How to remove gypsum plaster from walls. How to remove plaster from a wall or “breaking is not building.” We knock down the plaster by hand

Finishing brickwork Plastering houses or apartments is the most common option. With proper care, plaster will last at least 20 years. But what to do if cracks appear on the surface? We’ll tell you in more detail how to quickly remove plaster from walls and repair them.

A solid foundation is the key to success

Before finishing, check the reliability of the old coating. In some cases, you will not have to completely remove the old layer, you will only need to repair it. How to clean plaster from a wall if the old one is cracked? Why can't you apply a new one right away? The base of the finish must be strong, otherwise the new coating will quickly fall off in pieces along with the old one.

Tap the surface of the masonry. If the sound is dull, it means that the layer is holding well and has not moved away from the brick wall. In places where the sound is resonant finishing with old masonry will have to be deleted.

You will need following tools for removing plaster:

1. Wide spatula;
2. An ax or any tool that has a V-shaped working surface;
3. Hammer;
4. Skins of different numbers;
5. Spray bottle with water.

In addition to the tool, you need to buy materials:

1. Plaster;
2. Primer.

We recommend a deep penetration acrylic or contact primer.
Among the famous brands it is worth highlighting: Weber Veonit, Belinka, Lakra, Ceresit, Knauf. Price for 1 liter from 120 rub.
The compositions have proven themselves to work well; user reviews of the coating are mostly positive.

Photos are enlarged, click!

Six steps to the finish

Removal of plaster from the walls is carried out until the old finish leaves a layer that is firmly adhered to the masonry. All loose parts are removed. The work is painstaking and time-consuming, so we recommend being patient.

Below is step by step instructions, following which a beginner can clean the walls of dilapidated finishes, and the video in the article will help you understand the work in more detail:

• First step.

Before removing the old plaster, it is necessary to clean the surface of the old finishing coating. You can remove the paint using a wide spatula, after moistening the old composition with water. Since water is quickly absorbed and dries, the surface is constantly sprayed from a spray bottle. Readers ask how to remove plaster from a wall without dust or dirt. Use more water, so there will be less dust inside the room during operation.

• Second step.

We take tools for removing plaster and walk along the masonry. Tap the brick surface with a hammer. In loose places, the plaster crumbles on its own; scrape off the remains with a spatula, after soaking them with water. In places where cracks form, tap more carefully. If old layer cracked, but the adhesion with the brick is tight, then we widen the gap. To do this, tap its edges with a hammer and expand the hole with an ax.

If there are no cracks, but the layer of old finishing is too thick, then it is also better to remove it.
A thick layer of old mortar will fall off due to moisture after you apply the new one.

• Third step.

Coat the cracks with two layers of primer and let them dry. We put new mortar inside and level it to the level of the wall. The remaining surfaces of the masonry are primed and covered with a thin layer of plaster.

• Fourth step.

After drying, we smooth the wall from minor defects using sandpaper. The sandpaper is taken first with large grains, gradually moving to the finest grains - polishing.

• Fifth step.

The finished walls are coated with two more layers of primer. The first layer must dry before applying the second. Each manufacturer's packaging indicates the primer consumption and drying time at different temperatures and humidity levels in the room.

• Sixth step.

Apply primer on top finishing coat: paint, wallpaper.

Important! Direct use decorative composition There is no need to apply a topcoat. The decorative mixture is applied to the old one after completely cleaning the surface. The new and old compositions may have poor contact with each other, and over time the finish will fall off and plastering the walls will be done in vain. How to remove decorative plaster There shouldn’t be any questions from the walls, since the instructions for the regular and other types are the same. If you have to withdraw old plaster entirely, then make the job easier with the help of a hammer drill. Nozzles for the hammer drill are used depending on the thickness and strength of the old layer. But be careful not to damage the brickwork!

