The walls in the apartment take up most of the visible structures in the house. If the floors can be covered various materials, and make the ceilings hinged, then the uneven walls cannot be hidden anywhere. Especially if there are no carpets or other distracting coatings on them, the verticality and unevenness will be immediately noticeable. Therefore, leveling the walls with your own hands, the most the best option improvement of the interior of the premises in the house (apartment).

When building houses, everyone Finishing work most often carried out by contractor construction organizations, and in private buildings by hired teams. Often, their lack of control leads to drops along the entire length of the walls up to 5-10 cm. Plaster made by inept guest workers without the use of a professional tool, and sometimes even any experience in finishing, forces the owner of such a newly built housing to make additional leveling of the walls when moving in.

Required materials and tools

The following materials are used to align the walls in the apartment:

• dry building mixtures, with their subsequent dissolution in water (dry plaster, putty, etc.)
• panels made of plastic, metal, wood-based panels or plasterboard.

To carry out leveling with wet mixes, you need a special tool:

• spatulas of two or three sizes (a tool with a rubber grip is recommended), the metal part should not be too soft,
• a bowl with straight walls or a bucket with a capacity of 15-20 liters,
• a special mixer mounted on an electric drill (manual mixing takes a lot of time and effort),
• brushes or roller for priming,
• usually a special leveling tool,
• surface cleaning material.

Aligning walls is classified as a dirty job, so it is necessary to have working clothes made of tarpaulin material.

Flattening with sheet material

Due to the high labor intensity of the plastering process, many homeowners with little construction experience perform wall cladding with sheet material - drywall. This method is also loved by professional teams - also because of the time savings. The panels are attached to the previously equipped metal frame or glued to the wall with special glue.

The main requirement for such work is the removal of the vertical level of the wall surface during the installation of a metal profile.

Aligning walls with wet mixes

The most common method remains the use of a wet type of wall alignment. To perform this type of work, minimal skills in using a spatula and removing beacons are required. Wall leveling mixes can be purchased at any store building materials... There you can also find instructions for preparing solutions.

Before the main stage of leveling, you need to remove the old coating (wallpaper, whitewash, paint) from the surface. In necessary situations, flimsy, falling off old plaster in corners and other places is removed. In practice, the entire old coating is often cleaned down to the base concrete or masonry.

The wall alignment procedure begins by measuring the differences along the entire length of the wall. This can be done using a long special tool - a building level. Or by pulling any cord along the wall. The verticality of the surface is measured with a simple plumb line. If there are differences of no more than 30 mm, they begin to work. The largest layer of the laid plaster should not exceed the permissible dimensions.

Beacon alignment

Preparation of the surface for painting is most often carried out according to beacons, which serve as a guide. The initial leveling of the walls with putty is done by applying it between the beacons and the distribution of the solution with the rule from the bottom up. The ends of the tool should be in contact with the surface of the beacons installed along the entire height of the wall at a certain distance from each other, corresponding to the length of the rule.

The final leveling of the walls consists in grouting the surface with a special device - a plow. After its completion, it is recommended to apply a primer over the putty for better adhesion of the paint.

Working with spatulas

If you have no experience with the rule, you can use two spatulas. One will serve as a "palette". It will be possible to dose the quality and quantity of the solution. And another spatula, smaller, will be working. They apply a layer of the mixture to the wall. When using the trowel, it must be held at a 45º angle to the surface. In this position, the mixture will lie flat.

The surfaces are usually carried out in three layers, each with a thickness of at least 1.5-2 mm. The temperature in the room should not be lower than 10 ° С and the sun's rays should not be allowed to hit the applied putty. After applying the putty, the wall must be primed.

As a rule, finishing works of any kind (gluing wallpaper, laying tiles, painting, etc.) are performed on pre-aligned walls. And how you can align the walls different ways, each of which has a fairly simple technology that allows you to cope with the work without the help of specialists.

When choosing a leveling method, it is necessary to take into account the material from which the walls of the house were erected.

