How to remove old plaster. How to remove old decorative or rough plaster from walls

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Removing old wall coverings, be it paint or plaster, is very important stage repair. How well the work is done will determine how the new coating will lay down and how long it will last.

Removing old plaster from walls is first necessary when preparing the surface for finishing with any material.

Removing plaster is not only a mechanical process. It is important to carry out all the steps correctly, only in this case the updated coating will last a long time and look decent. And first of all, of course, you need to figure out how to remove the old plaster and what you will need for this.

Test of strength

At the first stage, it is necessary to determine: complete dismantling of the coating is required, or only partial renewal can be done. To carry out the work you will need a small hammer.

You need to methodically strike with the handle of the tool every 30-40 cm of the wall and listen. If the sound is muffled, the plaster will have to be removed from the walls, since it has already peeled off and may remind of its fragility during coating application. If the sound is loud, as if from hitting concrete, this means that there is no need to remove the old plaster from the walls; it is securely fastened and will withstand the weight of the new finish.

The strength of the plaster can be checked using a hammer.

Determine Potentially dangerous places Any stains on the wall surface will help. Wet or greasy marks or visible cracking are a signal to draw a circle within which the coating must be removed.

To avoid difficulties at the next stages of repair, the plaster must be removed within a radius of 30-40 cm from the collapsing area. So that the work does not have to be redone, it is better to immediately dismantle it in places where defects are detected (at least to indicate problem area). And only later should you start removing it in earnest, since you won’t be able to do it with just a hammer or spatula.

Be sure to remove all areas with grease stains. In such areas, the new coating will not adhere, and a significant stage of the work will have to be redone.

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Tools and Aids

After the analysis, you can proceed to dismantling the coating. To do this you will need the following tools and supplies:

For quick and high-quality removal plaster, use a special machine.

  • hammer;
  • putty knife;
  • scraper;
  • Bulgarian;
  • axe;
  • perforator;
  • spray bottle with water;
  • glasses and protective mask.

A special machine may be useful. it makes it much easier. It is not necessary to purchase such a unit; it can be rented.

The hammer drill must be powerful enough (with a “blow” function and an appropriate durable attachment). This hammer drill can be rented.

Personal protective equipment should not be neglected. During dismantling, a lot of dust and sand chips are generated, from which glasses and a mask will protect. Durable rubber-coated gloves, which will ensure reliable fixation of the tool, will also come in handy.

A spray bottle is necessary to irrigate the wall. This technique will help identify poorly fixed areas. In addition, humidification will prevent dust from rising.

The ax can be used as a large analogue of a spatula for removing individual layers.

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Removing old plaster

Once all the tools are prepared, you can proceed to study the question of how to remove the old plaster.

First of all, you need to use a hammer to beat off the poorly fixed areas. Usually at this stage the old plaster begins to separate from the walls in whole layers, which makes it much easier further work. You need to strike every 20-30 cm; the more coating is removed from the walls at this stage, the easier it will be to work in the future. The entire perimeter must be cleaned using a spatula or scraper.

It is necessary to periodically moisten the wall. This will prevent dust from becoming airborne and will loosen moderately flaky areas that will also need to be removed. If some areas do not give in, you should moisten them and leave them for a while. This impact will weaken the layer and it will be easily removed.

For particularly strong places it is necessary to use a hammer drill. It must be set to the "blow" function. With its help you can easily remove large deposits. The chisel must be positioned at an acute angle to the wall and gradually remove the layer.

If you need to remove fairly tough old plaster from the walls, you can use a grinder with a diamond wheel attached. To do this, you need to make horizontal and vertical notches on the wall and remove the separated sections using a hammer or hammer drill. The notches will weaken the canvas, and removing the plaster from the walls will be no problem.

Decorative plaster is a very popular finishing material today, allowing you to quickly and easily turn the most daring design ideas into reality. However, there is no limit to perfection - manufacturers present to the world more and more new, more interesting, seductive variations on the theme of wall decoration. If you are a long-time fan of decorative plaster and have a desire to experiment, this is an excellent reason to create a new coating on the wall.

However, before you see the walls of your house, your apartment in a new guise, you will have to get rid of the old guise. So, how to remove old decorative plaster?

Does it seem so difficult to remove plaster? However, in fact, it is quite long and labor-intensive process. You can make the job a little easier if you follow some rules.

Stages of removing decorative plaster

First, the surface from which decorative plaster is removed must be moistened generously hot water- this way you can soften the surface, in addition, reduce the amount of dust in the air. Don’t be lazy to periodically wet the surface as you work - remember, it should always be wet, this will make your work much easier.

