Whitewashing: selection and application

One of the most inexpensive and easy-to-work materials for the ceiling is whitewashing. To whiten the surface will not be particularly difficult, and you can cope with such a task yourself, without attracting craftsmen. In order to get a high-quality coating as a result of the work, you need to know some subtleties of working with such material.

A whitewash is a solution of a certain substance that is used to whiten the surface. Chalk or lime is mainly used as the basis for such a solution. Most often, this material is used in the repair work to finish the ceiling. There is also a kind of healing whitewash for garden plants.Another term "whitewash" refers to the process of carrying out finishing work.

As noted earlier, lime is used for whitening the ceiling, as well as water-based paint. Each material has its advantages and disadvantages, as well as differences in the performance of finishing works.

Whitening the ceiling with a solution on a chalky basis is one of the cheapest ways to finish the ceilings, since the price of chalk is rather low. However, the low price does not speak about the poor quality of the material. Chalk mixture is easy to apply and fits well on the surface. In addition, the mixture has excellent covering power.

Chalk gets pretty dirty, which is a disadvantage of such material. This coating has one more disadvantage - the material may turn yellow. To prevent the appearance of a yellowish tint, in the manufacture of the solution, you must add a little blue paint to dye fabrics.

Lime is produced by burning carbonate rocks. The material has bactericidal properties. Lime mortar well covers small cracks on the surface. This mixture, like chalk, has a small price.

Lime mortar has a sharp unpleasant odor, which is a minus of such a composition. Finishing work must always be carried out with gloves, since lime may corrode it when in contact with skin.

Finishing with water-based paint will cost more than using lime or chalk. Despite this, this type of whitewashing is the best option. The paint and varnish covering is more convenient in use and is on sale already in a look, ready for drawing, unlike dry mixes from which it is necessary to make a solution.

The covering capacity of water-based paints is significantly higher than that of chalk and lime mortars. Paintwork material has no smell and fits well on the surface. In the construction market, you can find water-based waterproof paint that will allow you to use it for work in wet areas.

Before finishing, special attention should be paid to surface preparation. Without going through this stage, it will not be possible to get a high-quality coating: whitewashing will go to bed badly, and after a while it may crumble.

If there is no old finish on the ceiling, then you just need to wash off dirt and dust from the surface. It is advisable to fill the plastered surface before applying the whitewash, since the plaster has a granular structure and the final coating may be uneven.

If the base has previously been whitewashed, the previous layer of material must be removed. The process of cleaning the surface is as follows:

• Furniture and equipment must be removed from the room. Remaining objects as well as floors must be protected from contamination. This will require plastic film and masking tape.
• To clean the surface, you will need a solution from water and soap, a foam sponge or a brush, a metal spatula and a painting bath.
• A small part of the ceiling is moistened with soapy water. Soaked whitewash is removed with a metal spatula, substituting the paint bath so that pieces of material do not fall to the floor.
• All that could not be removed with a spatula is washed off with a damp foam sponge.

The aqueous emulsion mixture is sold in stores already ready for application. If necessary, the paint can be diluted with clean water to obtain the desired consistency. Compositions based on chalk and lime must be prepared independently immediately prior to finishing works. The technology of preparation of the solution depends on its main component.

For the preparation of chalky whitewash you will need warm water, glue mix, blue paint for tinting the fabric (blue) and the chalk itself. The process of making the solution is as follows:

• in a five-liter bucket with warm water, you must dilute the PVA or glue for wallpaper in the amount of thirty grams;
• a small piece of laundry soap (50 grams) is rubbed on a coarse grater and added to the water mixed with glue;
• three kilograms of chalk must be sieved to remove garbage;
• chalk is slowly poured into the water, stirring the solution constantly to avoid the formation of lumps;
• in order for the coating to turn white and not yellow with time, about twenty grams of blue should be introduced into the solution.

The resulting mixture should be enough to cover one layer of ten square meters of surface.

In order to prepare a lime mortar for whitening your own hands, you will need slaked lime. Such material is produced in the form of a powder mixture or paste. To prepare a solution for 10 m2 of surface, you will need:

• 1.7 kilograms of dry lime;
• 5 liters of water;
• 40 grams of blue fabric dye.