If you decide to level the walls yourself, it is very important to carefully study all stages of work, in the process it is necessary to take into account all the nuances, and when preparing solutions and other material, the conditions specified in the instructions should be observed.

Given the initial state of the surfaces, to align the walls, you can use different materials and apply different ways... When choosing a leveling method, it is very important to take into account the type of material from which the walls of your apartment are built.

How to level walls with plaster

In most cases, the plaster is used in order to level surfaces for the construction of which materials such as brick or block were used. In addition, plaster is also used for leveling reinforced concrete walls. In this case, it is necessary to use a reinforced mesh or a metal frame.

Before you level the walls, you should think about purchasing specially designed beacon profiles made of metal. Lighthouses have standard length 3 m, if necessary, they can be shortened using metal scissors for this.

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Beacon installation technology

Before leveling the walls, you need to install beacons. To do this, vertical lines are drawn on the surface with a pencil or plumb line. The first two lines are located at opposite corners of the wall. Lines are designed for mortar modeling (5 pcs.).

The lighthouses should be sunk into the moldings so that the mortar can pass through the holes for the fasteners. Further, using the building level, the beacons are aligned vertically.

Having installed 2 beacons at the top and bottom, pull the cords. This will give you the plane you need. It is worth noting that in this way it is not only easy, but also to correctly align the walls.

Intermediate beacons are installed at the end of this phase. In this case, the already familiar scheme is used, the stretched cords will serve as a reference point, therefore, the use of a level and plumb lines is not necessary. The distance between each beacon should be equal to the length of the tool with which you have to level the mortar.

You can install beacons in another way, which involves the use of self-tapping screws and dowels. This method is notable for its simplicity and accuracy, while it requires more time.

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Stage of applying a primer composition

Before proceeding with the leveling process, the surfaces must be primed. This will ensure good adhesion and facilitate the next step (plastering). The primer can be purchased at any hardware store. When choosing a primer, make sure that the composition is suitable for the material with which you will be working.

Various painting tools can be used to apply the primer; you can use a spray gun, brush or roller. When working on surfaces that are highly absorbent, do not be too lazy to apply several coats of primer. It should be added that many craftsmen prefer to use plain water for processing brick walls.

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A little about plaster mixes

In order to level the surfaces, you can apply different types plastering compounds. Their main difference lies in the applied binder component. Plasters are in great demand with:

• plaster base;
• cement base;
• lime base.

These mixtures are distinguished by their ease of use; they can be presented in dry form in hardware stores. Interior decoration walls are recommended to be performed using a plaster based on gypsum.

Before preparing the dry mixture for use, it is very important to carefully study the instructions on the package.

As a rule, certain proportions of water are used to dilute the mixture. The composition must be mixed well, using a construction mixer or a convenient handy item for this.

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Diy wall plastering technology

The plaster is applied to surfaces in three main stages. If we consider the option with alignment brick wall, then at the first stage, spraying is performed. For the application of the second layer of primer, it is necessary to apply a solution of a denser consistency. In this case, the layer should be from 5 to 6 mm. The final stage is called cover. The finishing layer is usually the thinnest, and should bring the wall to the maximum level.

Before applying each layer of plaster mixture, it is very important to take sufficient time to dry the previous layer. In addition, one should not forget about applying a primer composition to each separate layer of plaster. Each layer of primer must be dried.

Plastering the walls is a long enough process so that the result does not disappoint, it is very important to follow the instructions strictly.

Getting started finishing the walls with wallpaper, tiles, paints and varnishes and other types decorative coating in an apartment or house, you must first remove all irregularities and remove flaws. Because even small defects can subsequently lead to noticeable damage finishing... As a result - deterioration of the appearance of the wall, and, ultimately, repeated repairs. If you competently approach decorating the walls of a room, then first you should do work to level the surface.

Depending on the level of humidity, on the type of room, on defects and many other features, you can align the walls with your own hands in various ways:

• plastering;
• puttying of the wall;
• surface finishing with plasterboard.

Let's consider each method in more detail.

