Terrazite mortar is suitable for different areas of the building, as it is easily applied to any surface. In order to avoid flaking and shedding, stone plaster is recommended to be used only on stable surfaces (concrete, brick, etc.). It is possible to apply such plaster to the wall only after surface treatment with a primer that contains cement.
Cement slurry properties
The composition of the building mixture includes water, sand and cement. The main ingredient is sand, the binder is cement, and water only dilutes them. A good cement mortar adheres perfectly to the surface, regardless of its texture. The density of the mixture may vary. It all depends on the ratio of cement to sand, as well as the presence of lime. However, the solution cannot be denser than the material to which it will be applied. A distinctive feature of the cement mixture is that its long-term drying guarantees strength. Therefore, when plastering, it is necessary to maintain the moisture content of the facade as long as possible by pouring water on it.
Materials used when plastering walls
Common grayish Portland cement contains limestone, common clay and chalk. By adding different aggregates to this multi-purpose cement, we get different building mixtures. The main advantage of such Portland cement is its low cost.
White Portland cement is of higher quality. It is used for brick or concrete surfaces. The plus is that white cement goes well with dyes, so you can choose the color of the facade to your taste.
Fast-setting cement is used in those areas where high quality is required with lightning-fast drying.
Cement for masonry (masonry) is used when finishing brick or rubble walls from the outside.
The second building material for plaster is sand. It must be rinsed before use in order to eliminate foreign substances.
Preparing the solution manually
When deciding to do the finishing of the facade with your own hands, you can facilitate the process of preparing the solution by purchasing a ready-made mixture in dry form. To prepare a high-quality solution, it is necessary to dilute the powdery substance with water according to the instructions.
What should be the mixing of the solution? So that it can be used in one hour of work. Otherwise, it will dry out, losing its suitability.
The usual solution is kneaded as follows: a measured amount of cement is poured onto a board with sand. The two ingredients are mixed with a shovel until smooth. After that, a depression is made in a heap of dry mixture and water is poured into it, into which a dry cement-sand mixture is poured.
It is very simple to check the consistency of the solution. It is plowed with a shovel. If the edges of the furrow do not crumble or blur, the solution is mixed correctly.
Mixing the solution by machine
Undoubtedly, the use of a concrete mixer will save your strength and save time. However, working with such equipment requires certain knowledge and adherence to safety rules during operation.
We already wrote about it in more detail in the last article and recommended adding it to your bookmarks.
The drum of a concrete mixer is loaded with sand and cement in a 1: 1 ratio. Turn on the hardware and mix the two ingredients. After the dry mixture becomes homogeneous, pour in water and turn on stirring again. Then, in parts, all the components of the solution are mixed in turn (sand - cement - water).
After each batch, the concrete mixer container is washed with a water jet.
Preparatory stage of work
Plastering the facade of the building with your own hands is quite possible. However, you need to understand that this kind of work is quite voluminous. Therefore, it is necessary to properly prepare the mortar mixture, use the same components when mixing, and also take care of the tools for work. You can improve your skills before plastering a large-scale object at some outbuilding or garage.
Influence of natural factors
Facade finishing should be done at a temperature of + 5-30 ° C with an air humidity of about 70 percent. Do not apply mortar to the wall when it is raining or snowing. Direct rays of the sun on the surface to be plastered are also undesirable.
Preparing the walls
Before starting finishing plastering, the wall surface is leveled by applying rough plaster. After it is completely dry, putty is applied to the wall, and the surface is treated with a primer.
In order not to see the docking places, the surface of the wall is divided into grips. They try to bring their edges under any protruding elements (pilasters, slopes, internal corners, etc.).
Plastering works
Before applying the plaster to the wall vertically with a step of 0.5-1 m, special beacons are attached. They are thin slats, the edges of which are set in level and are in the same plane, protruding slightly forward. The mortar mixture is thrown by hand from a bucket with a trowel (you can use a trowel), and leveled with a spatula, which is carried out along the lighthouse ribs.
If the walls are built of gas or foam concrete blocks, then the plaster layer should be 5-10 millimeters. When painting plastered surfaces made of foam concrete, special facade paints are used, which include silicate or silicone.
