DIY Venetian trowel. DIY Venetian plaster. Trowel for Venetian plaster

Venetian plaster- this is a kind of wall decoration, which is very popular, which is due to the grace and attractiveness of its decorative coating. The technology for its implementation requires the use of special construction tools, which will help the master create a beautiful and more even cladding structure. To cover walls like this, be sure to use a trowel. decorative plaster.

Definition of the concept

The main tool with which all the necessary manipulations will take place, is a trowel. But it should be noted that in addition to the trowel, other tools are used, for example, a spatula. It is these two tools that are most often used when applying Venetian plaster.

A trowel for Venetian finishing is a type of construction tool used by plasterers when carrying out finishing works, which are associated with the application of Venetian plaster to the surface.

To ensure ease and comfort for the builder during cladding, you need to choose the right tool. In this case, the determining criteria for work will be:

Determining product quality:

The working surface of the tool must be smooth and high-quality polished. The specified parameter will eliminate or slightly reduce the likelihood of plaster sticking to the trowel.
The handle in the tool must be designed so that it can be freely held during the entire operation.
The trowel should be rectangular in shape, since it is these parameters that can provide optimal functionality to the device.
It is also very important that the edges of the product are rounded to avoid deformation of the soil layer.

Features of the spatula

Of course, it is best to apply Venetian plaster to the walls with a trowel, but a spatula is also considered very a worthy alternative the specified device.

To carry out such facing work, it is necessary to have a steel object that will have a relatively small size. Some people are simply uncomfortable working with a trowel. There are many options when one device can be replaced by another. That’s why you definitely shouldn’t discount the spatula.

When choosing a spatula, you must also follow some rules:

Tools for finishing walls with Venetian plaster need to be selected very carefully, so that the work will be carried out correctly and comfortably, and will also bring the desired result.

If you are a beginner and are not well versed in this matter, then you need to remember that only a true professional can cope with the task using poor material. The chosen trowel must necessarily meet the most best requirements, which relate to the acquisition of such an instrument.

The necks and handles of such tools have different curves, since they are designed for the use of a specific trowel in a certain type of work. Very often, trowel handles made of wood are equipped with an additional metal tip on the back side device: it is needed for tapping bricks in the block and ceramic tiles during the leveling process. On sale you can find designs with removable handles into which you can attach the blades in case of wear of the old plates or a certain configuration for the desired technological operation.

Depending on the purpose, trowels can be of several types:

Rules for using products

The length of the blade ranges from 75 to 100 millimeters. The shorter length is well used for jointing vertical joints in masonry.

The corner trowel is used to level the corner parts of walls when plastering. Corner devices for decorating interior and external corners walls, such a universal device is used to draw out the internal and external corners.

The seam-filling trowel is convenient to use together with a jointing trowel. Such a tool can hold a supply of grout due to its wide surface. In addition, for more accurate dusting of joints with grout, there is a raised side along the edge of the working plane, and for working with vertical joints, a slit-like window with a total width of 10 millimeters on the rear wall is best suited.

Tool for applying glue to aerated concrete blocks . The advantage of such a tool is undeniable, since it performs several functions at once - applying the required amount of mixture in one step, uniform application in one movement, as well as high-quality leveling, giving the desired relief to the applied layer with the comb side of the device. This product is created with different sizes, but the most convenient and at the same time in demand is considered to have a width of 100 to 140 millimeters.

The blades of such construction tools are created from a hard, inflexible sheet with a total thickness of 1.5/2 millimeters, since many of them are designed for mixing and lifting the solution. A well-made tool is easy and simple to work with, as it fits well in the palm of your hand, is relatively lightweight and is designed for long time use.

When buying a trowel, you should definitely try it in your hand and make sure that there are no extra protrusions, nicks or burrs on the handle that will not allow it to work normally, and can also injure the skin or rub several calluses. The trowel should fit well in the hand, that is, it should be balanced and comfortable for long-term use. Trowels that have an additional pad on the handle are especially in demand. This addition helps the product slip in the hand - the handle will fit well into the palm without causing any calluses.

When purchasing such a seemingly simple tool, you need to be careful and attentive. You don’t need to immediately look only at the cheapest device - you can buy a low-quality blade that bends during operation and quickly becomes covered with a coating of corrosion. In some cases, you can purchase a spatula with a very uncomfortable handle, which will not allow you to work normally when performing labor-intensive plastering operations.

Tools for creating relief

For various techniques of decorative plastering of walls need different tools. But you won’t be able to do without using a plaster trowel and other tools, since they are well suited for applying mortars and other elements to the surface, as well as for properly leveling them and giving the desired relief.

Volume on a decorative plaster coating can be created with various special products, and in some cases, simply with improvised means. From professional building materials, you can use spatulas for decorative plaster with jagged and smooth edges, combs, brushes, brushes, applicators, rollers with various attachments, special mittens and stamps.

Even simple nets for washing and cleaning dishes can become excellent tool to give the plaster an unusual relief.

From improvised tools You can select sponges with different porosity, plastic film, plastic or metal mesh for cleaning frying pans and other household appliances.

The trowel is convenient for leveling plaster and applying it to small areas walls, are used when applying different decorative coatings.

Rollers with different nozzles can create many reliefs. All that remains is to choose the one that is most suitable for decorating a particular room. However, before you start working with a roller, you need to apply and level the solution to the wall using a trowel.

