrees, which allows you to conveniently work with the tool and deduce the angle of any complexity.

Now let's talk about the negative features of this type of instrument. There are some negative points when working with angled spatulas.

• The spatula cannot work with curved corners. If the angle error is small to one side or the other, the working blade can be bent or unbent. But if the line between the walls, ceiling or floor is chaotic, this trick will not help.

• To get a perfectly even angle, you need to run with a spatula, without interruption, from top to bottom, which will require professional skill.

• The curved spatula is relatively heavy, it is rather difficult to work with it without skills.

• Craftsmen prefer to reinforce the corners with perforated corners. This method makes the line straight and clear, while less physical effort is spent than when leveling with a spatula. Aluminum painting fixtures protect the corner from deformation and mechanical stress. Due to the availability of this method, the angled spatula is not widely popular today.

Corner trowels are used only for their intended purpose - for rough finishing of corners. Using them while laying tiles or removing old wallpaper with them will not work. Therefore, the varieties of the instrument are few, they are produced in three types:

• for processing internal corners;

• for working with outside corners;

• spatula with oversized wings, for the possibility of leveling large planes adjacent to the corner.

External and internal spatulas look different, as they have to work with different types of angles.

The trowel is made of high strength steel, which allows it to hold a right angle without distortion. The handle is fixed on the bend in the inner part of the trowel and is positioned at a slight angle. This allows you to insert the tool into the corner and run it from top to bottom while comfortably holding the handle.

The types of internal trowels differ according to the location of the handle.

• The most common options include locking the handle near the edge of the bend.

• On a spatula with different wing sizes, the holder is attached from the side of the larger blade, taking place in the center of the edge line.

• The handle rests on the plane of the curved blade with four fasteners. The design looks cumbersome, but allows uniform pressure to be applied to the entire surface of the trowel.

• The handle is parallel to the curved line and is held by a single mount that is fixed in the center of the curved blade. During operation, there is a uniform load on both wings of the trowel.

The method of attaching the handles, described in the last two versions, is also carried out for external corner spatulas.

The outer trowel is also made of strong steel and bent at a 90 degree angle, only the handle is attached to the outer bend strip. Through a small adapter, the handle is fixed with a comfortable slope. During operation, the spatula is pushed onto the protruding angle, tightly installed and, holding the handle, move from top to bottom.

Before purchasing an angled spatula, you should decide for yourself in which place you will have to work with it. If the outer connecting edges of the walls are reinforced with perforated corners, then a trowel will be needed for the inner corners.

When choosing a trowel, you should pay attention to a number of points.

• It is necessary to check the shape of the tool for compliance with its right angle. Problematic metal, poor transportation, may slightly distort the angle by making it greater or less than 90 degrees.

• It is important to pay attention to the elasticity of the blade. Too bendable wings complicate the work. A hard trowel will easily cope with grouting and correct any irregularities.

• Avoid purchasing a carbon steel sprayed tool. The applied protective layer will deteriorate over time, oxidize, and lead to corrosion. It is better to give preference to stainless steel, the high quality of which can be determined by a slight bluish tint.

• The speed and quality of work depends on the shape and material of the handle. Rubberized options are considered more practical - they do not slip in the hand, are comfortable to use, and wash well. Professionals recommend choosing models with short wide holders. If the trowel seems uncomfortable during operation, most likely it is designed for a different grip, you just need to change the position of holding the handle.

• The trowel is sized to fit the available angles. If they are wide, it is easier to trowel with large wings. But when transitional, cascading corners, turns at doorways are processed, you cannot turn around with a large spatula. In this case, you will need a standard trowel, it is more maneuverable and convenient.

Before starting work, you should prepare the necessary tools and materials. To apply plaster you will need:

• diluted cement mortar for leveling walls, for example, Knauf unterputz cement plaster;

• corner spatula;

• galvanized profile;

• level;

• screwdriver and self-tapping screws;

• ladder.

If the corner is overwhelmed, which is often found in old houses, you need to work well with it, apply a multi-layer putty. Having achieved an even vertical line at the points of abutment of the walls, you should check whether the surfaces are really aligned, and the joint is 90 degrees.

Consider how the plastering process is performed.

• To form a perfectly even corner, you will need a guide, which you can use as a metal profile or a perforated corner. It is important that the length of the fixture is equal to the distance from floor to ceiling.

• The profile is vertically attached to the wall using self-tapping screws. The gap between the corner and the guide is equal to the trowel wing. It is an adjustable process and is done with a level and fittings.

• The mixture is applied in a thin layer, no more than a centimeter, from top to bottom. The corner should be processed in the same order.

• A spatula is installed at the upper junction point of the walls, the shape of which follows the bend of the corner. One wing of the trowel rests against the guide, and the other lies freely on the adjacent wall.

• With a firm hand, the spatula can be lowered quickly and easily. The stepladder is pre-installed in such a way that the transition is as calm and smooth as possible.

• Reaching the floor level, the handle of the trowel is gradually torn away from the corner, increasing the degree between it and the tool.

Plastering is continued until a perfectly smooth bend is obtained.