Fiberglass for painting: pros and cons. Painting fiberglass canvas: use of the material for walls and features of working with fiberglass Why do you need painting fiberglass?

Many people consider renovation an activity that will certainly take a lot of effort and time. And that is why it is so important for them that, ultimately, everything is done perfectly and remains so for as long as possible. It was precisely in order for such desires to become a reality that fiberglass was created, which is also called “cobweb”.

What is fiberglass

Probably many have never even heard of this. building material, like fiberglass, and that’s why it’s important to first find out what it is and what it’s made of. So, this material is made from quartz or silicate sand, or more precisely, from glass. “It’s fragile,” you’re probably thinking. The fact is that the web is made from the finest glass threads, and as a result of their compression, an incredibly strong, very flexible and thin canvas is obtained.
This type of material is used to reinforce the surfaces of walls, ceilings, etc. It prevents cracks from appearing on the surface, levels it, and also secures putty or plaster. Fiberglass can be painted, primed, wallpaper can be glued to it, etc. It guarantees integrity finishing.

What are the advantages?

This type of material, such as fiberglass “gossamer”, is becoming more and more popular every day among people in the construction profession. But what contributes to this? What are the advantages of this material? So, here are just a few of them:

1. It is resistant to moisture, so it can be used even in rooms with high humidity, for example, such as the bathroom, kitchen and so on.
2. It differs in that it does not attract dust at all.
3. It allows air to pass through easily.
4. Prevents the appearance of mold and its spread.
5. It is safe for humans and environmentally friendly.
6. Resistant to fire.
7. It is very easy to clean from dirt using a damp, clean sponge or rag.
8. Also resistant to corrosion.
9. Does not contain substances that can cause an allergic reaction in humans.
10. Does not accumulate static electricity.

This material is not only very strong, reliable and inexpensive, but it is also quite easy to work with. If everything is done according to the rules, then after completing the renovation, you will admire your transformed home for many years to come.

Cons of fiberglass and precautions

Anyone finishing material there is how positive aspects, and negative. However, before deciding whether it is suitable for your job or not, you should weigh the pros and cons.
So, the main disadvantage is the smallest particles of fiberglass that inevitably form during the work. So, for example, when cutting material and gluing it. If they come into contact with the skin, they can cause irritation. To avoid this, you must wear thick gloves and protective clothing for work.
Experts also advise that you should never start working with fiberglass unless your eyes, nose and mouth are protected. To do this, you can use a bandage or a respirator and safety glasses. If you dress correctly, you will experience absolutely no harm to your health during the work process.

Almost every surface, be it a ceiling or a wall, needs finishing. In order to make this process much easier, fiberglass is glued. When using it, the need to use starting putty is completely eliminated.
Experts recommend using this type of finishing material in mandatory for those surfaces that are very often subject to mechanical damage or there is a risk of cracks. Fiberglass can strengthen these surfaces, and this is possible due to the fact that it is incredibly strong and durable.
More than anything this type material suitable for finishing ceiling surface. It is very important to take into account that it can be glued to almost any wall or ceiling. For example, this reinforcing material can be used to strengthen surfaces such as concrete, plastered, made of plasterboard, and so on. As a result, you will get very flat surface, which can be finished at your discretion, for example, painted, puttied, wallpapered, and so on.

Advantages of fiberglass in various fields of application

However, this type of material can be used not only to strengthen the surfaces of walls and ceilings. It can be applied in other areas:

1. Fiberglass is used during roofing works. So, there are types of it that are used as a basis for bitumen mastic.
2. Using this material you can protect the pipeline.
3. To strengthen walls. In this case, painting fiberglass is used. It creates a reliable protective layer, which will protect the surface from the appearance of cracks, both small and quite large. And it can even prevent cracking of walls, which is caused by shrinkage of the structure.
4. It is also used during the manufacture of the waterproofing layer. This material is often used to process polymer fabrics.
5. Very often this material is used in the manufacture of drainage systems.
6. Fiberglass is also used by designers, creating real masterpieces from this material.