After the surface is wetted, you need to tap the entire wall with a hammer. Those parts that are not held tightly together will fall off on their own; the rest will have to be “helped.”

Decorative plaster must be removed from the top of the wall. The fragments are knocked down using a chisel and a hammer: the layers of plaster are pryed up and separated from the wall in layers. In addition to a hammer and chisel, you may need a spatula (if the plaster is loose) or a hammer drill (if the adhesion of the plaster and the wall is very strong).

You can make it much easier to work with plaster that doesn’t come off the wall well if you cut the surface into sectors using a grinder with a disc for working on concrete and stone. You can remove decorative plaster using grinding machines with abrasive discs - in this case, the decorative plaster is not knocked off, but erased, and do not forget about moisturizing, otherwise there will be a lot of dust.

It is necessary to carefully remove the plaster from the walls, including the seams between the blocks and bricks. After the plaster is removed, you need to go over the surface with a wire brush or a drill with a brush attachment. Finally, the wall is washed, and you can start experimenting with new decorative plaster.

Removing the old layer of plaster is an unpleasant moment of any repair due to the large amount of debris and dust generated. The article describes the details of carrying out this type of work on surfaces made of brick, concrete and wood.

Methods for cleaning walls from old plaster

Do I need to completely remove the old plaster or just the loose areas? This question is often asked when performing finishing work in old houses. If you completely clean the wall for a new finish, the cost of finishing materials will increase significantly. At the same time, the repair time is also lengthened.

Experienced builders recommend completely removing old layer wall covering. The reason is the “aging” process of the finishing material. Over time, the composition loses chemical strength, and the adhesion to the wall material weakens. New wallpaper pasted on an unprepared surface may fly off after a short period of time, and wallpaper applied to the previous layer finishing putty- will peel off.

When do you need to clean walls from old plaster?

A few signs that it’s time to change the wall covering:

  1. Mold has formed on the plaster or wet marks from leaks have appeared.
  2. The surface of the wall bends and crunches when pressed hard.
  3. The old coating easily crumbles and peels off.
  4. Numerous cracks appeared.
  5. The wallpaper in the kitchen is starting to peel off due to greasy stains.

How to remove decorative plaster from a wall with your own hands

Decorative plaster, depending on its relief and performance characteristics, has a certain service life. Therefore, after some time it will be necessary to eliminate its remnants. There are several ways to remove the finish.

Dust-free methods

The surface must be well moistened warm water from a spray bottle or with a wet sponge. The swollen layer of plaster (putty) can be easily removed with a metal spatula or scraper. During operation, the wall must be periodically wetted.

If the decorative composition is applied thin layer, after soaking, it is easily washed off with a rag or sponge with a hard abrasive side.


A less common method of removing the outer layer of decorative plaster is mechanized cleaning of surfaces using water jet machines. high pressure. Disadvantages of this option:

How to clean a brick wall

First, the plaster is removed from areas where it no longer holds. This can be easily checked by tapping all areas with a hammer. The dull sound means one thing - facing material has already peeled off. Loud blows mean a strong grip of the old composition.

At the beginning of the work, a chisel, chisel, chisels, a large steel scraper and a hammer are used.

The plaster is cleaned down to the brickwork. After removing easily peeling sections of the old coating, further processing is carried out along the brickwork. Place a chisel or chisel between the layer of plaster and brick wall. Then, gently knock the loose pieces onto the floor with gentle blows of the hammer.

If durable material cannot be removed hand tools, it is advisable to use a hammer drill with a blade-shaped attachment in the “chiseling” mode. Another way to remove durable coating– divide the wall surface into fragments using furrows. To do this, use a grinder with a disc for processing stone. Then the separated parts of the finishing material are knocked out with a chisel or perforator. The brickwork, freed from plaster, must be primed and allowed to dry for at least a day.

How to quickly remove from concrete

The layer of old coating on the concrete wall is removed with a narrow or medium spatula. We also recommend using a special scraper, the metal edge of which must be well sharpened.

To speed up the work of cleaning walls, we recommend using grinding machine. A grinding wheel with coarse sandpaper or a diamond bowl is used as an attachment. The disadvantage of this method is that too much dust is generated during surface treatment. You can reduce its amount using a construction vacuum cleaner.

