There are many options for decorating the ceiling, but one of the simplest and inexpensive ways whitewashing the ceiling with chalk is considered. If you approach the issue wisely, you end up with a smooth, snow-white ceiling. To do this you must remove old layer and level the surface (putty, prime).
Preparing the ceiling for whitewashing
We clean the surface
Whitewashing the ceiling with chalk with your own hands is quite possible! The technology does not involve any complex actions, so almost anyone can handle it.
So, the first step is to prepare the ceiling for further work. When cleaning the previous layer of whitewash, be sure to wear a respirator so as not to harm your health. This whole process is quite dusty. The following recommendations will be useful to you:
- If possible, remove furniture from the room where work is being done;
- Cover the floor and remaining furniture with film;
- purchase latex gloves, glasses.
There are several ways to remove chalk from the ceiling:
- dry cleaning (old whitewash is scraped off with a spatula; sometimes a paste solution is first applied and left until completely dry);
- blurring the whitewash (it is gradually washed off with a brush or a hard rag dipped in water);
- mixed method ( small area the surface is sprayed with a spray bottle, then a scraper or a wet rag is used to remove the whitewash);
- soap solution (dilute 2 tablespoons of laundry soap in 10 liters of warm water, add 5 tablespoons of soda; the solution is applied with a sponge, the soaked layer of whitewash is carefully removed);
- usage grinding machine(implies a lot of dust).
Then the cleaned surface should be puttied and primed.
How to putty a ceiling
You can prepare the putty mixture yourself:
- Dilute wood glue (50 g of glue will require 1 liter of water).
- Combine glue, chalk and plaster (in a ratio of 2:2:1).
- Stir until smooth.
- Apply to the ceiling.
You can also use this recipe to prepare putty.
- Dilute slaked lime with water (2.5 kg per 5 liters of liquid).
- Add table salt (4 tbsp is enough), add water so that the total volume is 10 liters.
- Separately, mix chalk (200 g) with glue (10%, 1.5 l).
- Knead each mixture and combine.
- Apply putty to the ceiling.
A small amount of the mixture should be scooped up with a spatula and distributed over the ceiling. The tool should be held at an angle so that the putty is applied evenly. After the first layer has dried, you can repeat the procedure. Try to immediately level the edges at the junction of the layers, otherwise it will be difficult to do this after drying.
How to prepare a primer
After puttying, the ceiling needs to be primed. For this you will need:
- 50 g drying oil;
- laundry soap;
- 3 kg slaked lime.
First, grate the soap on a coarse grater and dissolve it in hot water. Then add drying oil. Separately, dilute the lime with water, combine the soap solution with the lime solution. The total volume of the mixture must be brought to 10 liters using water. Knead the solution with your hands and apply it to the ceiling with a roller.
If you don't want to spend time preparing a primer, you can purchase ready mixture in a hardware store and simply dilute it with water, following the instructions on the package.
How to properly dilute chalk for whitewashing a ceiling
The whitewash solution can already be purchased at finished form, or you can cook it yourself. The average consumption of raw materials is 0.5 liters of solution per 1 sq.m. To make a solution for whitewashing, you may need: lime, chalk, blue, wood glue, chalk paste.
One of simple recipes the next one is considered. Sift the chalk, remove impurities and large particles. Pour 1.5 kg of chalk into a deep bowl, add 2.5 liters of water and 30 g of wood glue (it can be diluted with a small amount hot water).
Mix well so that there are no lumps left and the mixture is completely homogeneous. Then the solution must be filtered through gauze, folded into three layers. And you can start whitewashing!
Usually the solution is applied to the ceiling surface with a brush or roller, but if you have a sprayer you can make your task much easier.
The ideal concentration of whitewash is considered to be one at which an object immersed in the solution is painted evenly, while an even stream flows from it. If the mixture turns out to be thick, it can be diluted with water; if it is liquid, you need to let the solution brew and drain a little water.
