Finishing 

How to properly seal the seams on drywall for a long time. How and how to seal the seams between sheets of drywall How to seal drywall

After the installation of drywall sheets, an absolutely flat and smooth surface is not obtained. The fact is that the sheets are joined during installation, and these joints require additional finishing to make everything even. But it's not only that. Sealing drywall joints helps to avoid cracking in the future. Without such sealing, cracks may appear on the finish coat. Proper execution of work eliminates many troubles in the future.

It looks like a wall with puttied joints

Sealing drywall seams with your own hands is carried out for a number of reasons. Only by understanding why such a procedure is needed, it will be possible to perform it correctly. Many simply mechanically carry out a series of works, without even thinking about the purpose of such actions. In fact, drywall grouting is performed for a number of reasons:

  • in order to protect the finish from cracks. Sealing drywall joints helps create a uniform surface, and it is with such a base that finishing materials should work;
  • to level the walls. It is clear that the GKL is already even, but often it is putty all over for future coatings. In this case, preliminary sealing of the seams is necessary;
  • to hide gaps due to curved walls. Before you seal the seams on drywall, you need to make sure that the material is laid as evenly as possible. But often the sheets are installed crookedly, which causes large gaps between the joints. They need to be closed;
  • in certain cases, puttying the edge prevents the penetration of moisture into the gypsum, which means that the sheets do not swell or crumble over time.

We carry out preparatory work

Before you seal the joints of drywall with a solution, you need to carry out a number of preparatory work. These works include the preparation of drywall sheets, the choice of working tools and putty.


 GKL with a semicircular edge is used as standard

Preparatory work on the joints is reduced to chamfering. A chamfer is needed in order to create a small indentation at the joints of the plasterboard. Putty will be placed in this recess, which will make the joint of sheets more durable and reliable.

The drywall sheet already has a factory longitudinal edge. You don't need to touch her. An edge is created with a knife only in those places where the gypsum component of the sheet is visible.

Puttying drywall seams with your own hands will require skills in creating an edge. To do this, the edge of the drywall sheet is cut with a wallpaper knife at an angle of 45 degrees, creating a recess. You can also simply chamfer with a special planer at an angle of 22 degrees. Chamfering is carried out before attaching drywall sheets to the surface. You can cut the edge with a knife already when the plasterboard is attached to the surface. The depth and width of the chamfer to be removed should be 5 mm.


You can cut the edge (chamfer) with a knife and a planer

To work, you will need the following tools:

  1. Flexible spatula 8 cm wide.
  2. Flexible spatula 10 cm wide.
  3. Rigid spatula 20 cm wide.
  4. Putty (Knauf Fugenfuller is suitable).
  5. Reinforcing tape.
  6. Clean bucket.
  7. Brush.

Many people wonder how to cover up drywall seams? You need to resolve this issue for yourself even before the drywall seams begin to be sealed. Properly selected putty is the key to further success. Usually putty company Knauf is used. Traditionally, the cheap and easy-to-use Fugenfuller is chosen. Sometimes Uniflot takes its place. You can choose something else if the future topcoat requires it.

Seam priming and mortar mixing

It is not enough to know how to putty drywall joints, because the primer also plays an important role. Priming deep penetration used to clean the surface as well as for better adhesion. With the help of a brush, all joints are smeared with a primer, and it doesn’t matter what edge they have (factory or home-made). The soil will serve as a link, a kind of glue, between drywall and putty. You need to wait until the primer dries completely.

The roller for priming the seams is not suitable, as it will not be able to penetrate into the gaps between the sheets of drywall.

Properly mixed putty will be the key to successful work. Fugenfuller is a popular drywall joint filler. However, not everyone chooses it because it dries quickly. Although this statement is doubtful, because you need to be able to knead the solution. First, you need to knead the solution in small portions, calculating your strength. Secondly, if everything is done correctly, then the putty will not dry out within 30-45 minutes. And this is quite enough for comfortable work.

The required amount of water is collected in a clean bucket (you need to look at the putty instructions) and then the finishing putty is added there. It should be poured as if it were flour. If you throw everything in a heap, then problem lumps are guaranteed. Many argue about the best way to seal the seams on drywall, without thinking about how they make this mixture.


 In the process of creating a mixture for sealing joints

After the putty is carefully poured into a container of water, it is mixed with a spatula. Using a mixer will cause the mixture to harden faster. Fugenfuller needs to be mixed a little so that all the putty is wetted, and then left to swell for 5-10 minutes. After that, the putty for sealing drywall joints is thoroughly mixed with a spatula, and all lumps are broken. The final mass should look like very thick sour cream. With the finished mixture, you need to start working immediately.

Sealing technology

Drywall seams are sealed using different spatulas. As a standard, the mixture is drawn with one spatula and superimposed on another. Or she is typed on one spatula and held in her hand. With the second spatula, putty is taken from the first as needed. This scheme allows you to work faster, without being distracted by constantly collecting the solution from the bucket.

Do-it-yourself puttying of drywall joints begins with filling the void between them. Many people like to work in haste, applying sickle or paper tape to the seams, and already a layer of putty on top. Although this technology speeds up the work, it is fraught with consequences.