How to remove old plaster from a wooden wall

Wooden walls in old houses were previously plastered using reinforcing structures - shingles, metal mesh, and other available materials. When removing the old layer, use a chisel and a hammer to knock off the flaking pieces of plaster without touching the retaining structure.

If during the repair it is planned to replace the reinforcing structure, a wide vertical furrow is prepared in the middle of the wall, cleared to wooden surface. Then the retaining mesh is dismantled along with the plaster.

If the plaster is applied directly to the wood, it is removed with a spatula or scraper.

High-quality preparation of walls for finishing becomes the key to many years of operation of any premises.

Useful video

Preparatory work

Before you start removing old plaster from the walls, you need to find out where the electric wires and acquire all the necessary tools and personal protective equipment (see also the article “ Plaster mixtures. Consumption and application").

Let's look at them in more detail:

  • Respirator. During work, a large amount of dust is formed in the air, which means it is necessary to protect the respiratory system from it;
  • Gloves. It is recommended to use fairly thick and high-quality gloves to avoid the appearance of calluses on your hands;
  • Safety glasses with a tight fit that will protect your eyes from dust;
  • Impact and chopping tools - hammer, pickaxe, sledgehammer, hatchet and others;

Hammer and chisel are the main tools.

  • A sharp chisel with a long handle;
  • Putty knife;
  • A metal brush, as well as special attachments for a drill and grinder;
  • A hammer drill with a jackhammer function and a chisel-shaped attachment;

Hammer for removing plaster.

  • Angle grinder (grinder) and drill. These tools may not be required, but should be at hand if necessary;
  • A bucket of water or a regular spray bottle;
  • Devices for removing and collecting garbage.

Tip: To find out the location of the electrical wiring (if the diagram is lost), you can use a special device - a detector, like the one shown in the photo. After which experts strongly recommend turning off the power to the room.

Hidden wiring detector.

Removing old plaster

How to remove old plaster from walls? To make it much easier to remove the old coating, the surface of the walls is wetted with hot water before starting work. This way you can not only get rid of the dust that is already in the air, but also slightly soften the existing plaster.

Among other things, similar steps must be repeated throughout the entire work process, carefully ensuring that the wall is always damp.

We wet the walls.

Instructions for further actions look like this:

  1. First of all, the surface is tapped with a hammer or small sledgehammer. This is done in order to determine how firmly the old coating holds. The plaster that is loosely connected to the surface will fall off immediately. To make work easier, pieces of the coating can be pryed up with a pick;
  2. In those places where the coating adheres very weakly, it can be removed with a regular spatula. It is worth noting that this tool becomes dull quite quickly, which means it needs to be sharpened regularly;

Using a regular spatula, clean the surface.

  1. If a spatula, a pick and even a chisel prove powerless, you can pick up a hammer drill with a special attachment shaped like a spatula. In this case, it is recommended to warn neighbors in advance that the apartment will be very noisy;

If necessary, connect a hammer drill.

  1. To make the task a little easier, you can divide the wall surface into small sectors. For this, an angle grinder and a disc for working with stone and concrete are used. Shallow cuts are made on the surface of the wall. It is worth noting that the smaller the so-called cells are, the more the existing coating will weaken;

We use an angle grinder to divide the walls into sectors.

  1. The work can be completed using specialized grinding machines. As a rule, not everyone has them, which means that purchasing them requires additional financial costs.

Depending on the power and reliability of such tools, the price can vary from the most budgetary to extremely high. In addition, during sanding, a lot of dust is generated, because the old plaster is not knocked off, but is simply sanded off the wall.

At the final stage, remove the coating with a grinding machine.

  1. When the main part of the plaster is removed, you need to take care of the seams and joints. In order for the new coating to bond to the surface as tightly as possible, the seams are cleaned and slightly embroidered (to a depth of 5-7 mm).

Clean the seams with a brush.

  1. After completing all the above steps, the surface of the wall is cleaned using a metal hand brush or a drill with a special attachment.

We finish cleaning the wall with a drill with the required attachment.

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 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 in fragments, it is necessary to remove not only problem area, but also the surrounding finish at a distance of about forty centimeters. .

Types of mixtures

Having decided on the need to remove the old finishing layer, the next step is to study what dismantling methods can be used. The latter depend on the type of mixture applied previously. In any case, first remove weak areas of the plaster over the entire surface using hand tools. After these manipulations, mechanized methods can be used.

Gypsum plaster is especially easy to knock off. This coating is quite loose, not very durable and not resistant to moisture. Before removing the plaster finish, it is necessary to wet the walls well (20 minutes before starting work). To make the material soft and friable, it is advisable to add a small amount of acetic acid to the water. The same method can be used to dismantle clay or lime based plaster.


