How to level the walls? Materials for leveling walls. Leveling the walls with your own hands - general recommendations for successful repairs The best way to level the walls

We would like to express our gratitude to the FORUMHOUSE member for his assistance in preparing the material.

Probably, a house with initially smooth and straight walls never existed. One way or another, every homeowner had or still has to level the walls using “heavy plastering” and. Each of these methods has its own advantages and weaknesses, supporters and harsh critics. Based on the experience of users of our portal, we will analyze in which cases it is better to use drywall, in which plaster, and how to do it correctly, and we will tell you about tools that will help determine the degree of curvature.

How to measure the curvature of walls

First of all, it is necessary to determine the degree of unevenness of the walls. For beginners, the so-called “dummies,” the easiest way to measure unevenness is with a laser level, which you can “shoot for a day” from a friend.

Makinsk-KZ Member of FORUMHOUSE

The laser level is installed parallel to the wall, at the most protruding point. The leveling beam draws the lines of the future wall. If you are going to install gypsum boards, then you need to retreat at least 30mm from the most protruding part (bump) of the wall, because guide profile 28mm wide.

The traditional way to measure the curvature of a wall is using a long level (2-2.5 m) - “pass” the level vertically over the entire surface at intervals of about a meter and find the most protruding place. You need to measure the horizontal curvature of the walls with a thread stretched over two self-tapping screws screwed into the wall at different ends of the room. The angle of the thread should be measured using a square.

Makinsk-KZ

You can take a short level, 50-70cm, and tape it to a rule or piece of profile with electrical tape.

How to measure the curvature of walls with a plumb line

Another way to determine the curvature of walls: using a plumb line or a nut tied to a strong thread.

How to determine the curvature of a wall.

A nail is driven in near the ceiling in the corner of the room, which should stick out from the wall by about 3 cm. A plumb line is attached to the nail with a thread of such length that the load does not reach the floor quite a bit. Having stopped swinging, the thread forms a straight line. Another nail is driven into the lower part of the wall so that its head and thread are on the same line.

Such beacon nails, driven in along the entire perimeter of the wall, will give us complete information about the curvature of the wall. By pulling two threads, crosswise, from the upper right corner to the lower left and vice versa, we will make this information almost exhaustive.

Which wall leveling method should I choose?

Gypsum and cement mixtures for leveling walls are traditionally used with a slight deviation, and then plasterboard, but the experience of FORUMHOUSE participants shows that their capabilities are much wider. On our portal the issue was considered from different angles. Each method has both advantages and disadvantages.

Buryat User FORUMHOUSE

What’s not to like about ordinary plaster: one part cement + loosened lime for plasticity + 3 parts sand (relatively speaking)?

The following facts speak in favor of plaster: this method does not eat up the usable area of the room, it is cheaper, with the appropriate skill, the wall can be made smooth, “like the surface of a lake in calm weather,” plaster is a reliable and strong material; It is always possible to repair only part of the wall.

Disadvantages of this method: it is labor intensive and dirty, the plaster takes a long time to dry and slows down further puttying and painting processes, besides, without certain skills you cannot level the wall with plaster yourself, and most importantly:

Buryat

The cost of plastering materials greatly depends on the curvature of the walls.

Therefore, the crude method of leveling surfaces using gypsum or cement plaster is usually used when the walls are not particularly crooked and it is necessary to correct non-catastrophic defects. Otherwise, two problems are possible: too much material consumption (and therefore money) and the danger that an excessively thick layer of plaster will not stay on a vertical surface.

Buryat

With deviations of 2-2.5 cm, you can safely use plaster.
With deviations of up to 4 cm, there is reason to think twice.
If the walls are completely uneven, you can still plaster them - if operational considerations outweigh them.

The average thickness of the plaster layer is calculated depending on the unevenness of the structure.

Palych R34

We will determine the middle layer based on the minimum layer above the “belly” of 3 mm, and then add 3 mm to the thickness of the depressions.

Thus, if the depth of the largest depression is 10 mm, the layer of plaster above it will be 13 mm.

Palych R34

The approximate layer is seen as 8 mm.

You can find out more accurately the size of the middle layer by assessing which areas of the surface are larger: up to 6 mm (shallow) or more than 6 mm (deep). If it is small, we subtract and take the middle layer as 6-7 mm, if it is deep, then we add it, and the size of the middle layer will be 9-10 mm.

Depending on the size of the middle layer, we calculate the need for the mixture, taking into account the consumption of the dry mixture per 1 square meter. m.

The “average layer of plaster” is different from the thickness of the layer you will apply in reality: its thickness will vary throughout the wall.

Buryat

If there is a bulge on the surface, the plaster is reduced in places to 3-4 mm. If, on the contrary, there is a “bulge”, then the thickness of the mantlet increases to 3.5 cm. So walls with deviations of up to 2 cm can be safely covered with plaster and not worry about increasing the thickness of the layer. A particularly healthy bulge can simply be trimmed.

