Choosing a rule for plastering walls

When plastering walls, even an experienced professional can not do without a rule. Thanks to this simple tool, it becomes possible to carry out precise finishing work, to achieve perfectly smooth walls or floors. It would not seem at first glance even this simple tool is fraught with a lot of tricks when choosing and working. We’ll talk about this today.

Tool purpose

The rule for plaster is the most convenient for use and has two main functions:

Surface smoothness control.
Leveling mortar screed or on the walls.

Initially, the rules were made of wood, but in fact it was disposable, since the tree quickly absorbed moisture and was deformed. The rule for plaster began to be actively used after the 2000s, when builders realized that this tool is much more practical, since it can be used several times, despite the fact that its price is slightly higher than its wooden counterpart.

Dimensions

The footage of a tool found on sale may vary significantly. The minimum size is 1-1.5 meters. You can find a 2-2.5 meter rule, which will be more convenient to use for spacious rooms. A tool whose length is 3 meters is used to work with an assistant. There are rules for creating the right inside corners.

The rule for plasters with steel edges can be divided into a separate group of tools. Such a tool is much more reliable than one made of aluminum, and it lasts 10 times longer. Its price, respectively, is several times higher.

The cost of the tool is very diverse. It depends on its size, material, manufacturer, purpose. The price varies from 200 to 3000 rubles.

How to choose a rule for plaster?

Before you make a purchase, you need to study what tools are used for what. For example, h-shaped rules are used for internal work with light solutions. Trapezoidal apply to solutions containing cement, they will go for outdoor work.

To work with screeds, you must choose a rule for plaster with a rectangular cross section. It is useful for plastering walls, but it will not work very conveniently. If you plan to work with cement mortars, then it is better to purchase a rule with several working edges. This will significantly extend its service life.

To achieve a perfectly flat surface, a trapezoidal shape is well suited. It is advisable to choose a long rule equipped with a sharp edge. It is convenient if at the same time a level is mounted. Thanks to him, the rule will become more functional, it will be possible to easily bring out smooth surfaces. Before buying, pay attention to the surface of the material. It should not contain shells, chips, yellow tint. All these shortcomings will certainly affect the evenness and smoothness of the processed surface.

The aluminum rule should have a characteristic aluminum sheen. If it is not, then you have a low quality product that you do not want to purchase.

Pay attention to the longitudinal semicircular furrow: its presence makes the device more durable and convenient. There can be two such furrows. This is a big plus, since two stiffeners will allow the surface to be brought out more evenly. If large loads are planned, preference should be given to models that also have internal stiffeners. These are professional tools suitable for permanent use at large construction sites.

To align the walls and screed floors, it is better to use a rule with a level. It will greatly simplify the tasks of the wizard. If you have to work with beacons, then the length of the tool is selected more than the distance of the beacons from each other.

Tip: if you are not going to remove the beacons, then when using them on the walls, you should not buy steel without coating. Over time, they absorb moisture and oxidize, resulting in yellow stains on the walls.

As a rule, check the evenness of the wall?

In order to check how smooth the wall is, you need to use the rule for plaster. It is advisable to use a variety with a level, this will help to make amendments immediately. To detect irregularities on the wall, a tool is passed along it. If the gap becomes noticeable somewhere, then the wall is curved. Editing should be done over the entire surface of the wall.

The built-in level will help control the slope of the wall. Alignment is carried out on wet plaster, cutting off its excess. In order to do this smoothly, it is necessary to set up special rails and beacons in advance. They are determined using the building level, having previously found the ideal plane. The quality of plastering as a whole depends on how smoothly the beacons are installed.

What are lighthouses made of?

You need to start with the slopes of windows or doors. Attach rails to them for orientation, this should not be done close. The distance you need to choose based on the width of the wall. Make sure that it does not exceed the length of the rule by which you will level the plaster.