Decorative gypsum plaster is removed quite simply, which cannot be said about polymer (acrylic) or silicate compounds. The latter are highly durable, and removing them can be very problematic. However, the advantage of such coatings is that they can be left untouched, since they are a reliable basis for a new layer, regardless of its composition.

When dismantling decorative or Venetian finish It is unacceptable to use a hammer drill, since this coating It has a very thin layer, and if handled carelessly, it can damage the base of the wall.

It is undesirable to knock down such plaster, so it is better to remove it with a regular scraper or clean it with a grinding and stripping machine.

With the latest tool the process is much faster, and even removing textured plaster becomes easy and takes little time. It is enough just to “walk” the sole of the switched on machine several times along the surface of the wall with a certain pressing force. The only disadvantage of this method is the need to purchase a rather expensive tool.


Remove from walls concrete plaster not easy. In some cases, this is difficult to do even with a hammer drill, since the coating is thick and durable. In such situations, it is necessary to use a grinder to cut the coating into half-meter squares. After this, the dismantling process becomes easier.


Removing the decorative coating

How to remove plaster from a wall if the coating layer is very thin? In this case, the coating must not be knocked down, but sanded or simply scraped off.

To simplify the work, it is best to use a peeling machine; it will help significantly save time.

This machine is designed in such a way that it scrapes a small layer of surface from the wall, so removing the old coating will not be difficult.

You just need to turn on the device and move it from side to side. After a few minutes, glimpses of the wall will become noticeable.

So it is necessary to process all the required space. This method does not require much physical effort, and in addition, cleansing occurs very quickly.

The only drawback of such a tool is its high cost.

Second removal option decorative covering- using a cycle. The old finish simply needs to be scraped off by moving the tool from side to side.

The results will also be positive, but the work will take quite a long time due to the fact that the cycle width is very small.

Here, perhaps, are all the ways to get rid of old mortar on the walls. Which one to resort to is up to you to decide.

The article will tell you about effective working methods:


It all depends on the condition of the previous coverage and your financial capabilities. In any case, removing from the walls will not be difficult.

When to clean plaster from walls

Removing plaster

It will not be news to anyone that many residential buildings began to be built back in the Union, and they did not stand out from the crowd with their special quality. Anyone, even someone not experienced in construction, can see that the walls have obvious unevenness.

In this case, it is impossible to fix anything, so before covering the walls with wallpaper or paint, they must be leveled, and for this, absolutely all the old coating must be removed to the “bare” surface. This process can be done on your own, or with the help of experienced specialists.

Please pay Special attention, that during repairs, in no case should you apply a new fresh layer to the old plaster. Such actions may lead to peeling of the new coating, which has certain application rates, shown in the table

Dismantling work on knocking down old plaster

Index Standard for brands How were they tested?
Bonding solution LS 10/90 Surface leveling solution LS 35/65 Surface leveling solution LS 50/50 Surface leveling solution LS 65/35 Mortar for finishing works LS 50/50 Termonit putty mixture Putty mixture for blocks
Required layer thickness (mm) from 3 to 5 from 5 to 15 from 5 to 15 from 5 to 15 from 3 to 10 from 2 to 10 from 2 to 10 TU clause 1,2
Required amount of water (l/25kg) 3-4 3-4 3-4 3-4 4,5-5,5 5-6 6,5-7 TU clause 1,2
Adhesion to base (MPa) 0,5 0,4 0,3 0,3 0,3 1 0,5 GOST 5802-86
Average level of solution density (kg/m3) 190 190 190 190 190 190 190 GOST 8735-88
PH 12,5 12,5 12,5 12,5 12,5 12,5 12,5 TU p.

Removing old plaster

It is also necessary to remove the old plaster if cracks begin to appear on the walls or the quality of the coating does not inspire confidence. If you are not confident in the strength of the old surface, and even more so if you want to use heavy finishing materials (stone, tiles, etc.) in the new renovation, do not tempt fate.

If you are confident in the quality of the old plaster, but cracks still begin to appear, do not make hasty decisions. To check the strength of the plaster, simply tap lightly with a hammer over the entire surface of the walls. If you hear an “empty” sound or the material begins to crumble, then you just need to remove the old one finishing material.

