Align walls to. How and how to level the walls in a private house? DIY alignment methods

Each owner of an apartment or a private house, who decides to undertake a major overhaul of his home, has many different questions about carrying out certain construction or finishing works. One of the most common: what methods of wall alignment, available for self-fulfillment, exist, and which one to choose in a particular case.

Unfortunately, we have to state that the walls, not only in private houses, but also in modern high-rise buildings, are rarely perfectly flat, and in this regard, even the most expensive finishing on them will not look properly. Therefore, no matter what decorative coating for the finishing of the premises is planned, it is necessary to put the walls in order, giving them the necessary evenness, in almost any case.

Methods for determining surface roughness

Before choosing an alignment method, you need to determine how much the wall is curved. This can be done in several ways using different tools.

To determine the degree of deformation of surfaces, a long rule is used, levels of different designs and plumb lines.

The rule, in this case, as well as one of the building levels, must have a length of at least 2000 ÷ 2500 mm, since it is required that the tool rises vertically to almost the entire height of the wall, and also so that it can be easily rotated along diagonals. As a rule, if it is not in the home "arsenal", a perfectly flat rail can be used. But it should not be too thin, bending when force is applied, otherwise accurate measurements will not work. Its size in a section of 20 × 50 mm will be sufficient.

A rail, level or rule is applied to the wall surface vertically, horizontally and diagonally. Tracks the dimensions of the gaps formed between the wall and the tool, which will show the degree of unevenness of the surface.

Another simple and affordable way to check the verticality of a wall, which does not require expensive tools, is to use a plumb line. Even if there is no such device on the farm, it is easy to quickly make it yourself. This will require a thin but strong cord about three meters long, as well as a load weighing 150 ÷ 200 grams, best of all - a balanced, symmetrical shape.

It is not difficult to use a plumb line: for this, a nail is driven into the wall, under the ceiling, stepping back from the joint 25 ÷ 30 mm, onto which the cord is fixed, and the load tied to it freely descends vertically along the wall. The load should hang freely, not reaching the floor by 10 ÷ 15 mm. When the load calms down and does not move, you can see how distorted the surface is - measure the gaps at different points in height - and compare the results.

In addition to the evenness of the walls, it is necessary to check their perpendicularity, that is, the corners of the room should be straight.

In determining this parameter, a construction square will help, which is applied in several places along the entire height of the joint and the necessary marks are made. True, the square must be quite large in order to accurately identify possible deviations.

If there is no large square, then it is better to apply the rule of the "Egyptian triangle". To do this, two legs, multiples of 3 and 4, are laid from the corner along the walls, and the hypotenuse should be a multiple of 5. For example, 1.5 m (0.5 × 3) are measured along one wall, 2 m (0.5 × 4), and the distance between these points should be 2.5 m (0.5 × 5) in a straight line. If this is not the case, then the angle is clearly different from the right one, and it is necessary to look for a cause and a way to eliminate it.

Construction level prices

building level

Probably the most optimal and accurate option is the use of (laser plane builder).

This device sets perpendicular vertical planes, projects lines in space, along which it is easy to identify irregularities of the wall surfaces, their correspondence to the vertical plane and mutual perpendicularity by simple measurements with comparisons of the values of the gaps.

Having determined the deviations of the walls from the required plane, the location of irregularities - depressions or bulges, they immediately assess their approximate height or depth.

- In the case when surface defects or deviations from the vertical plane are 8 ÷ 15 mm or more, it will be necessary to perform plastering on beacons or by installing drywall sheets.

- If the differences do not exceed 5 ÷ 8 mm, then you can fix the surface, dispensing with the application of a thin layer of plaster or filler mortar.

Preparing surfaces for leveling

In order to understand what stages the work on leveling the walls consists of, it is worth considering these processes in more detail. However, before proceeding to a brief description of each of the alignment methods, a few words must be said about the preparatory measures common to all technologies.

The preparatory stage can be difficult and tedious, but you should not dismiss it, as this is the guarantee of the quality of the leveled surface and its operational durability. It is especially necessary to approach the preparation of the walls underneath, but drywall also requires its own special approach.

So, the preparation of walls for further leveling includes several important operations, which include the following:

In the first step, the walls must be completely cleaned of the decorative coating, if it is on the surfaces - old paint is removed or. These processes are carried out in different ways, which are detailed in a separate article.
After the walls are freed from the old finish, the plaster layer will open, which requires the most careful examination. Such a revision is necessary, since cracks could appear on it during operation, or delamination, partial or complete, is not excluded.

Depending on the degree of damage to the old plaster layer, it will have to be removed completely or properly repaired. If this layer is thick enough, poor-quality material is used for it, and its surface is uneven, then it is better to get rid of it completely.

If the wall has large protrusions, they will have to be knocked down, and small bulges should be sanded or cleaned with a metal brush.

If "wet" work is supposed to be done on the wall, then in order to ensure electrical safety, the room will most likely have to be de-energized. Usually, in such cases, it is planned to replace sockets and switches, which means that the old ones must be dismantled, and then the bare wires must be insulated.
After cleaning or repairing the surface of the wall, it must be primed several times - this is to strengthen and dedust the surface and to create conditions for reliable adhesion between the surface and the new leveling solution.

Careful preparation of the walls is a guarantee of the quality and durability of future finishes

This, seemingly easy to understand, but time-consuming stage, has many nuances. A special publication of our portal tells more about all the operations.

After the final drying of the primer, you can proceed to the application of putty, plaster, or to the installation of special profiles-beacons, along which the surfaces will be leveled.

If you plan to level the wooden walls with plaster, then they are cleaned of dust and primed with an antiseptic primer for wood. After that, the dried walls are sheathed with wooden slats - shingles, which will create a good adhesion of the mortar and wood.

Surface alignment methods

The choice of a method for leveling the walls directly depends on their condition, that is, whether they have significant curvatures, or whether it is simply necessary to eliminate a slight surface relief, which can appear through layers of paint or pasted wallpaper.

In fact, there are not so many technological methods for leveling walls. They have been used for more than a decade, but with the advent of new building materials, they are constantly being improved.

Plaster prices

plaster

So, the alignment of the walls is carried out in the following ways:

Plastering, that is, applying a special mortar to the surface of the leveling layer. In turn, this method can be divided into two types - this is the alignment of the walls with the lighthouses and without their use.
Installation of gypsum plasterboard sheets that set the desired evenness of the wall surface (it is often also called "dry plaster"). This alignment option is also divided into two different approaches - this is the fixing of sheets on the frame, or frameless fixing of GVL directly to the wall.

Leveling the walls with putty This method of putting the surface in order is used in combination with the other two mentioned above, or independently. If the walls have a smooth surface without large geometric distortions, but there are small irregularities on it, then the putty will help to bring them to perfect smoothness.

Plastering walls

A few words about leveling solutions

Currently, a very wide range of ready-made building mixtures for plastering is presented in hardware stores. They can be on a variety of bases

Cement-based plasters are used for outdoor work, as well as for rooms with high humidity levels.
Gypsum mixes are suitable for walls made of almost any material, but their area of application is limited only to the interior decoration of the premises.

However, many finishers and homeowners choose to prepare their own plastering mortars. And the basis for this, in addition to cement or gypsum, can also be lime or clay.

Lime and cement-lime mortars have quite proven themselves for external and internal decoration, and clay-based plasters are generally considered inexpensive (in the presence of gratuitous raw materials) and are suitable for leveling wooden, clay or brick walls.