How to whitewash a ceiling with chalk
You need to start whitewashing from the window into the room. This will avoid unsightly surface shine. When the first layer dries, it is advisable to re-treat the surface to obtain a better result. In this case, the second layer must be applied perpendicular to the first (this will help reduce the number of streaks). If you work with a roller, it is advisable to brush the corners so that you get an even layer everywhere.
When all the work is completed, it is necessary to exclude drafts until the ceiling is completely dry, as this may impair the quality of the work. You should also protect whitewash from direct sun rays, otherwise it may crumble.
It is important to remember that when re-processing the ceiling, it is advisable to use the same materials (lime or chalk mortar) as the previous time to avoid streaks. How can you determine which solution is applied to the ceiling? It's very simple: lightly moisten the surface and watch the whitewash reaction. If fingers become stained, chalk was used. If the surface darkens, but the fingers remain clean, lime was used.
Chalk whitewash ceiling will fit perfectly into any interior. It looks very neat, gentle, and acts as a background for decorative elements. Don’t think that a whitewashed room will be boring, dull, or out of date. Add some bright ones rich colors into the interior, stylish accessories- and you will see how the ceiling will emphasize the overall design idea.
Video: whitewashing the ceiling
Huge variety of materials for finishing is replacing old methods of repair, and lime whitewashing is no longer used as widely as it was 50 years ago. But this method, proven by generations, fully corresponds to the expression “cheap and cheerful.” If you are planning to whitewash walls, ceilings or borders in the garden, learn what properties slaked lime has, how to prepare it correctly, calculate the solution consumption and apply it to various surfaces.
Lime is not the easiest material to use. However, it occupies its niche in the building materials market quite firmly and is very reluctant to give up its position. Considering all the advantages and disadvantages, in certain cases the use lime whitewash is appropriate, and sometimes it is more appropriate to choose another method.
Budget finishing material
Important properties of lime whitewash
The lime known to everyone from school is called calcium oxide in chemistry textbooks. For whitewashing, slaked lime is used, that is, it has reacted with water. Chemically speaking, slaked lime is a strong base - an alkali. It has good disinfectant properties, because an aggressive alkaline environment has a detrimental effect on fungus, insect pests and other unwanted living creatures.
Lime whitewash is not afraid of humid air, does not crack or bubble. In addition to resistance to high humidity, walls treated with this substance are resistant to temperature changes.
Fluff in powder form
For whitewashing it is not necessary to wash off the existing coating; it can be applied to the old finish. Moreover, if a network of small cracks has formed on the surface of the walls or ceiling, treatment with slaked lime solution will strengthen the finish and extend its service life.
The cost of lime for whitewashing in stores cannot be compared with the price of other finishing materials. This is due to the fact that the production process is very simple - it is a simple firing of lime rocks in a kiln. Raw materials cost pennies, so the price of the product is low. A thirty-kilogram bag costs about $2.
Where and why is it advisable to use lime?
The properties of antiseptic and fungicide make slaked lime a leader among finishing materials for damp and cold rooms: cellar, barn, garage, basement and the like. It is used for walls and ceilings. The weather resistance of the substance allows it to be used for whitewashing facades.
The record holders for using lime for whitewashing and other tasks are summer residents. Here it is applied full swing. It is customary to whitewash walls both inside and outside, add quicklime to the soil to change its acid-base balance, treat tree trunks to protect them from insects and animals, and borders for beauty.
Trees are whitewashed from pests
In those rooms where practicality rather than aesthetics comes to the fore, and where the financial side of the issue is also important, lime solution is also used to cover walls and ceilings. This can be observed in the entrances, on staircase landings, in common corridors, foyer.
It is quite appropriate to whitewash the ceiling in any living space in this way. In schools, hospitals and other institutions, lime mortar is still used for wall finishing. After drying, calcium hydroxide becomes safe and does not release any harmful substances into the air.
Entrance decoration
Buying lime - which one to buy and how much
Before going to the store, you need to find out what kind of lime to buy for whitewashing - slaked or quicklime, how much of it is required and what other components will be needed. This will save you from going to the construction market again if suddenly the solution is not enough or its properties do not meet your requirements.