This reinforcing material is also used to save cash. And you can save quite a decent amount. The thing is that using fiberglass helps to significantly increase the time between repairs.

Preparatory stage before gluing the surface with “cobweb”

It is quite easy to glue such a finishing material as fiberglass “gossamer” to the desired surface. And almost everyone can cope with this. To do this, it will be enough to observe a few very simple rules, and then the result of your efforts will delight you for many years.
You decide for yourself what width or length to cut the fiberglass strip. For example, to cover the surface of a wall, you can use strips equal to its height. However, when finishing the ceiling, experts recommend using strips no more than 1.5–2 m in length.
It is also very important, before sticking on the “web”, to check where its front side is. The thing is that the back and front sides are very similar to each other. However, this material must be glued correctly. How to distinguish the sides? This information you can find it on the packaging or in the instructions included with the fiberglass.
Then you should apply a special adhesive to the prepared and always dry surface of the wall or ceiling. The applied layer should be slightly larger than the width of the finishing material. The thing is that the glue is absorbed and dries quite quickly.

Pasting process

After the finishing material and the surface to be glued have been prepared, you can proceed to the actual finishing process. You should simply apply a strip of fiberglass to the wall and smooth it out with a rag or your hands. Finally, smooth the surface with a spatula, while trying to remove all the air from under the glued material.
After you make sure that the strip is securely stuck, you will need to use a sharp knife to remove all excess. And only after this can you begin to apply the adhesive directly to the front side of the material. It should be completely saturated with glue, so that its color over the entire surface becomes dark from moisture.
Then you can start gluing the next strips, keeping in mind that they are glued overlapping. It’s better to make stripes if possible same size. And professionals advise pasting the ceiling exclusively along the room.
After the second sheet is coated with glue, you need, armed with very sharp knife, cut a straight line in the place where the overlap is made. And then you will need to remove everything unnecessary so that you end up with a perfectly flat surface.

How to paint correctly

After the fiberglass has dried, you can begin finishing the surface. And most often this finishing material is painted. However, unlike gluing the “cobweb” itself, painting it is a rather complex task that can take a lot of time and effort. And all this because this material has a porous structure and therefore the paint will be absorbed into it very quickly, and at a minimum it will be necessary to apply at least a couple of layers of paint.
For painting, it is best to choose paint based on water based. The fact is that it is applied much easier and smoother. And even if you apply several layers, the surface will still remain perfectly smooth.
It is also better to prefer paint roller brushes You simply dip it in paint and paint the surface. However, there are two things to consider here. First, the joints must be painted very carefully, using a special “wing”. And secondly, the interval between applying layers should be no less than 12 hours.
Also, do not forget about precautions. When painting painting fiberglass, do not forget to wear special clothing that will protect you from small fiberglass that gets on open area skin, can cause quite unpleasant sensations. And it’s not so easy to get rid of them.

Is it possible to cover fiberglass with wallpaper?

Some people don't like painted walls and opt for wallpaper. However, many people ask the question: “Is it possible to stick wallpaper on fiberglass?”
You can paste wallpaper, but only before doing this the fiberglass must be puttied. And only after the putty has completely dried can you begin to decorate the surface with wallpaper.
It is worth noting that the putty surface can also be painted. In this case, you can reduce paint consumption several times. Another advantage of painting such a surface is that it will turn out very smooth. After all, if you apply paint directly to fiberglass, then a peculiar relief of the finishing material will appear through it.

The nuances of gluing drywall with fiberglass web

It is very common that the surface of the ceiling or walls is finished with plasterboard. In order to strengthen and prevent surface deformation, fiberglass is also used. However, there are a couple of important nuances in gluing such a surface with this type of finishing material.

