A flawlessly level and smooth wall is necessary for any plastering project. Installing beacons, which act as guides for the plaster and ensure an even and polished finish, is one of the best ways to accomplish this. Even though the procedure could seem a little intimidating at first, you can easily master this technique if you have the right tools and a little knowledge.
Usually constructed of plastic or metal, beacons—also referred to as screed guides—are fastened vertically to the wall. They serve as points of reference, which makes it possible to apply plaster to the entire surface at a uniform thickness. This produces a much higher quality finish in addition to making the job easier.
We’ll guide you through the process of mounting beacons for plastering on a wall in this article. Everything will be covered, including how to properly space and secure the beacons as well as choose the appropriate materials. You’ll be well on your way to having a smooth, polished plastered wall if you follow these instructions.
Beacons must be installed on a wall before plastering in order to guarantee a level, smooth surface. These guides can help you achieve a professional finish and uniform plaster thickness by placing them with precision. Marking the wall, securing the beacons, and ensuring that they are precisely vertical are all part of this process. Anyone can install beacons and get a wall ready for plastering with the right equipment and a little perseverance, which will produce better outcomes and a more polished look.
Materials and tools
Be sure you have the required supplies and equipment before putting beacons.
- Beacon guide profiles. On sale you can find plastic and metal profiles made of thin sheet steel (galvanized and non-galvanized). As a last resort, you can use wooden slats, as they did half a century ago. Beacons made of plastic are cheaper, but no master can guarantee the quality of work with them – they can bend at any moment and all the work will have to be redone. Metal profiles are more expensive, but not so much that they need to be abandoned. If you need to save money, you can buy non-galvanized guides and then remove them. Metal beacons have a T or L profile, length 2.5 m or 3 m, height 6 mm and 10 mm;
- Clips (Kremmer or Ushastik devices) for attaching beacons or a gypsum-based adhesive mixture (Rotband putty);
- Dowels;
- Self-tapping screws with a diameter of 6 mm for an 8 mm drill. The length depends on the curvature of the wall. You can use a dowel-nail 8*140 mm.
Equipment and accoutrements:
- Stepladder (goats, strong table), for convenient work, above 1.5 m;
- A hammer drill with a drill with a diameter of 8 mm, corresponding to the type of wall (for concrete, wood, aerated concrete);
- Factory plumb line or made by yourself;
- Grinder, for bringing the lighthouse profiles to size;
- Screwdriver;
- Roulette;
- Construction square;
- Marker (chalk or construction pencil);
- Level, also known as spirit level (laser level);
- Fishing line (any thin and strong twine).
Marking
Determining the plaster plane and zero plane is the most challenging step in the beacon installation process. Experts can calculate a wall’s degree of curvature in two ways:
- classical;
- spider method.
Traditional. Let us observe right away that this method is presented in a complex way in textbooks and several publications based on classical canons. It appears to be challenging to put into practice as well.
This is an artificial problem, as the technology demands precise line geometry—blue horizontally, diagonally, and green—which is laborious and confusing (see rice). Actually, since the plane formed by screws A, A1, B, and B1 is the only important part, a simplified version can be achieved. Everything else comes second.
Professionals refer to the traditional method of locating the zero plane as "hanging," which comes from the old Russian word "weight," which is equivalent to a plumb line in our language.
Starting from point A in Figure, hammer in a dowel in the upper corner of the wall at a distance of 10 cm from the wall next to it and 10–20 cm from the ceiling. You insert a self-tapping screw into it. You can leave it three to five centimeters above the wall (it will find its screwing depth during the hanging process).
Two additional hardware points (A1 and A2) are marked on the wall: in the middle and below, at a distance of 10–20 cm from the floor. A plumb line is fastened to the head of the self-tapping screw. The hardware is screwed in and removed to bring the dowels into one plane after the self-tapping screws have been inserted. The procedure must be managed with a plumb line.
It’s the same procedure at the opposite end of the wall. Subsequently, fishing line (twine) is used to connect each screw horizontally and the upper and lower ones diagonally. The threads should touch in the middle if everything is done correctly. This establishes a plane on which the computations will be done.
Selecting the spots where the beacons should be attached is the next step. A self-tapping screw is first inserted into the dowel driven into the wall along the A-B line, 10 cm away from point A. This process is repeated until a single plane with points A and B is formed (control is done along the stretched line between the upper screws).
At the opposite end of the wall is the point of the other extreme lighthouse (D). Subsequently, the newly formed points (C and D) are measured for distance. The resultant length is split into 80–150 cm equal spans. This is the method used to locate intermediate beacons. In the photo, there are two of them.
Crucial: in the event that a window or door falls within the line of the intermediate beacon, two beacons are positioned on either side of the door frame or at a distance of ten to fifteen centimeters from each other (see rice).
We screw in the screws on the lines of the beacons, marks E and F, once more along a stretched fishing line between points A and B. The last step in forming the auxiliary plane is to put self-tapping screws vertically, or along the beacon line. The procedure of aligning points A, A1, and A2 in a single plane is carried out exactly once more.