If a thin-layer textured plaster is eventually applied to such a surface, then over time it will simply crack at the joints where voids remain. Also, with this method, problems may arise when cutting wallpaper in the corners, when pressure can cause the knife to fall into the void.

The first work will need a 20-centimeter spatula. It is used, since it is necessary to seal the seams between the sheets of drywall as quickly as possible. A lot of mortar is collected on its surface to fill the voids between the joints with it. The mixture is applied across the seams with a tool, trying to drive it into the joints as much as possible.


 Sealing drywall joints along the factory edge and manually made chamfer

It is necessary to completely fill the joints between the cut and the factory edge. In this case, you should not leave sagging on drywall. It must remain level. After that, you can putty all the screw heads with putty, you still need to give the solution time to dry. The putty will be drawn in a little and then even a hollow may form at the place of the seams.

This technology is used by those who want to know how to properly seal the seams in drywall. If you do not fill the voids with putty voids, but immediately apply the solution, and then the reinforcing tape, then as a result, tubercles may form at the joints. Therefore, voids are first puttied, and then paper tape or sickle is already applied.

Use of reinforcing tape

For many, plastering drywall joints using perforated paper tape is unacceptable. Like, it warps a lot, and the joints turn out to be crooked. To avoid this, the tape is dipped in water for a while. Then they take it out, remove excess water and glue the joints. Gluing begins with a cut seam.

To use paper tape or a special grid, everyone decides for himself. Who is comfortable and who is used to working with what. In any case, you should not immediately try to seal sections longer than 2.5 meters. This is very inconvenient and difficult.

Many are interested in the question of how to putty drywall seams with tape. Its use is a direct continuation of the above technology for filling joints with putty. When the solution dries, the seam will need to be covered again with a layer of putty. For this, a 20 cm spatula is used, on which the solution is applied with a 10 cm spatula.


 The tape sits as tightly as possible to the drywall

Sealing drywall seams with reinforcing tape will help make the joints more durable. To do this, a tape is applied exactly in the center of the joint to the newly applied putty. It is pressed against the drywall with an 8 cm spatula. It is with such a spatula that it is best to squeeze out the solution from under the tape. Also, such extrusion will align the tape if it has formed a wave somewhere. For this reason, gluing drywall seams starts from the corner. The exposed putty is stretched in all directions with a wide spatula. But the puttying of the drywall joints is not yet finished.


 After drying, there should be no hills

The tape is attached to the drywall, but it still needs to be covered with a layer of putty. Such a finish to the reinforcing tape. Putty is smeared with a thin layer at the joint, pasted over with tape. If everything is done correctly, then the bumps will not appear at the place of work.

When sheathing walls and ceilings with drywall, gaps inevitably remain between the sheets of material. And so that these gaps do not appear under paint or wallpaper, it is imperative that the drywall seams be processed with a special putty.

Sealing gaps in drywall is not particularly difficult, but at the same time it requires careful execution. In the article, we will describe in detail the sequence of grouting operations, and also focus on some of the nuances that affect the quality of the final surface.

Grouting on the ceiling

Preparatory work

Tools and materials for GKL putty

Before you begin work on preparing the skin for finishing, you need to decide how to cover up the drywall seams, as well as purchase the necessary tools.

The most commonly used for this operation are:

gap filling material

  • Putty for drywall. The most widely used materials are Fugenfüller, Uniflot, Fugenfitt, etc.
    They provide reliable fastening of the edges of the plasterboard and prevent cracking of the seam under the finish after the putty dries.

Note!
If you plan to apply interior paint over drywall sheathing, then it is better to use more expensive compositions to seal gaps and uneven walls.
For leveling the wall for wallpapering or decorative plaster you can use compositions, the price of which is in a cheaper segment.

  • Reinforcing tape-serpyanka. It is used for gluing the seam and preventing its damage.

Sickle ribbon

  • Metal corners. They perform the same function as the serpyanka, but protect the edge of the GKL more reliably.

What plasterboard seams are covered with, we figured it out, now you need to pick up the tools to complete this task:

  • We perform the procedure of filling the seam with a spatula. It is better to have several spatulas of different sizes on hand - this way it will be possible to carefully fill in small irregularities and process a large area.
  • To work with seams and crevices on the ceiling, we need a falcon - a special plate with a handle on the underside.
    On this plate, you can lay the putty mass, and gradually pick it up with a spatula to fill the cracks.

Falcon stucco

  • To grind the worn surface, a grater with an abrasive mesh is used.
  • To control how well we apply putty, we need a level. In this case, it is better to take an ordinary level with an air bubble, since a laser one is practically not suitable for this purpose.

So, we have something to grout drywall seams, ready essential tool- which means it's time to get to work.

Preparing seams for grouting

Before grouting the seams on drywall, they must be prepared in a special way - otherwise the grout will not penetrate the seam, which means it will not provide sufficient adhesion to the drywall sheathing material.

