Decorating the house with facade plaster do-it-yourself bark beetle

Recommendation points

• What you need to know about plaster “bark beetle”
• How to choose material
• Required tools
• DIY “bark beetle”
• Facade surface preparation
• Solution preparation
• Tinting of plaster “bark beetle”
• Technology of applying plaster “bark beetle”
• Grout: creating a decorative pattern
• Final work: drying and painting

Everyone can master the technology of applying the “bark beetle” facade plaster. The main thing in this matter is to understand the sequence of work, take into account important nuances, and, of course, get your hands on it. How to choose and apply plaster correctly, we will talk in detail in today’s review..

What you need to know about plaster “bark beetle”

“Bark beetle” has earned its popularity with a very impressive list of positive qualities. It is quite lightweight and flexible, resistant to weathering, fungus and mold. With proper application and selection of a good material, it is durable, and its appearance is truly unique.

It should be noted the disadvantages of such coverage:

1. If damage appears, it will be difficult to cover it with the same color..
2. Plaster is applied only under certain temperature and humidity conditions..
3. Requires competent surface preparation.
4. If the application technology is violated, there is a risk of blistering and cracking.
5. In addition, the “bark beetle” loves to collect dust on itself and after a couple of seasons it will have to be cleaned.

Attention! The consumption of plaster depends on the size of the granules: the larger the diameter of the fraction, the higher the consumption.

How to choose material

“Bark beetle” is produced in two forms: universal polymer and dry mix on a mineral basis.

Dry mixes are packed in multi-layer paper bags. They are diluted with water.

Ready mixes are packed in plastic buckets. The composition contains synthetic fillers that give the plaster additional plasticity and resistance to cracking.

When choosing a material, a number of characteristics are also taken into account:

1. The composition must be designed for the exterior and available surface.
2. The possibility of tinting will save on staining.
3. Granularity (from 1 mm to 3.5 mm) affects the thickness of the applied layer, consumption and drying time.

Required tools

To apply and paint the plaster, you will need the following tools:

1. Basin for primer / paint.
2. Container for mixing the solution, if dry mix.
3. Drill with a whisk attachment for mixing.
4. Spatulas (30 and 10 cm).
5. Spray bottle with plain water.
6. Plastic trowel for “bark beetle”.
7. Roller and brush for applying paint / primer.

DIY “bark beetle”

The workflow has its own nuances, but in general anyone can master it with a set of all the tools.

Facade surface preparation

Textured facade plaster “bark beetle” is applied only on flat putty surfaces. In this case, the height differences on the plane within 2 mm should not exceed the size of the fractions in the mixture. Before applying “bark beetle” the surface is cleaned, then primed in 2 layers. When applying opaque acrylics or primers with quartz, they are limited to one layer.

Solution preparation

There is no need to invent and experiment in this matter. If it is a dry mixture diluted with water, the package must contain instructions that must be strictly followed. If this is a ready-made facade plaster, then it is already ready and you do not need to add anything to it. Just stir before work.

The package also indicates how long the solution is suitable for use. Beginners shouldn’t mix too much at once..

Tinting of plaster “bark beetle”

Any plaster “bark beetle” (with rare exceptions) can be given the selected shade and applied to the facade already colored composition. When preparing dry mixtures, the color is added to the water before mixing. Ready-made mixtures often go on sale with a shade.

The first thing is to achieve the desired shade empirically. Stir a small amount of the color mixture, apply to the wall, create a pattern and let dry. If the shade is correct, you can mix a larger batch..

Advice! For plastering one plane (from corner to corner), it is advisable to make one portion of the solution in order to avoid a visible difference in shades.

Technology of applying plaster “bark beetle”

The plaster is applied in horizontal or vertical stripes covering the entire width or height of the wall. After applying the whole strip, the plaster is allowed to “grab”. But this usually happens during its application. That is, having finished the strip, they return to its beginning, where the mixture has already dried up and begin to rub it in the chosen way to the end.

Adjacent two rows of plaster are overlapped. Previously, the edge of the dried layer is well sprinkled with water from a spray bottle to make the transition smooth and less noticeable.

Technique for applying plaster with a spatula:

1. With a small spatula, apply the mixture to the large one, and from it to the wall.
2. The remains from a large spatula are removed with a smaller one, sent to a bucket and mixed. This point is important: there are practically no pebbles in these residues on the instrument and the characteristic pattern in the place of their application will not work..
3. Then a new portion of the mixture is again recruited onto a large spatula and so on..

After applying the plaster to the area, using a clean trowel held at an angle, remove the unevenness – “cream”. They are thrown into the trash bin. In surplus, there are absolutely no pebbles necessary for drawing.

Grout: creating a decorative pattern

The creation of a particular pattern depends only on the direction in which the grater moves:

1. Rain (vertical) is done when grouting the surface vertically, up and down.
2. Custom rainfall can be diagonal or horizontal. Accordingly, grouting is performed horizontally or diagonally..
3. A lamb or cork is created in a circular motion with a grater, alternately, then for, then counterclockwise.
4. Geometric grout, also known as “carpet”, is made by alternating even vertical and horizontal (cross-shaped) movements of the grater in one area.

Final work: drying and painting

Complete drying of the “bark beetle” depends on different conditions and lasts from 8 to 48 hours. Better, of course, to let the finish stand to the maximum..

Any facade paint is suitable for painting. Before proceeding to the final stage, the surface of the dried “bark beetle” is primed, and after the soil has dried, they begin to paint.

You can paint the “bark beetle” in several ways:

1. Normal staining. The paint is poured into a bath and painted with a roller so that each new pass covers the previous one by a few centimeters. Spread the remaining paint in the grooves with a brush. So the entire surface is painted in 2 layers. Can also be spray painted.
2. Coloring of the tinted “bark beetle”. Painting tinted plaster in a lighter or darker shade. Use a short bristle roller and do not press too hard against the surface. After painting, the grooves will be darker or lighter, which will make them stand out from the general background and create an interesting visual effect..
3. Two-tone coloring. The method is suitable if you can add color to the selected primer. Its layer will fill all the grooves qualitatively. After drying, the surface is painted with a roller and brush without strong pressure. The result is a two-tone coloring effect..

Advice! Whichever method is chosen, first you need to experiment and fill your hand in a small trial area.

The only sure way to increase the service life of the facade finish is to choose high-quality material and apply it correctly, according to all the rules.