Before removing the plaster, it is necessary to determine both the need and the scope of this activity. When carrying out repairs, before performing finishing work, it is necessary to inspect all the walls and find out how well the plaster is holding up. The study is carried out both visually and soundly. That is, you need to tap all the walls with a spatula or scraper. If the wall surface is crumbling only in some places, then only these areas will need to be puttied. If, under minimal impact, the plaster crumbles into sand or a dull sound is heard, indicating the presence of voids, then the old plaster will have to be removed. A similar procedure should be followed in the presence of fungus, dampness, greasy stains.

How to quickly remove plaster from walls

There are several ways to increase the rate of plaster removal. To begin with, you should beat off the entire surface of the wall with a hammer. IN weak points the plaster will simply crumble or fall off in a layer if it has peeled off from the wall. The remaining areas must be cleaned with a spatula or scraper. If after this stage there are strong places that are not amenable to mechanical tools, then they should be saturated with water. You can moisten the necessary areas with a wet rag or brush, after which you can tap the remaining plaster with a hammer again.

Equipment that allows you to quickly remove old plaster

If it is possible to use the “impact” option, then the process of clearing the wall of plaster will be significantly accelerated. Labor automation is not limited to the use of a hammer drill.

As an option, you can use an ordinary grinder, which must be equipped with a disk for working on concrete and stone. After cutting the plaster into small sectors, you can even knock it down manually using available tools, for example, a hammer and chisel.

You can also use specialized machines for removing plaster and grinding machines. This equipment literally erases the desired layer of the wall with an abrasive wheel. This is the dustiest option, so it should only be used when a hammer and chisel are no longer able to solve the problem.

The advisability of using each of these tools directly depends on the thickness of the layer, the density and type of plaster, as well as the required cleanliness of the surface.

The final stage of cleaning the plaster

In order for the layer of new plaster to have optimal adhesion to the wall, it is necessary to get rid of the remnants of the old layer in the masonry joints. In addition, after treating the wall with a hammer, spatula, chisel and hammer drill, it is advisable to treat the entire surface with a wire brush. Alternatively, you can attach the brush attachment to a drill or grinder, so cleaning will be completed in the shortest possible time.

Only after completing all these points and applying a good primer can you be sure that new layer the plaster coating will not fall off the wall.

Plaster is one of the main methods of finishing walls at the rough and finishing stages. Therefore, it is not surprising that questions about removing old decorative and other plaster arise quite often. Depending on the situation, the process can be simple or very labor-intensive, when it becomes quite difficult to remove a layer of plaster with a tool. But with our tips, you can do it yourself in the shortest possible time.

When conducting overhaul We evaluate the condition of the finish on the walls and decide whether to keep it, repair it, or remove it. In the event that the plaster layer is severely damaged, sometimes ideal solution will break it completely, reaching a brick or concrete wall, since repairs will become too labor-intensive.

Sometimes, as part of a major renovation, we want to implement a radically different concept for decorating a room, and then the only option is to completely clean the walls, gaining access to them, then carry out insulation and refinish everything in accordance with the plan. For example, old plaster must be removed when installing heavy elements such as tiles and natural stone, since the basis for them must be as strong and reliable as possible.

Important! Sometimes it may be necessary to remove not all the plaster, but to clear part of the wall from it. This happens when the wallpaper is unsuccessfully dismantled, the coating is otherwise damaged, or when greasy stains form that cannot be removed in any other way.

When not to do this

When trying to knock down plaster, it is necessary to take into account the condition of the walls themselves. If we are talking about concrete, then there should be no problems in this case. However, when working with old brick walls, it is necessary to evaluate their strength. Punch a small hole and assess the condition of the bricks. If they crumble from external influences, then it is better to refrain from removing all the finishing. Especially when it comes to cement-based plaster, which is especially difficult to clean.

Preparing the premises for work

• Please note that in trying to remove the plaster from the walls, we will create a lot of dust. So, first of all, we completely clear the room of furniture and provide the room with effective ventilation;
• Access to adjacent rooms, floors and window sills are covered with film, which, when collected later, we can more effectively get rid of dust and debris.