1. First of all, you will need to coat all joints and places where screws enter with putty. As a result, you should have an almost perfectly flat surface. Be sure to wait until the putty is completely dry.
2. Then you will need to coat the entire surface of the drywall with glue - this is the primer layer. And you can start finishing the surface with a “cobweb” only after the glue has completely dried. By the way, you must use an adhesive that is specifically designed for this type of finishing material. Next, pasting is carried out according to the above scheme.

Before you begin the actual finishing work, you need to learn a few tips from professionals:

1. Typically, a material with a lower density is used for finishing the ceiling, and a material with a higher density is used for walls. This is very important to take into account when choosing fiberglass, since otherwise the finishing process can become very complicated.
2. It is also important to choose the right and very high-quality glue. You shouldn't skimp here. If you choose a low-quality or unsuitable adhesive, this can negatively affect the final result and significantly reduce the time between repairs.
3. When gluing the ceiling surface, it is very important to use a reliable stepladder. Please note that the stairs in in this case is not suitable, since both your hands must be completely free.
4. It is necessary to work with fiberglass very carefully. You should avoid deforming this finishing material, as this will have a very negative impact on the final result.

Painting fiberglass Gossamer is becoming more and more popular every year. And if during finishing works If you don’t make mistakes, the result of your work will delight you and your guests for many years. And to change the design, you just need to repaint the walls or ceiling in a different color or stick new beautiful wallpaper.

Painting fiberglass is a material consisting of special glass fiber threads. The second name is cobweb. Certified, done according to Technical specifications. It is produced using the pressing principle; at the end of the work, sheets are obtained whose density is 25 – 55 g/m2. They have the following properties:

• Water resistant;
• They are not afraid of fire;
• Resistant to chemicals;
• Capable of reinforcing walls;
• Do not attract dust;
• Based on natural substances;
• Allows air to pass through;
• Vapor permeable;
• Able to prevent the formation of fungal infections and mold;
• Safe for health, anti-allergenic.

Some qualities are similar to paper or glass wallpaper. Holtex fiberglass does not have a clear relief or interlocking pattern. You can paint the surface unlimited quantity once.

Why do you need fiberglass webs if the walls are going to be painted? In order not to prime, putty, level it enough, stick on the “cobweb”. Concrete, chipboard, gypsum board, metal or plastic can be pasted over. “Cobweb” hides gaps, cracks, and unevenness on the surface, preventing the appearance of new imperfections. Gives additional protection walls before painting. Best suited for gluing ceilings.

Advice: if there is a need to putty fiberglass, the optimal tool will be a wide spatula for the final work.

There are several types of fiberglass. The strongest is the cobweb. The density of the first economy option is 1*20 g per sq.m. The density of the second option contains 40 g per sq.m. It's heavy in weight, but cheaper. The third type is the most durable - 1 * 50 g per sq.m. Able to hide voluminous imperfections in walls. Used on large perimeters. In terms of pricing policy - expensive.

Advantages and disadvantages of fiberglass web

Like any material, x-glass “web” has its own characteristics, positive and negative qualities.

Technical characteristics and scope of material

If you use painting fiberglass, you will get an environmentally friendly room. Fiberglass canvas for painting is produced by many manufacturers, which one should you choose? Wellton (W30,W40,W50), Semtex, Holtex, glass, Weltex, Polinet are the best on the sales market.

The price for one roll is 500 - 800 rubles. The volume is 25 m2 or 50 m2. Universal width 1 m.

Painting fiberglass web has application in repair work walls, ceilings. Fiberglass, Velton, properly glued to plastered or plasterboard walls. Replaces finishing putty. Sticks special glue, primed, puttied, dried, then painted with a roller.

If you avoid putty, you need to prime it with a liquid solution and paint it. In this case you need a lot of paint. For what? Because you need to paint 3-4 times. How to paint fiberglass web is presented in the video:

How to properly glue painting fiberglass with photos and videos

Is it possible to glue wallpaper onto fiberglass fiberglass - this is a phrase consultants often hear construction stores. Eat special technology on working with the material. Before gluing they pass preparatory work. If the walls have minor flaws There's no need to fix anything. If large cracks are naive, treat them with putty. After drying, apply plaster. The result is a smooth surface treated with a primer solution.

