Stuck plasterboard

In order to prepare the plasterboard surface to receive the finish (painting, wallpaper or tiles), the joints between the panels and the recesses of the screw heads used to fix the plasterboard on the aluminum profiles must be plastered.

In addition to the pure appearance, the grouting and in particular the reinforcement of the joints, serves to ensure also mechanical strength, continuity and stability to the slabs, in addition to creating a good thermal and acoustic insulation.

The plasterboard grouting operation requires a temperature ranging between 15-20 degrees (a temperature below 7-8 degrees reduces the workability time of the grout too much) and a humidity rate close to 55-60% (a humidity over 60% increases the workability time of the grout too much).

Stucco.

It can be in powder or paste ready for use; usable for welding joints, balancing the recesses caused by the heads of the panel fixing screws and for shaving (finishing operation to prepare the wall for painting, after a fixative coat, being a wall to be painted for the first time) .

Depending on the workability and drying times, the stuccoes are distinguished in:

• Quick-setting fillers: 3 hours of drying, 30 minutes of workability.

• Setting fillers: 6 hours of drying, 1 hour of workability.

• Drying stuccos: 12 hours of drying, 5 days of workability.

• Gypsum base fillers: only for specific jobs (repair cracks and breakages on the slabs).

How to grout in 7 steps:

• Place a covering cloth on the ground to prevent any residues of putty or paint from damaging the flooring and then with a damp cloth or brush, dusting the joints and the recesses of the screw heads.

• Pour the stucco into a bucket with water and then mix to obtain a homogeneous mixture and leave to rest for about 30 minutes.

Note: avoid adding grout once it has started to mix in order to avoid the formation of lumps!

• Put a sufficient amount of putty on an American trowel and then with the help of a 15 cm wide stainless steel spatula apply the same along the joints and the recesses of the screw heads.

Note: the irregularities present on the area affected by the grouting (dents, small cracks, etc.), will be equalized with the rest of the slab only after drying the first coat.

• After applying the grout layer on the joints, carefully place the micro-perforated paper tape over it, then drown it with a 15 cm wide stainless steel spatula (if necessary measure the length with a meter of the seam and cut the summer tape measure with a professional cutter).

Note: using a self-adhesive mesh tape it will be possible to avoid the initial putty coat. We proceed by laying the net on the adhesive side on the joints and then passing a coat of putty on. Using a 15 cm wide professional spatula, penetrate the grout into the joints through the webs.

• Dried out the first coat of putty, pass the second one and finally the finishing one.

Note: there is a trick to accelerate the finishing work that consists in passing, in a light and uniform way without pressure, a soft bristle brush soaked with water in the corners just treated. This action will allow to spread the grout without creating any accumulation or cracks. Remember to do this when the filler is neither too soft nor completely hardened.

• The stucco drying process is completed when the stucco has a uniform color, close to white, and no holes or depressions are created by pressing with the thumb of the hand.

• The construction in plasterboard is now ready to be sanded and to receive the finish (painting, wallpaper or tiles).

Tools and materials:

• Tore up

• Brush

• Plastic bucket

• mixer

• 15 cm wide professional spatula

• American trowel

• Metro (flexometer or folding wooden meter)

• Professional cutter

• Professional grinder

• Abrasive cloth

• File planer

• Ladder

• Water

• Stucco

• Micro-perforated paper tape

• Self-adhesive mesh tape

• Black bag 200g

• 4x4 cover cloth