Leveling the wall with putty

Thanks to this finishing option, minor imperfections in the wall surface can be eliminated. This look is ideal before painting, before wallpapering to hide visible defects.

Before you independently level this surface in an apartment or in other rooms, you must first treat the walls with a primer and only then proceed to puttying. This type is suitable for minor surface differences.

Wall filling tools:

• wide spatula;
• narrow spatula;
• a flat-bottomed cuvette;
• container for mixing the solution;
• level;
• a stick (ideally a drill attachment) to stir the solution.

The mixture must be mixed until such time as a cone is formed, which retains its shape. The finished putty thickens quickly, so there is no need to apply the solution in large quantities. If thickening has already occurred, then it can be diluted to the required state with water or a primer.

Putty application technology

The required amount of the mixture is placed in a cuvette, and the rest is covered to prevent rapid drying. The process of filling should be started from the floor to the ceiling, applying a small amount of mortar with a spatula. Using a small spatula, apply the mixture to the large one and apply the latter to the wall with an acute angle. Then, to a thickness of 1-2 mm, we begin to level the surface with vertical and horizontal strokes, from time to time applying a level.

Undoubtedly, the wider the trowel is, the smoother the wall surface will be, but, unfortunately, it will be more difficult to hold it.

After the solution has solidified on the wall surface, it is necessary to remove various irregularities by rinsing with a primer. Then, after washing, wait until it dries completely (as a rule, at least a day) and then you can start sanding to remove roughness. If necessary, you can also apply a second layer of putty to the wall, having previously primed it (if this is not done, the surface may crack). It is very important to know that in no case should drafts be allowed in the room until the putty has completely dried, that is, not less than three days. Aligning the walls in the above way is possible in different premises how in living rooms(in the kitchen, bathrooms, etc.) and in technical rooms.

Plastering walls

In order to level the walls yourself in this way, you need to know that the work is quite laborious, but at the same time the walls look neat and aesthetically pleasing.

If for the first time you yourself have to work with plaster, then it is better to start with small area walls to understand the principle of work and "get your hands on".

The method of plastering is carried out not only in a private house, but is also used a lot in an apartment, because uneven surfaces are often found there.

The following materials are needed:

• guide rails;
• level;
• a drill for mixing a solution with a special nozzle;
• deep penetration primer;
• roller for priming the wall;
• tray;
• container for guiding the solution.

Padding

First, you should prepare the wall, cleaning it from dust and dirt, removing loose elements. Then prime this surface.

The primer mixture helps to prepare the wall covering, dedusting and moisturizing it, reducing porosity, preventing the appearance of fungi and mold, and, importantly, enhances the adhesion of the plaster.

The primer is applied with a roller, if there are irregularities in the wall and the grooves must be manually smeared with a brush.

After the properly prepared surface is dry, you can start installing the beacons.

Installation of guide rails (beacons)

When plastering the surface, for a start, special beacons are put up. These are metal guides, they help to perfectly align the wall.

For lighthouses, you can use not only metal materials but also wooden slats, plywood, etc.

But unfortunately, having saved on a profile, leveling the wall, not everyone will be able to make it perfectly flat, especially if there is no experience in plastering walls. A T-shaped beacon profile is ideal for this. It is lightweight and durable, attaches securely to surfaces.

Lighthouses should be fixed to the wall with plaster mortar in several places and leveling immediately until the mortar has hardened. The distance between the guides should be made 1-1.5 m, but from the corner of the room it is not more than 30 cm.

Methods for attaching beacons:

• plaster. It is better to lay it in a layer with a thickness of 15 to 30 mm, therefore, beacons should be displayed, taking into account these dimensions. If you apply a thicker layer, then the plaster can slide off the wall or simply fall off. When using this method, let it dry for somewhere from 4 to 5 hours;
• using devices "Ushastik" and self-tapping screws. The distance between the slats is usually 1-1.5 m.

We get down to the main work - plastering

A pre-primed wall should be slightly moistened in order to improve the adhesion of the plaster. Now you should throw the mortar onto the wall surface in a layer, protruding beyond the guides from 3 to 4 mm, trying to completely fill the recesses in the wall.