If you want to get a color, rather than a white mixture, add a little dye to the solution. The amount of water used to make whitewash can be less than or greater than five liters. It all depends on how viscous the solution is. In order to obtain the desired consistency, you can check the mixture as follows:

• The blade of the knife must be dipped into the solution.
• Then the knife is slowly removed. If the mixture easily and completely drains from the blade, then the solution is not sufficiently thick and it is necessary to add more lime to it.
• A solution of the right consistency when in contact with metal objects should paint them white.

In order to improve the performance characteristics of the whitening solution, it is necessary to add some additional components to the mixture: wallpaper glue or laundry soap. Instead of wallpaper glue or PVA, you can add a wood glue mixture to your composition, which you can make yourself at home. Such material is added to the solution in order to improve the quality of the coating and increase its service life.

Whitewashed walls are subject to various contaminants. In order for the coating to not be so easily soiled, you need to add regular edible salt to the whitewash solution. With the introduction of additional components in the mixture it is necessary to observe the correct proportions:

• linseed oil is added in the amount of one hundred milliliters per bucket of whitewash solution;
• To get a perfectly white lime coat, ten liters of mortar must be taken one kilogram of salt.

There are several ways to whitewash the ceiling in the apartment.The difference in whitening methods is primarily in the tools used. For finishing work The following accessories may be needed:

• paint brush;
• roller;
• hand spray gun KRDP-3;
• capacity for preparation of solution;
• construction mixer for mixing the mixture;
• ladder;

• brush to clean the surface;
• bucket with soapy water:
• masking tape and polyethylene;
• plastic cuvette;
• metal spatula;
• sandpaper.

For applying the mixture to the ceiling, they mainly use a roller or a paint brush. So that the new brush does not crumble during whitening, it must be soaked in hot water for some time. Initially it is better to choose a tool with natural hard bristles.

Whitening with the spray gun is a very laborious process. Such a device is more convenient to use for whitewashing walls, rather than ceilings. Before working with this tool ready-made solution of chalk or hydrated lime must be passed through cheesecloth.

In the manufacture of the mixture should be remembered that per square meter of surface rate of the finished solution is about 0.5 liters.However, the consumption of chalk by 1m2 exceeds the consumption of lime by 1m2. For the manufacture of a solution, it is customary to take the number of components from the calculation of consumption per ten square meters.

If the surface has been leveled and washed well before finishing works, it will be sufficient to apply whitewash in only two layers. The ceiling must be mentally broken into small sections. Applying whitewash should start from the corner of the room, it will be more convenient to move from window to door. Before applying each subsequent layer of material you need to wait until the previous layer dries.

To whiten the joints of the ceiling and walls it is best to use a paint brush. It is more convenient to cover the rest of the surface with whitewash using a roller. You do not need to dip the roller too much into the paint cuvette, since an excess of the mixture on the instrument can lead to the formation of smudges and streaks. The solution is applied to the ceiling with neat parallel strokes.

One layer is not enough to create a quality coating. The first layer can shine through the shade of the surface, as well as have stains from the roller. The finishing layer is applied perpendicular to the previous one. Do not forget to mix the solution regularly, as particles of chalk or lime can settle to the bottom of the tank.

Before purchasing the material for whitening the ceiling, it is necessary to calculate the approximate amount of mortar that will be needed for finishing. To do this, take into account the area of ​​the treated surface and the consumption of a composition per square meter. Buy material preferably with a margin.

When buying a mixture, pay attention not only to the manufacturer and the characteristics of the product, but also on its shelf life. Overdue material loses its performance and is not suitable for creating a reliable coating.

In the process of carrying out repair work, as well as during the drying of the surface in the room there should be no drafts. Otherwise, chalk or lime based coating may peel off.

Before you start whitening the ceiling, you need to take care of some precautions.Head, eyes and hands should be protected from accidental ingress of the solution, so it is recommended to carry out work with gloves, construction glasses and a headdress. To protect the respiratory tract, use a respirator or cloth bandage.

Whitewash ceiling water-based paint with their own hands, see the video below.