Ideally, preparation for grouting joints is carried out at the stage of sheathing:

  • After trimming, the edge of the drywall board is carefully processed with a peeling planer for drywall. This is done in order to ensure the most dense docking of the plates with each other.
  • When the edges are processed and leveled, we lay the slab on a flat surface and, using an edge planer, chamfer at an angle of 450. The width and depth of such a chamfer should be from 5 to 10 mm, depending on the thickness of the plasterboard.

Chamfering with a paint knife

  • We fix the chamfered slabs to the drywall frame with self-tapping screws, making sure that each slab is securely fastened.
    The greater the “free play” of the edge of the slab, the more difficult it is to fill the joint with high quality and the higher the likelihood of its cracking.
  • If we need to close up the cracks in the wall already sheathed with gypsum board, then the plasterboard joints are made using a paint knife. Having set the blade at the selected angle, we process the edges of the sheathing sheets, forming a v-shaped recess.
    After the chamfers at all joints have been removed, it is necessary to treat the surface of the wall or ceiling with a primer. Of course, you can do without this component, but a high-quality primer provides more effective adhesion of the putty to the gypsum core of the sheathing sheets.
  • When the primer is completely dry, glue all the joints with sickle tape. As a rule, fiberglass tape is produced with a self-adhesive coating, so its application should not cause any difficulties.

Gluing an embroidered seam with a sickle

  • The sickle is glued exactly in the middle of the joint, while sagging sections of the tape should not be allowed. The connection of several tapes must be overlapped, and the edges must overlap each other by at least 4-5 mm.

Advice!
Instead of a sickle tape, you can glue the joints with strips of gauze or paper. In this case, of course, the quality of the surface will be significantly lower.

  • Also, at the preparation stage, we glue all the internal and external corners of our drywall construction.
    An alternative to sickle, as we noted earlier, can be a perforated metal corner (pictured).

Protective corners

Processing joints of plasterboard sheathing

Putty preparation

For this:

Putty kneading

  • Pour into a clean container (it is best to purchase a box specially reassigned for this) tap water in the amount indicated by the instructions from the manufacturer of drywall putty.
    Water should be at room temperature.
  • Pour the dry component of the mixture into the water and mix the composition thoroughly using a drill with a special nozzle. The speed of rotation of the drill should not exceed 600 rpm.
  • Leave the mixture for 5 minutes, then mix again. The time of use of the putty prepared in this way is about 2 hours, therefore, with large volumes of work, it will be more rational to prepare the composition in several stages.

Note!
After the putty mixture has dried, adding water with repeated mixing of the composition is not allowed!

Seam putty

When the grout composition is ready, proceed to its application:

  • First we put enough on the falcon a large number of putty mass - so as not to run every minute to the box for a new portion.
  • Typing with a falcon spatula a small amount of composition, rub it into the gap between the gypsum boards. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the mixture is forced through the sickle cells. You can learn the technique of performing work on grouting from the video materials on the site.

Gap grouting on sickle

  • We continue to fill the gap between the GCR until the entire seam has been processed in its entirety. After the putty begins to set, take a wide spatula and remove the excess, leveling the layer.
  • Separately, we process irregularities in drywall sheets, their damage, as well as the places where self-tapping screws are attached to the frame.

After applying the putty, let it dry, and then repeat the operation, applying finishing layer. In the presence of significant irregularities or sufficiently wide gaps between the plates, the number of layers of putty can reach three, and sometimes four.

We level the finishing layer with a wide spatula, after which we necessarily control the surface plane with a level.

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Drywall is a versatile building material with many unique advantages. It allows you to implement extraordinary design solutions with your own hands and design any shape - from an oval to a polygon. It is easy to cut and easy to install. Sheets have absolute ecological cleanliness, are able to create excellent sound and thermal insulation. It does not matter what condition the original walls and ceilings are in, and how smooth their surfaces are. But how to close the seam between the sheets? we will talk about this in this article.


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General information about drywall

Only one drywall sheet is large enough to cover more than two square meters covering all defects and irregularities. When installing load-bearing structures, a space is formed between the base and the finished surface, sufficient for laying heat or sound insulation. Any finish can be applied to drywall: paint, wallpaper, decorative plaster.

But as soon as the last self-tapping screw is twisted, the problem arises of how to properly and how to seal the seams in drywall. This is worth worrying about, otherwise over time:

  • cracks form at the joints of the sheets;
  • lifetime finished construction will be much reduced;
  • the finish coating will deteriorate, and this will lead to additional cash costs.

As a result, if you do not ask a pressing question in a timely manner, instead of an exclusive element of the main decor of the room, you can get an unaesthetic "bun".

It happens that the seams are formed by themselves if the frame is not rigid enough. Mounting profiles are deformed under the weight of hl, and the edges of the attached sheets repeat their outlines. Another factor is the loss of linear dimensions of the structure as a result of a sharp temperature drop. Microscopic shifts will lead to the formation of cracks.

To avoid this, during the installation process, a gap of 1–2 mm is provided between the HL. In the worst case, the putty will crack, but the sheets themselves will remain intact. And it doesn't matter if the drywall is mounted on a metal frame, or glued to a flat wall. When developing instructions, global manufacturers recommend using technologies based on GOSTs and building codes.