Material of beacons and their design:

Made of wood. They are inexpensive, but a significant drawback is unsuitability for work with high humidity, as this will quickly swell the lighthouses and deform. If their shape is broken, it will not work to level the wall qualitatively
Of metal. Distinguish between various options for such beacons. They can be made of steel or galvanized. The profile in this case is tough. Beacons made of metal will not get wet and do not deform, but care must be taken not to bend them accidentally. When using such products, it is better to use a profile.
If industrial lighthouses are not at hand, fragments of tile or brick can be used, gravel or other small stones will do. This method can be used if it is not possible to install rails.
You can apply individual fragments of the solution: it is left on the work surface at any distance convenient for the master. In order to make the wall even, experience is required. This method is usually not applicable for residential premises, since the quality of execution is usually low.

Variety and features of models

The name of the tool itself shows what it is needed for. Using the device for plastering, you can correctly perform the steps to create a perfectly smooth surface during the execution of the manipulations associated with applying the stucco mixture. The device is a completely flat trapezoidal rail.

By applying it to the plastered wall, you can even detect minor defects in the form of protrusions or dips. As a rule, wall plastering makes it possible to correct all flaws discovered and prepare the walls for further processing.

The rule used for wall plastering can be made from:

stainless steel and have a rectangular shape,
from a wooden bar or lath using the most durable types of wood.

Aluminum is selected as the starting material for the manufacture of the tool due to its low weight and high strength characteristics. Such products are reliable and durable. In addition, the abundance of moisture in the plaster forces to abandon the wooden tool, because after drying such a rail loses its original shape.

Impregnation of such troubles helps impregnation of a reiki made of wood, with special compounds or drying oil well known to all. In some cases (when working with a solution with minimal humidity), a wooden tool is more convenient and reliable.

The most popular models to date are equipped with a spirit level.

A specific feature of the rule used in wall plastering is its size. Modern manufacturers produce products with a length of:

These are the most frequently used and most suitable sizes for fixtures with which the plastering of walls is carried out under the rule. The device of the greatest length is necessary not only when plastering, but also when checking the quality of the work performed. With this device it is convenient to check the diagonal of the created surface to eliminate undetected irregularities.

It is possible to eliminate the revealed defects after plastering was performed using the same rule. The sharp edge of the excess semi-dry solution is cut from the wall.

For these purposes, it is best to use a device equipped with a steel edge. It is not subject to deformation and, despite a slight weighting of the tool, makes it convenient, reliable and versatile.

Distinctive features and features

There are several essential details without which the creation of an ideal wall surface would be impossible:

Quality material used to make the tool. When buying, you need to pay attention to the appearance of the product. There should be no paint on its surface.
The color should be bright metallic without spots and stains.
The working surface is flat, smooth, without chips and chipping.
The quality rule has stiffeners that guarantee long-term use of the tool, the absence of deformation and its resistance to mechanical damage.

Many models are equipped with plastic plugs, removing which you can make sure in the store that there are stiffeners that guarantee the strength and durability of the product.

The choice of the rule depends on the place in which the plastering is to be performed:

For wall plastering outside the building, a device with a rounded thin edge of the working surface is used.
For internal - with a sharp edge.

Choosing a rule for applying plaster with your own hands, it is necessary to observe several mandatory conditions, according to which the tool should be lightweight, durable, absolutely even. It is advisable to purchase a device equipped with a spirit level, but the main thing is to conduct a preliminary plastering in order to acquire certain skills.

The choice of tool depends on the features of the room in which to work:

In rooms of a small area with complex geometry, a rule is used, the length of which is from 1 to 1.5 m. It is easier for them to work in tight spaces and to align small sections of walls.
Using a device from 2 to 2.5 m long, it is convenient to plaster large areas. On the walls in such rooms, the lighthouses are installed at a distance of at least 1 m. During the application of the plaster mixture, the working edge of the rule freely rests on the beacons on both sides, without clinging to adjacent walls.

Procedure for performing manipulations and rules for using the tool

The technique of wall plastering provides for preliminary preparation of the surface, including:

cleaning from the previous coating,
antiseptic treatment,
primer impregnation,
installation of building beacons.

To align and apply the stucco mixture according to all the rules, you will need to use the building level and prepare gypsum plaster to fix the beacons, as shown in the photo:

If you are going to use the rule 2 m long when aligning the wall at least 5 m long, begin the installation of beacons from the far corner, departing from it at least 50 cm.
The second beacon is fixed at a distance of exactly 1 m from the first.
The distance between all the others does not change.

Work on lighthouses is possible only after the gypsum mixture has completely dried.