How to make slaked lime with your own hands
As you already understood, extinguished and quicklime– absolutely different substances, which are united only by a consonant name and the presence of calcium in the composition. For household repair work Slaked lime is used. It is sold by weight in any hardware store or department for Agriculture.
Kipelka - lump lime
However, there are often situations when the farm has a fairly large supply of quicklime and it is advisable to use it rather than buy slaked lime. In this case, you can extinguish it yourself, especially since this chemical process does not require the skills to conduct such experiments in the laboratory.
So, how to prepare lime for whitewashing from lumpy quicklime. First you need to worry about personal protection. Since you will be dealing with a rather aggressive alkali, take care to protect your eyes (goggles), respiratory organs (respirator), and exposed skin (closed clothing and gloves). This must be done in the air.
Video: How to prepare a whitewash solution
You will need a deep container, such as a bucket, and a mixing tool - traditionally a stick. The list of ingredients is also short:
- lump quicklime;
- water.
Quenching process
The water must be cold, this is the only condition. Even a first grader will remember the proportion – 1:1.
Step-by-step instruction:
- For 1 kg of calcium oxide take 1 liter cold water.
- Combine all this in a container and mix. Almost instantly you will be able to observe the beginning of a powerful chemical reaction with highlighting large quantity heat. When extinguishing, the mixture sometimes heats up to 150 degrees; it is not for nothing that the substance is popularly called boiling water - the solution literally boils.
- When the reaction stops, heat and gas cease to be released, the lime can be considered “fluffy”, that is, slaked. However, it is not yet suitable for whitewashing.
- The solution should ripen for 2-3 weeks under a lid in a cool, dark place.
Solution proportions and consumption per square
To start whitewashing with lime yourself, you need to prepare at least the following set of materials:
- powdered fluff or lime paste;
- water.
Packaging of fluff
In addition, various auxiliary substances are often added to whitewashing, which give it certain properties. The base solution is prepared in a ratio of 1:3. For every kilogram of fluff, take 3 liters of water. As a result, 4 liters of solution can be prepared from 1 kg of substance.
The consumption of lime per 1 m2 during whitewashing directly depends on the type of surface on which it is applied:
- Most high consumption– about 1 l ready solution per square, will go untreated during whitewashing brickwork.
- A smooth prepared surface requires approximately 0.5 liters per square meter area.
Preparing the premises
Another criterion that affects consumption is painting tools. More often they use a regular flat brush or a round brush. These tools are wasteful, the mass is applied in a thick layer, and drips and drops can form. The spray gun can significantly reduce material consumption and operating time. Often, instead of a spray gun, a vacuum cleaner with reverse airflow and even hand-held tree sprayers are used.
How to calculate the amount of fluff and water
Before diluting slaked lime for whitewashing, you need to perform some calculations. An approximate calculation of consumption is as follows.
First you need to calculate the area of the walls and ceiling that you plan to whitewash. For example: a room 3 by 5 m, ceiling height 2.5 m. It was decided to treat the ceiling and part of the walls from mid-height to the ceiling with lime whitewash.
Wall area: (3*2.5+5*2.5+3*2.5+5*2.5)/2=20 m2.
Ceiling area: 3*5=15 m2.
total area: 35 m2.
A solution of the required consistency
Based on the average consumption of 1 liter of solution per 2 m2 of surface, it is easy to calculate required amount for whitewashing - 17.5 liters of lime mortar. You can round up to 18, or better yet, to 20, because average consumption is a fairly flexible concept.
That is, 20 liters of solution are required, and this is 5 kg of slaked lime powder. It is worth noting that ready-made lime dough, which is sold in construction stores, is diluted in the same proportion, which means the calculation is correct for it as well.
Whitewashing leaves marks
Supplements to improve durability and combat deficiencies
Since lime has been used in construction for a very long time, there are a lot of “ folk recipes"and methods that improve the properties of this substance. After all, modern water-based paints appeared not so long ago, and craftsmen were forced to study chemistry right in their dacha or home.
The first problem that is solved by adding secret ingredient into a solution of lime whitewash - shallowing. A dried surface tends to stain everything and everyone who touches it. What to add to lime to prevent it from smearing? This ingredient is in every home - salt. It has a good bonding effect. Add 100 g of salt per liter of solution.