Now let's start gluing. Apply glue liberally to a dry wall or ceiling. It is recommended to apply approximately the size of one sheet. Thanks to good fit, there will be no excess glue under the fiberglass. For ease of use, cut the sheets in advance. It is important not to confuse the front side. Gradually applying the side of the canvas to the wall, you need to smooth it with your hands or a construction triangle. Remove air and excess glue after gluing in the same way. Next delete extra length, saturate the top of the sheet with glue. After some time, smooth the finished surface with a spatula again. The other sheet is glued overlapping. Saturate the surface adhesive composition with an overlap, a ready-made glued sheet. For an even and invisible seam, you need to cut a strip through both layers. Afterwards, coat the joint well with glue. The result will be a smooth seam without any sticky tape. In the corners there is Oscar fiberglass, cut. It will take a day to dry. Next comes finishing. If the wall is to be painted, we putty the surface 2 times. For wallpaper gluing – 1 time.

Glue consumption per 1m2

You will need special glue for fiberglass web, such as for glass wallpaper. It’s not often that manufacturers sell it as a set of fiberglass. For quality work It is necessary to use the instructions correctly to avoid a liquid consistency. You need to buy glue with a reserve, because it will require a lot of consumption. Painting fiberglass canvas Oskar-profi does not like through air when drying. It is recommended to close doors and windows while working. On average, 200 ml is used per 1 liter of water. glue.

We sell ready-made glue based on PVA and starch. On average, a 15 kg bucket of glue is used for 25 m2. Accordingly, 0.4 kg of glue will be used per 1 m2. You can determine exactly how much glue you need using the description on the package.

• Liquid glue retains its qualities for 10 days after opening.
• To prepare the dry mixture, it will take 15 minutes for swelling.
• High-quality glue does not stain, does not form stains, and is odorless.
• Colorless when dry.
• Contains antifungal components.
• The composition contains chalk for flexible application.
• Dries completely in 2 days.

Such characteristics have trademarks: Kleo, Metylan, Quelyd, Pufas. Sold in liquid and dry form. Dry packaging in 250 and 500 grams. Liquid glue is produced in 5 kg, 10 kg, 15 kg.

Tip: Save and add more water not recommended, otherwise the material will not be durable and will begin to peel off.

Photo gallery of finished works

One of the main concepts modern renovation This is the creation of smooth surfaces followed by coating with a selected decorative material.

Almost all types of finishing used today (decorative plasters, painting, wallpaper) require a level base, which is obtained in the process of puttying the walls.
Gluing fiberglass makes it easier to create smooth surfaces; moreover, the strong and durable fabric reinforces the plaster layer.

How to lay such fabric on the walls in order to obtain the required flat surface?

The painting cloth consists of the finest glass threads, it is light and very thin, for which it is often called “spider web”. If you unfold the canvas, you can get a perfectly flat surface, but due to its structure it is quite prickly.
This material is created not by weaving, but by pressing glass fibers. The result is a very durable canvas that is lightweight.

Painting web is used in the process of leveling the walls of rooms, in combination with plaster. And if the starting layer of putty is reinforced with fiberglass mesh, then this material acts as an intermediate layer between it and the finish.

Using leveling mixtures with fiberglass makes it easier to obtain an even base that can then be painted. But, in addition to this application, non-woven glass fabric strengthens (reinforces) finishing layer plaster.

Particularly relevant is the use of reinforced fiberglass finishing for walls in newly built houses and apartments. During the first 1-3 years, construction, as builders say, “shrinks.” And as a result, along with the deformation of the walls, the finishing cracks.

Comprehensive reinforcement of layers of plaster with mesh and painting fiberglass allows in most cases to avoid such a negative factor.