Probably every owner of an apartment or house dreams of a beautiful, luxurious and cozy interior. Many want more unique design and some are relatively inexpensive. All these criteria are met by Venetian plaster, which is popularly called simply Venetian.

It is named Venetian because it gained very wide popularity during the Renaissance in Venice, where it was widely used in the design of palaces and castles. Decorate with it both residential and public buildings. She fits perfectly in classic design as well as modern interiors.

Selection, production and application

Venetian plaster is a method of decorative design and imitation of a surface like stone (quartz, onyx, lapis lazuli, etc.) or popular marble different shades. Its main component is stone chips, which are mixed with acrylic. But you can also create the effect of copper, silver, gold, bronze, imitate leather, wood and fabric (silk, burlap, etc.) using various types of application techniques. It is used as an internal and external element of decor.

It is worth knowing that Venetian plaster can be used to decorate not only walls, partitions, and ceilings, giving them a textured look. Stucco flooring is extremely rare. As an element of interior decor, it can be used in the living room, kitchen, bathroom and any other room.

The choice of the future color and texture of the Venetian is the business of the owner of the house. The plaster itself is transparent, which allows it to sparkle beautifully in sunlight, and the dye is added before application. It can be applied both to concrete and brick, and to wood. Only the methods of preparing the surface on which it will be applied differ. It is also possible to apply a design on the plaster, which will give it a relief look and uniqueness. It can also be matte or glossy. A matte or glossy surface can be achieved by applying various types of wax.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Venetian

The advantages are obvious:

Durable
Water and moisture resistant
Easy care
Environmentally friendly
Long service life (at least 20 years)
Doesn't get moldy
Resistant to temperature changes

The only downside is the cost. This is not exactly a budget option. But this cannot be attributed to shortcomings, since the end result fully justifies itself. Such luxury and sophistication cannot be achieved with other materials. How to make Venetian plaster with your own hands from ordinary putty we'll tell you further. To make Venetian plaster with your own hands we will need:

very fine stone chips or marble flour (for marble walls)
slaked lime (putty) or acrylic additives
dyes (colors)
pure water

The recipe is simple: you need to properly mix the composition in equal proportions of stone chips and slaked lime, then add a little soap and mix well. At the end we add dyes. You need to choose the desired color of the Venetian, this stage called tinting. Tinting Venetian plaster – milestone preparations. The comfort of the apartment or house and the state of mind of the owner will depend on the future color. The stores will provide you with a huge range of all kinds of colors and shades. And it is important to know that when the color dries, it becomes lighter by one tone, and sometimes by two tones.

It should be remembered that when preparing Venetian, the room temperature should be above 10 degrees Celsius. You can also buy ready-made plaster to make your task easier. After all, it is worth remembering that when making plaster it is necessary to clearly know the ratio of materials, and dilute the paint only in a clear and correct proportion, since the shade of the surface may differ in the future.

DIY Venetian plaster (video)

Wax helps to color the plaster in the desired color when using dyes. You can also use it to repaint the same surface. It also helps with restoration. The consumption of the Venetian depends on the area and the number of layers that will be applied. On average, consumption is 0.5 kg of material per 1 square meter of surface.

Required Tools

Materials and tools for preparing and applying Venetian:

ready plaster
water emulsion
putty
primer
dye
drill with mixer attachment
trowel for the Venetian
narrow spatula
Japanese spatula
trowels different types for decoration
ironer
abrasive sponges and rags
coarse and fine sandpaper
mixing containers

Surface preparation and application

We plaster or clean the walls (or ceiling) of wallpaper, paint, etc.
If there are cracks, holes, or potholes, they must be repaired using putty.
We clean the walls from roughness and protrusions
We first treat the surface with starting putty, let it dry and then apply finishing putty.
Next, we sand the walls with coarse sandpaper.
The last stage of preparation is applying a primer to the surface. After drying (3-4 hours), the procedure must be repeated. Sometimes a third layer is applied, applied to match the tone of the future Venetian.

It is important to know that working with this material is a labor-intensive and painstaking process. U the best master it takes 5-6 times more time than finishing with conventional plaster. Therefore, in order to get the hang of applying it, it is recommended to first practice on panels or individual sections of the walls. Basic rules and technology for applying Venetian:

The first layer must cover the entire surface area. The layer should be thin
Next, the layers are applied with spatulas or a trowel in an arc to form the required pattern (the number of layers is on average from 4 to 12, depending on the desired texture)
Layers are applied with short breaks, the plaster has had time to dry.
Each subsequent tone must be different in tone from the previous one in order to create the necessary pattern and perspective. You can also put different (contrasting) colors. The spatula must be wiped well after each stroke.
Next, you need to apply a thin layer of wax to the walls to make it waterproof and create a matte or glossy surface. And after the wax has completely dried, smooth surface polished with soft flannel

The wax dries quickly, within 30-40 minutes. But touching the surface is strictly prohibited for 6 hours after opening with wax. To avoid dents, scratches and marks on the wall. There are several techniques for applying Venetian plaster with your own hands:

Application of classic plaster
Applying plaster in two tones
Applying marbled plaster

A master class in a video lesson on the technique of applying marbled plaster can be viewed in the video:

A correctly selected trowel for decorative plaster, if it is convenient and functional tool, one of the main conditions for achieving an optimal and beautiful result.

