Drywall is an almost magical material. With its help, you can align the most curved walls or erect new partitions literally in a day. But after the installation of the sheets, the most crucial stage comes — sealing the seams. It is the quality of this work that determines whether your wall will look monolithic or whether cracks at the joints will spoil the whole impression.
You can patch the seams yourself, without resorting to the help of craftsmen. This process is not so much complicated as it requires care and patience. This is a kind of meditative activity, the result of which will delight the eye for many years.
Preparation: tools and materials
Before starting work, you need to prepare everything you need. Choosing the right materials and tools is already half the success. You won't need anything supernatural, you can buy everything at any hardware store.
Here is the main list:
- Putty for seams is not any finishing, but a special one, more durable and elastic. It is often written on the packaging: "for GKL seams."
- Reinforcing tape (serpyanka) — it can be paper or fiberglass. Paper is considered more reliable, but self-adhesive serpyanka is easier for a beginner to work with.
- Primer — it is necessary to treat the seams before filling in order to improve adhesion.
- Spatulas — you will need at least two — narrow (8-10 cm) for applying the mixture and wide (20-25 cm) for leveling.
- A mixing container and a drill with a mixer attachment (or just a stick if the volume is small).
Also, do not forget about sandpaper or a sanding grid for final processing.
Sealing technology: step-by-step instructions
The sealing process consists of several successive steps. It is not recommended to skip any of them if you want to get a high-quality result.
1. Preparation of seams. All joints of the sheets must be cleaned of dust and treated with a deep penetration primer. Let it dry completely. Make sure that the caps of the screws are recessed into the sheet by 1 mm, but do not break through the cardboard. They also need to be primed.
2. Applying the first layer. Knead a small amount of putty until the consistency of thick sour cream. Use a narrow spatula to fill the seam tightly with the mixture, pressing it inside.
3. Laying the reinforcing tape. Immediately after applying the first layer, before it dries, attach a sickle to the seam. Then use a wide spatula to press down on the tape, sinking it into the putty and removing excess mixture. The tape should be inside the layer, not on top of it.
4. Applying a covering layer. After the first layer of tape is completely dry (usually it takes a day), apply a second, wider layer of putty. This should be done with a wide spatula, leveling the mixture so as to hide the tape and align the seam with the main plane of the sheet. Do not forget to patch the caps of the screws.
5. Grinding. When the second layer is completely dry, it's time for sanding. Using sandpaper or a special grater, sand all the bumps and bumps in a neat circular motion. Your goal is to achieve a perfectly smooth surface.
Little tricks for the perfect result
There are several nuances that will help you avoid common mistakes. For example, do not mix a lot of putty at once — it dries quite quickly. It is better to make small portions.
When working with the inner corners, it is convenient to use a special corner trowel. And for the outer corners, it is better to install perforated corners in advance — they will make the corner perfectly even and protect it from damage. After sanding, it is recommended to treat the entire wall surface with a primer again before painting or wallpapering.
The final touch
Sealing seams is a painstaking job that requires attention to detail. But it is she who turns a set of drywall sheets into a smooth and beautiful wall.
By doing this yourself, you will not only save money, but also gain invaluable experience. And the sight of a perfectly smooth wall, ready for finishing, will be the best reward for your efforts. Registration bonuses remain one of the most popular reasons players choose one platform over another, especially when they plan to explore several betting categories. Completing the sign-up with the best promo code for 1xbet gives eligible users access to a casino welcome package of up to €1950 plus 150 free spins, making the first gaming sessions even more rewarding under the promotional conditions.