After application, it is better to level it immediately, without waiting for the solution applied to the wall to dry. It is convenient to do alignment as a rule, starting from the bottom and leading upwards, and to the side, pressing down a little. If there is not enough plaster on the wall, add it in order to achieve a flat surface.

This wall dries up to 12 days. And only after this time, you can make the final decoration using modern materials.

Features of plastering depending on the surface

A huge role in the quality of these works is played by the material from which the wall is made:

• if the wall is brick, then it will require a mortar with a cement base or, if a room with high humidity, then it is necessary to opt for a mixture with the addition of lime. If the walls are made of facing brick, then a problem arises - the smooth surface of the brick, you have to additionally reinforce the wall with a special mesh so that the plaster does not slip. And already on such a wall to carry out work, but this process will be difficult, so if you have little experience, then you should contact the specialists or just choose another way of alignment;
• if there is a concrete wall surface. If it is smooth, it must be treated with a specialized soil mixture with quartz inclusions. This will help roughen the wall. To improve adhesion, it is worth adding gypsum powder to the cement solution for this surface. Lime-gypsum mixtures are also suitable;
• walls made of foam concrete. For this surface, gypsum and cement mortars are suitable. A deep penetration primer must be used.

Aligning the walls in an apartment with your own hands in the way discussed above is a rather "dirty" and time-consuming process that not everyone will succumb to the first time.

Do-it-yourself plasterboard wall decoration

This method is excellent for leveling in the presence of large differences in the surface of the wall, the installation itself is not laborious. It is not at all difficult to carry it out on your own and, undoubtedly, its main advantage is that you can proceed to the subsequent design of the wall immediately after sheathing.

There are two methods for attaching drywall to a surface:

• installation on a frame;
• adhesive installation directly to the wall.

Wireframe method

The main disadvantage of this method is a decrease in the area of ​​the room by about 5 cm. But this method is quite reliable.

For the installation of drywall sheets, the installation of a solid frame is most often used. It is made from a galvanized profile.

Types of metal profiles:

• guide - PN (U-shaped)
• rackmount - PS.

In addition, direct U-shaped suspensions are needed, it is better to fix them with dowel-nails with a pitch of 40 to 50 cm. They are necessary for a more reliable fastening of the rack profile.

Required tools:

• puncher;
• screwdriver;
• scissors for metal;
• level;
• roulette;
• a knife for cutting drywall;
• dowel-nails;
• self-tapping screws.

Alignment of the wall with plasterboard sheets is carried out using additional markings. This is a rather important stage. Because according to this markup, the frame will be attached. The standard width of the drywall is 120 cm, so the distance between the posts must be 60 cm. Thus, the edges of the drywall will be in the middle of the metal profile and it will eventually fit into 3 posts. The height of the profile with the height of the room must match.

A guide profile must be attached along the entire perimeter of the wall, given that the length to the edge is at least 3.5 cm.

The profile is mounted according to the markup made.

Stages of profile installation:

• a guide profile is installed on the dowel nails, holes are made with a perforator directly through the profile;
• attach a rack profile by inserting it into the guide, adjusting it according to the markings made, fastening it with self-tapping screws;
• with a step of no more than 80 cm, install straight hangers and attach the racks to the hangers with self-tapping screws. It is important that the uprights are upright, without bending.

Plasterboard sheets are attached to the existing frame using self-tapping screws, making a step of about 25 cm.The standard height of drywall is 2.5 m and in higher rooms it is necessary to sew additionally, while additionally a horizontal profile should be added to the frame between the racks. Install additional sheets of drywall in a checkerboard pattern.

When sheathing the wall, you need to leave space for a gap between the sheets of 5 mm.

Stages of sealing joints:

• thorough priming of the seams;
• using a self-adhesive serpyanka to close up the seams;
• putty the joints, then sand.