If you want to try your hand at plastering walls with a homemade solution, then the "recipe" for cooking can be seen in the table below:

Solution name	The constituents	Proportions of solutions, depending on the specific layer
		"Splash"	"priming"	Cover or "wash"
Cement	Cement: sand	1: (2.5 ÷ 4)	1: (2 ÷ 3)	1: (1 ÷ 2)
Lime	Lime paste: sand	1: (2.5 ÷ 4)	1: (2 ÷ 3)	1: (1 ÷ 1.5)
Clay	Clay: sand	1: (3 ÷ 5)	1: (3 ÷ 5)	1: (3 ÷ 5)
Cement-clay	Cement: clay: sand	1:4:12	1:4:12	1:4:12
Cement-lime	Cement: lime paste: sand	1: (0.3 ÷ 1) :( 3 ÷ 5)	1: (0.7 ÷ 1) :( 2.5 ÷ 4.5)	1: (1 ÷ 1.5) :( 1.5 ÷ 2)
Lime-clay	Lime paste: clay: sand	0.2 ÷ 1: (3 ÷ 5)	0.2 ÷ 1: (3 ÷ 5)	0.2 ÷ 1: (3 ÷ 5)
Lime-gypsum	Lime paste: gypsum: sand	1: (0.3 ÷ 1) :( 2 ÷ 3)	1: (0.5 ÷ 1.5) :( 1.5 ÷ 2)	1: (1 ÷ 1.5)

Plastering walls without installing beacons

Leveling the walls with plaster mortar without beacons is possible in cases where the wall is relatively flat, without serious deformations, depressions and depressions, and to put it in order, it will be enough to apply a leveling mixture of relatively small thickness. It must be said right away that this method of tidying up the surface is much more complicated than plastering along the lighthouses, since the alignment has to be carried out by eye, and this is not easy to do without proper skill. Therefore, if there is no experience in this work, then it is better to entrust it to professional masters.

The process of plastering walls without beacons can be divided into several stages - these are "spraying", "soil" and "washing".

"Splash"- this is the first layer of mortar applied to the wall when leveling it. The mixture for this stage should have the consistency of thick sour cream.

When applying the mortar to a brick or stone wall, its layer should be 10 ÷ 12 mm, on a shingle of a wooden surface 15 ÷ 18 mm.

"Spraying" is carried out with a trowel, on which the solution is collected and from oneself, with a slight effort, is pounced on the surface. If the surface of the wall is relatively flat and does not require the application of a thick plaster layer, then sometimes the craftsmen make a "spray" even with a wide brush. When throwing in the solution with a brush, you should not make a large swing with your hand, otherwise, part of the mixture will be sprayed around the room.

You can apply the first layer of plaster using the "smear" method. In this case, a spatula with a width of 200 ÷ 250 mm is required, with the help of which the solution is taken from the container and evenly distributed over the surface of the wall with strokes. Perfect alignment of this layer is not required, as it will become the basis for further work.

"Priming"- this is the second layer when plastering walls without beacons, and it is applied only after the "spray" has completely dried. To apply the "soil", a thicker solution is used - it is thrown onto the surface, starting from the bottom of the wall, filling the areas not covered by the first layer with it, thus bringing both layers to approximately the same thickness.

Having applied this solution to a section of the wall with a height of 350 ÷ 400 mm, it is leveled with the rule, collecting excess mixture with it, which is sent back to the container, since it can still be used in further work.

When leveling, unfilled areas may additionally appear, which must immediately be filled with a solution and then walk along this area with the rule.

Sometimes, instead of a rule for aligning this layer, a special tool is used - a half-grater.

With a scraper, the solution is also leveled, simultaneously collecting its excess and filling the revealed voids.

"Alluvium" or a covering layer of plaster consists of a liquid solution and is intended to eliminate all flaws left on the surface of the wall after applying the "primer". The thickness of this layer should be no more than two millimeters, therefore it is very important to observe the correct consistency of the plaster mortar.

In this regard, if the mixture is compiled independently, and not purchased ready-made, all materials used in it must be sieved through a sieve with cells of no more than 0.5 ÷ 1 mm. The solution is kneaded until smooth, since even small lumps should not remain in it.

Rule prices

Further, the surface of the wall is moistened with water and a thin layer of liquid solution is applied to it with a spatula and a trowel. Then, the wet solution is rubbed in a circular motion, which is carried out counterclockwise. Therefore, this stage of work is often also called surface grouting.

When choosing this method of leveling the wall, during each of the stages of work, it is necessary to control the verticality and the required evenness of the surface using a rule and a level.

Aligning walls with plaster on beacons

Aligning the walls with plaster on the lighthouses is a more popular way than without installing them, since these elements greatly simplify the work and result in a perfectly flat surface. However, in order for the work to be successful, performing them, you should not rush, especially if the process is performed by the wizard for the first time.

Leveling beacon system

As beacons for leveling surfaces, special perforated metal profiles are most often used, which have a protrusion, the height of which can vary depending on the required thickness of the plaster layer.

The lighthouses are installed vertically on the wall surface, at a distance from each other, ensuring convenient operation with the rule of the available length (approximately 200 ÷ 300 mm less than the length of the rule). For beginners, an installation step of no more than 1000 ÷ 1200 mm is usually optimal. Fastening of profiles is most often carried out on a quick-drying mortar laid along the line of the slide.

Sometimes, improvised devices are used to display beacons, for example, pieces of plywood, drywall or ceramic tiles, which are also glued to the mortar using pre-set marks and a plumb line.

However, leveling along whole profiles is much easier, since they are fixed vertically from floor to ceiling and do not allow them to deviate from the intended level.

The conclusion suggests itself that the most important thing in the process of aligning the walls with the lighthouses is their correct exposure, which is carried out in compliance with certain rules.

Basic techniques for placing a beacon system

Installing leveling beacons is not as easy as it seems at first glance, since there are some nuances that must be constantly remembered. A professional look at the technology of this stage is presented in the article of our portal.

If, however, to say in a few words about the available method of setting up beacons, it is very simplified, then this process is carried out as follows:

The first step is to expose the extreme profile elements, that is, those that are located closer to the corners of the room.

Then, between them horizontally, in three or four places, the cords are pulled, which will serve as a guide for the installation of intermediate beacons.
The desired level of beacons relative to the wall can be achieved by recessed profiles into the slides of the mortar on which they are fixed.

There are several interesting, accurate and at the same time available to everyone technologies for setting up beacons. This is described in detail in other publications of our portal.

Wall plastering process

Work is usually carried out in sections with a height of 450 ÷ 500 mm. Experienced craftsmen can afford large areas, but it is better for a beginner plasterer not to rush with this - there will be an opportunity to identify and correct mistakes.

On a certain section of the wall using the "spraying" method (or application and distribution with a spatula, if spraying does not work at all), a solution of medium density is applied, with a height that should exceed the level of the lighthouses by 15 ÷ 20 mm. This thickness is necessary so that when leveling the mixture with the rule, as few voids as possible remain on the applied layer.

Further, the applied solution, starting from the bottom of the covered section of the wall, is leveled with a rule that is pressed against the metal beacons with an edge and led along them, like on rails. In this case, as a rule, an excess of solution is collected, which is regularly removed with a spatula, sent back to the container and used for the next spraying. When leveling, the rule is mixed progressively upward, but at the same time it is slightly moved horizontally in one direction and the other, which helps to fill all the voids in the layer and make the most of the entire applied solution.
Most often, the rule will have to make several such passes, with filling the identified cavities with a trowel or spatula. As a result, you should get a flat surface, flush with the guides of the beacon system.
After plastering the wall, when the solution slightly grabs, the beacon profiles are carefully removed from the plaster. The remaining grooves are sealed with mortar and leveled over the common surface.
Further, the still wet surface of the plaster is rubbed with a special construction float. Work is done in a circular motion counterclockwise.
A special corner trowel is used to refine the inner and outer corners of the wall.

External corners, especially in cases where a thick leveling layer is applied, is recommended to be strengthened with metal perforated corners, which are pressed into the wet mortar and adjusted to the building level.