Modern industrial technologies and polymer chemistry have made life much easier for craftsmen who work professionally in the field of repairs or who are trying to improve their homes with their own hands.

A little about the decorative component of the plastered surface

The right plaster can become a real decorative item, decorating the entire room

Hundreds bright colors and textured designs of plaster, produced on the basis of acrylic resins and various filler grains, made real and achievable independent execution decorative coating on external and internal surfaces.

Whatever good quality did not have the starting materials, the lack of the necessary tool can significantly worsen the expected result.

The urgent need to modify the usual design of residential premises has led to the search for new surfaces and textures. Fundamentally new and already proven building materials began to be used both in the form of original decorative elements and stylized as old ones, which have been tested for centuries.

Decorative plaster has its own unique visualization due to the color effect and texture of extraordinary structuring. An important point in the implementation of a stylistic solution to the surface is the thickness of the applied layer and the pattern or smoothness that is achieved.

Plastering trowel is the main tool needed for this.

Fillers allow you to create a textured surface

Filler grains that make up decorative material, can be round, oval, or any shape, which creates the necessary pattern when applied to the surface.

The functional purpose of the room or its location on the street dictates the choice of a specific pattern. The filler represents a wide range of used components - from waste and glass fragments to granulated marble or polymer grains.

The binder composition, depending on the needs experienced, can be polymer, silicate or mineral. For plastering walls different places hydrophobic coatings or other compositions resistant to various influences are used.

The tool, especially a spatula for decorative plaster, must correspond to the type of flat mineral surface on which the functional and refining layer is applied.

Professional tools - selection criteria

To apply a coating that meets certain requirements, the plasterer must have a set of professional tools. It doesn’t matter whether the work is being carried out as part of the main activity, or whether it’s just do-it-yourself repairs. Only correctly selected and convenient tools suitable for obtaining high-quality results.

For walls in your own apartment, the requirements should be no less stringent. Otherwise, the resulting unsatisfactory result will require rework or will remain a reminder until the next repair.

Two stages in applying a decorative coating - leveling the base and applying a textured layer - provide a working arsenal for the corresponding purpose.

The main tools for this are:

trowel;
rule;
grater;
stencil;
improvised means.

Spatulas are made of thin flexible metal

A spatula for Venetian plaster, ideally suited for its purpose, is usually made of durable metal with rectangular or trapezoidal shapes.

Durable stainless steel ensures its resistance to deformation and protects it from rapid wear. The elastic properties of the source material ensure both the durability of the tool and the high-quality execution of the process.

A Venetian plaster trowel (trowel) is usually used to apply decorative composition and is distinguished by the choice of modification components, which are determined upon purchase by the master himself for certain reasons.

- a functional working tool that is used to create a smooth surface, remove roughness and bumps.

An inexpensive grater is usually used, but it is better when choosing this tool to be guided not by the price, but by the functional properties of the device. A grater is also necessary to bring the textured layer to a finished look.

Ease of use, durability, compliance of use with the nature of the work performed - these are the basic requirements for tools for applying decorative plaster. This provides a stylistic component and visual beauty of the designed surface.

Main tool: appearance, necessary properties

Approximately the entire adult half of humanity understands, at least in general terms, what a trowel is. When applying decorative plaster, it is a tool on the properties of which the result obtained, its main features, appearance, and visual beauty depend.

Rubbing plaster with a trowel in different ways, you can get interesting textures

The thickness of the applied coating, its relief, and the effectiveness of the visual design depend not only on the consistency of the material used, the size of the granules and the thickness of the layer, but also on how professionally it is executed. When choosing a trowel, you need to remember important role, which is played by this instrument as the final result.

The main plaster trowel is usually made of stainless material, rectangular in shape or in the form of a trapezoid no longer than 20 cm. Each master has his own preferences, so tools of this kind can be sold in variations in shape, size and weight.

Wooden handles will cause fewer calluses

Particular attention is paid to the handle, which should fit functionally and comfortably in the palm of your hand. Sometimes it becomes the factor determining the choice of one model or another. More often than others, preference is given to wood, because this material is of optimal weight, alive and gives pleasure to the touch.

The wooden handle reduces the likelihood of allergies and later rubs calluses. It can be used at any ambient temperature.

In decorative plaster, it is the ability to use a trowel that ensures the thickness of the applied solution, its spatterability, material consumption, and the final result of application. A master who skillfully uses a tool knows how to make the correct swing of the hand for a certain result, and what mistakes should be avoided when using a trowel. But even the most skilled plasterer does not rely on professional skills, but attaches great importance to the choice of the appropriate tool.

When determining the required properties, the following parameters are taken into account:

base plate material;
size and size of the blade;
a certain bend of the scapula;
handle, version, metal tip;
possibility of changing the plate;
total weight of the tool;
ease of use for a certain type of work. Detailed review tools for decorative finishing watch in this video:

The traditional idea of a plaster trowel is approximately 16x19 cm in size with a blade pointed downwards and rounded near the handle. This form is considered to be the most functional both when throwing mortar or mixtures onto the wall and for leveling them.

Trowel in decorative design

Plastered wall

Various types of coating are created with special tools or improvised devices. Combs, brushes, spatulas, stamps, special mittens, washcloths - all this helps to create whimsical design options and create layers of unusual and original visualization.

