In order to ensure a smooth and even surface for painting or wallpapering, leveling walls is an essential step in remodeling or redecorating your house. This procedure can greatly enhance the visual appeal of your interiors, regardless of whether you’re working with outdated drywall, plaster, or other materials. Professional-looking results don’t always require professional skills; if you have the right equipment and follow a methodical process, you can accomplish them on your own.
Preparation is the first step in leveling walls. To keep dust and debris off the walls, remove any furniture and decorations from the surrounding area. Then, cover the floors with drop cloths. Before leveling, check the walls for any holes, cracks, or loose plaster that may need to be fixed. This guarantees a solid foundation and guards against wall finish problems later on.
Next, collect your supplies and tools. Generally, you’ll need a spirit level, plaster or joint compound, sandpaper or a sanding block, a putty knife or trowel, and a potential drywall sander for larger areas. To get the best results, make sure these tools are clean and in good working order.
Applying a layer of plaster or joint compound to the wall surface will start the leveling process. Work your way down the wall in small steps, starting at the top corner. As you spread the compound, check for evenness frequently with the spirit level. If more layers are required, add them; however, let each coat completely dry before sanding or adding the next.
- Determining the curvature of the walls
- How to level walls: methods and nuances
- How to level a wall with plaster
- Step-by-step instructions for leveling walls with your own hands:
- Video on the topic
- Working with gypsum plaster. Plastering the walls. All stages!
- Installing beacons under plaster – 2 best ways!
- A modern method of high-quality installation of beacons under plaster!
Determining the curvature of the walls
A building level with an air bubble inside is the most widely used tool for assisting in determining the scope of the issue. It is applied to the wall at various heights in multiple locations. The bubble will be in the center of the capsule if the surface is flat; if there is curvature, it will shift to one of the measuring stripes, where the deviation from the norm can be set.
There are also more sophisticated options, like laser levels, but these are pricey and will add a large amount to the cost of self-repair even though they will most accurately and swiftly reveal all the subtleties.
We also provide an option, which is a reasonably priced and essentially cost-free method of figuring out a wall’s vertical deviation without the need for specialized equipment: • Locate a sturdy thread or thin cord, preferably with a pointed end, to hang a small weight from.
• At the wall’s transition point from the ceiling, we drive a nail into one of the upper corners. Then, we attach our homemade plumb line to the wall, weighing it down until it nearly touches the floor. The plumb line in this instance shouldn’t come into contact with the wall’s surface.
• At this point, we assess the lines’ visual parallelism or, in multiple locations, use a tape measure to measure the separation between them.
• It is necessary to repeat the manipulations from a different perspective. You can install lighthouses around the entire perimeter of the wall for more information content by nailing it flush with a cord that hangs the load from both the upper and lower corners. Next, a long thread needs to be pulled crosswise from the upper left corner to the lower right and vice versa. This layout will enable you to evaluate the walls’ curvature throughout the whole space.
A pre-made plumb line is also available for purchase; it is reasonably priced and useful for leveling walls, particularly if you choose to handle the task without consulting an expert.
We walk you through the step-by-step process of leveling walls yourself in this article. Knowing the basics is essential, whether you’re painting a room or priming and painting. We’ll go over the necessary equipment and supplies, walk you through every step of the process from surface preparation to finishing touches, and offer helpful advice to guarantee a flawless finish. You can makeover your walls and get results that look professional by following these simple instructions—all without paying for expensive professional assistance.
How to level walls: methods and nuances
There are two techniques for leveling walls: wet and dry. To make it easier for you to select the best technique for removing flaws, we will go over each of their benefits and drawbacks in greater detail.
1. Wet – gypsum or cement mixtures are applied to the walls for leveling, which are carefully smoothed over the entire surface. This method is good if the vertical is not particularly lame, but you just need to adjust the cavities in several places, close up cracks or hide the influx. If there are significant defects, the material consumption will be significant both for the wallet and for the wall – there is always a risk that an overly thick layer of mortar will not stay on a vertical surface, even if it is secured with a mesh. Therefore, the permissible curvature at which the raw method of leveling walls with plaster is effective does not exceed 5 cm.
Advantages: you lose very little usable space, the solutions are low cost (you can do the preparation yourself), and the walls hold strong.
Cons: The task requires specific skills, drying the layers takes a long time, and a lot of dust and debris are inevitable when cleaning surfaces and making corrections.
2. Dry leveling walls with plywood or plasterboard sheets. Materials can be put on a frame constructed of profiles or directly mounted to the wall using glue. This is the best choice in large rooms where a few centimeters lost won’t kill you, or when there are large vertical deviations and dry mixtures don’t work well.
Advice: To make a frame, use a metal profile. Over time, cracks may occur in wooden blocks.
Advantages: doesn’t require labor-intensive preparation; since the work isn’t "dirty," it can be done without covering the room’s soiled surfaces or the furniture. Combining leveling with other techniques can involve modifying the standard wall contours, installing materials for sound and heat insulation behind plasterboard sheets, or using a frame to conceal various communications.