What kind of plaster will you have to deal with?

The degree of complexity and other nuances of the work depend on what kind of composition was previously applied to the walls. On at the moment There are several options that are most popular on the market:

• Cement plaster. It sits extremely firmly on the sides, and it is quite difficult to knock it down. Therefore, it is worth thinking about the feasibility of the work, looking for compromises - the ability to finish the room without the need to remove this layer:
• Lime composition. Over time, it may weaken and lose the ability to interact effectively with other types of finishes;
• Clay plaster. If necessary, repeat plastering works, the clay layer must be completely dismantled, unless, of course, it is planned to apply exactly a similar option to it. All other types of plaster will be too durable for such a base;
• Polymer option. Due to their flexibility and strength, these types of finishes are highly durable and may not need to be removed frequently. The exception is the hasty initial finishing, when the building has shrunk and the material simply cracks;
• Gypsum plaster. The option of dismantling it may become relevant if necessary to carry out finishing work something stronger and heavier than plaster.

In this case, it is easiest to remove clay, gypsum or lime compounds from the wall.

What tools need to be prepared

There are two main ways to remove plaster. The first is a manual option. In this case we must prepare wire brush, scraper, chisel, spatula, sledgehammer or hammer. The mechanized method uses a hammer drill, grinder or grinder.

Important! Regardless of the method, it is necessary to prepare the means personal protection. First of all, these are gloves and goggles that will protect your eyes from dust, as well as from fragments flying out at high speed. A respirator will help make breathing easier while working.

Finding weaknesses

The work of cleaning the wall needs to start somewhere. And it’s better to do this from the area where the coating has already been weakened. You can understand this by tapping the wall. Tap areas located at a distance of 30-40 centimeters from each other. In the case of a ringing sound, we are talking about good adhesion of the coating to the wall. Well, if the sound is dull, there are voids there, which will make the work easier. Also, wet spots or cracks can be a sign of weakness in a place.

Important! When cleaning a wall fragmentarily, it is necessary to remove not only the problem area, but also the surrounding finish at a distance of about forty centimeters.

We knock down the plaster by hand

In the event that work is being carried out to remove plaster from plasterboard walls, then it is better to use a well-sharpened cycle for this. We try to drive this tool between the layer of plaster and the wall surface, breaking off fragment after fragment. In a similar way you can work on brick, as well as concrete walls. If the scraper does not cope, then we try to do its work with a stronger chisel or chisel.

We work using an automatic tool

• Hammer. We switch the drill to impact mode and insert it into the thickness of the plaster at an angle of 80 degrees. Having reached the base, we shift the slope to 40 degrees, after which we move the tool to the side, destroying the plaster along the way;
• Bulgarian. The wall is divided into squares with sides of half a meter, along the perimeter of which grooves are cut. The latter will become the starting point for working with a hammer drill;
• Grinding machine. On the surface of the tool there are rollers with spikes, which allows you to remove the plaster if its strength is relatively low. The advantage of this method is that it saves effort, but the disadvantage is that large number dust.

In general, the work is about automatic means we can say that the grinder has relatively little efficiency in cutting plaster. Well, with a hammer drill, you need to take into account that during operation there is a lot of noise, and the duration of the process is very long, so the neighbors will have a hard time. Therefore, it is still better to try to get rid of it manually.

Important! We can radically reduce the amount of dust during work by pre-wetting the walls with water. Use this trick with any method of removing plaster, as it also softens the coating, making it easier to remove.

Conclusion

It is important to note that when removing old plaster from a wall, it must be done completely. This is especially true for brick walls, where this finish firmly settles on the surface of the blocks and in the seams between them. The reliability of the adhesion of a new layer of such coating to the wall depends on how well the removal is carried out. An exception can be made only if further finishing does not involve the plastering process.