Learn to align walls with lighthouses!

On the pages of our portal there is a detailed publication dedicated to. In it, special emphasis is placed on the creation of systems of lighthouses of various types - from the usual profile ones to mortar and string ones.

Aligning walls with plasterboard (dry plaster)

Since drywall appeared on the free market, moreover, at an affordable price for everyone, it has become the most popular material with which walls are aligned. The fact is that any homeowner is quite capable of working with sheets of this "dry plaster" without resorting to the help of a construction team. Moreover, there are two ways to fix it to the surface - with construction glue and with frame lathing. Therefore, you can choose the option that is more suitable for a particular room and for ease of installation.

Installation of drywall without frame

So, with drywall, you can level the wall by fixing its sheets with glue made on a gypsum base. Moreover, using this method, even a strongly curved surface can be made flat. However, if the wall is severely deformed, it will have to seriously work on it, since it will be necessary to create a kind of beacons against which a sheet of finishing material will rest. Self-tapping screws with wide heads or slate nails, which are driven into the wall with the output of the ends of the caps into a single plane, can be verified in any way possible, as a frame of reference points. On these beacons, an adhesive composition is applied with slides, and then a plasterboard sheet is gently pressed to these points.

1 - old wall surface to be leveled;

2 - screwed in self-tapping screws, the ends of the caps of which are verified in the same vertical plane. The step between the self-tapping screws is 200 ÷ 300 mm;

3 - slides of gypsum-based construction glue;

4 - drywall sheet.

It is much easier to install drywall on a more or less flat wall, having prepared it with a primer. To do this, a glue mass is applied to the sheet itself or to the wall surface in dotted heaps.

Next, the drywall is lifted and pressed against the vertical surface, and then, if necessary, its verticality is corrected by gentle tapping. In order not to damage the sheet, the adjustment can be carried out with the edge of the rule, which will cover the entire width of the sheet at once.

When fixing the sheet on the wall, the correct position must be controlled by the building level. The second and all subsequent sheets are adjusted to the first finishing sheet fixed on the wall. After the glue dries, the seams between the drywall are sealed with a serpentine mesh or special tape, and then putty.

Fast and reliable - drywall to the wall without creating a frame

The main steps of this method were listed above, however, in this editing technology there are still some nuances, which are also good to know about when starting work. Therefore, it is recommended to pay attention to the article of our portal.

Frame method for mounting drywall

The frame method of leveling the walls has its advantages and disadvantages, and at the same time it is even more popular than fixing the sheets with glue.

The disadvantage of this technology is that the frame system very significantly conceals the area of the room, since the crate itself, and plus a sheet of drywall to it, make up a total thickness of at least 50 mm, that is, the room will decrease from each side by this distance.

The advantages of such an alignment are much more, therefore, if the area allows, then this method will be an ideal option for transforming a room.

The obvious "plus" of such an installation is the ability to insulate and soundproof the wall by installing a layer of the appropriate material in the space between it and the cladding. This is especially true for apartments located in panel houses.

The positive aspects include the fact that the frame system does not require "super-thorough" preparation of the walls.

They need to be cleaned of decorative coating just to make sure that there are no deep cracks in the wall. Small surface defects will not interfere with installation work.
It is imperative to prime the walls before fixing the profiles, and for this an antiseptic solution is used, which will protect the surfaces from the appearance and development of mold.

After the primed surface is completely dry, you can start marking and installation work.

Profiles are usually installed in 600 mm increments (along the axes), since the width of all drywall sheets is 1200 mm. Thus, each vertically installed sheet will be fixed along three lines. In addition, it is convenient from the point of view that the overwhelming number of insulation materials are produced by mats of exactly this width - 600 mm.

To achieve perfect evenness of the walls, it is necessary to carefully align the metal profiles vertically, thereby setting the future plane of the surface to be created.

Since the profiles are fixed in special brackets - straight hangers with perforated side "wings", it is possible to accurately adjust their distance from the wall. The hangers are fixed along the line using dowels or self-tapping screws (depending on the wall material) with a step of 500 ÷ 600 mm.

The protruding ends of the side shelves, after the racks are fixed in them, are easily bent back, so they will not interfere with the further fixation of the drywall sheets.

To make it easier to cope with the alignment of the frame, at first they are precisely aligned vertically and relative to each other and the extreme racks are fixed. Then cords are pulled between them, which will indicate how far the intermediate profiles should be extended from the wall.

If the ceilings in the room are high enough, then horizontal crossbars are sometimes mounted between the vertical posts, which will give the system additional rigidity and strength.

The sheets are fixed to the frame using special black TN25 self-tapping screws (3.2 × 25 mm), the caps of which must be sunk into drywall by 1 ÷ 1.5 mm. In the future, these holes remaining from the caps will need to be putty.

It should be noted that sometimes drywall sheets are mounted in two layers - in this case, the wall covering created will have a higher strength. The sheets of the outer layer should overlap the joints of the sheets of the lower one.

After the wall is leveled with a plasterboard system, they proceed to sealing the joints, and after the mortar has dried, the wall is primed and putty. A layer of putty should completely hide the joints. The final stage of work is the application of a decorative coating - paint or wallpaper.

Universal material - drywall

It is already difficult to imagine modern finishing work in houses and apartments without the use of drywall. - this is far from the only way to use it. For example, this material allows you to quickly and efficiently erect indoors.

Leveling the walls with putty

Bringing the surface of the walls to the ideal with putty can be called the final stage for any chosen method of leveling them for interior decoration. In addition, the putty, as the only leveling layer, is used if the wall itself is quite even, but has small errors in the form of small depressions or minor roughness that can appear through decorative finishing - wallpaper or painting.

The putty has a finer structure of the mixture, and when mixed, it acquires high plasticity, is easily applied and distributed on a prepared, primed surface, masking flaws and making the wall perfectly smooth.

The application of this leveling layer is carried out with spatulas (trowels) of various widths, but in large areas a wide spatula is always used, with a working surface of 400 millimeters or more.

Filling walls is a rather complicated process that requires some experience, since you need to achieve smoothness of the walls, and a spatula in inept hands with its edges almost always leaves furrows of various depths on the surface of a raw plastic mortar, and this must be avoided. If they have formed, then they must be leveled immediately, since after setting the putty mixture it will be difficult to do this.

As a rule, two (or even more) layers are applied - one leveling, and the second, finishing - bringing the surface to the ideal. Accordingly, different types of fillers can be used for different stages.

The final stage of filling work is always sanding the surface to the desired degree of smoothness. This final stage of leveling the walls is carried out using a special float, on which mesh nozzles or sandpaper of the required grain size are installed. There is also a special electric tool - grinders of various operating principles, which make it possible to speed up this rather time-consuming process.

Many craftsmen, in order to achieve the perfect result, when performing grinding work, use portable lighting, which perfectly reveals poorly aligned sections of the wall, down to the smallest surface defects.

How to learn how to properly putty the walls?

This technological operation is quite complicated, and the first results may not be encouraging. It's okay, the skill will be developed, the main thing is to listen to the advice of experienced finishers. A good selection of such recommendations, with step-by-step illustrated instructions, is posted in the article of our portal about.

So, based on all that has been said above, we can conclude that even in the absence of experience in leveling walls, it is possible to choose a method that will be within the power of even a novice builder. Taking upon yourself the implementation of these works, you can not only save a decent amount, but also be confident in their quality - after all, it is done, as they say, “for yourself”. Therefore, when starting an apartment renovation, you need to carefully weigh your financial and creative capabilities, and boldly get down to business.

At the end of the publication - a small video sketch, which should also help the reader in choosing a way to align the walls.

Video: Which way to align the walls to choose?