But, you can use, for example, glass wallpaper as a durable finishing material, or, as is most often done, simply apply mesh reinforcement, without extra costs. Yes, this is true, but canvas based on durable fibers has significant advantages over its analogues.

Advantages of fiberglass

The canvas is usually found on sale in the form of rolls of 50 meters each. If you unfold the canvas, it can be torn very easily, but the same wallpaper for painting or fiberglass mesh do not represent the ideal of strength until they are laid on the surface of the walls with additional application related materials. What advantages does such fiberglass have?

Light and fragile canvas, when laid on a wall in accordance with technology, turns into a serious reinforcing layer with a significant margin of safety. In addition, the process hides minor defects and surface imperfections.
Glass fiber consists of fibers that ultimately make it possible to obtain a coating with moisture-resistant, fire-resistant qualities, and even resistant to wear and tear or aggressive substances.

The coating has excellent vapor and moisture permeability, which prevents the formation of fungus or the creation of an uncomfortable atmosphere of stagnant air.

The material does not contain toxic substances that can harm others or cause an allergic reaction.
But, like any finishing agent, the “web” will get all its due. positive qualities only in progress correct installation, using appropriate materials.

What to glue on

As the main substance for installing the canvas on the surface, you need to use only the glue intended for this purpose - ready-made or dry mixtures for fiberglass. They have everything necessary qualities, do not form unwanted lumps.

Should not be used wallpaper options for the installation of fiberglass, their base is starch, or analogues, which do not have sufficient strength necessary in this situation. Special compositions are made on the basis of PVA glue, which gives glass fiber canvases those strong properties. In its pure form, such a mounting substance also does not need to be used. PVA is a very strong compound for “cobwebs”.

You should not test the connection using putty. Such mixtures have less penetrating power than any glue that impregnates the canvas, making it similar to polymers. In addition, unglued areas will inevitably swell, forming bubbles, and as a result, installation with putty will negate all leveling of the surfaces.

Canvas gluing technique

The main purpose of fiberglass is to level the surfaces of walls and ceilings and eliminate existing deficiencies. But first you need to prepare the planes.

Ideally, the “cobweb” is laid on an already dry starting layer of plaster. However, if the relief of the walls is smooth and does not have cracks larger than 1 millimeter, in such a situation it is permissible to glue fiberglass directly onto them.

Typically, such work can be carried out in houses with walls made of aerated concrete. In this case, you must first prime all surfaces.
If there is significant damage, dilapidated areas, and other deficiencies, they are eliminated, and only then do they begin laying the fiberglass sheet.
Dilapidated oversized elements can be fixed using plaster assembly adhesive"Perlfix".

Cracks should be filled with plaster using serpyanka tape as reinforcement.
All restored areas are erased sandpaper or sanding mesh flush with the surface of the walls.

As a result, you should get a smooth base without significant damage.
Upon completion preparatory stage It's time to start the main work. How to properly glue fiberglass on a surface?

Installation of fiberglass

Attention, when purchasing fiberglass, it is worth considering the peculiarity of its installation - overlap. Therefore, the material will require slightly more than the perimeter of the room or the ceiling area!

The technique for gluing fiberglass to walls is as follows.
Initially, you should prepare blanks from the canvas. The roll is unrolled and cut into pieces corresponding to the height of the walls, plus an additional 50-100 mm.

Installation starts from the corner where the first layer of glue is applied. The composition must be applied with a wide brush. This allows you to create sufficient thickness of the glue balls.

A piece of canvas is placed at the top and at the joint with the corner of the room, after which it can be straightened and pressed with gloved hands, and the entire surface can be smoothed with a wallpaper spatula.

The excess tolerance at the bottom is cut off with a knife, under the ruler. The fiberglass laid on the wall needs to be coated once again with adhesive on top. If there are missing areas (not glued), they can be easily detected by their distinguishable shade. A well-impregnated fabric has a uniform color.