Preparing the base for repair work involves complete or partial dismantling plaster. The scope of work depends on many factors: what raw materials the old coating is made of, and what materials will be used for the new renovation. It is important to examine the surface and determine how firmly the old layer holds. There are several options for removing old plaster from walls.

When to dismantle firmly held plaster

Before answering the question: how to remove old plaster from walls, you need to understand in what cases it is necessary to dismantle the coating that adheres firmly to the surface.

The need to remove the old coating depends on its composition:

It is necessary to clean the walls from plaster when. If this is not done, then when the bottom layer peels off, the tile will fall off along with it.

Repair or replacement of the old layer

The type of repair work depends on the condition of the surface. To determine the quality of the fit, all areas are tapped with the handle of a spatula. A dull sound is heard in the peeled areas. Such places must be completely removed, as over time the old coating will fall off.

Repair of individual sections of the wall is carried out in case of minor damage. Before you clean the wall surface from plaster, you need to moisten the problem areas. Then the plaster solution is cleaned down to the base. The surface is primed and leveled.

If peeling and cracking occurs on 70% of the surface, it is more advisable to dismantle the entire layer.

In order for the new coating to be securely attached to the old one, the bottom layer must be stronger and heavier than the top one. If the new layer weighs more, it will destroy the weaker material during the shrinkage process.

On a tight cement-sand plaster You can apply the material with any composition. On gypsum material cannot be applied cement mortar because it is heavier. Gypsum and clay can be applied to the lime layer. The clay layer can only be restored with clay; other materials will not hold up. Clay-sand mortar can be applied to any type of surface.

Walls with stains and cracks

Here is information on how to remove plaster from a wall if there are greasy stains on it.

If dampness appears on the walls and mold has formed, you need to remove the plaster from the walls, covering an area half a meter wider than the damaged one.

Grease stains and rust cannot be removed. You will have to dismantle the old plaster in the damaged areas, then fill the holes with new mortar.

The cracks are widened with a grinder or trowel (depending on the strength of the coating). For better adhesion of materials, moisten the surface with water.

Deep cracks are sealed with plaster mortar in several stages:

• drive the solution deep into the crack and wait for it to dry;
• fill the gap 2/3, after drying, fill the remaining volume.

The final step is to grout with a grinding machine or sandpaper.

Tools and protective equipment

There are several ways to remove old plaster from walls. This can be done manually or mechanically.

Depending on the chosen method you will need:

• glasses, gloves, respirator;
• chisel, it is more convenient to work if the tool has a long handle;
• sledgehammer, hammer, axe, chisel;
• spatula, scraper;
• metal brush.

Depending on the chosen method of work you will need:

• hammer drill or drill with a hammer;
• small grinder;
• grinding machine.

Tools and personal protective equipment must be prepared in advance.

Manual dismantling of plaster

Before removing old plaster from the walls, you need to examine the surface for the tightness of the layers by tapping. If the surface is moistened or affected by fungus, the plaster layer is dismantled.

First, clean the areas where the solution is peeling off. Then the cycle is driven under the more tightly adherent layers, lifted and removed.

If the layer holds tightly, drive a chisel or chisel under it. By tapping it with a hammer, the solution is beaten off.

Drywall is easily damaged, so it is better to remove the plaster coating from it using a well-sharpened scraper.

The easiest way to remove layers of gypsum, lime and clay from old walls.

Removing plaster mortar using a hammer drill

Before you clean brick wall from plaster, you need to take care to protect your eyes, respiratory organs and body from construction dust. If the surface is sprayed with water, there will be less dust. The use of power tools speeds up and facilitates the process of working on large surfaces.

You will need a tool with a jackhammer mode. Next, you should put on the nozzle and, holding the hammer drill at an angle of 80 degrees, beat off the solution. Then, you should shift the angle of inclination to 40 degrees and move along the wall, cleaning an increasingly large surface. During the work, make sure that the main material from which the wall is built is not damaged.

Garbage must be removed immediately. Large pieces are put into bags, then taken out and thrown into construction containers.