Before starting the finishing of the walls, it is necessary to level them. Methods may vary depending on the quality of the substrate and the finishing material. Consider how to properly start leveling the walls.

Methods for leveling the walls of an apartment

Before leveling the walls with your own hands, you need to evaluate the entire plan of upcoming work. Often, in some circumstances, individual alignment methods cannot be used. It is also worth paying attention to the complexity of the procedures: "wet" finishing methods require more preparation than "dry" methods of installing the leveling layer.

Wet alignment- based on the use of adhesive binders such as plaster or putty. Most often, the finishing coat takes time to dry. During the drying period, certain conditions of temperature and humidity must be observed.
Dry alignment dispenses with adhesive bonding (adhesion) of the base and the leveling layer. "Dry" finishing methods are based on the use of various frame structures, which are then sheathed with sheet materials. Such finishing methods are advisable on those grounds where wet finishing methods cannot be used, and it is also more profitable to use them if the difference at the wall exceeds 50 - 80 mm.

The "dry" methods also include gluing the sheet material to the base, but in fact they cannot be fully attributed to this group.

Types of walls - do it yourself alignment

Different alignment methods are preferred for different walls. The vast majority of apartments have concrete walls, in some cases the partitions can be made of bricks. Also, in some apartments there are wooden partitions, but such structures are quite rare, so we will not dwell on the alignment of wooden walls with our own hands.

Concrete walls- the most common type of enclosing structures. Concrete walls in new buildings can shrink, which determines the leveling method. Shrinkage occurs in new buildings for several years after commissioning, during this period it is not recommended to make major repairs in monolithic houses for 1-2 years, in panel houses for 2-3 years. If repairs still need to be done, then additional procedures are required to protect the finishing layers or the use of finishes that are not afraid of shrinkage.

To avoid cracks in the plaster during wall shrinkage, the plaster layer should be reinforced. This procedure is especially critical if painting is chosen as the finish.

Brick walls in new buildings they sit longer than concrete ones. At the same time, on brick walls, special attention should be paid to the seams. Processing work may often be required. If the masonry is made of poor quality, then the falling solution must be removed from the seams and covered with plaster. In some cases, it is more expedient not to waste time repairing old masonry, but to apply the alignment method on the relative (on the frame).

Wooden walls and partitions can also have irregularities, such coatings are poorly suited for "wet" finishing methods. For wooden subfloors, it is best to use relative leveling methods.

Tool for work

The toolkit depends on each specific finishing method.

Common tools for all types of work- when leveling any walls, you cannot do without a puncher, a screwdriver. Brushes and rollers are required for applying primers. Aligning the walls will not do without a bubble level, it is desirable to have a laser level, its presence will greatly simplify the marking. If there is no laser level, then it will be necessary to make a hydraulic level. For marking, it is advisable to have a plumb line (weight on a rope), a corner, a steel meter ruler, a tape measure, and a lace with paint will also be useful. Which allows you to apply even markings on the wall.

It must be understood that the laser level is not a panacea for errors. Beginners often blindly rely on this measuring device. The laser level readings need to be checked beforehand.

Tools for "dry" leveling methods- the main tools will be devices for cutting and securing sheets and for assembling frames. The set of devices depends on the specific alignment method. For example, for cutting drywall, you will need a construction knife for cutting, a cutter for connecting the frame. Several spatulas are required to seal the joints between the sheets. It is useful to have an edge planer to decorate the edges of the sheets.

Drywall cutting tools. In most cases it is better to use a knife (1)

Wet alignment tools- in this case, numerous tools for applying the solution are added: trowels, spatulas, beetles, falcons, angle spatulas and rules.

Equipment for sealing joints between drywall sheets

Alignment options

Now let's list the most common wall alignment options.

Installation of drywall on the frame- this method practically excludes work with astringent components. The frame is assembled and fixed to the base of the wall. For cladding, ceiling (CW) or rack (CD) profiles are used. Plasterboard cladding is often used when leveling walls with a drop of more than 50 mm or with wooden structures.
Bonding drywall to the base allows you to do without a frame, this method is the simplest when doing repairs yourself. In this way, differences from 1 to 40 mm can be compensated. In this case, different types of adhesives are used. When unevenness is less than 4 mm and from 20 to 40 mm, gypsum putties (Fugen) are used, for unevenness from 4 to 20 mm, gypsum assembly glue is used.
Leveling with putty can compensate for a difference of no more than 3 mm. This indicator is due to the small thickness of the putty application. The starting layer cannot exceed 1 - 2 mm, and the finishing layer - 0.5 - 1 mm.
Plaster leveling- allows you to align the wall with a difference of 30 to 50 mm. A larger drop leads to a significant overspending of the plaster. This method of alignment is one of the most difficult and time-consuming from the point of view of do-it-yourself installation.

Surface preparation

Preparatory work for "dry" and "wet" leveling can differ in their thoroughness. Also, the general list of works depends on the type of foundation. If we are talking about a brick wall, then additional cleaning of the masonry joints will be required. Old plaster should be checked for reliability by tapping. If the plaster "cocks", emits a dull sound upon impact, then voids have formed under it. Such a surface will not be reliable enough, it is recommended to remove such plaster.

If there are traces of mold on the wall, then it is recommended to use fungicides and antiseptic compounds. Wooden walls must be subjected to such processing without fail. It also makes sense to treat the facade walls with antiseptics, since they are most susceptible to freezing and the formation of moisture.

Crack bridging tools

It is necessary to remove all traces of the solution from the wall, smudges, it is desirable to remove various stains. At this stage, the cracks should be covered. To do this, you can use a special repair putty, which is additionally reinforced with perforated tapes or serpyanka mesh.

If we are talking about "dry" leveling, then some stages of surface preparation can be skipped. For example, it is possible not to cover up various defects of the walls, since they will still be hidden by the cladding, and they will not affect the fastening of the frame in any way.

Primer application

Wall priming is an indispensable step when leveling walls with a "wet" method. The choice of primer depends on the construction of the walls and the leveling material. This also influences the choice of application method.

Gypsum plaster on concrete- will require processing with concrete contact. It is a special adhesive primer that increases the adhesion of plaster to smooth surfaces. Such primers consist of a binder component and a quartz filler, to which the plaster "clings". Concrete contact should be applied with a batter, the use of a roller is excluded, because the soil is too thick, and it cannot be diluted with water.

Deep penetration primers used to strengthen "weak" surfaces, for example, to apply a leveling layer on old plaster. These primers impregnate the material and strengthen it.

Measuring curvature using a rule

At the first stage of work on leveling the walls, you need to determine the most protruding parts of the wall. For this, the bubble level is applied in different directions. When the most protruding part of the wall is determined, then you can pull the string from this place. The difference between the distance to the rope from the wall at the protruding point and the deepest point will be a drop. On the vertical of the protruding section, you should also find the most protruding place. To do this, apply the level vertically.

At this point, we mark a vertical line - this is the location of the first lighthouse. For marking, you can use a dye lace.

A laser level or plumb line can be used to mark the correct vertical. The plumb line is hung on a self-tapping screw at the top of the wall, the load pulls the rope down and shows the ideal vertical.

Installing beacons

At the place where the vertical was marked, the first beacon must be installed. Lighthouses are galvanized slats that are attached to small plaster cakes. There is also a method that involves installation on self-tapping screws. It is more suitable for beginners, because the self-tapping screws do not allow the beacon to "sink" in the solution too much.

Set the laser level line at a distance of 5 cm from the protruding point. Then, at the most protruding point of the wall, we drill a hole, insert the dowel and screw the self-tapping screw into it. You need to stick a piece of scotch tape on the screwdriver, when the self-tapping screw is screwed to the end, a mark is made on the scotch tape at the laser level mark. Then we twist the other screws vertically. When the mark on the screwdriver aligns with the laser level mark, stop tightening.