Afterwards, the intermediate beacons are fitted with a fishing line. The fishing line that is stretched diagonally and green, passing through the center of the wall, will be touched by the red-marked threads in the figure if the work is completed with precision.
Take note: in the event that a portion of the wall protrudes through the auxiliary plane, remove each screw individually until the auxiliary plane covers the exposed area. Using a screwdriver, you must unscrew it and count the turns. Every screw needs to be identical.
We locate the most convex location from which the zero plane will form by measuring the distances between the wall surface and the stretched threads (fishing line). Using a construction square instead of a tape measure makes the task easier.
It is best to record the measurement results in a notebook or with a marker (chalk) on the wall next to the diagram. Following that, measurements are made along the lighthouse’s (red) lines, looking for the area that is most convex. Here, there are two possible outcomes:
- the difference between the zero point and the highest place on the line of one of the beacons is less than 1 cm;
- the same difference is 2-3 cm.
You must think very carefully about this.
Regarding the initial instance. As stated:
- the difference between the zero mark and the highest point on the beacon line is 6 mm;
- the plaster solution must overlap any point on the wall by at least 5 mm;
- metal profile thickness 10 mm;
- the thickness of the clip on which the beacon will be attached is 6 mm.
We tally. The surface of the guide will overlap the zero plane by 10 mm if a self-tapping screw is inserted on the beacon line at the highest point. This is 5 mm more than is necessary (6 mm for the clip thickness plus 10 mm for the profile thickness minus 6 mm for the difference between the points). This is quite a bit.
Overuse of plaster mixture will result in expenses exceeding one thousand rubles. Here, you have two options: either replace the guides (take 6 mm high) or forgo the clips and use plaster mortar to attach the beacons.
Only the 26 mm difference between the control points will alter in the second scenario. Once more, we consider. The difference in height of 26 mm plus the 5 mm plaster layer equals 31 mm from the point on the lighthouse line to the plane of the plaster layer.
The beacon will have a 16 mm clip (6 mm clip plus 10 mm profile). In this instance, 15 mm of hardware should stay on the surface when the screw is screwed into the dowel (31 mm – 16 mm).
After obtaining the control point for the screw head’s location in each scenario, we construct the plane of the beacons’ bases along it in accordance with the well-known pattern.
How can beacons be installed on a plaster wall using a "spider"? One thing sets this method apart from the classical method: a horizontally stretched thread is used, which travels along the side guides, in place of hanging. The guidelines are easy to follow:
- similarly to the classical method, two vertical lines are built: A-A1 and B-B1, without self-tapping screws at point 2;
- a string or very strong fishing line is stretched vertically between the screws;
- a thread (line) is stretched between the strings from above or below;
- a horizontally stretched thread moves up and down, which allows you to take measurements at any point on the wall, unlike the classical method.
The process for determining the locations of the outer and intermediate beacons is the same as for wall hanging. The calculations are performed precisely in accordance with the previously mentioned scheme.
| Step | Description |
| 1. Mark the Wall | Draw vertical lines where you will place the beacons, typically 1-1.5 meters apart. |
| 2. Mix Plaster | Prepare a small amount of plaster or adhesive to fix the beacons to the wall. |
| 3. Apply Plaster Dabs | Put dabs of plaster along the marked lines at intervals. |
| 4. Position Beacons | Press the beacons into the plaster dabs, making sure they are vertical and aligned. |
| 5. Level the Beacons | Use a spirit level to ensure the beacons are perfectly vertical. |
| 6. Allow to Set | Let the plaster or adhesive dry completely before starting to plaster the wall. |
Beacons installation is a simple procedure that can greatly improve the finish of a wall before plastering. By arranging these guides, you can guarantee a smooth, even plaster layer that looks good and endures longer. Although it may appear difficult at first, DIY enthusiasts can complete this task completely with the right tools and a little perseverance.
Make sure your wall is tidy and devoid of any debris before starting. As you work your way inward from the corners, mark the locations of your beacons. You can make sure the beacons are straight and level by using these marks as a guide when placing them at regular intervals. For accuracy to be maintained, this step requires the use of a spirit level.
After your markings are set, follow these lines on the wall with dots of plaster or adhesive. Press the beacons firmly into the dabs, lining them up precisely with your markings. In order to guarantee that the beacons stay in their original locations throughout the plastering process, let the plaster or adhesive fully set before moving forward.
Now that your beacons are firmly in place, you can start plastering. To help you spread the plaster evenly across the wall, the beacons serve as a guide for the thickness of the material. This method enhances the overall finish quality while streamlining the plastering process.
To sum up, installing beacons is a crucial step in producing a plaster finish that looks professional. Although it could take some time and accuracy, the outcomes are well worth the effort. These techniques will help you turn a rough wall into a smooth, even surface that is ready for painting or additional decorating. Recall that the secret to a successful plastering project is patience and close attention to detail.