The dry method of leveling walls is carried out mainly using plasterboard sheets, which are either installed on a frame made of metal profiles, or simply glued to the surface. In the first option, centimeters of the house's area are lost, so it is used mainly in large rooms.

Advantages of plasterboard: it can be attached with an adhesive mixture directly to the wall (if it is fairly level), this method does not require complex preparation, and it is much easier for a non-professional to work with plasterboard than with plaster; there is no dirt. Another advantage of drywall: the ability to hide communications under it.

Disadvantages: the living space is “eaten up”. The common belief that plasterboard surfaces are not as durable and may not withstand the load of hanging cabinets, etc., is not true.

Makinsk-KZ

Walls made of gypsum plasterboard can withstand even a water heater, a wall-hung toilet, and even more so kitchen cabinets. It all depends on the correct installation.

And the most annoying minus of this material for FORUMHOUSE members, oddly enough, is the unpleasant sound when tapping.

TOHow to level a wall with plaster

The wet leveling method begins with preparatory work: the walls, if necessary, are cleaned of crumbling traces of the previous finish, and cracks are eliminated. The surface must be primed and dried well. Before starting the main work, it is necessary to protect the floor by covering it with something so as not to spoil it with the solution.

After this, we install beacon profiles.

AMK User FORUMHOUSE

To install the beacons, I used a thin-walled aluminum profile 25x50 mm, 6 m long, cutting pieces 5–10 cm less than the height and width of the walls.

Nowadays, construction stores sell special beacons for plaster.

The beacons are attached to opposite ends of the wall with mortar, checking their vertical position by level. Then they pull a cord between them in three places at equal distances and, guided by it, install the remaining beacons. How many beacons there should be depends on the size of the rule: it must fit between two beacons so as to rest on them.

For plastering residential premises, gypsum mixtures are often chosen for the bathroom, kitchen, etc. – cement-based mortars. But now there are gypsum mixtures suitable for important premises, just as cement-based plaster is used to level surfaces in residential premises.

Regulus User FORUMHOUSE

I would use cement-sand plaster because of the thermophysical properties of the resulting wall sandwich. The thermal conductivity coefficient is very high. The thermal inertia of the wall increases and the dew point does not approach as is the case with drywall with an air cushion.

To prepare such plaster yourself, sand is mixed with cement (usually 6:1, but the proportions can be different 3:1, etc.) and diluted with water to the consistency of sour cream.

It will be quite uncomfortable to live in a house plastered with cement-sand mortar, then cement-lime plaster is preferable. Here is an example of the composition:

Buryat

For 100 cubic meters of solution:

Construction quicklime lump, grade 1 - 14 tons.
Portland slag cement for general construction and special purposes, grade 300 - 20.4 tons.
Sand for construction work for plaster mortars of the finishing layer is natural, very fine - 110 m3.
Water - 66 m3.

Pour the gypsum plaster into the water and mix it in two stages with a construction mixer or a drill with an attachment: first just until smooth, then repeat kneading after five minutes.

Using a plaster falcon, we throw the mixture between the beacons and smooth it using the h-rule from bottom to top, evenly distributing the plaster over the surface, orienting the thickness of the layer along the beacons (and fill the resulting openings with mortar). A plaster square will help make the corners straight. The leveled surface is dried and primed after the primer has dried.

How to level a surface using drywall

The surface that can be leveled with drywall can be very uneven - an old brick wall. But if the differences on the surface do not exceed 40mm, then special glue can be applied to it

Modern requirements for renovation of premises have become much more stringent. Now, straight walls are an inapplicable attribute of an apartment or house. But even in new buildings it’s impossible to call walls even approximately that way, and even more so in old houses. Therefore, with almost any renovation, leveling the walls is an inevitable stage. How best to do this, about methods and technologies, the possibilities of doing it all with your own hands, and we’ll talk further.

How can I level a wall?

Although technologies in construction are developing rapidly, leveling walls is still done in two ways: plaster and plasterboard. Another thing is that there are different compositions of plaster - based on gypsum and cement, and you can install gypsum boards in two ways: on a frame and with glue. But that's all.

Smooth walls are a modern requirement

For some time, gypsum plasterboard sheets began to be replaced with gypsum fiber boards (GVL). They consisted of a mixture of gypsum and plant fibers, but they turned out to have poor impact resistance and broke even with minor impacts. Therefore, GVL leveling of walls using them is now rare (sometimes they are placed on the floor).

In Soviet times, the walls were lined with plywood. But this is definitely the last century. It is far from the best replacement for gypsum plasterboard, which in 100% of cases gives cracks at the joints, and even swells from humidity. So it turns out that there is nothing to use instead of drywall. So the choice is really not very wide.

Lined with plasterboard

Actually, there is still one way - putty. But it is used only on relatively flat walls with a difference of no more than 5 mm. Therefore, they usually putty on already leveled walls, bringing the plane to the ideal.

If we talk about how easier it is to level the walls with your own hands, then many agree that it is easier to work with drywall. But it’s also not difficult to cope with plaster on beacons. The main thing is to know the technology and not deviate from it.

