You are your own master, or how to quickly remove plaster from walls at home

When renovating, it often becomes necessary to remove the old layer of plaster. It is impossible to do this by hand, without a special tool.

You need to carefully prepare for work, stock up on personal protective equipment, cover all objects and more.

To learn how to quickly and independently remove plaster from walls at home, read the article.

Preparation

Before you start removing a layer of plaster from the walls, you need to prepare. Regardless of the chosen method of dismantling the old coating, this process is always associated with the formation of a large amount of dust, which must be taken into account before starting work.

Preparation consists of the following steps:

1. The room is de-energized.
2. They twist sockets, switches, lamps, and a chandelier (it is removed if the plaster is to be removed from the ceiling). The resulting holes are covered with masking tape.
3. Protect the floor covering from construction dust and dirt. If the layer of plaster is thick, it will fall in heavy pieces. Therefore, first, corrugated cardboard is laid on the floor, which is covered with plastic film on top.
4. Window sills are covered with newspapers or thick fabric, pressing them with a weight so that they do not fall to the floor.
5. Interior doors are covered with stretch film. When carrying out work, the gaps between the doors and the floor are sealed around the perimeter with masking tape. This will prevent dust from spreading throughout the apartment.
6. Cover the windows with polyethylene, leaving a small hole to allow the room to be ventilated.
7. They take out all the electronics so that dust that gets on them does not lead to damage. The remaining furniture in the room is covered with film.

How to remove old coating?

To remove plaster from a wall, you can use a percussion tool in the form of a chisel, hammer or hammer drill. If the plaster layer is thin, use a grinding or vibrating machine. In the absence of power tools. They resort to using a scraping spatula.

Chisel and hammer

You can get rid of a layer of plaster using available tools in the form of a chisel and a hammer. It’s easy to work with them, the main thing is to control the force of the blow. If you hit the chisel too hard, you will leave nicks on the wall that will have to be smoothed out.

Procedure:

• divide the walls into small fragments - to do this, lean the chisel against the wall vertically and hit it with a hammer;
• when the outline of the fragment is knocked out, the chisel is tilted at an angle of 45 degrees, inserted into the groove and tapped on it with a hammer;
• As the elements move away, the chisel is moved forward.

This method is suitable for removing plaster of medium to significant thickness.

Grinder

It is best to use a grinding machine to remove decorative coatings that have been applied in a thin layer.

Mode of application:

1. Choose an attachment in the form of a brush or coarse sandpaper.
2. Put the device into operating mode and sand the coating.
3. You need to control the work visually, continuing sanding until the base becomes visible.

Sanding produces a significant amount of dust, so whenever possible, use a tool with a built-in dust collector. If it is not there, the wall must be wetted before work begins.

Hammer

You can quickly cope with the task using a hammer drill. To do this, you will need a tool with attachments in the form of blades of different thicknesses.

Mode of application:

• the device is put into working condition;
• set the crushing mode on the hammer drill;
• lean it against the wall at an angle of 80 degrees;
• they pierce the plaster to the full depth, right to the very foundation, and make a groove;
• tilt the hammer drill at an angle of 40 degrees, insert it into the groove, knock down the plaster, moving in the desired direction.

A hammer drill is used to remove a thick layer of plaster.

Vibrating machine

A vibrating machine is great for removing thin layers of plaster. Its working surface is represented by abrasive materials of different grain sizes. The coating is removed by small but very frequent movements of sandpaper along the surface of the wall.

Roughing spatula

A scraper is an affordable tool for removing plaster. Working with it, you will be able to carefully clean the wall without damaging its base. A spatula is used to remove medium thickness coatings.

Mode of application:

1. Using the corner of a spatula, make small notches over the entire area of ​​the wall.
2. Starting from the most convenient side, remove the plaster, gradually moving forward. Hold the tool at an angle of 30-45 degrees.
3. Sometimes you can tap the handle of the spatula with a hammer to drive it deeper under the base.

The advantage of using a spatula is that the work will be carried out quietly and with a minimum amount of dust.

Removal from the ceiling

Removing plaster from a ceiling is more difficult than removing plaster from a wall. A person will have to perform work in a position where his arms are always raised up. This requires more time and physical effort.

The choice of tool depends on the thickness and composition of the plaster, applied to the ceiling, but there is one universal way to make the work easier.

To do this, you need to prepare a special solution that softens the coating. For 1 liter of water take 2 tablespoons of starch, which is mixed until completely dissolved. The resulting solution is used to treat the ceiling.

Under its influence, the plaster will become looser and it will be easier to remove it from the wall surface. After 15 minutes you can start cleaning. The work will go much faster.