Salt - so as not to smear
Another problem, especially when using whitewash for exterior work, is that the composition is quickly washed off with water. It has long been known what to add to lime so that it does not wash off - a fatty component is introduced into it - drying oil. Drying oil repels water and allows whitewash to last longer. Proportion 1:10, 100 ml per liter of solution.
They practice adding laundry soap, grated on a coarse grater, PVA glue, wallpaper glue, acrylic primer. All this is done in order to ensure maximum adhesion of the whitewash to the wall, to prevent its swelling and bubbling.
Drying oil - so that it does not wash off
White is not the only color possible
To prevent the lime coating from becoming yellowish, an ordinary blue dye is added to it - methylene blue. You will need 10-20 g per liter. The whitewashed ceiling will become snow-white. But sometimes it becomes necessary to obtain lime mortar of other colors. This mass can no longer be called whitewash, and not every dye is suitable. Only those pigments that are resistant to an alkaline environment are used - mineral, but in no case organic.
Pigments used for lime paints:
- ocher (yellow tint);
- umber (greenish brown);
- red lead (orange);
- mummy (red-brown);
- chromium oxide (green);
- titanium dioxide (white);
- lithopone (white);
- ultramarine (blue).
Pigments are used for preparation
To prepare lime paints good quality, it is not recommended to add pigment to pure form- powder. It is first diluted with water to obtain a paste. Then the pigment paste is allowed to infuse for about 24 hours. And only after this the dye can be added to the solution. This is because grains of pigments often do not dissolve well and can drag on the brush, forming unsightly streaks of color.
How to apply the composition to the surface according to all the rules
Instructions on how to whitewash walls with lime vary widely. The thing is that each master has his own recipe for a lime mixture, his own tool, and therefore his own technique. But you can try to combine the fundamental points into one algorithm. It will work out universal method, which everyone has the right to supplement or slightly adjust depending on the situation.
A roller is suitable for the ceiling
Is surface preparation necessary?
If the task is to quickly whitewash the walls and the decorative side of the issue does not really concern you, you can skip the preparation stage altogether. In fact, you can whitewash directly on top of other coatings without worrying that the result will not live up to expectations. But if the walls are covered with adhesive paint, then you need to remove it first.
If speed is not your priority, then it is better to prepare the surface for applying lime mortar. This way the result will be more accurate. The old whitewash is washed off, the swollen areas on the plaster are removed, sanded, and puttied. The same applies to cracks, if any.
Preparing the ceiling for whitewashing
Plain water is used as a primer. The surface is slightly wetted for better contact. And if the mixture contains one or more of the additives listed above, then adhesion will be even better.
It is important to protect all other surfaces from accidental contact with lime. All furniture, if it cannot be removed from the room, the floors and walls are covered plastic film. The worker must wear a protective suit, gloves, goggles and a mask for personal protection.
A few secrets for uniform application
The application process is not particularly difficult. A brush or paint brush is dipped into a container of whitewash and the solution is applied to the walls or ceiling thin layer. For ceilings, it is better to use a tool with a long handle. You can make it yourself. This will make your work easier and eliminate the need to climb on unstable structures made from tables and chairs.
Direction of movement of the brush or roller
Apply whitewash in several layers - 2-3. Each layer must be applied perpendicular to the previous one. This way the coating will be more uniform and there will be no streaks or thickening. There are often unbleached areas in the corners. In these places it is better to go through the brush again.
It is necessary to maintain a time interval between applying layers. The previous layer must dry completely. This will happen much faster if the layers are thin. The thinnest and most uniform layer will be obtained when using an electric spray gun. Lime mixture is poured into the tank and sprayed onto the surface in tiny drops. This eliminates the occurrence of divorces.
Spray gun - a solution to many problems
Despite the fact that the process of whitewashing walls and ceilings with lime is not difficult, for those who are faced with this for the first time, it may seem like an impossible task. Especially when it comes to high ceiling or extensive work over large areas. It's never too late to turn to a master - a professional in his field. He can easily do this job efficiently and much faster than a beginner.