Leveling walls with plaster

Plaster has two binders: cement-based and gypsum-based. Gypsum dry faster, but the maximum layer that can be applied is about 50 mm. Cement-based plasters can be applied in a layer of up to 10 cm, but they take longer to dry.

Beacon plaster is a reliable way to level walls

In addition to the thickness of the layer, when choosing the type of plaster mixture, it is necessary to take into account which of the finishes will be used later, as well as the conditions of the rooms in which you are going to level the walls. Gypsum is hygroscopic, so it is not used in wet rooms: the bathroom and kitchen must be plastered with a cement-based composition. Rooms and an entrance hall remain for plaster. That's basically what they do.

In our description we will use plaster plaster - Rotband - a popular brand that has good reviews from both amateurs and professionals.

Surface preparation

Removing everything that doesn’t stick well to the wall: beat it off, pick it out, clean it off with a spatula. If there are cracks, we repair them. Then we evaluate the degree of curvature. If there are very large protrusions that stand out too much, it is advisable to remove them (with a hammer and chisel or a hammer drill).

Related article: Quick pizza in a frying pan in 10 minutes

First we clean off everything that falls off

Often when starting to level the walls in an old house, they decide whether to knock down the old plaster if it does not fall off. In principle, the master should evaluate it, but you can try it yourself. Knock the wall. If there are places that differ in sound - they sound duller - then the layer here has moved away from the main wall. If you “hang” another layer of plaster on it, there is a high probability that the whole thing will collapse together. It will be much worse. So it is better to plaster previously plastered walls down to the base material.

If, during preparation, individual potholes that are too large appear, it is better to repair them separately. Putties have a minimum and maximum layer limit. Too much layer may fall off. Therefore, it is better to pre-fill holes or holes.

If the wall surface is too smooth, notches are made on it

When leveling a concrete wall or a surface painted with a film-forming composition, another problem arises: it is too smooth, which is why adhesion to the plaster may be poor. This can be helped by treating a primer such as “Betonokontakt”, which leaves a rough film on the surface, improving adhesion.

Another way out is to make notches. Once upon a time they were made with an axe, now they often use a hammer drill or grinder. With their help, a notch is applied. According to the norm, there should be about 100 notches per square meter.

Primer

Depending on the type of plaster chosen (gypsum or cement), a primer is selected. Its main task is to improve the adhesion of the wall and plaster. Read the instructions for using the primer carefully. Some require the base to be moistened before application, some require dust removal, etc.

Priming walls before plastering

There are two favorites in this group: Cerezit 117 and Betonokontakt. There are others, but these are used more often: good reviews. The composition may be ready for use or require dilution (concentrate). It can be applied with a roller or brush, a spray bottle, or even a garden sprayer to speed up the process.

Until this moment, there were no difficulties in leveling the walls on your own. Everything is elementary. Next - a little more difficult, but also - not to build rockets.

Installation of beacons

If you want to achieve a flat surface, you can level the wall only along the beacons. These are supporting elements that are placed in the same plane. A layer of plaster is then leveled over them. As beacons, you can use special galvanized “T”-shaped beacons or even wooden planks.

It is more convenient to use metal beacons - they are installed faster. But the minimum layer of plaster is about 8-10 mm (6 mm of the lighthouse + the mortar on which it is placed). Another disadvantage is their cost: although not very much money, it is still an additional expense. One more point: galvanized plaster does not “contact” well, so after the initial drying, the beacons are removed from the wall and the holes are sealed.

Installed beacons under plaster on a brick wall

Using wooden slats is a cheaper option, but finding a sufficient number of perfectly even bars in cheap material is problematic (you won’t use high-quality lumber). Even if this is successful, there is still a possibility that the tree will lead from moisture. As a result, the wall will no longer be level.

Throwing mortar

The selected plaster is diluted as indicated on the packaging. Then they throw it on the wall. Use a wide spatula or paint bucket. Start from the bottom, cover a piece of the wall with mortar from one lighthouse to another.

Beginning of plastering the wall along the beacons

Then they take the rule and set it below. Leaning on the beacons, pull up, slightly swaying from side to side. Several such passes are made until the solution is leveled. The compound adhering to the rule is removed with a spatula, again throwing it on the wall.

Leveling the putty according to the dots

Again - a portion of the mortar on the wall, leveled with the rule. So all the way to the top. Having tightened one strip, proceed to another. This is how the entire wall is gradually leveled.

The first stage of plastering is completed. But this is only the first. The surface turns out to be imperfect: if you look closely, there are small irregularities. They are leveled with a more liquid solution, achieving a more even surface.

Leveling for putty

When the first layer has dried a little, but has not yet hardened (no later than 2-4 hours after application), leveling for putty begins. Existing imperfections are rubbed down with the same solution, which was diluted a little thinner than required according to the instructions. Since it is more fluid, it is applied with a wide spatula, then stretched along the wall, usually resting on the same beacons.

Leveling walls for putty

So they go through the entire wall again, leveling it to a perfectly flat plane. This is necessary in order to reduce the consumption of expensive putty mixture.