We install other beacons according to this principle. The distance between the beacons should be less than the length of the rule so that you can lean the tool on them while working.

On self-tapping screws, we make small slides of mortar, on which we glue the beacons. Self-tapping caps will prevent the beacons from sinking too deep. The mix for gluing the beacons must match the mix used to level the entire wall.

Leveling walls with plaster

When the installation of the lighthouses is complete, you can mix the plaster mixture. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for cooking.

At the first stage of work it is necessary to apply the first layer, "cover". It is applied with a quick coat of mortar without leveling.

At the second stage, the solution is added in those places where its amount was insufficient. Plaster can be laid with a bevel, when the mixture is applied with a spatula to the canvas, and then spread on the wall at an angle of 45 degrees.

Removing beacons and pruning

When all the space between the lighthouses is filled with mortar, the plaster layer is trimmed with the rule. The rule is supported by beacons and pulled from the bottom of the wall to the top. In this case, the rule should follow a zigzag path.

After leveling the wall, the beacons must be removed, they are picked up with a screwdriver and pulled out. Do not forget about self-tapping screws, if they were used, they must also be removed. The holes remaining from the lighthouses are sealed with fresh plaster.

Leveling under putty

Cement mortars shrink, therefore, in most cases, if you need to get a perfectly flat surface, then for the final leveling the wall will need to be additionally putty.

At the stage of plastering, finishing is carried out. To do this, the plaster is diluted to a liquid state, applied to a trowel and rubbed into the surface at an angle of 45 degrees. Wipe the surface in a circular motion until the solution ceases to remain on the canvas.

Dry plaster: level the walls with gypsum plasterboard

Aligning walls with plasterboard is called "dry plaster", because this method of finishing allows you to get a smooth wall, like after plastering, but without the use of binders. This only applies to the installation of plasterboard cladding on the frame.

There is also a frameless drywall leveling method. This method cannot be called completely "dry", since it uses putty or gypsum glue, which binds the sheets to the base.

Drywall on the frame

The method of leveling with plasterboard on the frame is one of the most versatile. It allows you to align almost any difference in the level of the wall. Another advantage is that almost any base can be leveled as long as it can hold the frame fasteners.

This method also has disadvantages, such as reducing the area of the room. For this reason, plasterboard alignment on the frame is not always used in small rooms.

For these works, you will need to make a wooden or steel frame. In most cases, it is a steel frame made of galvanized profiles that is used. In order for the structure to withstand the weight of the cladding, you should choose a profile with a thickness of 0.6 mm, a thin profile can be easily bent even with your hands.

Read more about errors during the installation of the frame "" and during the installation of drywall sheets "" in the articles on the site.

Installation of plasterboard cladding on a frame made of ceiling profiles.

Installation is carried out on a rack or ceiling profile. In the first case, the cladding is separated from the wall and is not fixed to the base. When using a ceiling profile, the frame is held in place by hangers.

Gypsum plasterboard for glue

Drywall can be fixed with adhesives. The most commonly used plaster putty or gypsum assembly glue. Installation schemes can be different. Here are several options.

Installation on gypsum plaster is allowed if the differences in the level of the walls are no more than 4 mm.
Differences from 20 mm can be leveled by gluing the sheets onto gypsum mounting adhesive.
In some cases, gluing drywall to beacons is used. To do this, first, small squares of drywall are glued to the wall (with differences of more than 20 mm, drywall strips are used), sheets are glued to these elements using gypsum putty.

Installing drywall on glue is simple, so it is often used for DIY installation.

How to make curved walls smooth in a new building

The alignment process in a new building differs in that shrinkage processes can still occur in the building, as indicated above. Shrinkage occurs in all types of buildings. These processes are associated with the shrinkage of the foundation and floors. They finish most quickly in monolithic houses, where the most even walls are usually also there.

Brick walls are often among the most problematic. Shrinkage in them can take 3 - 6 years, the quality of the surface itself is highly dependent on the experience of the masons and varies greatly. Brick walls can be both perfectly flat and with a lot of deviations.

Before you start leveling walls in a new building, it is important to consider these processes. If the alignment is made for painting, then the plaster must be reinforced so that the number of cracks is minimal. It is better to wait for the time it takes for the building to shrink. If there is no way to wait, then you need to choose a way to level the walls that is most resistant to shrinkage processes: leveling with drywall, plastering under wallpaper, etc.

Is it possible to properly align the walls with your own hands

Do-it-yourself wall alignment is a rather laborious process. If the work is done by one person, then with some alignment methods, problems may arise. For example, it is advisable to carry out work on the installation of drywall together, plastering work can be done alone, but they are quite demanding on the experience of the performer. The easiest way to level the walls with your own hands is to glue drywall.

Building yard

How to align the walls?

An obligatory procedure when carrying out major or cosmetic repairs of premises is leveling the walls. The problem of uneven surfaces with a large number of visual defects is typical for all types of buildings - from multi-storey new buildings to private country cottages. Such surfaces are difficult to paint, wallpaper, decorate with decorative plaster or sheet materials. How and with what are the walls aligned in order to make a professional and high-quality repair?

Why do you need to align the walls

Working with facing materials begins with the correct preparation of surfaces, and for this it is necessary:

Eliminate existing irregularities and visual defects.
Improve the adhesion of the surface to the veneer.
Improve the quality of the finish.
Provide long service life of materials.

Competent surface preparation directly affects the appearance and quality of the finished coating. Uneven surfaces are susceptible to cracking, deformation and degradation of the lining.

What can be used to align

To level the walls, modern functional mixtures and sheet materials with high performance are used. For the correct choice of leveling material, it is necessary to understand its purpose and features of use.

Dry mixes

The easiest and most affordable way to level walls is to use special dry mixes for preparing leveling mortars. These include:

Cement mixtures

The main components are cement and sand of the middle fraction. To increase plasticity, ordinary lime is used. Such mixtures are of two types: cement-sand and cement-lime. Cement mixtures with coarse sand are intended for rough work, with fine sand for finishing. Significant disadvantages are susceptibility to cracking, poor adhesion and set times. Mixes with the addition of lime are more practical and versatile.

Gypsum mix

Such mixtures are widely used for leveling surfaces of various curvatures. They have high ductility, excellent soundproofing and heat-saving characteristics. Some types of gypsum formulations provide good adhesion to the surface.

Clay mixtures

Often, environmentally friendly mixtures based on natural clay are used to level surfaces. Wood sawdust, chopped straw and chalk can be added to the finished solution. Such a coating provides good thermal insulation of the walls and a decrease in heat loss in winter.

Thermal insulation mixtures

The active active ingredients of thermal insulation mixtures are cement, lime and expanded polystyrene balls. Their low thermal conductivity ensures the accumulation of heat indoors, even with sudden temperature changes. The only drawback is the high hygroscopicity of the solution.

Sheet materials

Another equally effective way to eliminate curvature of surfaces is the use of sheet materials. Suitable for these purposes:

Drywall sheet (normal and waterproof).
Gypsum fiber panels.
Chipboard, PVC and MDF panels.

They have strength, resistance to increased moisture and mechanical stress, practicality and durability. In addition, these materials provide excellent sound and thermal insulation.

Effective Wall Leveling Techniques

To quickly and efficiently align curved walls in a private house or apartment, several effective methods are used:

Plastering.
Exposing lighthouses.
Puttying.
Plasterboard installation.

Plastering

You can quickly level the surface using cement and gypsum plaster compounds. They are resistant to the negative effects of moisture, temperature extremes, environmental safety and practicality. Often used for wall cladding in bedrooms, nurseries, living rooms and other rooms.