A simple wall becomes a real work of art, pleasing to the eye. Venetian, decorated with stone, mosaic, with multi-colored splashes, structural or textured, creating decorative effect using embossing or drawing - all this is done on a layer of plaster, which is applied with a plaster trowel.

Venetian finish

It is performed with a special tool - with a rectangular plate, slightly rounded at the edges, with a perfectly flat mirror surface. To apply Venetian plaster, a plastic Venetian trowel with a pointed blade is often used, which is also used for sanding artificial marble, and for Venetian plaster, and even for gypsum texture, or texture paint.

Depending on the nature of the work performed, the master selects the required sharpness angle, dimensions, rigidity, individual characteristics tool. Many modifications are available to meet different requirements. For a review of trowels for Venetian plaster, watch this video:

Decorative plaster is a new, fashionable, but already well-proven trend modern design buildings. High-quality performance and appearance of such a coating are only possible with the use of appropriate and functional tools.

The trowel for decorative plaster has greatly simplified the life of craftsmen. Developments in modern industrial technology and polymer chemistry have continually evolved over the decades. This has led to the fact that self-application of decorative plaster at home has reached a professional level.

Among the main tools for plastering walls are:

trowel;
putty knife;
roller;
grater;
stencil;
improvised means.

For creating various types coatings, not only special tools are used, but also improvised means:

combs;
stamps;
special mittens;
washcloths.

All of them help to decorate the walls in various options, creating unusual and original types of visualizations. Thin flexible metal is used to make spatulas. The spatula for Venetian plaster is made of durable stainless steel, as is the working part of the trowel. A common shape for these instruments is a rectangle.

Devices must be durable and easy to use. It all depends on the nature of the work being performed. The result is a stylistic component and visual beauty of the surface.

A plasterer's trowel, in general terms, is a device of a trapezoidal or rectangular shape. It is the main tool on which optimal results when plastering the surface depend. You can trowel the walls in different ways.

Professionalism plays a big role when performing decorative plastering of walls, since it determines what effect can be achieved when decorating walls. The applied coating may vary in thickness and texture. The consistency of the finishing material used and the size of the plaster granules are of great importance.

Trowel and spatula for decorative plaster are usually made of stainless material. The length of the device can be no more than 20 cm. Each master has his own preferences, therefore various kinds tools for plastering wall surfaces may have certain parameters, including size and weight.

To prevent calluses from appearing when performing work, the handle of the tool should be made of wood. It is pleasant to touch because it has an optimal weight. The right tool for decorative plaster it usually has a handle that can be comfortably placed in the palm of your hand.

Do-it-yourself plastering

Finishing the external and internal walls of houses with decorative plaster is popular among modern homeowners. To refine it, today you no longer need to purchase expensive tools and finishing materials. All you need is patience and a minimum set of necessary equipment.

You can buy decorative plaster on the market at a reasonable price so that you can apply the material competently and accurately with your own hands without the help of professionals, performing all the necessary manipulations with a trowel. She must have the appropriate appearance. Industrial production tools have standard sizes, but you can make an ordinary trowel yourself.

For beautiful finishes walls of the room with plaster, materials of different shades are offered on the market, having a textured pattern, filler grains, etc. Decorating the external and internal surfaces Using a special trowel, you can achieve an optimal result. Failure to comply with all requirements when choosing a device for applying plaster will only worsen the desired result.

To create textured surfaces, you should use fillers. This will allow you to achieve original visualization due to correct processing DIY walls. The presence of a unique color effect can only be achieved through proper stylization of the wall surface.

Professionals in their field are constantly in search of new solutions for the design of surfaces that differ in their texture and pattern. Any home owner may need to radically change the usual design in a particular room. To do this, you can use not only fundamentally new, but also time-tested building materials.

A well-chosen tool allows you to implement a variety of style solutions. Using a trowel, layers of plaster of any thickness can be applied to the surface. The smoothness of the application of the plaster layer plays a big role in creating the perfect coating.

The plaster trowel allows you to apply materials containing filler grains. They can have a round, oval or arbitrary shape, creating a beautiful pattern during the surface finishing process. Thanks to the filler, the range of plaster components can be different.

How to choose a trowel for wall decoration?

To apply a functional layer, polymer, silicate and mineral fillers must be present in the plaster. A high-quality result can only be obtained with a correctly selected set of tools. Plastering walls in different places can be done using hydrophobic coatings or other compositions that are resistant to various influences.

Stores offer a huge assortment of trowels, spatulas, and trowels for the perfect finishing of wall surfaces. An optimal and beautiful result can only be obtained by implementing the right choice necessary equipment. Whether it's a Venetian spatula or a regular trowel, any tool should be comfortable to use.

The main criterion for choosing a trowel for applying decorative plaster is its functionality. This instrument requires a large number of requirements, despite the simplicity of its design. It must be of appropriate size and allow it to work for a long time.

Certain patterns are selected in accordance with functional purpose premises. To create them, you need to choose the right trowel, trowel and spatula. Creation various types patterns on the walls depend on the type of plaster filler. These can be not only grains or granulated marble, but also fragments of various materials.

The requirements for finishing walls in an apartment are not too stringent, as in public spaces, but you should choose a trowel for the job no less carefully. Otherwise, as a result, you will need to redo the entire wall cladding or wait until the next renovation. Since the decorative coating is applied in 2 stages, not only a Venetian trowel is used.