Dismantling using an angle grinder

The concrete layer can be removed using a grinder. Divide the wall into sections measuring 500x500 mm, cutting them to the entire depth of the concrete layer. Then they beat it with a puncher.

If you are dealing with a brick wall, use a chisel to clear the mortar residues from the seams between the bricks. Cleaning the brick from any remaining plaster is mandatory.

Grinding

Many people ask how to quickly remove a thin layer concrete mortar or decorative plaster.

If the old plaster adheres tightly and is applied in a thin layer, dismantle it manually will be problematic. It's better to apply grinding machine. On its sole there are rollers with teeth, which, when rotated, grind the surface, removing a thin layer of mortar.

With this method, you need to expect that there will be a lot of dust. But the work will proceed faster and with less labor costs.

Using this principle, it is easy to remove Venetian and textured plaster from the wall surface.

Dismantling decorative plaster

Before removing it from the walls with your own hands, you need to prepare tools and personal protective equipment. The floor and objects in the room are covered with plastic film.

To reduce dust, the surface is sprayed with water. The wider the cycle, the faster the work will progress.

Apply the tool with slight pressure, scraping the material from the wall. Here you need to correctly determine the angle of inclination, then work will go faster.

Instead of a scraper, you can use a sharp spatula. They pass it along the wall, tapping the handle of the instrument with a hammer. You can also beat off a tightly adherent layer using a chisel and hammer.

Don’t forget to wet the surface before removing decorative plaster from the walls. This helps soften the material, resulting in less dust.

In the video you can see to what level you need to remove plaster from the walls:

Removing old plaster from a wall is quite a labor-intensive task. To make new ones finishing materials firmly adhered to the walls, dismantling work should not be neglected. Even a person without experience in construction can perform this procedure with his own hands.

The most difficult stage of repair is preparatory work. Dismantling old communications and finishing is a very labor-intensive task. Among those who have gone through all stages of renovation, there is an opinion that the most unpleasant work is to remove the old finish, because this process is very dusty and takes a lot of time. After reading this article, you will learn how to clean walls from putty and plaster, what are the methods for removing them.

Do I need to remove the old layer of putty?

Before you begin dismantling the old finish, you should make sure that this procedure is necessary. It is possible that not the entire wall surface will need to be removed. In order to determine whether the old coating is ready to continue to serve well, it is necessary to conduct a tapping test:

• If the old putty was of high quality and performs all its functions, it should not make dull sounds when you tap an object on the surface.
• If you still hear such a sound, then the old layer must be removed from this area. More strong blows Using a spatula handle or a hammer against the wall will probably remove the peeling areas, and the putty will simply fall off.

Important! Experts say that, despite passing the test well, it is still better to remove the old finish, because over time it loses its protective functions. Even if it adheres firmly to the wall, it is worth considering that the new and old layers will have different characteristics, can react differently to fluctuations in temperature and humidity, which leads to detachment in the future. Therefore, if you have the means and capabilities, completely remove the old coating before starting repairs.

You will learn further about how to remove putty from walls and what is needed for this.

Required Tools

Before you begin dismantling the old finish, you should make sure you have all necessary tools and materials. For work you may need:

• Spatula. With its help it is very convenient to remove a layer of old plaster. You can get tools different sizes. For hard to reach places you can use a narrow spatula, for large area will be suitable large wide spatula.

Important! For these purposes, you should choose a hard one - flexible models may not cope with the task. It is important to choose a spatula for convenience; it should fit comfortably in your hand.