Removing beacons and trimming

When the solution has dried to the state of thick plasticine (press hard with your fingers, it bends), you can remove the beacons. They are pryed at the bottom with a screwdriver and pulled out.

Removing beacons from a plastered wall

They are removed very easily. Actually, the reason they are taken out is that they form heterogeneity in the plaster, and therefore reduce its strength.

Now we take the rule, clean it from the adhering solution and, stretching it in different directions, finally level the surface. This should be done at the initial stage of thickening, when the gypsum plaster is similar to plasticine: cutting it off is usually easy.

Carrying out the rule in different planes, we finally level the wall

When the surface was leveled, diluted with Rotband. They are sealed immediately, without waiting for something: until the plaster has completely hardened, new layers stick to it well.

Sealing traces from beacons

The solution is applied and removed with a spatula. At the same time, make sure that the surface remains level. At this point, leveling the wall for putty can be considered complete.

When leveling walls with plaster in apartments, the problem becomes the angle in which the heating pipe runs. You can't get there with a rule, but you can't get it straight with a spatula. If you are familiar with this problem, watch the following video.

Very often, when starting to decorate walls, you may encounter a problem related to the quality of the base. Moreover, this problem occurs in most new buildings: the walls of the apartment are uneven, with many different defects. Such a surface cannot be painted or wallpaper glued to it, because... The wallpaper pattern will “float” and the sheets will stick crookedly. How to properly level the walls with your own hands so that the surface becomes perfectly flat?

How to level walls with your own hands

There are two ways to level the walls: using plasterboard sheets and using dry mixtures. The plasterboard wall can later be puttyed, painted, and wallpaper glued to it. But many craftsmen do not recommend gluing tiles onto drywall: they say its surface is too smooth. A universal method for leveling walls is the use of dry mixtures (plasters, putties). The finished surface turns out to be perfectly smooth and is perfect for any material - tiles, wallpaper, or simply for painting.

How to evaluate surface roughness

Before you begin leveling the walls, you need to measure the unevenness of the surface. To do this you will need a plumb line or a long level (2-2.5 m). Drive a nail into one of the corners of the room, leaving about 2-3 mm on the surface. This will be the first beacon. Now take some weight, for example a nut, and attach it to the nail by a thread. Hang the plumb line so that the weight almost reaches the floor. When the weight stops swinging, the plumb line forms a straight line. Then drive a second nail into the bottom of the wall so that the nail head and thread are in line.

First of all, you need to carefully prepare the surface for work.

Drive the nails in the same way and lower the plumb line from the opposite part of the wall. You will get four nails driven in around the perimeter of the wall and, accordingly, two straight lines. Now, to measure the unevenness, you will need a long thread, which you need to stretch from one end of the top nail to the opposite side of the bottom one. When fastening the thread crosswise, make sure that it does not come into contact with the wall. Tensioned threads are the best guide by which the deviation can be seen and you can decide how to align the walls; video and photos of the process of installing beacons will help you imagine this system.

Now, thanks to the cords stretched at four points, you can see the exact condition of the wall surface in the room. If the deviation is small and is no more than 10-15 mm, gypsum or cement mixtures will be needed to level the wall.

How to level walls for tiles

If you plan to decorate the wall with tiles or tiles in the room, you need to level the walls with dry building mixtures. This method is considered more labor-intensive than, for example, leveling with plasterboard sheets. We will look in detail at how to level the walls in an apartment using mixtures.

The first stage is surface preparation. Clean the walls from old coverings (wallpaper, paint, loose plaster), turn off the power supply. The second stage is priming the base. It is necessary to prime the surface so that the plaster adheres well to the surface. It increases moisture resistance and prevents delamination of materials. For cement mixtures, the so-called “cement laitance” is usually used - a solution of sand, water and cement.

In order for the tile to lie flat and without defects, the surface must be perfect.

To calculate how to level the walls you need to install approximate beacons. Installation of the slats, which will serve as a guide, begins with installing the profile on opposite sides of the wall. The vertical position of the beacon is checked using a plumb line. The profile is fixed on the wall with construction plaster - it is applied to the lath at several points. Now pull the cord through the profiles in the middle, bottom and top. Install the remaining slats so that the cord lightly touches them. The distance between the beacons is selected in accordance with the size of the tool that will be used to apply the plaster.

Choosing a leveling mixture

After this, you can begin applying the building mixture. When choosing a leveling compound, pay attention to the maximum thickness of the layer that will be applied and the type of bonding material. Gypsum building mixtures are best used for living rooms (bedroom, living room, children's room, etc.), as they well maintain the indoor microclimate. For wet rooms such as kitchens or bathrooms, cementitious mixtures are recommended. Cement-based mixtures do not allow moisture to penetrate into the concrete base, which prevents the development of fungus and mold.

The choice of dry mixture must be taken very seriously, because this is the key to successful repair work. In this case, you cannot save money by buying cheap building mixtures of dubious production. Also, remember that each room is suitable for a specific type of mixture. For example, you cannot level the bathroom walls with gypsum mixture, which may remain after leveling the wall in the bedroom. Recommendations regarding brands can be obtained directly from the hardware store.