Mesh and other materials and tools to seal the joints of the sheet


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Proper surface preparation


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First you need to check whether all the joints of the sheets are securely attached to the supporting frame and whether the heads of the self-tapping screws stick out. When puttying, the spatula will bounce on them, you will have to get dirty in the mixture, sinking the fasteners below the sheet level. Drywall, and even more so joints, should not have peeling paper, they must be cut off under the base and cleaned with sandpaper. If burrs and burrs are found, they are carefully removed with a construction knife.


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With the same tool, at the junctions of straight ends and cut out elements, where the gypsum part of the sheet is visible, the so-called. jointing - chamfer with an angle of 45 degrees, width and depth up to 5 mm. It will make the seams much stronger, because it will also be filled with putty mass. Significantly accelerates the application of chamfers edge planer. At the same time, the factory edges of the sheets do not require additional processing. Next, the dust and dirt formed during the installation process is cleaned. This is done with a vacuum cleaner or a regular dry cloth.

To improve adhesion, special primers are used. Butt joints are processed with a brush or roller 15 cm on the sides of the joint. A layer of soil prevents the process of destruction of drywall, because it protects it from dust, moisture and has antifungal components.

Preparation of putty mortar for gypsum joints

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When working with dry putty, it becomes possible to select the density of the solution. The consistency is considered optimal for application, at which the cone from the mixer on the surface does not fall off and does not spread. Then the finished composition adheres securely to the spatula, keeps well both on the wall and on the ceiling.

According to the instructions, the required amount of dry putty is placed in a specially prepared container, poured with water and stirred until smooth. If dust is formed, protective equipment must be taken care of. It is advisable to cook no more than 5 liters of the mixture at a time, since its so-called. the lifetime is only 30-40 minutes.

We cover the seams with a putty mixture

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The very technology of grouting hl is simple, and its observance gives an excellent result. To cover up, a portion of the putty is transferred with a type-setting spatula to a working spatula and applied with thick strokes across the gap, trying to fill its entire depth. A large thickness on the surface is a prerequisite, because excess putty mixture will not allow it to dry out much. If the length of the joint is significant, then it is convenient to work by dividing it into small sections. The heads of all self-tapping screws must be puttied with strokes in a crosswise direction.

To align the seam and prevent the formation of cracks, the so-called. bandaging - reinforcing tapes made of fiberglass or special paper are attached. Depending on the presence of an adhesive layer on the surface, they are used:

  • If the tape already has a self-adhesive layer, then before covering the drywall seams, it must be unpacked and, gradually unscrewing, stick on all joints.
  • If a self-adhesive layer is not provided, then, after the solution has already been applied, the tape should be sunk as deep as possible into its thickness. The perforated paper tape deserves attention here. Paper and drywall are related materials and work well together.

A wide spatula is used to rub the putty to obtain a flat, even surface. Corner elements are made using special devices - metal corners, corner-forming tapes, etc. After 8-12 hours of drying, the next layer of putty can be applied - covering, which will smooth out all the flaws identified during the first pass and make the seam stronger.


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On the ceiling, sealing the seams is a certain inconvenience, because the master has to constantly keep his head thrown back. It will be necessary to prepare the putty mixture a little thicker, otherwise it will drain from the spatula, and press harder with the tool itself in order to press the mass well into the gap on the ceiling. But when priming, you can not press hard with a roller on the plane of drywall, so as not to peel off its paper component.

Sanding drywall joints

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When the putty is completely dry, the seams are polished with an abrasive mesh or sandpaper. The goal here is to ensure that no defects are visible. The quality can be controlled by illuminating the grinding points with a spotlight. With its help, the smallest irregularities, depressions and bulges are revealed. If everything was done correctly, you will get a completely smooth surface. It is desirable to protect it from overdrying, hypothermia and waterlogging in the first three days after completion of work.

We close the seams of the hl with our own hands (video)

The video at the end of this article will help you better understand the topic.

Sealing drywall seams - an urgent problem interior decoration premises. This material is widely used for leveling the surface of walls and ceilings, as well as creating suspended ceilings and partitions, but an inaccurate joint of sheets can affect the appearance of the finish. Only knowledge of the principles and rules of preparation for finishing allows you to give the room the desired attractiveness.

Why seal the seams

The joints of drywall sheets are a problem area. Difficulties may arise during installation:

  1. The ends can crumble and break in the event of mechanical stress.
  2. The edges of the sheets at the junction are deformed (bent).
  3. With temperature changes, it changes its width, which leads to the appearance of cracks in the finish, swelling of the edges of the sheet.
  4. Moisture accumulates in an unsealed gap, which causes staining and peeling of the finish coat, as well as the formation of mold and fungi.
  5. Inaccuracies in the joint make the surface of walls and ceilings uneven.

Thus, the lack of proper sealing of the gaps between the sheets of drywall leads to damage to the finish coating, the gradual destruction of the material itself, and the deterioration of its appearance. It is important to seal the joints with high quality when preparing the surface for painting.