Venetian plaster is usually applied with a trowel or trowel. When choosing it, you should pay attention Special attention for modification components. They are determined by the master planning to perform a certain type of finishing.

To ensure quality work, a grater is used. In any case, you should choose a tool not by its price, but by its functional purpose. For example, a grater allows you to remove roughness and bumps from the surface.

Trowel for applying Venetian plaster

A master who has the skill to use a tool knows what movement needs to be made with his hand in order to achieve the desired result. He knows how to avoid mistakes when using a trowel. But even the professional skill of the most skilled plasterer cannot be put in first place, since the most important thing is the choice of the most suitable tool.

When determining the necessary properties of the finishing material, you will need to take into account the following basic parameters:

The size and dimensions of the blade.
The material from which the plate is made.
Blade bend.
Execution option.
The presence of a metal tip.
Tool weight.
Possibility of plate replacement.

At the same time, the tool must be convenient for performing certain types of work. Trowel with wooden handle can work at any ambient temperature. Wood reduces the risk of allergic diseases.

The use of tools for applying decorative plaster is important because they provide:

making a layer of the required thickness;
splashability of finishing material;
composition consumption;
result of plastering.

As a result, from a simple wall of a room inside or outside the house you can get a real work of art. It will delight the eye for many years.

Requirements for a plasterer's trowel

A trowel for Venetian plaster, which has maximum functionality, should have dimensions of approximately 16x19 cm. These defining parameters are considered traditional for this type of tool. It should have a blade that is pointed at the bottom and also rounded near the handle. This allows you to conveniently apply the solution or mixture onto the wall surface and then level it.

A trowel for Venetian plaster allows you not only to decorate a wall to look like stone, mosaic or wood, but also to create an embossed layer. All this can be achieved with the help of Venetian plaster. It can have different inclusions, textures and patterns.

The mirror surface of the plaster trowel should be perfectly flat. It can have a rectangular shape with rounded edges. The blade of the tool is usually sharpened, so it allows you to grind fake diamond, for example, marble.

The angle of sharpness of the trowel is selected depending on what work needs to be done. This can be the application of gypsum texture or textured coloring compounds. When choosing a trowel, it is important to take into account its rigidity and other individual properties of the tool. This will satisfy different requirements when applying Venetian plaster.

Decorative plaster has long become one of the favorite types of both interior and exterior finishing walls of residential buildings. To work in such a technique, you will not need such a large number of tools, but you cannot do without purchasing them. One of these basic, one might say irreplaceable, devices is a trowel for decorative plaster. It is this seemingly simple tool that performs the main task of creating a relief of any depth and pattern on the wall.

To have an idea of what a trowel is, as well as other tools used for application, it is worth considering the information about them in more detail. In addition, it would be quite natural to, at least briefly, get acquainted with the technological methods of applying one of the types of this finish.

What is hidden behind the word “trowel”, and what types of it exist?

An ordinary trowel used for laying bricks, as well as for making plastering works– this is a more familiar name for everyone. It’s interesting that it is called differently – a trowel.

So, a trowel is a plate polished on both sides, which can have different configurations, on which a curved handle made of wood or plastic and metal is attached.

It is quite difficult (or rather, almost impossible) to do without this tool when carrying out construction or repair work related to wall masonry and plastering. The variety of such trowels is quite large. Blades of different shapes and sizes are intended for different processes - with their help you can finish not only large surfaces, but also decorate masonry seams or apply glue for.

It is no coincidence that the necks of the handles of this tool have different bends, since they are designed for the use of a specific trowel in a certain type of work. Quite often, trowel handles made of wood are equipped with a metal tip on the back, intended for tapping bricks in masonry, as well as ceramic tiles when leveling them. On sale you can find models that have removable handles, into which blades can be secured when old plates are worn out or required by configuration for a specific technological operation.

So, trowels can be of the following types, depending on their purpose:

Illustration	Type of trowel and its main purpose
	Mason's trowel used for building brickwork and mixing a small amount of mortar. Thanks to the well-thought-out shape of the working blade plate, this type of tool is convenient to use for laying and collecting excess mortar in hard to reach places. It should be noted that a mason's trowel can also have a trapezoidal blade shape.
	Finisher's trowel Designed for mixing plaster mortars, measuring dry mixtures, as well as applying cement and gypsum mortars to the surfaces to be finished. In addition, some craftsmen use this trowel for brickwork. Most used for various works Tool sizes are 120 and 180 mm.
	Concrete trowel It has a triangular shape and is used for measuring dry mixture for mortar and mixing it, as well as for making brickwork.
	Tiler's trowel may have a trapezoidal shape with cut corners along the wide side of the trapezoid, or a teardrop-shaped blade configuration. It can be used both for laying tiles and for measuring dry adhesive mixture and mixing a solution from it.
	Plastering trowel used for throwing cement-sand and other mixtures onto walls, as well as leveling them. The most convenient sizes The length of this trowel is 190×160 mm.
	Trowel used as a trowel for distributing and smoothing the mortar applied to the wall, grouting it after initial setting and giving the surface an aesthetic appearance. The main sizes of such trowels are considered to be 200×80, 240×100 and 280×140 mm, as they are more popular and convenient for work.
	Toothed trowel The grout is intended for applying an adhesive solution when laying ceramic tiles, as well as smoothing plastered walls. In addition, such a tool can be used to distribute the plaster mortar applied to the wall using its serrated side, on which the height of the teeth varies from 4 to 10 mm.
	Trowel jointing necessary for tidying up the seams of the brickwork. The working blade of such a trowel can have different shapes - flat, concave or convex, but is always a narrow plate. The tip of the working blade of such a trowel may have a pointed shape. The length of the blade varies from 75 to 100 mm. The shorter one is convenient for jointing vertical joints in masonry.
	Corner trowel used for leveling corner sections of walls when plastering them. On sale you can find trowels with this shape for decorating internal and external corners, as well as universal tool, which is used to accurately draw both internal and external corners.
	Trowel for filling seams Convenient to use in combination with a trowel. This tool is good for holding a supply of grout thanks to its wide surface. In addition, for more accurate filling of horizontal seams, a raised edge is provided along the edge of the working plane, and for working with vertical seams, there is a 10 mm wide slot-like window on the rear, high wall of the tool.
	Trowel for applying glue when laying aerated concrete blocks . The convenience of this tool is undeniable, since it performs several functions at once - taking the required amount of solution in one go, applying it evenly in almost one movement, and simultaneous leveling with the comb side of the trowel giving the necessary relief to the applied layer. This tool is produced in different sizes, but the most convenient and therefore in demand are those that have a width of 100 to 400 mm.

Trowel blades are made of hard, inflexible metal sheet 1.5÷2 mm thick, since most of them are designed for mixing and lifting the solution. A high-quality tool is easy to work with, as it fits comfortably in the palm of your hand, has a relatively low weight and is designed for long term operation.

When purchasing a trowel, you should definitely hold it in your hand and make sure that there are no protrusions, burrs or nicks on the handle that will interfere with work and can injure the skin or rub calluses. The instrument should “fit well” in the hand, that is, be balanced, comfortable for long work. Trowels with handles equipped with a rubber pad are in demand. Such an addition will not allow the tool to slip in the hand - the handle will fit snugly into the palm without causing calluses.

In a word, when purchasing even such a seemingly simple tool, you should be careful. You should probably never “rush” to a temptingly low price - you could end up with either a low-quality blade that bends in the work and quickly becomes covered with a coating of corrosion, or an extremely inconvenient handle that will literally torment its unscrupulous owner when performing rather labor-intensive plastering operations.

Prices for decorative plaster

decorative plaster

Decorative plaster and tools for its application

It is quite clear that the trowel is not the only tool of the finisher who performs decorative plastering of walls. He uses many others, including sometimes quite unexpected tools and devices. It all depends on the specific application technique and, in some ways, on the creativity of the artist himself. But without a trowel - it can not do in any case.

Commonly used types of decorative plaster finishes

There are several types of decorative plaster, and before moving on to considering the tools for creating them, it is advisable to consider what each of them is.

Structural or textured plaster. This option for decorative wall covering can have a different relief pattern and its depth. He often imitates various natural materials, such as tree bark, natural stone, including those with traces of “natural erosion”, wood “damaged by insects” (bark beetle) and other three-dimensional designs. The mixture to reproduce this type of coating consists of cement-lime mortar and synthetic latex with the addition of cellulose fibers, fine stone particles, as well as quartz or mica. The relief can have a depth of 0.2÷2.0 mm, therefore it consists of several layers applied to the surface. Another option is one thick layer of plaster mortar, from which a three-dimensional pattern is then drawn using various tools.

Venetian plaster - this technique is more suitable for interior decoration walls The mixture for this type of decorative plaster coating may include materials such as stone flour from onyx, granite, quartz, marble, malachite and other minerals. The binder for the finished mixture is usually acrylic resins or other similar polymers. The solution is applied in several layers, which creates the effect of depth, but as a result, this type of finish should have a perfectly smooth polished surface that imitates a stone surface (usually “marbled” in various shades). However, it should be noted that such a decorative coating may well serve as a background for a deeper relief applied on top of it.

Mosaic plaster. This type of decorative plaster coating consists of quartz sand of different, but always quite large fractions, having one or several colors. And the binder for such filling is compositions based on acrylic resin.

Floki- this is another type of decorative plaster coating consisting of colored acrylic particles. They are sold complete with a binding adhesive solution. The glue is applied to the wall, and then colored acrylic particles are thrown onto it, distributed and fixed, creating a very original surface texture. Depending on the type of flakes (flocks) selected, an imitation of velvet, velor, suede, leather and other unusual coverings can be created on the wall.

Try your hand at applying decorative plaster!

Of course, not all techniques were presented above. similar way wall decoration. Many of the technologies seem quite feasible even for a novice master - it’s worth trying, at least on a small section of the wall. To help - a special publication of our portal

Tools for creating relief

For different techniques decorative plaster finishes will require various tools. But in any case, you can’t do without a plaster trowel, since it is suitable both for applying mortars and other elements to the wall, and for leveling them or giving the intended relief.

Trowel prices

Volume on a decorative plaster coating can be created with various special tools, and sometimes simply with improvised devices. Professional construction accessories include spatulas - smooth and serrated, brushes, combs, brushes, applicators, rollers with different attachments, stamps, as well as special mittens.