Tips on how to remove plaster from a wall or ceiling quickly and efficiently, as well as how to properly remove a thick layer of finish, video of removing plaster from walls

Removing plaster may be necessary different cases. This may be natural destruction from time to time, poor-quality installation, any negative physical or chemical exposure etc. The reason is not important, the main thing is that local repair is impossible.

When removing plaster, especially if you have to work with a hammer drill or a stripping machine, be sure to wear a respirator.

Removing the mortar using a perforator

The simplest and effective method removal - use a drill or hammer drill with a “wide chisel” attachment for it.

  • We put the attachment on the tool and turn on the chiselling mode.
  • We place the hammer drill against the wall at an angle of about 80 degrees and pierce the layer to its entire depth.
  • Immediately reduce the angle to 30-40 degrees and in this position move the tool along the wall, removing the plaster.

The same applies to the question “how to remove plaster from the ceiling”: we use a hammer drill.

Please note: we use a large angle of entry in cases where we are breaking through an untouched area, and we begin the movement from already processed ones with a small one. During the process, we make sure that the hammer drill does not damage the material from which the wall itself is made during the removal process. . How to remove old plaster from walls: video illustrates how to use a hammer drill

How to remove old plaster from walls: the video illustrates how to use a hammer drill.

How to remove plaster from walls using a scraping spatula or chisel

You can remove old mortar without using a power tool. This is done using a wide chisel or a roughing spatula.

First, we lean the tool against the wall vertically and, tapping it with a hammer, we poke out a recess over the entire thickness of the coating.

Please note: this method of removing wall coverings is the quietest and does not result in clouds of dust. However, it makes sense to use it only when you need to remove a small area, since the speed of work will be very low.

How to remove old plaster from walls: use a scraping spatula

Removing decorative plaster

How to clean plaster from walls if it forms a very thin layer? This question arises in cases where it is necessary to remove decorative trim.

If in the case of leveling coatings we had to knock them down, then here we will grind or scrape them. The fastest way to work will be with a sanding machine.

On its “sole” there are serrated rollers that, while rotating, remove a small layer from the surface.

How to remove decorative plaster from walls: it’s very easy to do with a power tool

Removing textured or Venetian plaster in this way will not be difficult. With the machine turned on, we press the “sole” against the wall and move it from side to side with pressure.

The number of passes over the same place is determined visually: the rough coating is exposed - we move on to removing the next section. Surface cleaning occurs quickly and with a minimum of physical effort.

The downside is the need to purchase a tool that is not too cheap.

How to remove decorative plaster from walls: working with a grinding and stripping machine

Please note: the second way to remove the decorative layer is by scraping off the cycles. The work is not difficult - we simply move the tool along the surface from side to side, scraping off the finish. There is one disadvantage to this method, and it is quite significant: the scraper has a small width, which means you can remove a very small area of ​​plaster at a time. Removal will be slow.

Features of removing plaster from different surfaces

The easiest way to remove gypsum plasters. They are quite loose and at the same time sensitive to moisture. Therefore, about 15 minutes before the removal begins, we soak the walls well. You can add acetic acid to the water. This will make the finish soft and pliable. The same applies to lime and clay based plasters.

How to remove plaster from walls if it was made recently and made of good concrete? A coating that is too strong and thick is sometimes difficult to remove even with a hammer drill. In this case, a grinder will help us.

We use it to cut the surface to the finishing depth, in squares of approximately 50x50 cm. Further removal will become much easier.

And if there is a brick wall under the plaster, then do not forget to go through the seams with a chisel to remove the remnants of the finishing, which are not noticeable at first glance.

How to remove old plaster from walls: plaster surface can be pre-wetted

Source:

Methods for removing decorative plaster

The removal method depends on the tool used:

  • Roughing spatula(unlike the traditional “competitor”, it has a thicker blade). Apply its blade to Venetian or any other decorative plaster, holding it at an acute angle and using a scraping motion to remove the finish. Move the blades from one area to another. The option does not require a lot of money and does not create clouds of dust. But if the processing area is large, it will not be suitable. Since the speed of work is minimal. Another important point: using a spatula and a scraper can only deal with loose coatings;
  • Rough grinding machine. For very thin and strong plasters, you should stock up on the specified tool. Choose a medium speed setting and, applying force to the machine, press it against the wall and move it slowly and slowly. Important! When using a power tool, a lot of dust will be generated. You cannot do without a respirator that protects your respiratory tract.
  • Chisel and hammer drill. Select medium speed and hold the tool at an 80 degree angle. Proceed in the same way as above. But keep in mind that a hammer drill can cause damage to the base. So take your time and work slowly. In general, the use of a hammer drill is recommended for removing ordinary plaster materials, rather than decorative materials;
  • Vibrating machine(also for decorative coatings from 3 mm thick). It is distinguished from a roughing and grinding tool by its operating principle: the vibrating working element quickly moves in one plane from side to side. Place the device against the wall under minimum angle, and move in a certain direction without haste.