Sealing drywall joints includes several requirements:

  1. Proper installation of drywall. The exact location of the profiles and the rigidity of the frame play a paramount role. The joint must be in the middle of the U-profile platform (i.e. the edges must rest on a rigid platform), and the crate must have sufficient stability. Otherwise, the edges of the sheet will be deformed, and the seam will diverge from coating vibrations.
  2. Reliability of fastening drywall. The seam will diverge due to insufficiently strong fastening of the sheets to the frame profiles.
  3. Alignment accuracy. Any steps at the junction worsen the condition and quality of the seam.
  4. Width. The gap at the joint should not exceed 7-10 mm. A wide seam is more difficult to seal.
  5. The presence of a bevel. It is necessary to increase the area in the docking area and improve adhesion. Standard sheets with high-quality factory chamfer. Homemade processing is necessary after cutting drywall.

These requirements oblige to carry out the termination reliably and efficiently. Without it, it is impossible to ensure an attractive appearance and durability of the drywall construction.

Necessary materials

Drywall joints can be sealed using the following materials:

  1. paper tape. It is a reinforcing strip made of high-strength paper with fibrous additives. A longitudinal groove is made on the tape, which makes it possible to ensure an even bend when finishing corners. To increase the reliability of the primer, perforated options are available. famous brands paper reinforcing tapes - Knauf, Sheetrock, NextBuild.
  2. Serpyanka. This is a self-adhesive tape in the form of a grid of synthetic threads. Its main advantage is ease of use. Disadvantages - insufficient strength, tensile elongation, tendency to crack. Serpyanka is mainly used for longitudinal seams.
  3. putty. 2 types of putty are used - starting and finishing. The first type is needed to fill the gap, and the second to align the joint. The most famous is gypsum putty, sold in the form of a dry mix. In particular, high-quality material is manufactured by Knauf. Uniflot modifications have polymer additives that make it possible to increase the moisture resistance of the seams. Knauf Fugen putties are made especially for drywall.
  4. Primer. For drywall, an acrylic-type deep penetration primer is suitable. It is usually a white or colorless liquid that can be applied thinly with a brush or roller. High-quality primers are produced by Knauf - Tiefengrunt (to prepare for painting, wallpapering), Betokontakt (under the tile). You can use other materials - Ceresit 117, Universal.

Required Tools


The following devices are used to do the work with your own hands:

  1. Planer-rasp (peeling planer). It is intended for alignment and cleaning of edges of sheets. For drywall, peeling and edging tools are used. The first option is a metal block with handles that has a grater on the bottom. The second type is special knives that allow you to cut the chamfer at the right angle.
  2. Spatulas. For embedding, you need a wide, narrow, as well as an angled spatula. It is desirable to have a tool with a metal and rubber web. Wide spatulas have sizes - 45, 60 and 80 cm, and narrow - 15 and 25 cm. best quality the tool of the companies Kraftool, Ansa, Armero, Sheetrock, Storch differs.
  3. abrasive tool. For manual processing of sealed seams, an abrasive block, a block with fixation on a special device, and graters with a telescopic handle are used. The last option is suitable for ceilings. The most common finishing tool is sandpaper. For primary rough processing, coarse-grained paper of numbers in the range of 20-200 is needed, and for the final - fine-grained grades of numbers 250-2000.

In addition to the basic fixtures, additional and controlling tools will be required. For priming, paint brushes of different widths are needed. And you can correct the marginal flaws with a sharp knife. Need to control quality building level.

How to seal drywall joints: workflow


Sealing drywall seams includes the following steps:

  1. Training. Work begins with a thorough cleaning of the working area from dust and dirt with a brush. Burrs are removed with a knife.
  2. Stitching. When docking factory sheets, it is not required. From the cut, it is necessary to chamfer at an angle of 45 degrees. The chamfer size (width and depth) is 3-5 mm. It is better to use a planer, but you can also chamfer with a knife, being extremely careful.
  3. Primer. The composition should have a concentration convenient for application. If necessary, the mixture is diluted according to the attached instructions. The primer is applied with a paint brush in a thin layer. The entire seam is thoroughly smeared, as well as the surface of the sheet at a distance of 12-16 cm from the edge. To speed up the work, you can use a brush-brush or a narrow paint roller.
  4. Filling the seam with putty. After the primer has hardened, the putty mixture is pressed into the gap with a narrow spatula (preferably rubber). We must strive to completely fill the joints.
  5. Tape or sickle sticker. A reinforcing tape is glued to the filled seam. Perforated or sickle is pressed into the still uncured putty mortar. If a continuous paper tape is used, then a layer of glue is applied over the putty. You can use PVC. The tape is glued over the seam. The width is chosen so that it overlaps the gap by 3-5 mm. The recommended length of one piece of tape is no more than 3 m.
  6. Filling with putty. After hardening of all layers of sealing, the working area is leveled with putty. The solution is applied with a wide spatula and carefully leveled.
  7. Finishing the dried joint with an emery cloth. The final processing is carried out by finishing grinding with a sandpaper or a grinding tool. As a rule, manual grinding with an emery cloth in several stages is used. First, a rough sandpaper No. 50-80 is made. Stripping is carried out in small sections, the movement is carried out in one direction - from top to bottom. Further, the embedding is polished with fine-grained sandpaper No. 300-400 until the irregularities are completely eliminated. The seam must be completely level with the surface of the wall or ceiling. Grinding is done with neat circular motions, starting from the edge of the site and moving to the center of the joint.

