When renovating, the preparatory work is crucial for a good result. This includes first and foremost, to close holes and cracks in the walls. The problem: Which filler is the right one for which purpose and how do you do it? Here are clear tips.
It has already brought some self-renovators to the brink of despair: Once the wallpaper was removed from the walls, revealed a picture of small craters, Cracks and dowel holes in the plaster of the wall. A condition, which is far from smooth, Prank- or wall that can be wallpapered and usually means more effort, than you thought before. Although today fine hairline cracks can easily be covered with tried and tested non-woven wallpapers, Larger plaster damage and old dowel holes have to be repaired in the conventional way with a trowel and putty.
You only need a small tool kit for this, to which, next to a soft plaster cup, a set of spatulas, a small chisel and a medium hammer are included. If there are severe cracks, you will also need a crack tape and, if possible, a so-called smoothing trowel. None of this is in the toolbox, there is this little one, but sufficient equipment already for around 20 Euro.
Depending on the extent of the damage, you can choose between ready-made fillers for smaller repairs and those in powder form, that you touch yourself. Your advantage is clearly the price, which is significantly below that of ready-to-use fillers (see table below). However, some ready-to-use products contain solvents, which only allow extensive work in well-ventilated rooms. All common fillers are made on a gypsum basis. Since plaster but has the property, to harden quickly, become the products, not as a construction- or electrician's plaster are commercially available, setting retarder, Fibers and other substances added, which extend the processing time and are intended to prevent shrinkage, for example. This also explains the higher price compared to simple plaster of paris and the designation putty.
Problem number one is drilling holes, in which plugs are stuck, that are no longer needed. They must always be removed before closing the borehole, so that the filler can be pressed as deep as possible into the drill hole.
Problem number two is cracks. They have many different causes, which must be clarified before the renovation. cracks, that have static causes, are problems, which the landlord and a professional have to take care of in rented apartments. cracks, that you take care of yourself when renovating, are almost always stress cracks. This can be caused by impacts between different materials in the wall, cracks form at the joint. The reason is the different stretch behavior of the materials, which then leads to tension in the plaster. Problem number three is cable slots, left by the electrician, if lines are subsequently laid under plaster. No matter, whether flat cable or sheathed cable, usually nails or slabs of dried plaster of paris protrude from the surface of the wall in some places. These elevations must first be brought below wall level, before closing the slits. Drive nails as deep as possible or remove them, Carefully remove some of the plaster with a hammer and chisel.
While in the last two cases you only have to decide on a suitable filler, you initially have a problem with dowel holes – to get the old dowel out of the wall. There are a variety of methods here. It's an old "home remedy"., try with a corkscrew, pull the plug out of the wall. That only works, if the spindle of the corkscrew is sharp and cuts into the dowel. Every now and then you can find so-called dowel pullers in hardware stores, who grab the dowel with small barbs. But it has proven to be the best, a strong chipboard screw, which just fits into the dowel with its front coils, by hand as far as possible. The screw and dowel are then pulled out of the wall with pliers. After the preparatory work, fill in cracks and holes, as shown above, and your wall is fit for the new wallpaper.