Installation of drywall sheets on the adhesive

For a start, it is better to remove carefully old finish walls, then you should fill up the irregularities and flaws in the wall with a putty. After preliminary preparation of the surface, it is necessary to prime it.

The next step will be to prepare the drywall sheets for glue application. First, you need to cut the sheets for pasting, taking into account that there should be gaps of about 5 cm at the top and bottom.

On the wall, you need to drill holes for the dowel-nails. They will additionally support the drywall on the wall until the adhesive is completely dry.

The glue is prepared from a special mixture and water. It dries almost immediately, so it should be cooked in small batches.

When everything is ready, you should apply the glue to the back of the drywall. It is applied in longitudinal stripes along the edge and in piles every 25-30 cm along the rest of the surface. Then, without leveling the glue, we apply the sheet to the wall, and evenly pressing it.

At the final stage of gluing drywall, it is required, as in the frame method, to seal the seams. Surface finishing in this way is quite simple, almost everyone can.

It is important to know that in order to level the walls of rooms with high humidity (for example, in the kitchen), it is necessary to use moisture-resistant plasterboard near the water supply lines.

Thus, having learned how to level the walls with your own hands, you can make high-quality repairs in the kitchen or in other rooms.

Will quickly lose its original appearance, and will have to again. To save time and money, it is better to level the walls right away. What is the best way to level the walls and how to carry out all the work?

Evaluation of the roughness of the wall surface

All wall alignment methods are divided into two fundamentally different groups.:

One way or another choose, taking into account the degree of unevenness of the walls, therefore, this stage is especially important. How uneven the walls are can be measured laser level or ordinary building level.

Sequence of work looks like this:

1. preparation of the surface of the walls. In order for the leveling compound to hold, the wall must be properly treated. First, all the remnants of the old coating are removed, then priming is carried out for better adhesion to the plaster layer. Under the cement compositions, a primer is used from a solution, and water, the so-called cement milk, under gypsum plaster it is better to use a special one;
   
2. if the layer of plaster is more than 2 cm, then at this stage it is better to use reinforcing plaster mesh, which will not allow the composition to crumble. It is worth noting that if you use a ready-made factory plaster mixture, then you should pay attention to the composition: some manufacturers use polymer additives that increase the strength and degree of adhesion of the solution so much that the mesh may not be needed;
3. installation of beacons... As beacons, which become a reference point for creating a flat surface, wooden slats or a perforated metal profile are used. The latter will be more convenient for beginners, since such beacons do not have to be removed after the layer of plaster has slightly hardened and then mask the recesses. First, two lighthouses are mounted at opposite ends of the wall, while, and the lighthouses are fixed with plaster mortar of the required height until ideal verticality is achieved. Three cords are stretched between the two received beacons: above, in the middle of the wall and below, and already focusing on them, intermediate beacons are installed so that they lightly touch the cord. The step between the beacons depends on the size of the tool with which the plaster mixture will be leveled (usually a rule is used for this). In any case, the distance between the beacons should be 20 cm less than the length of the instrument;
4. 
   in a wide range can be found in hardware stores. At the construction site, it remains only to properly prepare the mortar, following the instructions. Cement plaster mortar can be prepared independently: cement and sand are mixed in a ratio of 1: 6, then water is added to a creamy consistency. Some experts recommend adhering to the ratio of components 1: 2 or 1: 3, the finished mixture is more plastic, and therefore easier to handle. The ready-made solution is used within 1-2 hours, until it begins to harden;
5. plastering... For this you can use a "falcon" and a trowel. On the first, the mixture is taken from the container, the second is thrown on the wall in excess. The use of a "falcon", a tool similar to a trowel, but exceeding it in size, allows you to increase the speed of work. Now you need to use the rule to evenly distribute the solution from the bottom up, relying on the beacons. If the leveling layer is thick, then you can first apply a rough outline of the plaster, and after it dries, apply the main one with alignment along the beacons. If wooden slats were used as the latter, then when the solution dries a little, they must be carefully removed, the cavities must be filled with plaster and leveled with a spatula;
6. 
   after the plaster dries, we get a smooth but rough surface. In order to make it smooth, it is necessary to apply thin layer of putty, and then sand the surface with fine sandpaper.