As a rule, silicate plasters are easier to deal with than decorative gypsum compounds. Easier to remove Venetian and.

How to remove decorative plaster from walls - brief instructions

To efficiently remove the old coating, you should follow some tips and instructions that will determine the progress of the work. First of all, you need to:

  • stock up on personal protective equipment (respirator, gloves, goggles);
  • cover the floor with plastic film to prevent dirt from spreading;
  • clarify what type of plaster was used, the degree of its strength and the approximate thickness of the layer;
  • choose convenient tools and tools;
  • start with simple methods and move on to more complex ones, combining them if necessary;
  • Sharpen your tools while working to get faster results.

Before you begin removing the decorative covering, be sure to remove all switches or sockets, as well as all lighting fixtures. If all the tools and materials are prepared, you can start working.

Necessary tool for removing plaster

Type and quantity necessary tools depends on how the old plaster is removed. Since decorative plasters are a very broad concept that contains materials of different thickness and structure, the difficulty of removing them will vary. To cover everything possible options, we list the most popular devices. It can be:

  • chisel, preferably with a long handle;
  • hammer;
  • spatula/scraper;
  • scraper (a tool for removing old textured finishes and other paints and varnishes);
  • metal brush;
  • perforator;
  • machine for removing plaster.

In addition, you will need plastic film, a bucket of water, a damp cloth, and a spray bottle, since during the entire process you will have to wet the walls with water, and at the end, wipe the walls from dust and remnants of decorative plaster.

Sanding decorative coatings and methods for doing it

To effectively remove plaster, it is better to choose a scraper with a length of 130-150 mm. Pressing lightly, it is passed along the wall at the correct angle of application. Using light movements, cycle the finish, starting from a small part of the surface, moving to a large one. At the same time, wipe the wall with a cloth soaked in water. Instead of a scraper, you can use a hammer and spatula. Before starting work, the decorative finish is moistened with hot water to reduce dust and soften the putty. Next, they tap the wall with a hammer, so that poorly adhering parts of the plaster will fall off on their own. Other parts need “help”.

A grinding machine with abrasive discs is an effective method and solution to the question of how to remove Venetian plaster from the walls. For example, Gracelo di Calce, Stucco Veneziano, Marmorino Classico. This tool does not knock down, but rather erases the plaster. To completely remove it, you need to walk over the surface with a wire brush. It also removes well decorative paint for walls with sand effect.

Other coating removal methods

When the coating to be removed is strongly strengthened on the surface, you can use a grinder with special attachments, which has more power. This tool works faster than a sander

But here you should work carefully so as not to damage the wall. If a coating, including Venetian plaster, was applied to the paint, an industrial hair dryer, which softens the paint, will help remove it. Next, use a spatula to remove it and the coating.

How to remove old plaster from walls.

Before dismantling, the wall is carefully examined to determine the condition of the finish. If replacement of the coating is not expected, then it is enough to remove only poorly adhering fragments and areas around cracks.

To determine the strength of the connection between the coating and the wall surface, tap it with a blunt metal object(hammer, pick). In places where there is a tight fit, the sound of impacts is louder.

Any movement of the layer under pressure from the tool is a sign of insufficient adhesion to the base. Such fragments are necessarily exposed.

How to remove old plaster from walls manually.


It is convenient to use a steel spatula, which is used to pry up the falling pieces and cut them off. Strong parts are knocked down with a pick, ax or chisel.

General rule for all types of plasters: The finish must be thoroughly wetted before dismantling. This will soften it and significantly reduce the amount of dust.

Drywall underneath plaster can be easily damaged. Therefore, strong blows are excluded; it is better to work with a scraper - a tool similar to a well-sharpened spatula.

First, the integrity of the coating is broken in weak areas, a small fragment is cleared to gain access to the end of the layer. Then, having driven a scraper under it, you need to remove the plaster.

If it holds tightly and does not give in, you can use a chisel or chisel, tapping it with a hammer.

It is better to hold the chisel at an acute angle so as not to destroy the drywall.

Which power tool is suitable for the job?

Strong compositions cannot be knocked down or removed with a hammer. It’s easier to pick up a hammer drill - an electric drill with a slotting mode. However, with this approach there is a high level of noise and dust, which is not always acceptable.