The plaster is applied in the following order:

Wall preparation: dismantling the old coating, cleaning the surface from existing defects, treating with a deep penetration primer.
Fixation of fine-meshed plaster mesh to increase the adhesion of the compound to the surface.
Preparation of plaster according to the instructions and application to the surface of the walls with a trowel, even distribution with a spatula. Excess plaster is removed with a rule.

Exposing lighthouses

In some cases, plastering of surfaces is carried out on beacons made of a T-shaped metal profile or wooden slats. This is a fairly simple and effective technology for leveling various surfaces that you can master on your own.

Profiles or slats are installed in a vertical plane from the corners around the perimeter of the room. Self-tapping screws are used for fixing. The minimum distance between adjacent elements is 50 cm.

Guide cords are pulled between the fixed beacons for the correct application of the plaster.

Puttying

Leveling the walls with putty is the final stage in eliminating minor visual defects before using decorative cladding. Puttying is carried out after the walls have been treated with a plaster.

Step-by-step instructions for puttying:

Wall preparation: sanding with fine-grained sandpaper, dusting, priming.
There are two types of putty: a ready-made composition and a dry mixture for preparing a thick solution.
For filling it is necessary to use a special tool - a spatula. A narrow spatula is used for the intake of the solution, and a wide spatula is used for distribution on the surface. In the presence of significant vertical deviations, a building leveler is provided for leveling the putty - the rule.
When applying the putty in two layers, the first layer is additionally treated with a primer.
After finishing the puttying, the wall surfaces are carefully sanded until minor irregularities are eliminated.

Plasterboard installation

You can qualitatively level the walls in the apartment with sheet material - drywall. A similar method is used with significant curvature of surfaces and a large number of visual defects.

In this case, the best solution is to hide the unevenness of the walls behind a plasterboard frame, inside which you can lay the necessary communications, sound and heat insulation materials.

There are two options for leveling the walls with plasterboard: frame and glue.

Frame method

This method allows you to level walls with varying degrees of curvature. The basis is a frame made of metal profiles or wooden beams, onto which drywall sheets are sewn.

The assembly is performed in the following sequence:

The first frame guides are mounted strictly horizontally to the floor and ceiling.
The profiles are marked for the installation of vertical guides with a step of 55 cm. With the help of a plumb line, vertical lines are marked on which the installation curtains are fixed.
Carriers are installed in the guides along the vertical lines.
Each structural element is aligned in a single plane and fixed to the curtain.
Sheets of drywall are mounted to the assembled frame with screws.
A fine-mesh mesh is glued to the joints between the sheets, the joints and holes for fasteners are carefully sealed with a gypsum putty mixture.

Glue method

This is a cheaper and faster way of leveling walls with insignificant level differences of 3-5 cm. Plasterboard is installed on a cleaned surface using an adhesive.

All work is performed in the following sequence:

Wall preparation: cleaning from dirt and priming.
Cutting out sheet material. Measurements are carried out to determine the number of sheets, taking into account the location of the main wiring accessories.
Drawing control lines on the ceiling and floor surfaces.
Installation of drywall sheets. On concrete or brick walls, glue or gypsum plaster is applied with cakes with a step of 35 cm. The volume of the composition is determined taking into account the curvature of the surfaces.
Installation starts from the corner. Drywall is applied to the wall, leveled and firmly pressed onto the glue cakes. Floor and ceiling control lines will help you check the correct installation of drywall.
Additional fixing of sheets to the surface using dowels.
Treatment of joints and places of installation of fasteners with gypsum-based putty.

Features of wall alignment

In order to properly level the walls for different types of decorative coatings, it is necessary to take into account their operating conditions. For example, in rooms with high humidity - kitchen, bathroom, balcony - it is better to level the walls with cement compounds. But for rooms with moderate temperature conditions - a bedroom, a nursery and a living room - it is worth using compositions based on gypsum.

Absolutely any type of surface can be made flat by using sheet material mounted on a metal frame. This method ensures the creation of a perfectly flat base for plastering and puttying.

Wallpapering

You can solve the problem with uneven surfaces under wallpapering in any convenient way - plastering with further puttying or installing drywall.

To prevent cracking of the putty layer under the wallpaper, its thickness should be minimal and equal to 1.5–2 mm.

Panel houses

Not all types of compounds are suitable for eliminating wall irregularities in panel houses. Curved concrete walls can be leveled using the wet method using gypsum or cement-lime plaster compositions. They provide high adhesion to the surface, which is impossible in the case of using compositions based on cement and sand.

Surfaces with great curvature

To straighten walls with large drops, it is better to use a metal frame and sheet material. Other alignment methods are economically disadvantageous because they involve a lot of material and labor costs.

New buildings

Modern multi-storey buildings are being built using more affordable and cheaper materials - foam concrete, aerated concrete, expanded clay concrete, ceramic blocks and hollow bricks.

They have a lot of advantages, but at the same time they are not devoid of a significant drawback - they have an uneven surface. Such materials are used not only for the construction of external walls, but also for the laying of internal partitions.

Alignment of walls in new buildings can be performed using universal plaster compounds that will hide visual defects in the material.

Old houses

The main problem of old houses is the physical wear and tear of the material from which the wall structures are erected. As a result of long-term operation, the inner surfaces of the walls are subject to significant destruction and deformations, which are not so easy to hide with a conventional plaster during cosmetic repairs.

To eliminate uneven surfaces in old houses, experts recommend using drywall sheets. It will effectively hide existing defects, strengthen walls and extend their service life.

Align corners

There are two ways to level the inner and outer corners of the walls - wet plaster or drywall.

The alignment of internal corners with plaster is carried out as follows:

Cleaning surfaces from dirt and old coatings. If, after stripping, the curvature of the walls is preserved, a cement compound is used for leveling.
The surface is treated with a deep penetration primer and dried.
Guide beacons are installed for the correct application of the plaster.
By spraying on the lighthouses, a plaster composition is applied, the excess is removed by the rule.
The first layer is dried and re-primed.
An additional plaster layer is applied, dried and rubbed.
If the walls are well aligned, the inner corner becomes visually even.
In addition, an internal metal corner (kontrashulz) with a reinforced mesh on the sides is used, which is pushed onto the putty mixture and leveled. After that, plastering of the corner and finishing sanding are performed.

To align the outer corners, special perforated aluminum corners are used. They are corrosion resistant, flexible and easy to use. Installation of aluminum corners on the outer corners of the walls is carried out on a level in order to direct the elements strictly vertically.

The corners are fixed on self-tapping screws, then covered with a plaster layer and sanded. In another case, plaster is applied to the outer corner, a corner is applied from above and slightly recessed in the solution. Self-tapping screws and a reinforced mesh are used for additional fixation. Further, the excess solution is distributed with smooth movements throughout the corner to make it invisible.

A similar technology for leveling the outer corners is effective both when using wet plaster and when installing a plasterboard structure. When leveling a drywall corner, the metal corner is fixed only to putty.

Smooth wall surfaces are a prerequisite for their high-quality decorative cladding. In addition, the entire range of work to eliminate irregularities and visual defects of surfaces can be performed independently.

Smooth walls are not only beauty, but also an indicator of a properly carried out repair. Alignment allows you to eliminate defects that eventually appear in old houses, however, in new apartments, irregularities on the walls, cracks, chips are not uncommon. The geometry of the walls is not always respected, which also requires work to eliminate these shortcomings that spoil the appearance of the home.

By leveling the walls, defects can be eliminated.

Why align wall surfaces

But it's not just about beauty: it is impossible to do high-quality painting on deformed walls, to carefully stick the wallpaper, since the room in this case will look extremely unkempt.

When carrying out repairs, many carry out wallpapering: it is relatively inexpensive, beautiful, fast. However, in order for it to be successful, it is necessary to carry out all operations on a flat surface, since this type of wall covering is most sensitive to irregularities. This procedure is a prerequisite for high-quality gluing work, since even minor errors become quite noticeable under a thin layer of wallpaper.