You can also prepare plaster solutions yourself. For cement mortar you will need 1 part M400 cement and 6 parts sand. Pour sand into the mixing box and then add a layer of sand. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and start adding water gradually. Stir until creamy consistency. Some craftsmen prepare cement mortars using 1 part cement and 2-3 parts sand as a basis. A mixture with a small amount of sand is more flexible and therefore easier to work with. You need to dilute the purchased dry mixture according to the instructions. Ready-made solutions must be used within 1-2 hours after preparation, otherwise they may lose their properties.

Work order

Having determined the curvature of the walls using a plumb line, you can calculate the approximate costs and consumption of the selected material. By the way, to reduce costs, it is not at all necessary to plaster all the walls to a perfectly smooth surface. In some cases, it is enough to carry out finishing work only on those surfaces on which it is very noticeable: walls on which light falls, walls opposite the window, etc. The surface behind the furniture, cluttered with cabinets, does not have to be perfectly smooth. But, if you decide to correct only the most visible defects, think carefully about this step, suddenly after a while you decide to rearrange or re-glue the wallpaper, and all the irregularities will become noticeable.

The job of leveling walls with a plaster falcon requires some skill, but is not too difficult

Prepare tools for plastering work. In order to level the walls with your own hands, you will need a spatula for mixing, spreading and smoothing the mortar, a drill with an attachment (construction mixer) for stirring dry mixtures, and a plaster falcon. The plaster falcon is an indispensable assistant when carrying out finishing work. Many craftsmen do without it, despite the fact that this tool greatly simplifies the process of putty and plastering. It is a square shield 45x45 or 40x40 cm, in the middle of which a metal or wooden handle is attached. The required amount of plaster is applied to the falcon, which is immediately used. Using a falcon, you won't have to constantly bend over to the bucket.

Clean the walls of old paint and wallpaper. After cleaning, carefully inspect the walls for rust stains, soot, oil stains and mildew. Remove any defects found mechanically. For some types of stains, you can use special acid or alkaline compounds. After this, inspect the old plaster, selectively tapping the wall surface. Beat poorly adhering plaster away from the surface so that you can subsequently plaster this area with a more durable solution.

Do not carry out finishing work on a damp wall. All damp places from old plaster or stains must be dried. After this, the wall surface is carefully primed. Due to the fact that the primer penetrates deeply into the surface of the base, it significantly improves the adhesion of layers of plaster applied to the wall.

When preparing for work, clear the floors of debris and cover them with thick paper or cardboard so as not to subsequently clean them of dried mortar. So, let's get to work. Take a plaster spatula in your right hand, and a falcon in your left. Having collected the required amount of plaster on its surface, throw a portion of the mortar onto the wall and begin leveling. You can plaster the wall by spreading mortar from the falcon. In this case, it must be placed directly against the wall and the falcon with its contents must be directed from the bottom up.

Without experience, it will be quite difficult to get a perfectly flat surface, because... Such work requires accuracy and precision. The same beacons will help you achieve smooth walls. As a guide, there can be slats of the required length, width 2-3 cm and thickness equal to the thickness of the plaster coating. The slats can be secured with plaster mortar or nails.

Installing beacons will help achieve better results and facilitate the alignment process itself.

Plastering with beacons is done as follows: level the solution with a trowel and apply it in the direction from bottom to top. The amount of mortar is added until the layer of plaster reaches the level of the beacons. After this, the slats are carefully removed, and the remaining space is filled with solution.

At the junction of the walls and ceiling, angles are formed that must be made absolutely equal. Crooked corners can also form where two walls meet. How to align the corners of walls and remove defects after plastering work? Alignment can be done both by level and by plane (along the bumps). If the walls are being prepared for wallpaper, then it is better to level the corners. For other types of finishing: decorative plaster, painting, etc. corners can be aligned flat.

When leveling corners with gypsum plaster, a beacon is made in the corner itself, after which the corner is tightened to the width of the rule. The smoothness of the transition from the corner to the wall depends on the width of the rule. The longer the instrument, the less noticeable the transition will be. When working, you should use gypsum plaster (starting putty), since it is this mixture that allows you to level thin layers without sagging.

Leveling walls under tiles using plasterboard is of high quality

You can align the internal corners using reinforcing tape. Moisten a wide spatula with water and apply putty to both sides of the inner corner. Make sure that the surface is evenly covered and that the layer of putty is not too thin. On both sides of the corner, the area covered should be about 50 mm. Dip the reinforcing tape into a bucket of water and bend it in half lengthwise. Now place it on the corner and press it into the putty. Start straightening it by holding the top end and straightening it towards the bottom edge.

Then moisten a wide spatula (10 cm) again and run it along each side of the corner. In this case, the edge of the spatula must be kept as close as possible to the bend. The force with which you need to press should be sufficient to squeeze out excess putty from under the tape. To avoid sagging and unevenness, clean the surface of the corner with a dry spatula. It is not recommended to use sandpaper or sanding mesh for cleaning, because... Doing so may damage the tape. Repeat applying the putty until your angle is perfectly level. Apply the last layer with an angled trowel, the width of which is more than 25 cm. After applying a fresh layer of plaster, run the angled trowel along the surface of the wall, pressing it to both sides. Now grab a 15-25 cm section along the wall. If you get a slight corrugation, remove it with a thin layer of finishing putty.