Using a grinder with a disc designed for working with the appropriate material, cut the plaster into small squares, which are subsequently knocked down with a chisel or hammer drill.

It is more convenient to remove small pieces of solution using a grinder with coarse-grained sandpaper. It is advisable to use equipment with dust extraction capabilities. For example, using a vacuum cleaner.

First, remove weak areas along the entire wall, working with a pick or chisel. Only then do they begin automated work.

Required Tools

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

  • Putty knife. 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 areas, a large wide spatula is suitable.

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 the impact removal method, complete with a 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. It will be able to cover a large area in a relatively short time and will allow the surface to be evenly wetted 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 the old putty from the walls, you need to sand the walls and 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 is incredibly dusty; it is imperative to ensure eye and respiratory protection.

How to remove old plaster

Removing old plaster is not a difficult process if you adhere to the rules described below:

  1. Thoroughly wet the surfaces to be removed with hot water. Important! This action will reduce the amount of dust and soften the old plaster. Perform this procedure at certain intervals during work so that the walls are constantly damp.
  2. Tap the entire surface of the wall or ceiling firmly with a hammer or sledgehammer to check for weak spots. Important! Where the plaster does not hold well, it will fall off on its own.
  3. After knocking down a section of plaster using a chisel and hammer, carefully pry up and remove subsequent layers of plaster. Important! Start removing plaster from the wall from the ceiling to the bottom.
  4. If the plaster is difficult to remove, use the hammer drill in the “impact” mode.
  5. If the cladding does not want to move away from the walls at all, use a grinder with a concrete disc.
  6. Cut the surface into sectors and remove them one by one. Important! The smaller the sector area, the easier it is to remove the plaster.
  7. Thoroughly clean the base with a spatula, taking into account the seams and joints in the blocks and bricks. Important! The quality of adhesion of the new cladding to the surface of the walls or ceiling will depend on the quality of cleaning.
  8. After the main cleaning, go over the wall with a wire brush to remove small elements of old plaster. Important! To make the task easier, use a grinder or a hammer drill with a brush attachment.
  9. Collect all construction garbage into construction bags and dispose of.
  10. Wash the wall to remove construction dust from the surface. Important! Use a wire brush and hot water for this job.

Video

Watch a video that shows the process of removing old plaster using a hammer drill.

Removing decorative plaster

Decorative plaster can be cleaned using the same methods as regular plaster. Depending on its composition, the old layer can be removed easily or difficult.

However, there are times when it is necessary to remove a fresh, incorrectly plastered coating. For example, bark beetle has protruding granules that will interfere with the application of a new layer. If the composition has not yet set, it can be easily cleaned off with a spatula. The hardened bark beetle can be ground with a grinder until the protruding granules are removed. The flat surface is primed and then plastered again. When working with bark beetle, in case of marriage, you need to know one thing. Purchased ready mix in a liquid state it is weaker; in case of defects, it can be easily removed. Dry bark beetle bred at home is more durable. To remove such a frozen layer, the wall will first have to be well moistened with water.

Now let's look at how to remove old plaster if it has become unusable:

  1. Peeling decorative plaster is cleaned off with a scraper. For ease of work, it is better to take a tool with a length of 130–150 mm. While walking along the wall, you need to pick up optimal angle position of the blade, at which the decorative layer will be easily pryed off. After cleaning, wipe the wall well with a damp cloth. The rag should be washed in water more often in order to wash off as much as possible all the particles of the decorative layer.
  2. In the absence of cycles plasterboard wall can be cleaned with a spatula and hammer. Before that decorative surface moisten generously with hot water and give it time to soak. Having passed through the decorative layer, hot water will soften the putty, weakening the adhesion to the wall. Lightly tap the entire wall with a hammer. Weak areas will fall off on their own, and the remnants are pryed off with a spatula.
  3. Plasters based on polymer and silicate additives are very durable. It's better to remove them mechanical method. To do this, use a grinder with diamond wheels. Before wiping off the plaster, the surface should be slightly moistened to avoid large amounts of dust. The remaining small areas are treated with a metal brush.
  4. Clay, gypsum and lime decorative layers are very susceptible to moisture. After wetting the walls generously, after 30 minutes the plaster can be easily removed with a scraper. There will be a minimum of dust here, but there will be enough dirt, for example from wet clay. To facilitate cleaning work, you need to spread a film under the falling wet dirt. When finished, wipe the cleaned wall with a wet rag.

