Features of the plaster mix for outdoor use

When it comes to facade cladding, many people prefer plaster mixes for outdoor use. These compounds are now presented on the construction market in a wide range. Consider the features of this facing material, study the nuances of the varieties and the subtleties of choosing high-quality raw materials.

Exterior plaster is a special finishing material that is applied to hard surfaces as a final layer. It is an excellent thermal insulation of the facade system, since in most varieties it has high thermal protection rates. Depending on the type of material released, it can absorb sound, and in some cases even block radiation. This facing raw material differs in vapor permeability and different cost.

The advantages of such a material include a lot of decorative possibilities: plaster allows you to make different patterns on the treated surface, depending on the tool used or improvised inventory. If you wish, you can always decorate the facade of the house with a pattern with a different effect (for example, a bark beetle pattern, a fur coat, scales, brick or masonry). Almost any composition of the mixture allows the addition of color, due to which the surface can be given any shade. At the same time, you can not worry that over time the tone will become faded: the composition is resistant to ultraviolet radiation, so the tone will be saturated for a long time, regardless of the temperature and climatic background at different times of the year.

This material protects walls from moisture and is suitable for a variety of substrates, including concrete and brick. Sometimes surfaces insulated with mineral wool and foam are treated with such plaster. Some varieties of these materials, due to their special resistance to moisture, are used for interior decoration. In the collection, you can find material with various additional properties (for example, refractory, acid-resistant plaster).

Each type of plastering material fits into GOST. It has the necessary technical characteristics, it may differ in consumption per 1 m2. The purchase of material is carried out based on the calculation of the required quantity. At the same time, take into account the fact that for a smooth surface, the consumption rate for 1 m2 is two times less than for a relief application. In practice, the consumption of material rarely coincides with that noted in the GOST and indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging of the goods. This is due to the absorbency of the walls and their preparation. With a layer thickness of 2 mm of decorative plaster, 4 - 6 kg per 1 sq. m.

This finishing material can be classified according to two criteria: according to the form of release and composition. Depending on the form of release, two categories of facade plaster are distinguished:

• dry plaster mix;
• ready-made composition.

In the first case, the composition is dry plaster mix white or light gray, which is packed in bags weighing 25 - 30 kg. This volume is optimal: a lot of material is needed for finishing the facade, packaging with a standard weight is convenient for transportation. In this case, you almost always have to buy several bags. This material is diluted with water at room temperature to the consistency of thick sour cream and the surface is treated.

The second variety is finished mass, which is sold in hermetically sealed containers with a volume of 9 - 25 kg. It does not need to be adjusted by means of water: after opening the container, it should be used immediately, distributing the composition over the prepared surface. The disadvantage of this composition is the price, which is significantly higher than the cost of the powder analogue. Today these mixtures are presented with different effects, so they can be used as a decorative layer.

All existing types of facade plaster can be divided into several varieties:

• polymer;
• mineral;
• silicate;
• silicone.

Each category has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. A wide selection allows the buyer to choose the most optimal option for finishing the facade of his own home.

• Polymer varieties plasters for outdoor use are made on the basis of acrylic. They are flexible enough, therefore, do not depend on weather conditions. As a rule, such material has a bright color palette. It is sold ready-made, which eliminates the difference in the shade of the material from the same series. The basis of the composition is an aqueous dispersion of synthetic resins, which excludes the formation of fungus and mold on the walls.
• Mineral plaster produced on a lime basis. In another way, such compositions are called cement-lime. These thin-layer varieties are marketed as a dry powder formulation with various inclusions that reduce moisture absorption. The color of such plaster is predominantly white, but the composition can be painted with silicate paint.

• Silicate finishing mixtures are a product based on potassium water glass. The release form of these adhesive varieties is a ready-made repair compound. According to their characteristics, they resemble acrylic counterparts, although the vapor permeability of these compositions is better. Due to this characteristic, they can be used to process loose and cellular bases.
• Silicone types of plaster are especially good for renovating the exterior of old buildings. These varieties can be applied to any type of surface, while the material is flexible enough to resist cracking. A small nuance of the mixture is the need to use the silicone group together with the preparatory materials.