The next piece of canvas is laid in the same way, but with an overlap of 20-30 mm over the previous one. In this way, all surfaces of the walls are completely glued, and if necessary, the ceiling. Floors need to be covered with small pieces of fiberglass (up to 1500mm), this makes it more convenient to work. After drying, you can begin further finishing.

Is it necessary to putty fiberglass?

The result of pasting the walls with canvas is a flat surface, ready for finishing. In this situation, a dilemma arises: can you paint it right away or should you putty the walls first?

There are several nuances associated with the properties of such a material, which indicate that plaster is needed. Firstly, when painting directly on fiberglass, you need to use at least 2-3 times more color; it will simply be absorbed into the coating, leaving a pale tint.

Secondly, after gluing the canvas, its texture will be visible even under a double layer of paint.
Thirdly, without putty, the surface of the fiberglass is not suitable for wallpaper.
Also, when applying paint or glue, part of the mixture will fall along with thin fibers from the structure of the canvas, which will not create a uniform coating. As a conclusion, fiberglass has one purpose, it reinforces and levels the finishing layer, but is not independent type bases for further finishing.

If you become the owner of a newly built house and apartment, reinforced reinforcement in a combination of starting putty, mesh, fiberglass, and finishing plaster Highly recommended event. Otherwise, get ready to make new renovations in the next three years.
But, even in habitable housing, fiberglass will not be superfluous, because in addition to reinforcement, you can in a simple way eliminate surface imperfections in the form of cracks and small depressions.

Fiberglass, or gossamer, is a thin non-woven sheet of pressed fiberglass threads. It is produced in rolls 1 meter wide and 20 or 50 meters long. Unlike glass wallpaper, this material is not intended for finishing, but to protect against cracks on walls and ceilings.

Fiberglass varies in density: the thinnest (20-25 g/sq. m) is best suited for painting, and the denser (50 g/sq. m) is recommended for better reinforcement if there are visible cracks on the surface.

This material will hide flaws and imperfections in surfaces, prevent the formation of microcracks, while allowing the walls to breathe. It is absolutely natural and environmentally friendly, does not rot, prevents the appearance of fungus, is resistant to wear and fire, is not sensitive to many chemicals and is suitable even for rooms with high humidity.

Many people, especially happy owners of housing in new buildings, are familiar with the sad consequences of the inevitable shrinkage of walls - a network of small and sometimes quite impressive cracks. To correct such a defect, all that remains is to start the repair again.

Therefore, covering walls and ceilings with fiberglass is best way save your time, nerves and budget, especially since this process does not require highly qualified performers. Remember that the pasted surface will not crack later.

Application

Fiberglass can be glued to almost any surface. This is necessary to increase the strength of putty and decorative plaster; if there is a fear of cracking, then it is also used before painting the coating.

Please note: The fiberglass canvas has a front and back side. The facial one is usually located with inside roll, it feels smoother to the touch. The reverse side, on the contrary, is more fleecy. Accordingly, it adheres better to the surface being pasted.

However, as practice shows, failure to comply with this rule will not lead to dire consequences if the glue is applied in sufficient quantities and the material adheres tightly to the surface over the entire area.

Tip 1: It is better to work with gloves and a respirator: small particles of fiberglass, although not toxic, are very irritating to the skin and respiratory tract.

Tip 2: It is not recommended to glue fiberglass under wallpaper. The drying process usually takes a long time and bubbles may form as a result.

Preparing the surface for gluing

Puttying walls and ceilings

Before starting work, it is advisable to putty the walls and ceilings finishing putty(Vetonit LR+ is ideal), since small irregularities can cause bubbles and voids to appear, which will negatively affect the final result.

Immediately before gluing, the surface is treated with a primer. Don't forget to close all the windows: there should be no drafts in the room, just like when hanging regular wallpaper.

Working with drywall

If fiberglass is glued to a plasterboard surface, all seams are first sealed with strong putty, and the sheets are glued so that their joints do not end up in the same place as the joints of the plasterboard sheets.