After the gypsum composition, on which the metal strips are installed, completely hardens, you can begin to prepare the stucco mixture directly and apply it to the wall surface. When processing large areas, it is better to do this using a spray gun for plastering.

A mixture intended for plastering internal surfaces consists of sand and cement, combined in a 4: 1 ratio. Water is added depending on which layer of the mixture is to be applied to the surface. The plaster consists of 3 layers:

Spray To create it, a rather liquid solution is used, with the help of which reliable adhesion of the composition to the wall surface is ensured. For its application, equipment such as a plaster sprayer can be used.
The soil is applied strictly after the first layer has completely dried. This is the main layer of thickness of the plaster. It can be applied in several steps, as shown in the photo.
The final, thinnest, 2 mm layer is a coating. To create it, you will need a solution that is not as thick and durable as the soil, which is smeared on a level surface and smoothed with a falcon or a half.

The last of several layers of soil can be applied with a trowel.

Rule work

They begin to manipulate the rule by filling the gap between the first and second beacons with the mixture, leaving the distance from the corner to the first beacon empty. It’s not enough to know how to install beacons correctly, you need to know how to plaster and how to use the rule. Having covered the wall with a spray, let it dry completely, after which on this site they begin to create the next layer - soil.

It is created using a special bucket or trowel. The application starts with flip-flops from the floor. The height of the layer is not more than 1 m. Slap should be made dense and frequent enough, without fear of the formation of excess solution in the treated area. After completing the application of the mixture, the rule is applied to the wall so that it firmly rests on two beacons on both sides.

The rule cannot be pressed down strongly, but the clip must be strong enough.

Excess solution from the surface of the rule is discarded into the container in which the main solution is located. Before the next manipulation, the rule must be thoroughly moistened with water so that particles of the stucco mixture do not linger on its surface. Plastering is performed by filling sections of the wall between the beacons, leaving the corners in the end.

If during plastering, cavities or irregularities remain on the surface, a small layer of the solution is again thrown on it to the places where the flaws are found. After that, they use the rule again, achieving real quality. After completion of work, you need to smooth, wipe the even surface, applying a thin layer of the solution to it - a coating. You can carefully study the order and features of performing all the manipulations when plastering walls on lighthouses using the rule by watching the video.

What is a rule and its scope

The word "rule" in meaning is similar to the word "sample" (with which they compare or by which something is done). Its other meaning is the tool of labor, which performs corrective or ruling work. And in fact, this tool is universal.

It is used for:

checking the correctness of the geometric shape of the structure or position in space (in conjunction with the spirit level or weight),
leveling (for example, when laying tiles),
leveling plaster or screed,
creating mortar beacons,
markings when it is required to draw a straight line of large length,
stop glass cutter when cutting glass.

People with skillful hands will easily find use for this wonderful assistant. Our task is to provide information about the application of the rule for plastering walls. However, it is useful not only for plastering.

Varieties

In form (section or design), the rule for plaster is of four types:

h-shaped (sometimes referred to as H-shaped)
rectangular
trapezoidal
angular.

In addition to these types, you can find a gear tool (a subspecies of an h-shaped). The features of the shape of each type determine the strength and physical characteristics, as well as the scope.

To figure out which type is best suited to your goals, we will analyze each of them.

H shaped rule

The most lightweight design. The profile shape resembles a trowel. The low consumption of material required for manufacturing, determines the small weight of the gun itself. When working with this type of hands get tired less, and, therefore, the plaster can work longer.

The handle fits comfortably in your hands, especially when leveling the plaster from the bottom up. However, if the thickness of its edge were larger, it would be more convenient, and the load on the fingers is less concentrated. The cutting edge is quite sharp. It is easy, convenient to trim the sag that occurs when the solution is applied to the surface or as a result of its creeping under its own weight (which sometimes happens after alignment).

Apply this tool to work with light plasters, mainly - gypsum. Therefore, for front stucco work on lighthouses such a tool is unsuitable, but is suitable for leveling thin-layer decorative plasters.

Trapezoid

The popular trapezoidal profile has greater rigidity than the h-shaped one. The scope of such a tool extends to plastering work in rooms and on facades, since it is precisely with them that heavy mortars can be leveled.

