What Is The Facade Of A Building?
A building facade is the exterior face of a building. It is often used to refer to the exterior walls of a building, but can also include features such as balconies and rooflines.
The facade plaster is the protective layer of the house: It protects facades from moisture, driving rain, dirt, UV radiation and frost damage and thus also from any unwanted costs caused by repairs. Thanks to its vapor permeability , the exterior plaster also ensures that moisture can escape from the inside to the outside.
Why Plaster The Facade Of A Home?
There are a few reasons why people might plaster the facade of their home. One reason is that it can add insulation and protect the home from the elements. Plaster can also be used to improve the appearance of a home, make it more durable, and because the facade characterizes the impression of the house at first glance, plastering it can even increase the home’s value.
Context For The Five Steps
In these instructions, you will find out how you can plaster your home facade yourself – from the preparation to the correct way of working to the finishing coat.
When plastering, several layers of plaster are applied, whereby the following applies:
- the more base plaster layers, the greater the strength.
- The final plaster gives the structure.
- The exact plaster system, i.e. the number and thickness of the layers or types of plaster, depends on the respective substrate or the type of brick.
Our step-by-step instructions, therefore, refer to general brushing techniques. It is best to ask an employee in your local hardware store about the right plaster system for your specific facade.
Important: Make sure that the outside temperature is at least 5 °C during the entire work on the masonry
Step 1: Prepare The Substrate Of The Facade
At a glance
- Brush the surface clean
- Repair any cracks
- Apply primer
- Attach plaster profiles or rails
How To Do It
Stable plaster substrate must be clean, dry and free from loose parts and dust. Therefore, brush the free outer wall with a brush.
In order to achieve an even surface, level out any imperfections with repair mortar if necessary. Pre-treat highly absorbent substrates such as aerated concrete or sand-lime brick with a primer by applying it generously with a painter‘s brush. It is important to repair cracks in the masonry before plastering.
When plastering an outside wall, it makes sense to use plaster profiles or plaster rails. These will help you to determine and maintain the plaster layer thickness, secure plaster edges and serve to complete the process smoothly. Fix the profiles to the wall with small amounts of setting mortar or plaster mortar at intervals of about 50 cm.
Step 2: Mix The Base Coat For The Facade
At a glance
- Mix the base coat
- Note the mixing ratio
How To Do It
Base plaster serves, among other things, as a primer on the masonry and as a plaster base for the topcoat. Mix the basecoat in a large mortar tub according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Ideally, you should use a drill with a whisk attachment for this. Mix the base coat until there are no more lumps.
Note: If the plaster does not stick to the facade later, either too much or too little water was added. Therefore, make sure that you comply with the specified mixing ratio.
Step 3: Apply And Smooth The First Layer Of Plaster To The Facade
At a glance
- Apply plaster
- If necessary, use the spray throwing technique
- Smooth plaster layer
- Working “wet on wet”.
How To Do It
Spread the plaster on the outside wall with a plastering trowel. Smooth it between two plaster rails to an even layer with a board or grapevine. Work “wet on wet”, i.e. always work on a wall without interruption and never mix more plaster than you can process in one session.
Advanced plasterers use what is known as the splatter technique when plastering: you throw the plaster at an angle from bottom to top against the wall with a quick, light twist of the wrist. It is best to practice with smaller amounts beforehand.
Step 4: Let the facade plaster set and rub off
At a glance
- Wait for dressing time
- Rub off plaster layer
- Let dry
How To Do It
Plan enough dressing time depending on the type of plaster. The dressing time is the time that the plaster takes to partially dry – i.e. it is a period of about 1.5 hours (depending on the type of plaster) that it should rest before the next stage. This is differentiated from the longer full drying time.
Then rub the plaster with a trowel or sponge board. Then let the layer of plaster dry fully.
The rule of thumb for the base coat is: one day of drying time per 1 mm layer thickness. If the drying time is not observed, the plaster can become unstable or crack. Depending on the type of plaster, you may then process the second base plaster layer.
Step 5: Apply Finishing Plaster To The Facade
At a glance
- Select finishing coat
- Apply this thinly using the same technique
How To Do It
The finishing coat is thinner than the base coat but is applied using the same technique. You can choose the structure and color of the finishing plaster according to your taste: Different types of wall plaster are conceivable, including, for example, grooved plaster, felt plaster, scratched plaster, or decorative plaster such as disc plaster or rough plaster.
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