It is better to try to glue the sheets onto the drywall end-to-end and without trimming, as far as possible: the surface is covered plasterboard sheet, may crack at the cutting site, especially when frequent changes humidity in the room.

Pasting

It is better to use ready-made glue. It is sold in buckets. For example, you can choose KLEO Ultra. If you purchased dry glue, dilute it in the specified proportion and add a little PVA glue at the end at a rate of 1:6 for stronger and more durable gluing.

The most important thing is to choose a special glue for glass wallpaper. No other composition is suitable for such materials. The glue is thickly applied to the surface, the cut fabric is glued and leveled using a wallpaper spatula from the middle to the edges.

Joining fiberglass is much easier than regular wallpaper: the canvases can be glued overlapping and cut through both layers, removing excess - the joint will be invisible. There is no need to press hard on the blade; the material is cut very easily.

If the glue on the surface is not applied thickly enough, you can lubricate the pasted canvas with it and rub it in with a wallpaper spatula.

It is important to know that on internal and external corners, especially if they are not ideal, it is better to cut the fiberglass to avoid the appearance of voids. Cracks in the corners are glued in advance with serpyanka or paper tape, and the corners are leveled. The same applies to the junction of the wall and ceiling, if the installation ceiling plinth there are no further plans.

Finishing

After complete drying, which takes about a day, the surface can be puttied. For ideal preparation for painting, apply two layers of fine putty (for example, Sheetrock), allowing each layer to dry completely, and sand the surface with fine sandpaper. Immediately before painting, we treat the material with a primer.

If putty is undesirable due to tight deadlines, and due to excess dust, which is inevitable during sanding, it is permissible to paint the surface covered with fiberglass without putty.

Minimum necessary preparation in this case, apply highly diluted glue to the pasted surface. Such impregnation will reduce paint consumption, but will not eliminate the visible texture of the cobwebs even if painted several times. Therefore, if your goal is a smooth surface, you cannot do without putty.

Hello all readers. This time we will talk about fiberglass as a savior from cracks. Let's find out what it is, what properties it has, what benefits it brings and, most importantly, how to glue it?

Painter fiberglass, or fiberglass “gossamer” (these concepts are equivalent) - this is not exactly glass wallpaper, although it is very similar to them. It, like them, consists of fiberglass threads, but these threads are connected not on a loom, but by pressing, much like paper. Fiberglass is a thin translucent sheet that looks like a “blotter”. To the touch they are quite smooth, but they are noticeably prickly - glass threads after all. Canvas is sold in rolls, usually 1 meter wide and 50 meters long. When I saw it for the first time in my life, I thought: “Could THIS really reinforce something?” It's very easy to tear it even with your finger until it's glued on. It turned out that it might as well.

The canvas is not afraid of water, fire, chemical reagents, mechanical influences, it does not accumulate static electricity and does not cause allergies. It turns out that it has all the advantages of glass wallpaper, which, by the way, is discussed in the article about wallpapering. But it is not used for finishing walls, but only for reinforcing the surface of ceilings, walls, plasterboard boxes etc. This is the most effective remedy against all cracks known to me. I make sure to cover all plasterboard structures with it, as the most hazardous material from the point of view of the potential occurrence of cracks at the joints.

Surface preparation, choice of glue

Preparing the surface for gluing fiberglass is done in the same way as described in the article about wallpaper. The only difference is that you don’t have to seal small cracks, but glue directly over them. Which cracks are considered small? I'm counting the ones that the spatula blade can't get into. If the crack is wider, you need to seal it with some strong putty, such as Uniflot, and sand it. The tools for the job are also identical, only a seam roller is not needed here. For gluing, a special glue for glass wallpaper is used; it is often included with the canvas. It is imperative to follow the water/glue ratio indicated on the packaging; the glue should not be liquid. Its consumption will be serious, noticeably higher than when pasting simple wallpaper, so you need to buy it with a good supply. And, I almost forgot - the windows must be closed on the day of work.

