Putty and methods of working with it
Puttying is the finishing part of the work of preparing the walls for decorative finishing: applying paint or wallpapering. Applying a layer of putty is an important step, without which it is impossible to start working with a decorative finish. A thin layer of putty fills small cracks in the wall and eliminates minor defects, if any. How to putty the walls under the wallpaper? Putty is divided into several categories.
According to the consistency, putty mixtures are divided into two groups - dry (need to be additionally diluted before application) and ready-made, which can be found in stores in sealed buckets, such mixtures do not require any additional actions, you can immediately work with them.
To achieve the best result, it is recommended to use two varieties during construction work - starting and finishing. The first contains small stones and a cement mixture in its composition, which, as a result, makes the surface very durable and stable. The second is created on the basis of gypsum and effectively levels the surface to a state suitable for decorative finishing. There is a mixture that is universal in properties, which combines the qualities of the two previous types and allows you to prepare the surface for subsequent work.
When buying putty, be sure to look at its expiration date. Expired material must not be used. If the putty was stored in the cold or in a building with a high degree of humidity, most likely it can no longer be used, since stones appear in it from non-compliance with the conditions. It is advisable to buy starting and finishing putty from the same manufacturer, such materials will be better combined and provide a higher quality coating. 
Surface preparation
How to putty the walls with your own hands? You won't be able to start the process right away. Before applying the putty mixture, you need to prepare the surface. The wall should not have pronounced defects or irregularities; you also need to remove all layers, remaining debris and construction dust.
You can level the wall using beacon plaster. If there are holes in the wall, then the cement mixture will help to repair them. On a wall sheathed with drywall, it will be necessary to close up the joints with a paint grid and carefully putty. You also need to process the location of the screws. Before applying the putty, you will need to additionally treat the surface with a special deep penetration antibacterial emulsion. This will ensure better adhesion of the material to the wall surface. You can use a sprayer during operation so that the emulsion is less consumed.
What you need to have for puttying work:
- Finishing and starting putty mixture.
- Ground emulsion with a tray under it.
- Roller or brush.
- Large (about 50 cm) and small (about 15 cm) spatula.
- Rule.
- Drill with a nozzle type "mixer".
- Plastic bucket.
- Grid for grout putty. You can also use a grinder.
Preparation of putty
In the case of purchasing a dry mixture, it must be pre-prepared before application. To do this, pour water into a bucket and pour the mixture into it. Usually, detailed cooking instructions are on the packaging with the material. To stir the mixture, you need a drill with a nozzle. The result should be a homogeneous substance, not too thick, but not liquid. You do not need to make a lot of the mixture at once, since it hardens quickly enough and becomes unusable for further use, it would be better to dilute several servings as needed. After carrying out all the work, you will need to wash the container and tools. The remains of the dry mixture can be left for storage, wrapped in a film, you need to choose a dry, cool place for storage. If you bought a ready-made mixture in a bucket, then you can leave it for storage by filling it with water. 
Working with the start layer
When the surface is prepared for applying putty, it's time to move on to the main work. How to putty walls for painting? Take a large spatula and use it to apply putty. A small spatula is also useful - with its help, the putty is carefully and evenly distributed over a large tool so that it is applied in an even layer to the surface. You need to do the work with precise movements, without applying much effort - do not put too much pressure on the tool. You need to hold it at an angle with a turn of 45 degrees, which in the future will help to avoid uneven marks from the edges of the tool. The order of applying the mixture - from the bottom up, starting from the corner - overlap. To check how smooth the surface is, you can take the rule. If there are bulges, they need to be leveled over the entire surface, and if there are pits, apply another, new layer of the mixture. Evenness must be checked while the putty layer is still wet. It is worth paying attention to the corners - these are usually the most problematic areas in which cracks can occur. If an even layer did not work out right away - it's okay, it's rare when it turns out to put putty perfectly the first time.
When the layer on the wall is dry, you need to use a grout mesh or sandpaper and go over the entire layer. This is done to get rid of the pebbles that are part of the starting mixture. In addition, rubbing can remove spatula marks and transitions. After that, you need to check the evenness of the resulting layer with the rule again. In the recesses, if any, you need to apply another layer of the mixture.
Working with the finish layer
When all work with the starting layer is completed, you can proceed to further application of the finishing layer to the surface. Finishing putty, in fact, is applied in exactly the same way as the starting one, from the bottom up and from the corner. The tools used are the same, a large spatula for application and a small one for leveling the mixture. The layer should be thin, no more than 2 mm. Irregularities and any traces of the spatula must be carefully smoothed over the surface. It is important not to forget to check the evenness of the layer. The final mixture is applied according to the rules in two layers, while the initial layer must first dry completely.
When the second layer of the mixture dries, it will be necessary to process the entire surface with a grout mesh or sandpaper, but always with a fine grain - a large one will leave scratches that will remain visible even after painting. If there are still scratches, cracks or pits on the wall, then they need to be additionally treated with a mixture. It is necessary to pay attention to hard-to-reach problem areas - corners or space behind pipes - it is there that defects most often occur. When the layer is completely dry and processed, a primer emulsion must be applied on top.
Much also depends on how the decorative finish will be made. If it is planned to paint the walls, then the surface must be perfect, without a single scratch, crack or other defect, since the paint layer makes all imperfections more noticeable. But if the walls are covered with wallpaper, then this, on the contrary, will hide any minor flaws.
When all work with putty is completed, you must not forget to thoroughly wash and dry the tools so that in the future they can be used again in repair work. 
In order for the result of the work to be of high quality, it is desirable to observe some nuances in the course of work.
- All work with putty must be done in good light so that defects and irregularities are immediately noticeable and do not have to be redone a lot.
- It is not necessary to apply the starting mixture with a layer thicker than 5 mm, otherwise it is fraught with cracks.
- The previous layer of the mixture must be completely dry, and only then can the next one be applied. The drying time depends on the temperature in the room, the level of humidity and the thickness of the application of the layer itself.
- You can not use any artificial methods to make the putty dry faster. For example, you should not make a draft in the room or turn on the heater.
- The process of rubbing the surface also needs to be carried out with good lighting so that everything can be seen as accurately as possible.
- If someone has not done this kind of work before, then you should not immediately take too large a spatula for work, because it will be difficult to stretch the layer evenly out of habit. If it is not entirely clear how to properly putty the walls, videos from various construction sites can help sort out this issue.
- It is important not to forget to check the evenness of the surface at each stage of work.
- To putty corners, there is a special tool - an angular spatula, which allows you to make these problem areas even without much effort.
Security measures
During work, you need to protect the skin and head from putty. This will require clothing that covers the body, and a scarf or cap on the head. When mashing, care must be taken to ensure that dust does not get into the eyes, nose and mouth. Special respirators are sold that will help protect the respiratory system. Goggles can be purchased to protect your eyes. All this can be found in hardware stores. If work is carried out at height, then you need to take care of the stable fastening of scaffolds and structures.
If the mixture gets on the skin, it must be washed off with water and then treated with a cream. If dust from putty gets into the eyes or respiratory tract, you should consult a doctor.
Puttying work is a rather laborious process that requires some experience, but if you do everything correctly and accurately, the result will be of high quality, and you can be quite proud of the repairs you made yourself.
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