The closed hollow trapezoidal profile has a narrow calcaneal part and two walls: one with a fracture of the profile at an obtuse angle, and the second with a groove. The pointed end of the cutting edge copes well with trimming mortar flows. And the strength of the strap provides a longitudinal stiffener in the form of a cylindrical groove.

The gutter makes it easy to grip the instrument with your hand. The smooth surface of the plank on the other hand makes it easy to clean it with a spatula from mortar. There are also tools with grooves on both walls. They are most convenient to hold with your hands. Trapezoid heavier than h-shaped.

Even tougher profiles are also available. One or two longitudinally running tubes are placed inside the trapezoid. This increase in strength is justified with a large gun length. Typically, two plasterers work with long tools at once when grinding or leveling the mortar layer as a rule when plastering without beacons.

Rectangular

The simplest configuration is a rectangular profile. With this rule, cutting off the solution on the walls is inconvenient. It is intended, rather, for leveling concrete screeds. It is equipped with a bubble level. However, the level usually does not last long, since the instrument used is often subjected to shock, and the bubbles are knocked down due to vibration.

It is inconvenient for such a tool to control the geometric evenness of plastered surfaces in the light.

Cogwheel

Another tool with a narrow scope. Has an h-shaped profile. It features a notched cutting edge.

Designed for applying stucco-adhesive composition. It has the same disadvantages as the h-shaped one. Sometimes equipped with a bubble level.

Corner

A tool with an angular shape is suitable only for leveling the plaster when plastering the corners. Two shoulders make a right angle between them.

Rectangle also allows you to control the correctness of the executed angles, but, except for the functions already indicated, it is not suitable for anything else. For those who do not plaster professionally, such a device after finishing work is useless.

The presence of stiffeners

A long tool during operation experiences a load from a displaced mortar, having only two points of support - the hands of the plasterer. At such a moment, torques arise, which only a rigid structure can withstand. Therefore, stiffening ribs are a necessary part for a lightweight thin-walled aluminum tool. Without them, the tool cannot cope with heavy cement plaster masses.

In addition to the above options with tubes in the cavity, there are models with internal longitudinal partitions. You can verify the presence of stiffening ribs in models at the ends of which there are removable plugs. Do not miss this part when making a choice if you are counting on the durability of the product.

Geometry correctness

The rule applies to precision tools, so it must have the correct geometry. First of all, all the longitudinal faces of the product and, above all, the cutting edge should be straightforward. Checking straightness is quite simple. You will need a plane with suitable dimensions and a simple pencil or marker.

With the correct staff attached to the plane, draw a line along the cutting edge (as in a ruler). Turning the rail and applying it on the other side of the drawn line, draw a second straight line along it. The lines should match perfectly. If there is a divergence of lines, the working edge of the rail has the wrong geometry. This is a marriage.

In addition, the flat edges of the slats should be really flat (without torsion and waves). Including heel. You can check it similarly or visually by looking at the edge from the end. A constant cross-section of the profile along the entire length of the product must also be maintained.

Production material

An aluminum tool with such a variety of profiles has appeared relatively recently. Previously, the rule for plastering was made of wood. It was a rectangular rail. Since it is common for a tree to absorb water and swell, as well as to become unevenly deformed when wet and dried, the wooden regular slats were protected from water by soaking with drying oil. Such products have served longer.

Mostly aluminum alloy tools are on sale. This metal has a low specific gravity (which is good when working). You can also meet the rule of aluminum, equipped with a steel insert.

Yes, such a tool can last three times longer. But its cost is also three times higher. Which option to choose is up to you.

You should carefully consider the quality of the metal. Since the surface of the material is not covered with paint, the quality is visible to the naked eye. A high-quality alloy has an aluminum luster, does not contain shells and other flaws, and does not have yellowish shades.

Application area

The rule is used to perform several types of work:

Laying ceramic tiles. The rule helps to remove excess glue and correctly install the tiles. Moreover, its use significantly reduces the operating time.
Wall treatment putty. The tool in this type of work can be used instead of a large spatula. And this is much more convenient, because using the rule you can cover large spaces.
Leveling concrete screeds and bulk floors. Using the rule will allow you to quickly process the floor than other devices.
Wall treatment with cement and gypsum plaster, with lighthouses and without lighthouses. In these works, it is very difficult to manage without a rule; with it, the walls will turn out to be of high quality.