Cons: drastically reduces the amount of space in the room; plasterboard walls are not very sturdy; they can break from mechanical shocks or become too heavy from hanging furniture or elaborate décor.
The material of the decorative coating is another factor that influences the choice of building materials for leveling surfaces, in addition to the wall’s curvature and minimizing repair costs. Wallpaper, for instance, looks great on plasterboard sheets as well as putty, but plaster works better beneath tiles. So let’s examine the methodical approach to handling different materials.
How to level a wall with plaster
Plastering the walls with a final coat of putty is the obvious solution to leveling them if the uneven areas are found to be fairly minor. It’s crucial to properly prepare the base surface before using the wet leveling method. This includes priming and drying the wall thoroughly, removing any old finish, and making sure there are no cracks or crumbling areas. In order to stop the solution from getting on the coating, it’s also important to cover the floors with thick cellophane, multiple layers of paper, or cardboard.
Step-by-step instructions for leveling walls with your own hands:
1. Installing "beacons"
Metal slats will serve as a guide for work, which will help to clearly identify all problem areas of the wall. Reiki are attached to the construction solution with gaps of 50 cm. The first “beacons” are installed on the opposite sides of the wall, checked with a plumb line, then below, in the middle and on top, the connecting cord is stretched from above. The rest of the rails are attached so as to touch the cord. Their number depends on the condition of the wall and the size of the tool with which the construction mixture will be applied. The standard option is to focus on the size of the rule, the edges of which should be based on two neighboring rails.2.Choose how to align the walls in the apartment
Construction mixtures are dry, which should be diluted according to the instructions, or ready to use. If you think about how to align the walls for wallpaper for decoration of the bedroom, living room or other residential premises, then choose gypsum mixtures – they are convenient to work and support the microclimate in the room well. But for areas of high humidity (for example, a bathroom or kitchen), it is better to use cement-based solutions to prevent the development of mold fungi.
Knauf’s Rotband plaster mix is ideal for damp rooms even though it contains gypsum. The manufacturer says as much.
You can also prepare the plaster mix yourself, for this you need to mix sand with cement in a ratio of 6:1 and dilute with water to the consistency of thick sour cream. The ratio of dry components may vary – some craftsmen prefer to work with a solution, adding 1 part of cement to 3 parts of sand, considering this composition more plastic. It is advisable to use any prepared mixture within a couple of hours of work so that it does not lose its qualities.3.Preparing the tools
For plastering work you will need: a construction mixer or drill, a rule, a spatula / trowel, a container for the solution, a square and a plaster hawk – a square shield with a handle for collecting the mixture. You can do without the latter, but such a simple device significantly reduces time costs.
4. Plastering the wall
Before you get to work, it would be nice to watch a video on how to level walls with your own hands. In principle, there is nothing complicated here: a portion of the solution is taken onto the falcon, the mixture is thrown between the “beacons” with a trowel, and smoothed as a rule, moving from bottom to top to evenly distribute the plaster over the surface. The thickness of the layer will be indicated by “beacons” – whether to remove them or not depends on the option of further processing (for tiles you can leave them, for wallpaper and painting you can remove them). A plaster square will help you achieve perfect 90 degrees in corners. After leveling, the surface must be dried and primed.
5. Putty work
After the primer has dried, you can proceed to the final stage – applying putty. To do this, use a cuvette for the solution, a trowel, 2 types of spatulas – narrow and wide. The putty mixture dries quickly, so the cuvette should be covered and the solution should be prepared according to the recommendations on the package. The consistency should be such that the cone does not lose its shape when stirred in a circular manner with a stick. On large surfaces the solution is applied with a wide spatula, on corners and wall joints – with a narrow one. It is convenient to smooth out marks and unevenness with a smoothing iron.
Once the first layer has set, it is primed to remove stains and sagging. It is then given time to dry before a second, thin layer is applied. The walls will be flawlessly smooth after a day when you use sandpaper to smooth the surface.
Step | Description |
1 | Prepare the Wall: Remove any old wallpaper, nails, or screws. Clean the surface and repair any large holes with filler. |
2 | Inspect for Level: Use a spirit level to check if the wall is uneven. Mark high and low spots. |
3 | Apply a Primer: Apply a primer to the wall to en Once the surface is level and smooth, apply your chosen paint or wall finish. |
Taking the proper steps can make the seemingly impossible task of leveling walls on your own more manageable. The method described here will help you create even, smooth walls that will improve the appearance of any space.
First, set up your workspace and collect all the equipment you’ll need. The task will be simpler and more effective if you make sure your workspace is tidy and orderly. To help you with your leveling efforts, measure and mark the high and low points of your walls.
To improve the adhesion of the leveling compound, apply a suitable wall primer. Using a trowel, spread the compound evenly across the wall after mixing and applying it in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Always remember to work in manageable chunks to keep accuracy and control.
After applying the compound, check for evenness with a level. While the compound is still wet, make any necessary adjustments. Sand the surface to get a smooth finish after it dries.
You can successfully level your walls and get them ready for painting or other finishes by following these steps. Your space will look more polished and professional if you take the time to complete this task correctly.