To carry out the work, it is necessary to decide what will be needed to level the walls under the wallpaper: what materials and tools will come in handy. Their choice will depend on:

from the level of damage to the walls;
the need for material costs;
the time it will take to do quality work.

To glue the wallpaper with high quality, you need to work on a flat surface

What materials are used

For wall restoration work in a room, different materials can be used with varying degrees of effectiveness, depending on the degree of damage. Among the most commonly used:

drywall;
plaster;
putty.

In addition, building mixtures are used. You can level the walls and, directly, wallpaper, but you can not use any. In any case, when choosing, it is necessary to take into account the calculation of the material per square meter of surface and its cost.

You can level the walls using drywall, plaster and putty.

Required tools

Different tools will be used depending on the method chosen. For plasterboard cladding you need:

rule for leveling putty;
plumb line and level to determine the geometry of the structure;
cord and tape measure for taking measurements;
a knife for cutting drywall;
rubber hammer or mallet;
container for glue;
construction mixer for mixing the mixture;
jigsaw for cutting material;
puncher;
screwdriver

Prepare the tools you need before starting work

For the putty you will need:

spatulas
level
the rule
cord (twine).

High-quality plaster is performed using the following tools:

level and rule for leveling surfaces;
a trowel for "delivering" glue to the corners;
spatulas of various sizes;
trowel for grouting plaster;
containers for mixing the solution;
drill with attachment or mixer;
tape measure for taking measurements.

To prepare the walls for work, you will need to use scrapers, metal brushes, sandpaper.

you will need to use scrapers, metal brushes, sandpaper

We use building mixtures

Among the materials for leveling walls under wallpaper, a variety of building mixtures have found their place.

A primer is a mixture that prepares the surface for the application of putty, paint or other material. In addition, it has protective properties.

As a base, it includes a variety of substances such as resins, various oils, glue, bitumen.

Masonry mixtures with frost resistance, plasticity and water-repellent properties are used in construction.
Adhesive mixtures of quartz sand, cement and plasticizer.
Mixes for special purposes.

Various mixtures can be used for leveling.

We use plaster - an old, proven way

Plaster - a well-known and for a long time - the most affordable method used, as they say, for all occasions, moreover, usually it was a cement-sand mixture, which was prepared independently. Today, the choice of plastering material is much wider, but the variety of goods should not mislead the buyer: each type of plaster has its own purpose and should be used in accordance with the recommendations.

Immediately you need to decide that the mixtures differ:

by composition;
degree of readiness for use;
destination.

They are produced dry and "wet", as a rule, "wet" are produced in the form of ready-to-use pastes. They can be applied directly to the surface; it should also be borne in mind that this type of plaster is much more expensive than the others.

Plaster is the most reliable material

Dry must be diluted, strictly following the instructions for use. Homemade cement-sand mortar is diluted independently, while the proportions of cement, sand and water are determined by the master himself, based on the brand of cement.

To carry out work on leveling the walls under the wallpaper, ordinary plasters are used. They are manufactured on a variety of bases:

clay - for plastering wooden surfaces;
cement with the addition of sand or lime - for rooms with high humidity;
gypsum - only for dry rooms;
lime - for processing any surfaces except very damp surfaces.

Attention! Gypsum plaster mixes harden very quickly, so they need to be prepared in small quantities and used very quickly.

To level the walls, use ordinary plasters.

How to level the walls under the wallpaper with putty

The well-known putty has long been used to eliminate various defects on technical surfaces, including when preparing walls for wallpapering.

Usually it is used when there are minor damages, roughness, cracks, chips, which can be removed by applying a small amount of the mixture. Moreover, it can be in dry and liquid (pasty) form. In the first case, it is necessary to prepare a solution in accordance with the instructions, in the second, the product is ready for use.

A putty is usually used to fix minor irregularities.

The technology of working with putty is not complicated, but it requires accuracy and patience: you need to collect a small amount of material and quickly and carefully close up irregularities. But before you start filling, you will have to:

clean the wall from dust and dirt;
apply an antibacterial composition;

Prime it, then process the putty mixture on problem areas, working with a large and small spatula. The excess must be removed immediately, otherwise it will dry out very quickly, and it will be much more difficult to get rid of them.

If the defects are large, then several layers of putty will be required; to keep them better, experts recommend laying a special mesh (tape) between them.

After the completion of the work and the complete drying of the composition, it is necessary to carefully sand the surface, and then again cover it with a primer.

Before starting work, you should prepare the wall

Drywall for alignment - if you want to do everything quickly

One of the fastest, cleanest and most convenient ways to level the walls for wallpaper, which does not require serious practical skills and a significant investment of time, is to use drywall.

Today there are two types of this procedure: frame and frameless method. Both are widely used during repairs, while the frame is preferable with significant curvature of the walls, large surface defects, and the inability to use other equalizers.

Drywall is perfect for leveling walls under wallpaper

This method is more costly in terms of time and money, but it allows not only to get a flat surface, but also to "hide" wires, cables, pipes. To install gypsum plasterboards, you will first need to install a frame from a wooden bar or a metal profile.

The frameless (glue) method ensures the laying of drywall sheets directly on the walls, if the defects on them are small. Sometimes, with the glue method, preparatory work is required. You cannot do without them if there are chips, cracks, irregularities, which can be eliminated by following these steps:

cleaning the surface from dirt and old plaster;
starting primer;
putty on irregularities;
finishing primer.

After preparation, glue is applied to the surface of the wall and drywall sheets, then the board is applied to the wall. It must be held until the glue "seizes". After the material has been completely laid, it is knocked out with a rubber mallet.

There are two ways to fix drywall: frame and seamless

What kind of wallpaper line the walls

In addition to various materials, wallpaper can be used directly as a wall equalizer, however, you need to approach their choice very carefully, because not every type of them is suitable for leveling:

paper wallpaper;
vinyl of various options;
liquid;
textile; velor;
cork and others.

With liquid wallpaper, you can level the wall

For leveling the walls, the most effective use of foamed wallpaper, made in a different color scheme and a variety of ornaments and characterized by sufficient density.

The same role is played by non-woven wallpaper, which, due to its texture, reliably hide the curvature of the walls.

Advice. When choosing wallpaper for uneven walls, it is better to abandon clear patterns, which will only sharpen the attention to the defect.

Video: Plastered walls for wallpaper

Video: Aligning walls for wallpaper

During repairs in an apartment or house, it is often necessary to align the walls with your own hands. This manipulation can be carried out in various ways: using plaster mixes, putty or drywall sheets. The choice of method depends on the humidity of the room, the degree of unevenness of the surfaces, and so on.

Plastering is considered a classic surface leveling option that can be used for residential and industrial premises. The use of drywall is appropriate when the walls are very crooked, and the use of plaster mixes will cost a decent amount. Drywall also needs further finishing, so this method is popularly called dry plaster. Aligning the walls with putty is the finishing stage of finishing work. It is necessary to remove minor defects before applying paint or wallpaper to the surface. These methods of leveling the walls are quite simple, so each master will cope with them on their own.

Modern materials allow you to choose the most affordable way to level the walls

Plastering

To carry out these finishing works, it is necessary to prepare the following materials and tools for leveling the walls:

Brushes, floats, hammer and drill, hammer and thinner to remove old coatings.
Mixing container, mixer attachment for solution preparation.
Primer and paint brush or roller.
Plaster, beacons, screws, spatula, trowel, trowel, usually a trowel, building level.

Preparation

The technology of leveling the walls in this way implies the presence of a preparatory stage, which includes the following steps:

Removing the old coating, tapping the wall to identify weak fragments.
Extraction of these fragments, filling potholes with putty.
Removing any surface contamination, including dust.
Application of a primer in 2 layers with an interval of 3-4 hours (the exact time is indicated by the manufacturer on the package).