Seal the seam with reinforcing putty without mesh or tape

Currently, special putties are being produced that allow sealing joints without additional reinforcement, i.e., without using tape or sickle. Such putty itself is able to perform a reinforcing function due to hardening additives. Among such materials, products under the Semin brand are especially noted.

Sealing drywall joints with reinforcing putty is carried out in the following order:

  1. Cleaning and stitching.
  2. Primer. It is applied similarly to the described technique, using similar mixtures.
  3. Putty. It is applied similarly to other putty mixtures with a spatula. Overlay is provided in 2 layers, and the second layer is superimposed after complete drying of the previous one. The top layer is carefully leveled.
  4. Grinding.

This sealing technology requires the selection of a good putty. Its features are indicated on the packaging, and in the name there is a reference to the fact that it is specifically designed for sealing drywall joints. The main advantage - no overlapping of tapes and simplification is required finishing. The disadvantage is the increased price.

The nuances of sealing seams at the corners

When sealing the joints of sheets in the corners, certain subtleties are taken into account:

  1. Inner corner. The seam in it is sealed with paper reinforcing tape or sickle. The technology is very similar to sealing joints on the surface. Puttying is done with a spatula from 2 sides. First, the solution along the entire length of the seam is applied along one wall. Then, the direction is changed by the tool, and a similar operation is carried out along the adjacent wall. A tape is applied to the putty, which folds in half.
  2. outside corner . For its decoration, a plastic (PVC) or metal (most often aluminum) corner is used. It has a perforation, which allows you to securely fix it with a putty mixture. To increase the strength, the corner can be additionally fixed with self-tapping screws.

When finishing corners, puttying is best done with an angled spatula. Such a tool allows you to provide an even, right angle.

Drywall is widely used in finishing works. The problem is the presence of seams between the sheets. Proper grouting gives the surface an attractive appearance and ensures that the finish will withstand the operating conditions. Embedding can be done with your own hands, but for this you need to know how to choose the right material and do the work, taking into account the recommendations of specialists.

How well you cope with such a task as sealing drywall joints depends on the stability of the future structure and its appearance. If the seam is processed incorrectly, then over time:

  • cracks or a fine mesh of them will appear in this place;
  • the service life will be greatly reduced;
  • the finish coating will be damaged, and this, of course, will entail additional spending of money.

And if the sealing of drywall joints will be carried out according to technology and using quality materials, then you will never have to spend your family budget on reworking the final repairs in the apartment.

Drywall joints can be processed in many ways. We will tell you the most popular and correct. Those that are carried out according to approved technological processes, in accordance with GOSTs, methods and building regulations. Their list is given at the end of the article.

It does not matter if you need to seal the joints of drywall, which is mounted on a metal frame, or glued to a flat wall. It is important to follow the process.

Conditions for the performance of work on sealing butt joints

In order to save the money, effort and time earned, several requirements must be met before starting work:

  1. The surface to be treated must be cleaned.
  2. The reinforcing tape in its width must correspond to the dimensions of the seam.
  3. All fastener heads should be sunk into the sheet so that they do not stick out.
  4. GKL on the surface, and even more so at the joints, should not have delaminations. The presence of such a flaw suggests that you need to cut off the paper at the very base and carefully clean this place with an emery cloth.
  5. Check the reliability of the fastening of the sheets and the quality of the installation of the frame.
  6. Create a favorable microclimate in the room:
  • humidity should be normal, since under other conditions the GKL will change its linear dimensions;
  • the temperature should be maintained at least +10 ° C, and this indicator must be maintained for the entire period of work and for the drying time of the finishing putty (in winter time temperature indicators should be within +13 - +20 ° С);
  • drafts, sudden heating of the room or cooling are unacceptable during the production process.

Sealing seams with sickle

Fiberglass mesh, professionals call it serpyanka, is made with an adhesive layer. It is designed for sealing butt joints drywall sheets, gluing seams, cracks on repaired surfaces. Serpyanka well absorbs moisture. After interaction with the putty and final drying, it gives a single strong reinforced plane.

Mesh characteristics are shown in this table.

Let's consider how to seal the seams on a drywall construction with a fiberglass mesh with your own hands. It is not worth mentioning once again that the surface must be cleaned not only from dirt, but also from dust. Do not disturb the microclimate in the room. The process itself will consist of the following steps:

  1. Seam stitching.
  2. Joint primer.
  3. Surface putty.
  4. Fiberglass mesh sticker.
  5. Re-spackling.
  6. Grinding of butt joints.
  7. Cleaning the surface from dirt and dust.