Choosing a plaster rule, you need to take into account some nuances: what repair work to be done, indoors or outdoors. If inside the house, how spacious they are, and whether they have complex architectural elements. The rules are made of different materials and vary in type of construction.

Drawing and leveling

When the primer is completely dry, providing perfect adhesion to the surface of the material, you can begin the process of plastering the walls. It consists of three stages - spray, soil and coating:

The first layer should not be too thick, about the consistency of sour cream.
Soil is the second layer, and it is applied with a spatula or trowel.
The solution is sprayed in the form of dense blots, not sparing the plaster, it is better to have it in excess.

The next step is a rule. Here the builder will appreciate the quality of the tool, because alignment is the most crucial moment and almost the final stage, not counting the last finishing touches.

The rule movement between the lighthouses starts from the bottom up. After all the planned spans have been completed, you need to check if there are dents or, on the contrary, tubercles on the surface. In the presence of holes, you need to again throw the plaster and go through the rule again to reach a perfectly flat wall.

If there are tubercles, you need to trim and clean the wall from them, then again work as a rule. It’s better to do all this right away, since it will be more difficult to work with dried plaster.

Important points to pay attention to when working with a rule:

To avoid damage to the tool, do not press it too far against the wall when you need to cut off excess plaster. Excess solution is easily removed by the end of the tool. If you work with a wide plane, the rule will bend, and the wall will not work perfectly smooth.
In the process, the rule must be cleaned of adhering pieces of plaster and moistened with water. This will save later from redoing the defective areas.
After work, the tool must be looked after. If the repair work is currently completed, you need to clean the tool, wash it with water, wipe it dry. The frozen material will then have to be scraped off, which can lead to damage to the rule, which means that when working with it the smooth surface will not work out.

At the final stage, after the walls have completely dried, you should check how smooth they are. For this purpose, the rule is applied in different places on the surface. The absence of gaps between the rule and the surface indicates that the whole process is carried out correctly.

What are lighthouses for?

Lighthouses can be made of different materials and represent a different design. When working with a rule, in most cases beacons are used, which help to put the plaster more efficiently and evenly.

Different beacons are used in the work:

Wooden the cheapest. But during intensive work with high humidity they quickly lose their shape. They are suitable if you have to do a very small amount of work.
Metal lighthouses when working with the rule are the most convenient, mainly builders use them. True, they cost more than wood. The minor disadvantages include the fact that they are easy to bend.
If necessary, you can use as beacons improvised building materials - fragments of brick, tile, stones. In extreme cases, you can use pieces of the solution, fixing them on the surface. But this is permissible sooner in utility rooms.

Before installing the lighthouses, the walls are inspected with the help of a level, they find the ideal point, screws are screwed in for smooth installation of the lighthouses.

Facilitates the work with the rule of construction laser. A line is drawn on the rule with a simple pencil. The laser should be installed so that it recedes from the ideal point by a distance of the length of the rule.

Lighthouses after plastering the walls need to be removed. Some do not want to bother with this work, and this is wrong. This is especially true of wooden products. Over time, they simply can ruin the wall.

Practice shows that the rule is a necessary tool for repairs. If you take into account all its features when choosing and purchase the right option, the plastering of the walls will be simple and convenient, and the walls will turn out to be even, smooth and beautiful.

In the next video, you are waiting for the installation of beacons and plastering the walls using the h-rule.

What is it

By its design, it is a rigid metal or wooden lath up to 3 m long with a sharp edge.

As a rule, the applied layer of plaster is leveled, excess mortar is removed, the installation of beacons and the flatness of the surface are checked. This tool can be used as a ruler in the process of marking walls. It allows you to determine the differences and deviations from the level and perform high-quality plastering of the surface for subsequent puttying.

H-shaped

Tools with an h-shaped section are convenient for distributing plaster on the wall, aligning with beacons. The h-shaped shelf serves for convenient grip of the instrument by hand. If necessary, it is possible to arrange a level on it with the help of which surface errors are revealed.

