How to evenly putty the inner corners of walls with your own hands: tips
The internal and external corners of the walls need putty, which gives them smooth edges and allows for a high-quality finish. Work must be carried out carefully, having first made accurate measurements using a laser level. Instructions on how to putty corners, as well as useful tips from professionals, can be found in the material presented.
The content of the article
Materials and tools
Before you figure out how to putty the corners of walls, you need to understand the basic nuances, as well as prepare the necessary tools and materials for the work. You must immediately understand that even high-quality processing does not give an ideal result. Very smooth corners can only be achieved by grinding.
In addition, it is important to understand how to putty the inner corners and what layer to apply. In this regard, everything depends on what fraction the composition will be - the larger the grains, the thicker the layer should be. When selecting a mixture, it is worth taking into account the maximum depth of difference, which is determined in advance:
- if the defect is small, within 1 mm, you can use a finishing solution;
- if more than 1 mm, use starting putties.
It is best to take measurements with a laser level - the result will be more accurate, and therefore the quality of work will be excellent. Instructions on how to smoothly putty a wall also involve the use of the following materials and tools:
- medium-sized spatula (no more than 15 cm);
- wide spatula (within 45 cm);
- angular spatula;
- metal grinder;
- drill with mixer attachment;
- sandpaper P100-200;
- bucket;
- hammer;
- chisel;
- ruler;
- stationery sharp knife;
- construction pencil;
- mesh for reinforcement (serpyanka);
- corner grater for grinding.
Preparatory work
It is not always easy to assess how to properly putty corners. To perform a professional finish, it is necessary to evaluate the differences. To do this you will need a laser level, a construction pencil and a ruler. The main stages are:
- Turn on the laser level and switch it to a mode that allows you to build a vertical plane.
- Install it extremely close to the wall and place it so that the beam runs strictly parallel.
- Apply a ruler from the upper edge of the corner and move at intervals of 5 cm.
- Using the laser trace, the distance from the level to the wall is determined.
- Make marks with a construction pencil after each step and record the depth of the unevenness.
Next, you need to understand how to putty the corners as evenly as possible. To do this, evaluate the difference:
- if it is more than 5 mm, the work is carried out using beacons;
- if from 1 to 5 mm, use the starting composition first, then the finishing composition;
- if the difference is insignificant, within 1 mm, puttying the corners is immediately carried out with a finishing or universal compound.
After this, you can start preparing the mixture by pouring it into a small volume of water (but vice versa - you cannot pour water on the composition). Mix with mixers, and it is better to cook in small quantities in order to use the raw materials immediately. First, you need to let it sit for just a few minutes (3-5), then stir again, and you can immediately begin finishing.
Step-by-step instruction
Now it’s time to figure out how to putty the corners of the walls with your own hands. The work is carried out in several stages - actually applying the mixture, leveling and grouting the surface.
Applying the mixture
Instructions on how to level corners with putty are as follows:
- The composition is taken with a paint spatula and transferred to the very edge of another (working) spatula.
- Apply it to the wall at an angle, moving from the inside.
- Apply a little pressure and sharply move the spatula towards you, touching the wall.
- Fill all cracks with the compound.
- Similar steps are performed on the other side of the corner.
- Apply a spatula parallel to the wall and remove excess composition.
- Cut off excess parts of the mixture and use them again for work.
- After finishing the work, puttying the corners of the walls involves using a serpyanka. The mesh is recessed into the thickness of the composition so that it partially penetrates out through the cells.
- The finishing layer is placed on the reinforcing mesh until it is completely hidden - a flat surface should be obtained.
Alignment
The next step in the instructions on how to properly putty the corners of walls is related to leveling. Since the corners are being finished, there is no need to align too carefully. You can simply put a small layer up to 1 mm and level it. In this case, the spatula is placed at a slight angle, and then the mixture is distributed with vertical strokes, moving from the inner corner.
The composition is squeezed out along the top line using a metal trowel. To form right corners without using a plinth, use masking tape or sickle tape again. It lags behind the surface, but does not deform under the weight of the mixture, which compares favorably with adhesive tape. This is the basic rule for how to putty a corner of a wall at the leveling stage.
Grouting the surface
Even a high-quality laid mixture needs to be grouted in order for the surface to be truly smooth. To do this, use P100-200 sandpaper, which is attached to a grater. The main steps of the instructions on how to smoothly putty walls are as follows:
- Fix the sandpaper onto the grater so that the edges protrude slightly around the entire perimeter (up to 2 cm).
- Apply the grater to the surface and begin to rub with quick movements.
- If resistance is felt, there is no need to forcefully pull - you need to work carefully.
- When obvious roughness forms, they are removed using a regular stationery knife or spatula.
- If a lot of dust has formed, it is better to remove it and then start working again.
- Recommendations on how to properly putty internal corners of walls for external corners look similar.
Thus, all work can be done independently. Their quality largely depends on how correctly the markings are done. A plumb line and water level do not help much - it is optimal to use a laser level. It is he who will help you understand how to putty the inner corners of the walls, and what composition to choose (depending on the magnitude of the difference).