How to align walls with wallpaper

It is much easier to level walls with plasterboard than with dry mixtures. Plasterboard boards are fixed on a special frame made of metal profiles. A standard sheet of drywall is 2500x1200x12.5 cm. Based on these parameters, decide on the amount of material.

Measure the walls. If their length above and below is the same, then you can safely continue. If the lengths are different, this must be taken into account when mounting the frame. For example, the length of the lower edge of one wall is 3 m, while the length of the opposite wall is 3 m 5 cm. Therefore, these 5 cm must be taken into account when initially marking the room for the frame. You need to start marking from a longer wall, taking into account the distance under the guide.

Wallpaper walls lined with plasterboard look impeccably smooth and even

Next, stepping back 3-4 cm from the wall and ceiling, screw in the self-tapping screw. Attach a plumb line to it with a thick thread (you can take a regular nut). Now tie a thread to the screws and pull it tight. Do the same operation in all corners of the room, stretch the threads on the floor and near the ceiling. This will create the outline of the future drywall sheet. After checking the length of the parallel lines, remove the threads and attach the guides to the screws. After this, insert the guide posts into the guides on the floor and ceiling, in increments of 40-50 cm, having previously sawed them off to the height of the room. The resulting frame must be firmly strengthened. This is done by securing the racks to the guides with self-tapping screws. Now each of the racks must be firmly attached to the wall. For this, use simple wooden planks, slipping them into the gap between the wall and the gypsum plasterboard wall, attaching them with long screws, after inserting dowels first. Sheets of plasterboard are attached to each rack in increments of 30-40 cm. In this case, the heads of the screws must be slightly recessed into the plasterboard.

When you install all the sheets, you will have a perfectly flat surface that can be painted, wallpapered, or decorative plaster applied to it.

Video guide

Before finishing the walls, it is necessary to level them. Methods may depend on the quality of the base and the finishing material. Let's look at how to properly start leveling the walls.

Methods for leveling apartment walls

Before leveling the walls with your own hands, you need to evaluate the entire plan for the upcoming work. Often, in some conditions, certain alignment methods cannot be used. It is also worth paying attention to the labor intensity of the procedures: “wet” finishing methods require more preparation than “dry” methods of installing a leveling layer.

"Wet" leveling- based on the use of adhesive binders, such as plaster or putty. Most often, the finishing layer requires time to dry. During the drying period, certain temperature and humidity conditions must be observed.
"Dry" leveling dispenses with the adhesive connection between 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 bases where wet finishing methods cannot be used; they are also more profitable to use if the difference at the wall exceeds 50 - 80 mm.

“Dry” methods also include gluing sheet material to the base, but in fact they cannot be fully classified in this group.

Types of walls - do-it-yourself leveling

Different alignment methods are preferred for different walls. The vast majority of apartments have concrete walls; in some cases, partitions may be made of brick. Also in some apartments there are wooden partitions, but such structures are quite rare, so we will not dwell in detail on leveling 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 completion; 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 finishing types that are not afraid of shrinkage.

To avoid cracks in the plaster when the walls shrink, the plaster layer should be reinforced. This procedure is especially critical if painting is chosen as the final finish.

Brick walls in new buildings it takes longer to settle than concrete ones. At the same time, on brick walls, special attention should be paid to the seams. Often work may be required to process them. If the masonry is done poorly, then the falling mortar must be removed from the seams and sealed with plaster. In some cases, it is more expedient not to waste time on repairing old masonry, but to use the leveling method on the offset (on the frame).

Wooden walls and partitions may also have unevenness; such coatings are not suitable for “wet” finishing methods. For wooden bases, it is better to use offset leveling methods.

Tool for work

The tools depend on each specific finishing method.

Common tools for all types of work- when leveling any walls, you cannot do without a hammer drill or screwdriver. Brushes and rollers are needed to apply primers. Leveling the walls cannot be done without a bubble level; it is advisable to have a laser level, its presence will greatly simplify the marking. If there is no laser level, then you will need 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 string with paint will also be useful. Which allows you to apply even markings on the wall.

You must understand that a laser level is not a panacea for errors. Beginners often blindly rely on this measuring device. Laser level readings need to be checked first.

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, to cut drywall you will need a construction knife for cutting and a cutter to connect the frame. To seal the joints between the sheets, you will need several spatulas. It is useful to have an edge plane for shaping the edges of sheets.

Tools for cutting drywall. In most cases it is better to use a knife (1)

Tools for the “wet” leveling method- in this case, numerous tools are added for applying the solution: trowels, spatulas, malks, falcons, corner spatulas and rules.

Equipment for sealing joints between sheets of drywall

Alignment options

Now we list the most common options for leveling walls.