End joints for any type of seam sealing must necessarily have a chamfer. For this purpose, a special device is used - an edge planer. This tool will chamfer at an angle of 22.5 o for 2/3 of the thickness of the sheet, which is quite enough for this type of work. Using a planer is much more convenient, and the process is much faster.

It is also acceptable to use a knife in this procedure. True, he chamfers at an angle of 45 about. But this is quite enough for high-quality performance, only you need to work more carefully and take your time. It doesn't matter what you cut with - what tool you have, work with it.

Beveling on a cut of drywall should certainly be done. This will be needed so that putty can be laid in the resulting recess. This procedure will significantly strengthen the design of the partition or wall.

If you do not do this, then when puttying on the cut, you will get a tubercle, which will have to be leveled with a thicker layer of finishing putty. And that will lead to more spending. building material and higher labor costs. If the layer is thin, then during operation the seam will crack, since a violation of the technology for sealing drywall joints was initially allowed.

The slightest deviation from the technology leads to the formation of cracks on the surface of the finish and entails unforeseen costs in impressive amounts.

Experienced specialists in such circumstances say that the miser pays twice. And, unfortunately, in practice this is a very common case of violation of technology.

Joint primer

Now you should start priming the joints. To do this, we need a special composition bearing the same name. It can be bought in specialized stores. The primer composition is well absorbed into the material, an invisible film is formed, which has excellent connecting properties, adheres surfaces. This water-soluble mixture impregnates only the top layer of drywall and does not penetrate inside.

During the subsequent surface treatment, the cardboard itself will draw water from the solution or glue into itself, thereby deteriorating the adhesion of the material. And the primer layer will prevent this process, since the film does not allow moisture to pass through, does not allow dust to get on the surface to be treated, and even has antifungal components.

The layer thickness must be at least 0.03 mm, and it can be applied:

  • with a regular brush;
  • maklovitsa - a special brush;
  • roller;
  • garden sprayer.

For convenience, the solution can be poured into a cuvette. And if the volume of the used container of the primer is small, use it by dipping the brush directly there.

Manufacturers offer us three types of primer composition:

  1. Phenolic mixture. It is mainly applicable to work with wood and metal. But it can also be used as the first layer of soil for a drywall construction.
  2. Alkyd mixture. Not suitable for drywall. This composition causes deformation of the cardboard layer of the sheet. The paper peels off, and bubbles are obtained, which then burst, hanging on the surface in tatters. It is clear that there is no need to talk about any strength of a clean finish.
  3. Acrylic (universal) mixture. Ideal for drywall, used both before and after puttying.

When choosing a primer mixture, pay attention to one of the parameters - it must be for interior work. facade mix contains harmful substances that are prohibited for use in residential areas.

GKL, treated with a special primer mixture, lasts longer, does not lose its aesthetic appearance and properties. In addition, the putty on the primed plane lies more evenly.

Puttying seams

This type of work is required to level the surface. According to our method, we will do this twice, then the joint between the sheets will become even, smooth and with good adhesive properties.

For work, we need dry or powdered putty. It is diluted strictly according to the instructions before being applied to the surface. It is impossible to prepare the composition for future use in large volumes - it dries quickly and you will have to throw away unclaimed material, as it will become unsuitable for work.

There are some subtleties here. If you are diluting the mixture in large quantities, for example, you will process a large amount of surface and you have many workers, then when using a construction mixer for mixing, do not use high speeds. This method involves a lot of additional air in the composition, and its excessive amount has a bad effect on the strength of the final product.

If you are diluting a small amount, then pour the dry powder into the water until islands form on the surface of the water and stir gently. The color of the putty can be beige or gray. This indicator does not affect the strength of the material.

Two spatulas are required for work:

  • wide (25-30 cm),
  • narrow (7-8 cm).

A layer of putty is applied to the joint with a narrow spatula in such a way that the composition can penetrate deep, you can drown it a little - press it into the seam. In this case, you should not feel sorry for the solution, but you also do not need to show fanaticism. The remains can not be removed yet, because a grid will then be glued on them. Surplus will be removed at another stage of work.

Do not forget about the places on the drywall where the screw heads are screwed in - they also need to be puttied.

Processing the joint with fiberglass mesh

After applying the putty mortar to the joint, you need to attach the tape to the seam. It is better to measure it in advance along the length, or you can do it during work, but this is when there is an assistant nearby. Serpyanka is well cut with scissors. Using a spatula, firmly press it along the entire length to the joint.

The tape must be applied strictly in the center of the seam. If one piece is over, overlap the next one and keep going.

Using a wide spatula, go over the surface you are processing again and at the same time remove excess putty. Now it takes time for the joints to dry.

Second coat of putty

The top coat can be applied to the joints when the surface is dry. To do this, you need to wait from 8 to 12 hours. The second pass will remove all the flaws that were missed earlier and make the seam stronger.

It is necessary to achieve a minimum covering layer - so that the junction cannot be determined by eye.

But if this did not work out, there is the next stage in the technology of work.

Sanding drywall joints

Grinding the areas we need is done with ordinary sandpaper, an abrasive mesh, which are fixed on a special bar, or with a special abrasive grater. What you choose - decide for yourself.