From improvised means to create some reliefs, you can use plastic film, sponges with different porosity, metal or plastic mesh for cleaning frying pans and other household utensils.

Trowel convenient for applying and leveling plaster mortars on small and large areas of walls and is used when applying any decorative coatings of this type.

Rollers with various attachments capable of reproducing a large number of different reliefs. All that remains is to choose the one that is most suitable for decorating a particular room. However, before moving on to working with a roller, the solution is applied to the wall and leveled using a trowel.

The roller attachments are made of silicone and can create an imitation of brickwork, wood or stone texture on the wall, as well as an improvised ornament with horizontal or vertical orientation.

Combs to create relief, they are made of silicone or metal. The former are divided into two- and three-sided with different sizes of teeth and the distance between them, while the latter are sold in sets that include tools of various sizes.

Before using the combs, apply the plaster mixture to the walls using the same trowel. On and then on the surface one of the selected reliefs is reproduced - these can be smooth vertical or horizontal stripes, they can also be made wavy, or semicircles with a ribbed pattern can be created on the wall. Here, the creation of a relief will depend only on the imagination of the master or the specific desire of the customer.

brushes- this is also a tool that provides great opportunities for applying various ornaments and lines to the plaster mortar. The depth of the relief in this case will depend on the hardness of the metal, silicone or natural bristles.

Stamps for applying relief to a plastered surface, they are made mainly of silicone or polyurethane. It is very easy to work with this template, since it has a concave pattern on its surface, with the help of which an imprint of the selected relief is left on the plaster.

Usually this is an imitation of masonry from natural stone. And the location individual elements The relief is thought out so that they perfectly coincide with each other when the template is rotated.

Sponge, used for plastering work, creates a shallow relief, so most often it is highlighted in color and applied to a previously tinted, flat surface of the walls.

To apply a three-dimensional pattern, various sponges are used - artificial or natural sea sponges with large pores. Working with this tool is very easy, and any novice master can handle the process.

Prices for brushes for plaster

brushes for plaster

In addition to the devices mentioned above, a special tool is used for applying relief plaster, similar in type to a spray gun, requiring connection to a compressor (sometimes called a “crumb thrower”). With its help, you can create a so-called “fur coat” on the wall surface. This relief is most often used to cover external walls that have already been trowel plastered.

Now that several options for decorative plaster are briefly covered and the tools for their creation are named, it is worth taking a closer look at one of them. For example, let's take the process of applying decorative Venetian plaster, which is carried out using trowels of various shapes.

Find out how to do this by learning the secrets of the skill for beginners in a special article on our portal.

Finishing a wall with Venetian plaster using trowels

Venetian plaster can have relief of different depths and patterns, but in any case its purpose is to make the surface chaotically heterogeneous in color and volume.

Thus, the wall does not simply look “blank”, but acquires a unique spatial effect. A room decorated using the Venetian plaster technique is distinguished by its decorative “richness,” so for such wall cladding you will have to select certain interior accessories that match the style, otherwise the desired effect will simply be lost.

To apply Venetian plaster you will need some tools:

Plaster trowels of two or three sizes and a spatula with a width of 120÷150 mm.
Corner trowel.
Grater with foam attachment.
Soft fabric.
Sponge with large pores.
A roller with a foam or fluffy attachment.
Soft wide brush.
Silicone spatula with a long handle.
Mixer attachment and electric drill.

From the materials it will be necessary to prepare a primer, a plaster mixture for Venetian plaster, a coloring pigment, golden or mother-of-pearl enamel and liquid wax.

Finishing work, on a carefully aligned wall in advance, is carried out in the following order:

Illustration	Brief description of the operation performed
	The first step to avoid contamination flooring, it is recommended that the area adjacent to the wall being finished, and the place where the mortar and plaster mixture are mixed, should be covered with plastic wrap. Next, the primer composition is prepared. It is mixed with a mixer attachment and an electric drill, and if necessary, water is added to the solution.
	The application of the finished primer is carried out using a roller, for convenience fixed on a long handle. In hard-to-reach places, such as internal corners Surface treatment is carried out with a wide brush. The drying period of walls treated with a primer varies from two to three hours under normal conditions (temperature 15 ÷ 25 ºС) - this is usually indicated by the manufacturer of the composition.
	Next, you need to prepare the plaster mix, as it should have a uniform consistency of thick sour cream. When you open a bucket with ready-made plaster, quite often liquid has come out on top of the thick composition. Since a thick plastic mass is required for work, it is recommended that this liquid be carefully drained.
	Then the solution is thoroughly, within 10÷12 minutes, mixed with a mixing nozzle. Rotating blades gradually move around the entire perimeter of the bucket, capturing the lowest, bottom layers, as it is necessary to achieve a perfectly uniform consistency of the mass throughout the volume.
	Next, the coloring composition is prepared. In this case, a bright red-orange pigment is chosen, which is traditional for Venetian plaster. This mixture also needs to be mixed well - a spatula or silicone spatula is well suited for this purpose.
	Then the pigment is added to the plaster mixture, according to certain selected proportions. These ratios will need to be observed with each subsequent mixing, if the prepared one-time volume of plaster is not enough for all the walls of the room. In the example under consideration, a whole package of each of the compositions is used - a bucket of plaster and a whole jar of the painting composition.
	The next step is to thoroughly mix the mixture until the color and consistency are uniform. The mass is mixed for at least 10÷12 minutes. During this process, careful checking of color uniformity should be carried out.
	This check is carried out using a special silicone spatula on a long handle. It needs to be deepened approximately 150 mm into the plaster composition and carried along the edge of the bucket, lifting the mixture from the depths to the surface. If white unpainted areas or colored stripes are found in the painted composition, the plaster should be mixed well again.
	Venetian plaster technology involves applying several layers of the mixture to the wall surface. And the first of these is a layer of unpainted white plaster. For this work you will need a prepared clean spatula with a width of 100÷120 mm and a trowel measuring 200×80 mm. The plaster is grabbed from the container using a spatula and applied to the surface of the trowel.
	The size of the spatula was not chosen by chance, since it captures exactly as much mixture as is necessary for application to the wall in one go, that is, no more and no less than is actually required.
	The first plaster layer is intended to create a light background, which can give the Venetian plaster a kind of “transparency”, as it will, as it were, shine through the colored layers from the inside. The plaster is applied to the bottom of the wall with a stroke, which is spread by evenly stretching it using a trowel from the bottom to the top of the surface.
	The applied layer is leveled. To do this, the trowel is carried out in a diagonal and horizontal direction from right to left in semicircular movements. After completing this layer, the wall surface should be smooth. The consumption of plaster mixture for this stage of work is approximately 500÷600 grams per square meter walls.
	To plaster and level external corners, use a corner trowel, onto which the mixture is applied with the same spatula. Or the required mass is removed from an ordinary trowel, which in this case serves as a plaster falcon.
	Using an angled spatula, apply the solution to the junction of two surfaces, starting from the top of the wall, with slight pressure on the tool. In this case, it is important that the joint between the walls is covered perfectly evenly with the mixture.
	The marks from the corner trowel remaining on the sides of the plastered surface are leveled with a regular trowel or spatula after the corner has been completely removed.
	The trowel is usually taken with both hands, and, starting from the corner area, the solution is distributed deep into the surface of the wall, leveling out the dents and stripes left on it.
	The next step, after a day, is to apply the tinted mixture in small portions onto a spatula that has been perfectly cleared of white plaster. The principle of making Venetian plaster is to apply strokes of the solution and distribute it unevenly on the wall. This process is carried out in several stages, with two or three layers of plaster mixture being randomly applied to the surface.
	The mixture is applied in a thin, even translucent layer. To do this, the plaster needs to be thoroughly “stretched” over the surface. The consumption of the solution for this plaster layer should be about 200÷300 grams per square meter of area.
	The mixture is applied with light strokes, and then stretched over the surface of the wall and leveled until smooth. On the walls, closer to their corner areas, the solution is applied with a smooth trowel, moving from the main surface towards the corner.
	After this, the corners are also drawn out using a corner trowel.
	When the corner is completely formed, the marks left by the corner trowel are leveled with ordinary grout (trowel), using semicircular movements from the corner towards the main plane of the wall.
	The next layer of tinted mortar is applied in short strokes and carefully distributed in a counterclockwise circular motion. However, in this case, such an operation is carried out not until a homogeneous layer is created, but leaving in the area of the smear a thickness 1–2 mm greater than in the rest of the area of the wall onto which the mixture is stretched. In this case, when applying the solution to the surface, the trowel is held with both hands at an angle of 45º in a horizontal position. This stage of work will require 80÷100 grams of mixture per square meter of wall.
	Next, continuing to hold the trowel at an angle of 45º, make a surface leveling of the applied plaster using circular movements from right to left, without pressing too actively on it.
	Having completed such finishing on one section of the wall, they move on to the adjacent unfinished area. In this case, the application of the composition must be carried out so that no clear boundary is formed between the already set mixture and the newly applied one. The plaster is also applied in short strokes and stretched from greater to minimum thickness. Distribute the newly applied plaster towards the set one, also in a circular motion. External corners are finished using a corner spatula, in the same way as described above, and then removed with a regular flat trowel.
	After the last layer has dried after about 48 hours, water-based pearlescent enamel is applied. This operation is carried out using a sponge with large pores. The consumption of the coloring composition is usually on average 30÷50 grams per square meter of area. The enamel is applied in sections of approximately one square meter, and immediately after application it is rubbed until shiny with a soft cloth or a grater with a foam attachment. If the first layer of enamel is absorbed into the plaster and appears stained, then it is best to even out the coating with a second layer.
	There should be no bubbles or stains from the enamel on the wall, so the applied layer of paint must be rubbed down very carefully. Instead of enamel, also 48 hours after applying the last layer of plaster, tinted or transparent wax is often used. It can be applied using a trowel or rubber spatula.
	The wax applied in a thin layer is left until it sets. - it should not stick to your hands. Then the surface is rubbed with a soft flannel cloth or used for this grinder, putting a special soft nozzle with short pile on it and setting it to low speed.
	Sanding is done until the surface becomes uniformly glossy. The result of finishing the walls with Venetian plaster should look something like the one shown in the last illustration.

Everything is shown very simply and beautifully, but certain “misfires” may well occur the first time. No problem, your hand will get full. But in order for the work to be successful, and its result pleasing to the eye, it is necessary to choose exclusively quality tools and plastering compounds. And to help those choosing a good trowel for decorative plaster, see the video below.