Installation of drywall on the frame- this method practically eliminates the need to work with binder components. The frame is assembled and secured to the base of the wall. Ceiling (CW) or rack (CD) profiles are used for cladding. Plasterboard sheathing is often used when leveling walls with a difference of more than 50 mm or with wooden structures.
Gluing drywall to the base allows you to do without a frame; this method is the easiest when doing repairs yourself. In this way, differences from 1 to 40 mm can be equalized. In this case, different types of adhesives are used. For unevenness less than 4 mm and from 20 to 40 mm, gypsum putties (Fugen) are used; for unevenness from 4 to 20 mm, gypsum mounting adhesive is used.
Leveling with putty can compensate for differences of no more than 3 mm. This indicator is due to the small thickness of the putty applied. The starting layer cannot exceed 1 - 2 mm, and the finishing layer - 0.5 - 1 mm.
Leveling with plaster- allows you to level the wall with a difference from 30 to 50 mm. A larger difference leads to a significant overconsumption of plaster. This leveling method is one of the most complex and time-consuming in terms of do-it-yourself installation.

Surface preparation

Preparatory work for “dry” and “wet” leveling may differ in its 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 “bounces” and makes a dull sound when struck, it means that voids have formed underneath. Such a surface will not be reliable enough; it is recommended to remove such plaster.

If there are traces of mold on the wall, it is recommended to use fungicides and antiseptic compounds. Wooden walls must be subjected to such treatment. It also makes sense to treat facade walls with antiseptics, since they are most susceptible to freezing and moisture formation.

Tools for sealing cracks

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

If we are talking about “dry” leveling, then some stages of surface preparation can be skipped. For example, you don’t have to cover up various wall defects, since they will still be hidden by the cladding, and they will not affect the fastening of the frame in any way.

Applying primer

Priming the wall is a mandatory step when leveling walls using the “wet” method. The choice of primer depends on the structure of the walls and the leveling material. This also affects the choice of application method.

Gypsum plaster on concrete- will require treatment with concrete contact. This 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 using a spreader; the use of a roller is excluded, because the soil has too thick a consistency and cannot be diluted with water.

Deep penetration primers used to strengthen “weak” surfaces, for example, to apply a leveling layer to old plaster. These primers saturate the material and strengthen it.

Measuring curvature using a rule

At the first stage of wall leveling work, you need to determine the most protruding parts of the wall. To do this, the bubble level is applied in different directions. When the most protruding part of the wall is determined, you can stretch the string from this place. The difference between the distances to the rope from the wall at the protruding and deepest points will be a difference. On the vertical of the protruding area, you should also find the most protruding place. To do this, apply the level vertically.

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

To mark the correct vertical, you can use a laser level or plumb line. The plumb line is hung on a self-tapping screw at the top of the wall, the weight pulls the rope down and shows the ideal vertical.

Installation of beacons

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

At a distance of 5 cm from the protruding point we install a laser level line. Then we drill a hole at the most protruding point of the wall, insert a dowel and screw a self-tapping screw into it. You need to stick a piece of tape on the screwdriver, when the screw is screwed in completely, make a mark on the tape along the laser level mark. Then we tighten the other screws vertically. When the mark on the screwdriver matches the laser level mark, stop tightening.

We install other beacons using this principle. The distances between the beacons should be less than the length of the rule so that the tool can be rested on them during operation.

Using self-tapping screws we make small mounds of mortar onto which we glue the beacons. The screw caps will prevent the beacons from “sinking” too deeply. The mixture for gluing beacons must match the mixture that is used to level the entire wall.

Leveling walls with plaster

When the installation of the beacons is completed, you can mix the plaster mixture. When preparing, follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

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

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

Removing beacons and trimming

When the entire space between the beacons is filled with mortar, the plaster layer is trimmed according to 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 need to be removed; they are picked up with a screwdriver and pulled out. Don’t forget about the self-tapping screws; if they were used, they also need to be removed. The remaining holes from the lighthouses are sealed with fresh plaster.

Leveling for putty

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

At the plastering stage, 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. Rub the surface in a circular motion until no more solution remains on the canvas.

Dry plaster: leveling the walls with plasterboard

Leveling walls with plasterboard is called “dry plaster”, because this finishing method 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 method of leveling with drywall. This method cannot be called completely “dry”, since it uses putty or gypsum glue, which binds the sheets to the base.

Drywall on frame

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

This method also has disadvantages, including reducing the area of the room. For this reason, leveling with plasterboard on a frame is not always used in small rooms.

For these works you will need to make a wooden or steel frame. In most cases, a steel frame made of galvanized profiles 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 or more; a thin profile can be easily bent even by hand.

Read more about errors when installing the frame " " and when installing drywall sheets " " in the articles on the website.

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 moved away 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 adhesive. Most often, gypsum putty or gypsum mounting adhesive is used. Installation schemes may be different. Here are a few options.

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

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

How to make curved walls straight in a new building

The leveling process in a new building is different in that shrinkage processes can still occur in the building, as mentioned above. Shrinkage occurs in all types of buildings. These processes are associated with shrinkage of the foundation and floors. They are completed most quickly in monolithic houses, which usually have the smoothest walls.