Sandpaper is not very convenient to use, but you can stuff it on a bar - and then it will become much more convenient to work. Sandpaper during operation is constantly clogged with dust, so you have to constantly clean it. You can buy material in the store in rolls or cut into pieces. An important indicator for the purchase of this product is grain size. You can start work with P100-P180, this is a larger option, and finish with P 220-P280.

The abrasive mesh has a perforated structure and most of the dust passes through the holes. It is mounted on special holders, the change of grids can be done at your discretion. In stores, already cut into pieces is sold. It is convenient to work with such a tool, however, it costs a little more than sandpaper.

Think not only about the material, but also about yourself. The work you want to do now with your hands is very dusty. Therefore, you will need:

  • respirator;
  • gloves;
  • special glasses;
  • protective clothing.

The room must have good lighting, otherwise you will not be able to see the defects that need to be fixed.

If there are no practical skills in this process, first try to sand the joint in a small area. This is done in a circular motion. Capture a small area at the same time and control the pressure. If scratches appear on the surface, change the material number to a smaller one or reduce the pressure. After the work has been done, all dust and dirt will need to be removed.

By working on this technology, you will get an alternation of layers: putty, sickle, putty. This combination is made according to the approved technology and gives a good effect. The junction is flush with the surface of the sheet and is difficult to determine by touch.

Sealing drywall joints with perforated paper tape

Now let's look at how to seal the butt joints on the GKL using perforated paper tape. In principle, the technology is the same as described above. Having a clean surface and observing the permissible microclimate in the room, you have to perform the following steps:

  1. Expand the seams.
  2. Prime joints.
  3. Spatulate them.
  4. Attach perforated paper tape.
  5. Apply a top coat of putty.
  6. Sand the butt joints.
  7. Clean the surface from dirt and dust.

The first, second and third points are carried out using the same technology as described in the "" section, so the information indicated there will be useful for this type of joint processing. But on the fourth point we will stop and talk about this material in more detail.

Processing the joint with perforated paper tape

This material is a strip of paper on which there are:

  • micro-holes, it is they who do not allow the tape to swell and bubble;
  • marking line in the middle, which serves for convenience and simplification of the workflow, especially for finishing internal corners premises.

Perforated paper tape for drywall prevents cracking at the joints of the sheets. Its physical and chemical properties are identical to drywall, it reacts to any changes in temperature and humidity in the same way as it does. This means that deformation in the seams treated with this material is excluded.

The paper tape is presented to the consumer in rolls, width 52 mm, sold in lengths of 50, 76 and 153 m. An environmentally friendly material that is produced on the basis of cellulose. It is made of extra strong paper reinforced with fiberglass in the longitudinal and transverse directions. Its surface is slightly rough to the touch. This helps to better bond with putty.

The internal structure with the presence of microscopic holes does not allow air inclusions to form during operation. If you tear off a small piece of paper tape, you can see how long the fibers are. This means that it holds a high load at break.

True, it is worth considering that the tape should fit snugly enough on the putty layer to the seam, not have bends and bubbles. Therefore, the putty solution should not be thick at all. You can also avoid the appearance of bubbles by using a micro-perforated tape.

According to the technology, a tape that has been pre-moistened in water should be sculpted at the joints with cut edges. The process is more laborious than with sickle, the installation method differs from the mentioned technology and has some nuances.

The tape itself is not self-adhesive, which means it is applied to the putty layer. Pre-soak the measured pieces in boiling water for five minutes. Take out one and squeeze excess water. To do this, the material must be passed between the thumb and forefinger of either hand, thereby removing excess moisture from it.

Adjust the tape to the center of the joint and, in a taut position, lightly press into the putty. Adjacent ends must overlap. Gently pass the tape along the tape with a spatula - from the center to both ends alternately.

You need to apply some pressure for proper bonding, but do not overdo it so as not to squeeze a layer of putty out from under the tape. A layer of 1.5-2 mm should remain under its middle part, and 0.8 mm under the edges. Now you can use a spatula to remove excess mortar along the longitudinal edges.

Then you need to wait until the joints dry, putty them a second time and leave again for 8-12 hours. Do not forget - the necessary microclimate must be observed in the room.

After the seams are dry, you need to sand their surface. How to do this and with what, is described in the section "", in the subparagraph "".

The need to perform these works

The work described above is, of course, labor-intensive, and a certain amount of the family budget has to be spent on them. But nothing can be done. After all, puttying drywall joints is just as necessary as a metal profile and its high-quality installation.

Forgetting to putty the seam or deciding to save on it preparatory stage money, one day you will find a small crack in your apartment, which will increase in size. No matter how rigidly the frame is installed and the sheets are not securely fastened, under the influence of vibrations, unforeseen shocks, the joints of the plasterboard will “play”. Which will certainly lead to their cracking and loss of dried putty, since the owner did not use a reinforcing tape.

Violation of any of the existing technologies leads to poor-quality performance of work, and subsequently to a shorter service life of all materials involved. Which is fraught with additional costs of money and time.