The main advantage of this leveling method is to preserve the usable area of ​​the room as much as possible. The disadvantages are the laboriousness of the process, the need to prepare the base and the presence a large number dust.

No. 2. Leveling the walls with putty

However, do not forget that this way of leveling the walls will take up a lot of usable area, and if it is already in short supply, then the room runs the risk of turning into a hole. Walls sheathed with drywall sheets will be able to withstand less stress than those that were leveled with plaster. When it comes to premises with high humidity then moisture resistant drywall sheets should be used.

Sequence of work:

1. 
   frame construction. It can consist of or a metal profile. The timber does not allow to achieve the desired durability of the frame, is subject to the influence of moisture and microorganisms, therefore, in most cases, they are used today guide and rack metal profile.
   The first two profiles are fixed to the floor and ceiling.
   On the floor, using a level, draw a straight line at a distance of 5-6 cm from the wall (more can be done if the curvature is large or you need to hide communications).
   Using a vertical plumb line, the line is transferred to the ceiling.
   Along the lines obtained, guide profiles are fastened with self-tapping screws, constantly checking the evenness of their level using a plumb line. Between them, perpendicular to them, load-bearing profiles are attached along the wall with the help. The distance between them is 40-60 cm for sheets of drywall 120 cm wide;

Perfectly flat walls in an apartment are a must for anyone who has started a renovation.

Leveling work sequence

When leveling surfaces, it is important to follow the order of work.

• First of all, the floor is leveled and, accordingly, beacons for walls, etc., are installed to it.
• Then, after laying hidden communications, they carry out raw leveling work (for example, on the walls) and ...
• moving on to dry - ceiling sheathing.

Why you need to align the walls

Irregularities on surfaces in an apartment cannot be ignored for at least two reasons. Any finish fits well and creates comfort and coziness in the room only on an even basis.

If the main surface is flawed, then during operation decorative trim can very quickly lose its appearance, and you will have to take up repairs again. The walls occupy the largest part of the room and are always visible, so they must be perfectly flat.

2 ways to level the walls - plaster or cladding

Depending on the materials used, there are two ways to level surfaces - raw (using building mixtures) and dry (installation of various structures).

Each of these methods is equally effective when all stages of work are followed, but it has its own characteristics. As a rule, leveling with plaster is used with differences of 30-50 mm.

If desired, you can use building mixtures for walls and with a greater curvature, but this will require large investments in material and work. Therefore, it is better to give preference to the installation of the frame with its subsequent sheathing with plasterboard.

Small cracks and irregularities can hide cozy corrugated wallpaper, but leveling the walls is a must.

Pay attention to the alignment of the corners. The curvature, invisible to the naked eye, will be visible when installing skirting boards and gluing borders.

We use mixtures to level the walls

Advantages and disadvantages

• Does not take away the useful area of ​​the apartment
• Requires preliminary surface cleaning
• Quite a laborious process, a lot of dust and debris remains

Before proceeding with the leveling, you need to measure the unevenness of the surface. For the horizontal, a cord stretched along the wall or a building level with a length of at least 1.5 m is used. The vertical is checked using a plumb line. If after measurement there is a difference within 3-5 cm, the most effective method- apply building mixtures. Their use is preceded by stage-by-stage work.

Dry wall alignment

Advantages and disadvantages

• Plasterboard cladding does not require preliminary cleaning of the walls
• Inside the frame, you can hide communications, as well as lay heat and sound insulation materials
• "Eats up" the useful area of ​​the apartment

Walls sheathed with plasterboard, withstand less stress than plastered brick wall... Moisture resistant sheets are finished with green cardboard, while ordinary sheets are finished with cardboard gray... For finishing wet rooms, choose GKLV sheets.

Traditionally, drywall sheets with a thickness of 12.5 mm are used for dry leveling of walls. But for their installation, you must first build a frame.