Do-it-yourself decorative plaster for walls from ordinary putty

Recommendation points

• The choice of putty for the preparation of decorative plaster
• Required materials and tools
• How to prepare decorative plaster from putty
• Methods for applying homemade decorative plaster to the base
• How to make colored decorative plaster

Decorative plaster for walls can be made from ordinary putty. We will tell you how to choose the right plaster, mix it and turn it into colored decorative plaster, and also introduce you to the technique of applying homemade decorative plaster on the wall with your own hands..

If you decide to decorate the interior walls with decorative plaster, we advise you to study the technology for preparing a decorative coating from ordinary construction putty. The cost of materials is very low, and the result of the work done will delight you.

The choice of putty for the preparation of decorative plaster

To go directly to the manufacture of decorative plaster, you must select the material with which the finishing work will be performed. Keep in mind that there are two main types of putty in total – starting and finishing. The starting one is used for preliminary leveling of the base. Its structure is rough, and the shade is grayish, and it costs less than the finish one. The finishing putty has an even surface during application and has a pure white color. You can use it to decorate a glossy wall (thanks to the smooth structure of the material). Wall decoration also occurs with the help of finishing putty.

The putty is also divided according to the binders used in the composition, the areas of application:

1. Plaster putty. Has a bright white color, and is used in the final stages of finishing walls or ceilings.
2. Cement putty. Its advantage is the ability to apply directly to a brick base. Suitable for balconies and bathrooms.
3. Putty made of polymeric materials – used at the final stages of work. Polymer filler is easy to sand and can have different shades.
4. Universal putty – by analogy with polymer, it lends itself to grinding and has different shades, suitable for various premises (bathroom, balcony, rooms, kitchen).
5. Moisture resistant putty. Can be applied on various substrates, will show itself well in rooms with high humidity and significant temperature changes.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in choosing a putty for decorating walls, and there are very few types of material.

Required materials and tools

In order to perform decorative wall plastering, you need tools:

• small spatula;
• large spatula;
• a bucket or other container for mixing materials;
• construction mixer.

From the materials you will need:

• putty;
• water.

How to prepare decorative plaster from putty

You can knead the putty using a construction mixer or manually. The main aspect that matters when mixing is the consistency of the putty, which will be obtained at the output.

If it is good, the coating will lay on the wall without any problems, it will be easy to sand and will not flow. The optimal proportions of putty and water are indicated on the package, which must be strictly followed (for different types of putty, the proportions are different).

It is not necessary to prepare a large amount of material at once. Consider the setting time of the solution indicated on the packaging..

In terms of consistency, a properly prepared putty is similar to thick sour cream, it should keep its shape, not have lumps. After kneading, do not forget to immediately wash the mixer attachments.

There are nuances of mixing and using a construction mixer:

• do not use the maximum rotation speed of the nozzles on the mixer;
• do not use cold water, but you should not use boiling water either, water at room temperature or slightly higher is the best option;
• carefully check the nozzles of the construction mixer for debris, debris before use, because if they get into the solution, they can ruin everything.

Methods for applying homemade decorative plaster to the base

To apply homemade decorative plaster to the base, you can use one of the following methods.

1. Method “Rain”. Putty must be applied at a certain angle to the surface. To do this, you can pre-apply designations on the wall for yourself that will help you maintain a certain slope. When directly filling, you should barely press the spatula against the wall, otherwise irregularities will appear on the surface. After the material has dried, use a sander (hand or electric) to give the decorative plaster its finished look. It is not necessary to completely remove irregularities here – leave small indentations that will be white when painted. This is the way to “rain”.

2. Technology “Brushes”, transforming traditional plaster into decorative. Your task is to leave the indentations with the brush before the material is completely dry. You can handle the wall with straight, semicircular and circular brushing movements. You can change the size and length of the grooves yourself, using for this different pressure force and amplitude of hand work. After your decorative “plaster” is dry, you can paint it.

3. The third method of applying plaster is called “Fish scales”. Its purpose is to apply the plaster in small, separate pieces. In this case, you do not need to smooth and stretch the spatula – just touch it with a putty to the wall and remove it.

4. Using a roller. To achieve irregularities on the surface of the plaster, roll a cloth around the roller and run it over a dry wall with sufficient pressure. The more you press on the tool, the deeper and brighter the plaster relief will be.

How to make colored decorative plaster

To paint the plaster, you can paint on it after drying, or use a putty, which was originally tinted to the desired color. In the latter case, your decorative plaster will turn out to be more evenly colored, and therefore let’s talk about preparing the plaster accordingly.

To do this, you will need pigment paint. First of all, pay attention to its color, based on the purpose of the room: gentle pastel shades are suitable for a living room, bright colors for the kitchen, which increase appetite; for hall decoration, give preference to light colors. Consider – a tinted mix of putty will give a lighter shade when dry. You must strictly observe the proportions of putty and paint in different mixes.

We think you are convinced that making decorative plaster out of putty is not so difficult. And the process of applying the material is very simple. Having studied the technology, you can easily decorate the walls of your apartment or house with homemade decorative plaster.