Features of removal depending on the type of building material

Depending on the type of plaster, the features of its removal from the wall differ:

1. Cement coating adheres firmly to the surface, it is difficult to knock it off, even if the material was applied a long time ago. Its removal is started only when there are no other finishing options. For removal, use a breaking tool, for example, a hammer drill. The layer of cement plaster is most often thick.
2. Gypsum coating holds tightly, but is prone to cracking when impacted. Therefore, a breaker tool is used to remove it.

   If the layer is thick, use a puncher, and if it is thin, use a spatula or chisel.

3. Decorative coating most often applied in a thin layer. It does not hold as firmly as a cement-based mixture. Therefore, a grinding or vibrating machine is used to remove it.
4. Clay coating must be removed. If you leave it on the wall, then the new decor, for example, wallpaper, will not stick firmly. This type of plaster is prone to breaking and peeling. Therefore, cleaning it will not be difficult. If the area is small, then you can use a roughing spatula or chisel for the work.
5. Polymer coating holds firmly due to special additives in the composition. It is difficult to remove it by hand; it is better to use a grinding machine.

Nuances of removal from different types of bases

Depending on the base on which the plaster is applied, the methods for removing it will differ:

1. Tree. It is one of the softest and most pliable substrates, so it is better to use a grinding or vibrating machine to process it. The last option is preferable.
2. Concrete. This base can withstand any processing, including crushing with a hammer drill.
3. Brick. To remove the coating from a brick wall, it is not recommended to use a hammer drill, as it will either get into the seam or slide off the masonry. Therefore, it is better for a non-professional to give preference to a grinding machine and remove the thick layer manually.
4. Drywall. Its integrity cannot be violated, so do not use a hammer or punch for the work.It is necessary to start stripping from the corner, carefully separating the exfoliated fragment. To do this, you can use a knife or screwdriver. When the coating gives way, they arm themselves with a scraper, which in appearance resembles a spatula, but its edge is sharpened more sharply. With its help, the plaster is removed by carefully pushing the tool under the coating.

Personal protective equipment and safety precautions

In order not to harm your own health when carrying out work, you need to take care of safety precautions, compliance with which is impossible without personal protective equipment.

Basic rules:

• Construction glasses should be worn over the eyes, which fit tightly to the face and prevent fine dust from entering the mucous membranes;
• protect the respiratory system with a respirator - it will catch dust, preventing it from entering the respiratory tract;
• clothes should have long sleeves - you need to work in pants made of thick material;
• protect your feet with hard boots so that heavy pieces of plaster cannot cause a bruise or fracture;
• If the plaster will be removed from the ceiling, it is necessary to use a hard hat.

How can construction waste be used?

After removing the plaster, a significant amount of debris is generated. About 15 kg of material and even more are removed from each square meter.

Tips to make your work easier:

1. So that after completion of the work you do not have to spend several days cleaning, it is better to do it immediately, as dismantling proceeds.
2. Do not fill bags to the top. Otherwise it will be impossible to lift them. In addition, heavy weight can cause the container to burst.
3. A dustpan and broom are used to rake up debris. Do not use a vacuum cleaner, as the plaster can damage the equipment.
4. To remove garbage, you need to hire a special car, since management companies are not obliged to deal with this procedure.

Plaster is not always a useless material. Even after being removed from the wall, it can be reused. It is used to fill the foundation for pouring a porch, to improve an area for parking a car, and to level garden paths. This is especially true for owners of country houses and dachas.

Gypsum coating is used as insulation in outbuildings. Lime plaster can be used to cover the soil in areas where weeds grow.

What not to do and why?

When removing plaster from a wall You cannot do the following:

• You should not start repairs without personal protective equipment;
• It is unacceptable to remove a thin layer of plaster with a percussion tool;
• when working at heights, it is not recommended to use a stool or table; it is better to purchase a construction ladder - there is no need to place it close to the wall, since broken fragments will fly into your face;
• The power tool should not be left turned on for longer than 20-30 minutes - failure to comply with this recommendation will lead to its overheating and failure; the break should be at least half an hour so that the equipment has time to cool down.

Helpful information

Removal Tips plaster from the wall:

1. Gypsum and lime coatings are susceptible to moisture, so it is recommended to moisten them generously with hot water before removing them.It will take about 20 minutes to soften, after which the work will go faster.
2. A thin layer of plaster is moistened using a spray bottle. If its thickness exceeds 6 cm, use a roller, rag or sponge.
3. If you need to do the work quietly and with minimal dust formation, use a chisel and hammer, or a spatula.
4. If the processing area is impressive, it is better to use a power tool.
5. Garbage must be removed immediately so that it does not interfere with movement around the room and does not cause injury.

Conclusion

Remove plaster from a wall or ceiling possible using different tools. Its choice depends on the thickness of the coating and the base on which it is applied. When carrying out work, you must follow safety precautions and not ignore the preparatory stage.