Brick walls are often among the most problematic. Shrinkage in them can take place over 3 to 6 years; the quality of the surface itself greatly depends on the experience of the masons and varies greatly. A brick wall can be either perfectly straight or with a large number of deviations.

Before starting to level the walls in a new building, it is important to take these processes into account. If leveling is carried out for painting, then the plaster must be reinforced so that the number of cracks is minimal. It is better to wait the period required for the building to shrink. If it is not possible to wait, then you need to choose a method of leveling the walls that is most resistant to shrinkage processes: leveling with plasterboard, plastering under wallpaper, etc.

Is it possible to properly level the walls with your own hands?

Leveling walls with your own hands is a rather labor-intensive process. If the work is carried out by one person, then problems may arise with some alignment methods. For example, it is advisable to do the work of installing drywall together, while plastering work can be done alone, but it is 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 level the walls?

Any renovation in an apartment requires preparation of the walls in the form of leveling. This preparatory stage is carried out using various methods based on working with plaster finishes, putty materials or plasterboard sheets. Selecting the appropriate leveling method should take into account factors such as humidity and the degree of unevenness on the wall.

To decide how to properly level the walls using plaster with your own hands, First you need to stock up on materials and tools in the form of:

Before you start plastering surfaces, you will need to carry out some preparatory measures aimed at:

Dismantling of outdated wall covering material with tapping of the wall space. This is done to identify weak areas of the wall so that they can be properly strengthened.
Sealing irregularities in the wall space using putty material.
Removing dirt and dust from the surface area.
Treatment of the wall with a primer material, including 2 stages.

In order for the alignment to be done correctly, it is necessary to mark the surface with beacons. This is the name given to profiles made of plastic or metal fixed to the wall. To ensure correct marking, the following work should be done:

Lighthouse products are attached to the walls using plaster. But it is best to use products made of plastic or metal. The only disadvantage of such fasteners is the loss of space. Still, plaster saves space.

Installation of beacons consists of the following stages:

Apply strictly according to the markings of the solution at a distance of 15 to 20 cm.
Securing the beacon in the solution. The self-tapping fasteners and the beacon must be at the same level.
Remove excess mortar using a spatula and fill in uneven areas.

Plastering is carried out in three layers, which include:

Applying a spray no more than 3 mm thick. This is necessary to strengthen the wall. This layer is applied with a spatula and gradually leveled. The surface must dry before applying the second coat.
Covering the surface with 50 mm thick soil. To do this, use a wide spatula tool. The solution must be applied initially from top to bottom, and then carried out in a zigzag motion in the opposite direction. This is done until the wall becomes smooth. After which the beacons are removed and the holes are sealed with plaster. The room must dry for at least 2 weeks.
Treatment of walls with covering. This layer is considered decorative; it should be no more than 3 mm. After the surfaces have dried, the uneven surfaces are smoothed using sanding tools.

Plaster is considered a heavy material, so it should only be used on vertically inclined surfaces.

It is necessary to level the surface with plasterboard in cases where there are excessive unevenness on the walls and the plastering method is considered costly. Drywall has many advantages over other leveling methods, which are different:

ease of installation, since securing the frame is quite simple;
versatility, installation does not require precise installation and compliance with all proportions;
the possibility of placing insulating and soundproofing layers under plasterboard sheets.

The only disadvantage of this leveling is the reduction of space in the room. Plasterboard sheets are not used in apartments with high humidity, as they can swell over time.

Drywall sheets are secured using metal profiles, which are mounted into holes drilled in the wall with a drill. The profiles are attached over the entire surface of the wall using self-tapping screws.

To begin with, the room must be marked. A distance of about 60 cm should be maintained between the profiles. A level is used to make the surface even. After the frame is attached, plasterboard sheets are installed in the central part of the frame mount. Installation of drywall should occur from the center to the edges.

To save space in the room, you can use plasterboard leveling without installing profiles. This method is based on gluing the sheet to the surface using putty. But at the same time, the proportionality of all angles is provided, which is achieved by using a level.

Application of putty material

To level surfaces yourself, When using putty, you need to stock up on:

putty;
foam for installation;
primer;
a set of spatulas;
hairdryer for construction.

Putty material is a finishing material that is used before wallpapering, painting or laying tiles. It fits well on a concrete or wooden base.

Before leveling the surface layer with putty material, the base is prepared in the same way as before plastering. After which the putty is gradually distributed with a spatula over the wall. The layer thickness should not exceed 5 mm.

The dried surface is treated with a primer solution, puttyed again, and dried with a hairdryer. Then the irregularities are straightened using sanding material. And the base for any finish can be considered complete.

It is worth considering the fact that it is very rare that you have to achieve wall alignment with your own hands only using one method. Often methods are combined to achieve a lasting effect. It is permissible to use plasterboard to level the walls with a layer of putty or apply putty material after plastering. And all these approaches will be considered correct. After all, the efficiency of repairs only increases.