The advantages of this type of product include:

good bending stiffness
a wide working surface on which a lot of solution is placed,
ease of cleaning - the prepared mixture is easily cleaned with a spatula from the surface of the sole of the tool and can be applied again to the wall.

The main disadvantage of this model is its high cost.

Trapezoid

This type of rule is used to trim the plaster. They work perpendicular to the wall, remove a small amount of seized solution.

Along the surface on many models there is a gutter for easy grip. On both sides, the rule is covered by removable plugs. When choosing this tool, it is necessary to pay attention to the presence of reinforcing elements inside the structure, which are in the form of spacers or tubes.

The wedge-shaped samples have several advantages:

lightness - due to the hollowness of the structure has less weight compared to analogues,
the difference in price is much cheaper than samples of other models.

The disadvantages include:

insufficient bending stiffness (especially for cheap models without reinforcement inside),
inconvenience when stretching the solution.

Combined

This model has all the advantages of the above product options and is practically devoid of disadvantages due to design features.

In shape it is an h-shaped rule with a trapezoidal working side. A universal tool that combines the advantages of both of the above forms and has excellent rigidity.

A tool with this form is not very common, and finding it in construction stores is a great success. On the other hand, the price of such a rule is higher than that of a regular one.

How to use it

It is possible to level plaster on walls on beacons or without them. Using these devices provides control over the evenness and smoothness of the future surface.

The solution is leveled, raising the h-rule from the bottom up. The excess mixture accumulated on the sole of the tool with a spatula is removed and thrown onto the wall in empty places. The resulting irregularities, shells and voids are filled with mortar and stretch again until the wall becomes smooth.
After this stage of work is completed, the beacons are removed from the plaster, the cracks are sealed with mortar.
Two hours later, after the surface of the wall “seizes”, they begin to trim the excess with a trapezoidal rule.

How to do it yourself

If the evenness of the walls is not important, then you can distribute and stretch the solution with any board or bar, sharpening and polishing the working edge of the product.

But home-made rules will not be able to compete with factory rules in the quality of plastering, so you should not waste your time making them if you want perfect walls.

Level availability

The presence of spirit level, of course, significantly speeds up work with the product, as with a measuring tool.A rule with a level is convenient when setting up beacons, checking the verticality of corners and slopes, and the horizontalness of cement screeds. The bubble level (on some models two measuring cones are installed) allows you to accurately verify the horizontal and vertical elements of building structures. If the tool is not equipped with a level, it is used in tandem with the building spirit level.

How to work as a rule

Consider how to use the rule, for example, plastering walls on beacons - guide profiles. You can read about how to install beacons in the section Plastering. After applying the solution between two adjacent beacons, the top of the stucco mixture rises above the guides, and in some places it does not reach them. Alignment of the solution is performed from the bottom up.

The rail is attached to the bottom of the wall and rested with a cutting edge on the laths of lighthouses. The main direction of movement of the tool is combined with the vibrating mixture of zigzag profile movements left and right. The mixture from this becomes more mobile and easier to fit. Pressing and leading along the lighthouses a rail, the masses of the solution protruding above the plane formed by the lighthouses are cut. The mixture partially accumulates on the rule, and partially moves to areas where it is not enough.

Accumulated excess is dumped from the tool into the container. The tool performs several passes in one place (usually 2-3 times is enough) until the solution lies flat. After that, they carry out a rail over the leveled area once from top to bottom (without zigzag displacements). In this way, the laid solution is fixed in place.

If the plaster technique is used to level the walls, then applying the first layer with a spatula, level the solution, leading the rule from bottom to top. After the layer has dried, a new layer is applied and leveled, leading the vertically attached rail along the horizontal. This technique is used in utility rooms, if the wall is fairly straight.

The plaster rule in some cases can be used as a long spatula. Do this for almost even walls. The mortar is applied with a spatula, and then the plaster mixture is leveled on the sir with the correct rail.

How to make a do-it-yourself rule for stucco

You can make a rule for plaster from dry wood. It is necessary to make a rail of the required length and width of 100 mm, a thickness of 35-40 mm. The rail should be cut off efficiently (you can walk with an emery cloth) and have the correct geometry (achieved by passing through a thicknesser). Smoothness and geometric accuracy are the most important parameters.