Sticking

Gluing fiberglass is not difficult, easier than ordinary wallpaper. By the way, I advise you to use thick canvas - 45-55 g/sq.m. The glue is applied to the surface of the wall or ceiling, and it is applied thickly, because it will all be immediately absorbed into the canvas, and there will be practically no need to remove it from under the sheet. The canvases are cut for reasons of convenience: for the wall you can cut the full length, but for the ceiling two will be enough linear meters, more is already inconvenient. You need to pay attention to where the front side of the fiberglass is - it’s difficult to distinguish by sight. Usually its “face” is directed inside the roll, but anything can happen, read the label carefully. By the way, I advise you to use long sleeves, gloves, a respirator and a hat - glass fiber particles will fly throughout the room, prick your skin, and, God forbid, get into your nose - you will sneeze for a long time. But this is only during the gluing process.

So, we applied a wide, thick strip of glue, for example, to the ceiling. We take our first canvas and apply it to the surface, moving the edge along the corner, and smooth it lightly with the palm of our hand over the entire area. That’s it, the sheet is stuck, now you need to use a wallpaper spatula to remove excess glue and air from under it, it’s very simple, we make movements from the middle of the sheet to the edges. As soon as the job is done, we cut off the excess near the wall, again take a roller or brush and cover our sheet with glue. Yes, yes, this is mandatory, the canvas must be completely saturated with glue, and to achieve this, you again need to rub the glue into the canvas with a wallpaper spatula, as if putting putty on it. It is clearly visible in the light whether the canvas is saturated; when it is well soaked, it is darker. Rub in the glue until our entire sheet is a uniform color and damp to the touch.

We cut the second canvas. It is better to glue them along the room, overlapping. Apply glue to the strip behind the first sheet, slightly overlapping it. We stuck the second sheet, expelled the glue and air from under it, now we take a sharp stationery knife and cut the overlap through two layers, removing excess from above and from under the sheet, thereby obtaining a perfect imperceptible seam; and then soak it thoroughly. We will do the same with the longitudinal joints later. The evenness of the cutting does not matter - the seams, although visible to the eye, will not be felt by the fingers at all, which means that we will not get any changes on the ceiling in the future. We always cut the canvas at the internal and external corners, unlike simple wallpaper, at least, because it will break anyway. Do not press hard on the knife. Our hero is very easy to cut.

Fiberglass dries completely, usually within a day. Someone paints it right away. I would not recommend doing this, but I would advise putting putty (at least 2 layers) before painting. Firstly, if you immediately paint on the canvas, the paint is wasted immeasurably, it is simply absorbed into it. Secondly, no matter how many layers you apply, the texture of the fiberglass will still be visible, and this does not look very cool. After puttying, you get a normal-looking smooth ceiling, which looks much better after painting.

Despite all the advantages, the hero of this article also has weak point. This place is the seams. If the crack under the canvas runs parallel to the seam between the sheets and is closer than 1 centimeter to it, it will come out. Moreover, it will come out along the seam between the canvases, even if the crack is not directly under it. This can happen in the case of a gypsum plasterboard surface if by chance the joint of the sheets coincides with the joint of plasterboard sheets, as in the photo:

Therefore, I always photograph the surface of a wall or ceiling made of HA before I putty it under fiberglass. This way my seams will definitely not match, and there will be no cracks.

If the crack does get to the top, it’s easy to fix it once and for all. To do this, you need to glue a piece of canvas directly on top of the putty onto the glue of such a size that it covers a space of at least 3 cm from the crack in all directions. Cut it around the crack with pressure right through the putty, then remove and remove the putty in this area right with the canvas that was under it. As a rule, once wet, it is removed quite easily if you pry it with a knife. Our ready-made patch is glued to this place, which automatically fits the shape of the area perfectly. After this, you need to let the canvas dry and putty the repair area again with 2-3 layers.

I guess that's all. Subscribe to updates if you want to be the first to know when new articles are released. And good luck with the renovation!