Preliminary preparation of walls before plastering

Wall markings for lighthouses

For a high-quality leveling of the walls, it is necessary in advance. These are metal or plastic perforated profiles that serve as guides while stretching the plaster as a rule. For home craftsmen, it is recommended to use T-shaped galvanized profiles, more experienced craftsmen can do without them at all. Previously, it was customary to use improvised means for these purposes, for example, wooden slats, metal pipes, and so on, but such elements are unlikely to help achieve perfect evenness.

The use of plaster beacons allows you to make the walls perfectly flat

To mark for beacons, you need to do the following:

Depart 30 cm from the corner, 15 cm from the ceiling and floor, draw a strictly vertical line using a marker and a building level. Repeat the operation for the second corner.
At the upper and lower points of the lines, drill along the hole, into which to insert the dowels and tighten the screws.
Draw the entire wall with similar lines, departing from each 130-160 cm.
Pull two horizontal threads between the fasteners.
Mark the intersection of lines and threads with a marker. Drill holes there and insert self-tapping screws.
Screw in the fasteners to a depth that is equal to the blockage of the wall, plus the thickness of the lighthouse is 0.6 cm, plus a margin of 0.5 cm.
Pull the diagonal threads and draw a beacon under them. If the product barely touches the threads, it means that the marking was done correctly.

Important! At this stage, it is best to check the building level regularly.

Installation of beacons

The lighthouses are installed on the walls using the same plaster that will be used for the main work. Although the fastest way is to use additional plastic or metal fasteners, but in this case, the thickness of the structure increases, which leads to unnecessary expenses.

For the installation of plaster beacons, a solution or special fasteners are used

So, to fix the beacon profiles, you need the following:

Apply the solution along the lined line in small portions at intervals of 15-20 cm.
Take a beacon and press it with a rule to the solution.
Make sure that it goes to the level with the exposed self-tapping screws.
Remove excess mortar with a spatula. They are used to seal the lighthouse surfaces that are not completely embedded in the material.

The lighthouse profile should be drowned in the solution

Plastering technology

Leveling the surface of the walls begins with the preparation of the solution. At this stage, it is important to strictly follow the manufacturer's recommendations so that the dried coating has the required performance. According to the technology, it is necessary to apply 3 layers.

The first one is splashing. Its thickness should not exceed 3 mm, it is used to increase the adhesion of the plaster to the wall. A prepared solution is collected on a spatula and simply thrown onto a section of the wall, separated by beacons. While the entire surface has been processed, the first fragment will dry out a little, so you can not wait, but immediately proceed to further work on leveling the walls in the apartment.

Spray - the first layer of plaster, used to improve the adhesion of the main plaster layer to the wall

The next leveling layer is soil. Its thickness can be 50 mm, depending on the curvature of the walls. With a wide spatula, the solution is applied to a fragment of the wall, moving from top to bottom, after which they take the rule, press it to the lower border and lead it up, while making zigzag movements to the sides. The solution that remains on the blade of the tool is thrown up. The procedure is repeated. This is how the entire wall is treated, after which the beacons are removed and the strobes are closed with a solution. Then the wall must be allowed time to dry - up to 14 days.

Primer - the second layer of plaster, which bears the main load

At the end of this period, an intermediate stage is carried out, during which corners and zones are formed near the floor and ceiling. The work is quite simple, because instead of a level, there is a ready-made surface that you can orient yourself to. Due to the small area for processing, it is recommended to use narrow spatulas.

The last layer of material is a cover. This is a decorative layer that will smooth out all small irregularities. Its thickness is 3 mm. After setting, the surface is rubbed with graters and half-graters with sandpaper of different grain size installed in them.

Covering - the third layer of plaster, which allows you to get a perfectly even coating

Plaster is a rather heavy material that gives additional stress to the walls, so its use is advisable only in rooms with surfaces that are slightly deviated from the vertical.

Plasterboard leveling

Leveling the surface with drywall sheets is used when conventional plastering is too expensive due to the strong curvature of the walls. Among the positive aspects of this method are:

Ease of installation. Even an inexperienced home craftsman can install the frame and fix the slabs. At the same time, a large amount of dust and dirt will not form, and you can always correct a mistake, which cannot be said about plaster or putty.
Versatility. This material can be mounted on any base with any blockage.
It is easy to align very curved walls with absolutely any irregularities and differences.
The possibility of additional insulation and sound insulation, since there is free space between the wall and the drywall sheet.

Plasterboard sheathing is the easiest way to level the walls

The main disadvantage is the fact that it significantly reduces the usable area, which is highly undesirable in small apartments. In addition, it is not recommended to use this material for finishing wet rooms. The modern market offers moisture resistant sheets, but they will last only 3-5 years. The surface of the drywall is very smooth, which complicates further finishing.

Frame installation method

To create the lathing, you need to stock up on metal profiles, the length of which should correspond to the height of the ceilings, a drill and self-tapping screws. Previously, a wooden beam was used for the same purposes, but it is prone to decay, and it is more difficult to install it, so now wooden guides are practically not used.

The first step is to apply the markup. For this, the walls are drawn with vertical lines with an interval of 40-60 cm. A frame is attached along these lines and checked with a building level. Fastening is carried out on dowels with self-tapping screws.

On a note! Thermal insulation with mineral wool or any other selected insulation must be carried out after installing the frame.

Wall insulation is carried out after installation of the frame

After that, you need to take a sheet of drywall and place it in the center of the structure. It is attached to oxidized fasteners every 40-60 cm. The head of the self-tapping screw should sink a little into the surface of the plate. From the center, you should move to the edges, and for surface treatment near the corners, you will most likely need to trim sheets of material.

Plasterboard installation without lathing

It is a bit like installing tiles. For drywall sheets, a special solution is diluted, after which it is applied to the walls and the sheet is fixed. Level check its evenness and proceed to the second. The thickness of the coating depends on the curvature of the walls; the larger the defects, the thicker the glue layer is needed.

Plasterboard wall decoration is perfect in cases where, in addition to correcting irregularities, you need to carry out insulation, sound insulation and hide engineering communications. The method is much cheaper than plastering, but it leads to a decrease in the usable area.

Using putty to level the walls

To level the walls with putty, you will need the following tools and materials:

putty;
polyurethane foam;
primer;
a set of spatulas;
construction hair dryer.

The putty is used to apply the final leveling layer

The putty is a finishing material that is used for the final leveling of the surface. The quality of the resulting coating is quite high, so it is impractical to use puttying for rough work. This operation is carried out when preparing walls for tiling, painting or wallpapering. Often the material is used as a finishing layer after plastering. The putty can be used on almost any substrate, but it adheres best to concrete and wood.

Working with material

Before leveling the walls with putty, you need to prepare the surface. This is done in the same way as in the case of plastering.

The putty is applied using a special tool - a spatula

Then the first layer of material is applied, its thickness should be 2-3 mm, but with strong deviations, it is permissible to increase it to 5 mm. At this stage, work is done only with a spatula. With this tool, both apply the material and level it. At the end, the putty is left to dry.

After the leveled surface has dried, a primer is applied, and then the last layer. Its thickness should be 1 mm. You can dry the material with a building hair dryer, but you need to keep it away so as not to overheat the surface.

At the end, the surface is treated with fine-grain sandpaper. The resulting result can be used as a basis for tiles or wallpaper, but the quality of the surface allows you to completely abandon further finishing work.

In conclusion, it should be noted that one should not be limited to one method of leveling surfaces. You can combine them, for example, eliminate significant distortions with drywall, and then finish it with decorative plaster. Or use an inexpensive cement-based plaster mix for basic work, and apply a high-quality filler finish at the end.