In addition, the plaster can be starting (rough) and finishing (decorative). The material difference is obvious: the roughing compounds are more granular, their texture is coarser. Decorative facade plaster is softer in consistency, the particles in its composition are smaller, regardless of whether it is a ready-made material or a mortar variety. By design, the draft category is used to prepare the base for finishing. The decorative mixture can be both a component of the base and a finishing layer.

When choosing a material for finishing the walls of the facade, it is worth considering a number of factors, ranging from the choice of a specific brand and ending with a shade.

To facilitate the choice, you can pay attention to several nuances:

• If a large amount of work is planned, it makes sense to purchase two types of plaster for outdoor use: leveling the base with one finish can be expensive. The rough version will cope with this task, saving the budget for choosing a quality decorative material.
• Build on Price: Good, high-performance material doesn't come cheap.
• If you need to level a brick or cinder block wall, you should purchase a cement-sand mixture. It is versatile and frost-resistant.

• When buying a finishing finishing material, take care of the availability of a tool with which you can easily decorate the surface. Think about the design ahead of time.
• If you need a plaster that is durable and resistant to cracks and chips, buy acrylic: it will serve for finishing the facade for about 25 years, while maintaining the saturation of the shade and external indicators.
• To minimize the amount of dust deposited on the outer surfaces of the embossed pattern, you can purchase silicate plaster: it has anti-static properties.
• It is better to buy a plaster composition in a hardware store with a good reputation: this will exclude the possibility of buying a fake. In order not to doubt the quality of the goods, ask the seller for a certificate of quality and compliance with safety standards.

Getting acquainted with the finishing plaster material, everyone chooses on their own the variety with which it is easier for him to work. However, there are several GOST requirements that are suitable for most varieties:

• Do not forget about the operating conditions: in the conditions of Russian latitudes it is more expedient to take material marked "moisture resistant".
• When buying a plaster for facade decoration, take care of a soil with a high penetrating ability: this will save consumption, make the base homogeneous and increase the adhesion of the mixture.
• In order for the coating to last for a long time without needing to be adjusted, initially remove from the walls everything that can crumble (old paint, lime, old coating).

• Any base for plastering must be more durable than it. For loose and cellular substrates, a solution with a lower strength should be used.
• If the base is loose, use a plaster mesh after removing dust and dirt from the surface.

• The plaster base must be rough to increase adhesion. In this case, the roughness should be identical over the entire area of ​​the treated surface.
• One-layer plastering is possible in case of a flat surface without visible defects.
• If the facade material is prone to deformation (shrinkage of concrete, brickwork at high humidity), the application of a plaster composition is excluded. It is necessary to wait until shrinkage occurs and only then can the surfaces be treated with facade plaster.

In the market of finishing materials, plaster for outdoor use is offered by many companies. Consider several manufacturers whose products are actively discussed on the network:

• Volma - gypsum-based plaster for exterior and interior work. The material is easy to apply, highly elastic, frost-resistant, suitable for various types of surfaces. The disadvantage is the heterogeneity of the mass, the need for a preliminary primer.
• Vetonit TT - cement-lime waterproof plaster for concrete and brick, universal material for thin-layer application. Buyers consider a downside slow drying and shedding when leveling the layer.

• Ceresit - facade cladding material in a wide range and the richest color palette, durable, resistant to dirt, temperature drops. The only drawback, according to buyers, is the high price, but it justifies the quality indicators of the compositions.
• "Rusean" - finishing mortar mixture for outdoor use, intended for various substrates, allowing an application layer of 5 mm. Material with high rates of heat and sound insulation, water retention rate - 98%. The disadvantage is the lower percentage of strength compared to other companies.

• "Rotband" - a polymer-based finish that evens out the surface to be painted. The permissible application layer thickness is 5 - 15 mm. Buyers call this composition plastic, frost-resistant and vapor-permeable, but inferior in strength to a cement analogue.
• Termopal CP 44 - mineral-based sanitizing plaster capable of retaining harmful salts. According to buyers, it is economical and easy to apply.

The products of each brand also have an additional abbreviation and numbers, thanks to which you can choose the material more accurately. For example, Vetonit LR is a thin finishing putty, Ceresit CT 85 Is a plaster and adhesive mixture for expanded polystyrene boards, Birss RSM 350 2 is a non-shrinking, fast-hardening, thixotropic plaster-repair mixture.

For more information on plaster mixes, see the next video.