Video: Quick repair cellars
A dazzling white ceiling, with all the richness of choice of colors and finishes, remains the most popular option. White color is universal: it goes with any style and any stop, visually increases the height of the room, creates Better conditions for lighting. Whitewashing with chalk is the most affordable way get the purest White color.
Chalk and its uses
Chalk is a sedimentary rock consisting almost entirely of calcium carbonate. IN construction work material used for finishing works in order to obtain a white, smooth surface.
When working with chalk solutions, certain precautions should be taken.
- Glasses and a respirator, or a gauze bandage - despite the complete inertness of the material, the form in which it is used is a fine powder, causes irritation of the mucous membrane if accidentally inhaled or long work. For the same reason, animals and small children should be removed from the apartment during the work.
- Gloves - chalk solution, thanks small size particles, eats into the pores of the skin. To prevent this, it is recommended to wear gloves and wear long sleeves when working.
Preparation of the solution
Traditionally, two compositions are used: chalk mortar and lime mortar. Chalk is different in that it provides a pure white color. If the ceiling was previously whitewashed with lime mortar, then using chalk mortar is not recommended - there is a high probability of stains.
To make your own solution you will need the following ingredients:
- Chalk – at least 3 kg. You can buy powder or paste. The color of the powder is gray, the whiteness of the material appears only after whitewashing;
- Laundry soap – about 50 g;
- Wood glue – 100 g;
- Blue – at least 10 g. Blue ensures the stability of the white color.
For 1 sq. m. surface requires about 0.5 liters of solution. Based on the ceiling area, ingredients are purchased in the required quantity.
- Place chalk powder in a container of the required volume and pour warm water– 3–3.5 l.
- Soap, glue and blue are gradually added to the solution with constant stirring. It is recommended to use a mixer because the two components are insoluble in water and it is not easy to get a homogeneous mixture by hand.
- Filter the solution through a layer of gauze to remove lumps. The composition is considered ready if it does not flow from the knife blade. Otherwise, it is recommended to add a portion of chalk.
Ceiling preparation
Before whitewashing ceiling covering needs to be brought into proper condition. Cleaning work is accompanied by a large amount of debris and dirt, so before starting repairs, you should remove as many pieces of furniture as possible from the room, and carefully cover the remaining ones with film.
- If there is old whitewash on the ceiling, it should be removed. To do this, the ceiling surface is moistened with warm water with the addition of vinegar. Wetting is recommended to be done in parts, as water dries quickly.
- As soon as the water has been absorbed, the old whitewash is removed with a spatula. If possible, it is recommended to install a tray under the area to be treated so that the scraped pieces do not scatter all over the floor.
- Residues are removed with a damp sponge.
- The ceiling should be treated with an antifungal primer. The chalk composition does not have antibactericidal properties.
Whitewashing with chalk
The ceiling can be whitened either manually - using a brush and roller, or with a sprayer. Both methods are easy to do with your own hands and do not require special skills other than careful execution.
- The ceiling surface is mentally marked into several squares measuring about 1 * 1 m.
- The solution is thoroughly mixed before use, since chalk, being an insoluble component, settles quite quickly to the bottom of the container.
- The chalk solution is applied with a roller to the treated fragment twice. The second layer is applied after the first has completely dried.
- If a brush is used, then the first layer is applied with movements away from the window, and the second - perpendicularly. This technique allows you to hide traces of brush movement as much as possible.
The video covers the DIY whitewashing process in detail.
Whitewashing with a spray
This method saves time and allows you to achieve an even matte finish. A vacuum cleaner with a blowing function is used as a blower element.
- The solution is thoroughly mixed and placed in a half-liter glass jar. A sprayer is installed on the jar.
- The vacuum hose is connected at one end to the sprayer, and at the other end to the blower hole on the vacuum cleaner. Using the second hole on the sprayer lid, the supply of solution is regulated.
- Application of the composition is carried out with smooth circular movements. The distance between the spray nozzle and the ceiling surface is 70–100 cm.
Good luck with your whitewashing and renovation in general!