• Chisel. It is used for impact method removal complete with hammer.
• Hammer. You will need this tool to hit the chisel. This will help remove the old layer of plaster step by step.
• Grinder or hammer drill. These tools are used when simpler and easier methods have proven ineffective.
• Starch. You will need it when using chemical method removing the coating, namely to soften the old layer.
• A container for diluting a solution to soften the surface. This could be a large bucket, basin, bowl. Paint buckets are often used.
• Rag, sponge or spray bottle. They are necessary for applying the softening solution. It is more convenient and effective to use a large spray bottle. In a relatively short time it will be able to cover large area, will allow you to evenly wet the surface with the solution.
• Ladder. Since you will also need to work at heights, it is better to ensure that you have a stepladder. Of course, you can use a table or stool, however, using a stepladder is safer and more reliable.
• Sandpaper. After you have managed to remove old putty from the walls, you need to sand the walls, prepare them for repair work. To do this, you will need sandpaper - it will smooth out all the small transitions and irregularities, making it possible to make the walls even.

At first glance, it seems that dismantling the old finish requires too many tools and equipment, but this is not so. It may turn out that the old coating can be easily removed the first time, after using the simplest method. Then you don't have to use all the tools. It is also possible that you will immediately want to bring in the “heavy artillery” and use power tools to get the job done efficiently and accurately.

Important! Before you begin dismantling, in addition to preparing your tools, you should purchase a protective mask and goggles, not to mention clothing. This process- incredibly dusty, it is imperative to provide eye and respiratory protection.

Ways to remove old wall decoration

If you are determined and ready to get to work, then check out all using existing methods removing old plaster. It’s worth going into detail about each of them, so you will understand the algorithm of actions and understand how to remove old putty and plaster from the walls.

Chemical removal method

The chemical removal method involves wetting the wall surface with the prepared solution. The layer of plaster or putty becomes wet, saturated with water, the surface becomes more porous and old finish becomes susceptible to removal.

What is it made of, and how to prepare the solution? To do this you need:

• In a prepared container, dilute water and starch, based on the ratio of 2 tablespoons of starch per 1 liter of water.
• Apply the solution to the wall using a sponge, rag or spray bottle.

Important! If the putty layer is no more than 3 millimeters, you can use a spray bottle, and if it is thicker, then you should use a rag and generously moisten the surface with water.

• Allow the water to saturate the coating and leave for about 20 minutes.
• After this time has passed, take a hard metal spatula and begin removing the plaster.
• You can work with the entire surface or in sections - choose the method that is most convenient for you.
• Before washing the putty, it is worth removing small residues with sandpaper.
• Now you can complete the final step - wash the walls with water.

Important! At chemical method removal, some experts recommend using a solution based copper sulfate. For 1 liter of water you need to add 50 milliliters of copper sulfate. This method is more effective than removing it with a starch solution.

It happens that the layer of plaster is quite large, and this method turns out to be ineffective. In this case, it is worth considering other methods of removing wall trim.

Impact removal method

This method of removing trim from walls involves hitting a chisel with a hammer against the wall. It is best to start work from an area where the old coating has slightly peeled off or bulged.

When working, you need to hold the chisel at an angle of 45 degrees to the wall and hit its handle with a hammer. These manipulations will cause the plaster to fly off the wall. This method is very labor-intensive and exhausting. It is best to resort to it if you need to cleanse small area walls

If the work area is too large, the plaster is difficult to remove, and simple ways removals did not help, then serious artillery cannot be done. It's worth using power tools.

Mechanical removal method

It's time to figure out how to remove old putty and plaster from walls using radical methods. This method is the most dusty and dirty, but ideally removes the old layer of finish.

• The main tool that can cope with this task is a hammer drill. However, you should take care to choose the right nozzle. For these purposes, use an attachment in the form of a chisel or a spatula.
• On the hammer drill, you must select the impact or chiselling mode. Thus, you will do all the same manipulations as in the case of working with a chisel and hammer, however, thanks to the power tool, the work will go much faster and more efficiently, you will not have to make extra efforts. The tool will do all the work for you.
• If the plaster turns out to be incredibly durable and resistant to removal, it’s worth using a grinder. Using diamond blade or a diamond cup, you can easily remove any layer of coating.

Important! Remember that removing plaster with a grinder is an incredibly dusty job, so take care to protect your respiratory tract. Use a special mask and a construction vacuum cleaner when working.