With any method of removing decorative plaster, work on the walls is performed from top to bottom.

Two main ways to remove old plaster

Characteristics different plasters differ in the composition of the solution, which affects their strength. Some types, for example concrete or bark beetle, are not so easy and quick to remove, even if they are already peeling off in places. Surfaces of varying strength can be cleaned manually or mechanically.

Manual coating removal

This method is effective for removing loose plaster and for fragile walls, such as plasterboard:

  • Walls made of brick or concrete must be moistened with plenty of water before cleaning. Over time, the surface will become damp and soften. A big plus of wetting is the almost complete absence of dust during work. Areas where the plaster peels off from the base can be easily cleaned with a spatula. Sticky concrete is knocked down using a chisel and hammer. You can try to cut it down with an axe. This kind of beating of plaster is not dangerous for a brick or concrete wall, but you still need to know the sense of proportion.
  • Cleaning walls made of plasterboard, foam block and other fragile materials requires caution. An ax or hammer has an impressive weight and if the blow is not calculated correctly, the fragile material of the wall will be severely damaged. In this situation, it is better to work in cycles. First, the weak areas are cleaned. The scraper is driven under the side edge of durable plaster by lightly tapping. If stuck areas cannot be removed in this way, you can try to lightly cut them off with a chisel. To avoid damaging the drywall, the chisel tip is placed at an angle. The blade will not cut the wall, but will seem to ride along it, prying off the top covering.

Decorative plaster of walls with your own hands: selection of material, preparation, application What is it for walls and how to do it correctly.

After removing all the plaster, the surface should be thoroughly swept with a broom.

Mechanical coating removal

The mechanical method is considered more aggressive and is used if manual cleaning does not help. Naturally, this can only be done on a solid wall made of brick or reinforced concrete.

Mechanical removal involves the use of power tools:

  • A thin layer of plaster can simply be wiped off with a grinder or grinder. diamond blade. It is better to use a small grinder, otherwise the impressive weight of the tool will quickly affect hand fatigue. Here you need to prepare for a lot of dust, so it is advisable to use an industrial vacuum cleaner indoors.
  • Thick layers of concrete are removed with a hammer drill. The tool is equipped with a chisel-shaped attachment and the “chiseling” mode is turned on. To simplify the work, a thick concrete layer is cut into squares with a grinder, and then the beating of the plaster continues with the same hammer drill.

The small particles of concrete remaining on the base are cleaned with a metal brush or you can go through it again with a grinder.

Methods for removing old plaster

There are two main options for working with the surface: partial or complete cleaning. Each of them is suitable for a specific situation.

Partial cleaning

This method is most relevant when it comes to removing decorative plaster. The difficulty is that you only need to remove upper layer without damaging the draft.

You need to follow these tips:

  1. The most popular method is to wet the top layer. To do this, the entire surface is sprayed with a spray bottle. If the liquid is absorbed, the coating can be easily removed with a spatula. But this technique often turns out to be counterproductive, because in most cases the decorative mixture is treated with varnish or wax.

    A spatula can easily remove only very thin coatings on a rigid base, for example, ceiling plaster on floor slabs

  2. If the finishing layer is very thin, a grater comes to the rescue, onto which you fix sandpaper. If the amount of work is large, this method will not justify the loss of time and effort.

    If you need careful fragmentary removal of damaged parts of plaster, then it is better to use a grinder

  3. The most rational option is to use a grinding machine. Due to the fact that the tool generates a large amount of dust, it is recommended to carry out work with goggles and a respirator, as well as spray with water.

On a note! Surfaces are rarely partially cleaned, only when the question arises of how to clean the wall of decorative material and not damage the rough coating.

Complete dismantling

The need to carry out complete dismantling arises much more often, because the reasons leading to this are quite common.

To do this you need to use the instructions:

  1. If the reason for eliminating the old layer is the presence of voids, then the process will not take much time. It is enough to break a vertical strip along the edge of the wall with a hammer and chisel. After this, all that remains is to pry off the coating with a hard spatula or trowel, which will lead to the collapse of large layers. Care must be taken to avoid injury or damage to the flooring.
  2. If the layer is very durable, then a hammer drill with a chisel attachment and a grinder are used for the work. Using a disc installed on the stone, the surface is cut into vertical and horizontal strips, and all sections are removed with a hammer drill. It is important not to go deeper than the thickness of the coating being removed. Of course, sometimes you can do without an angle grinder, but it significantly increases productivity.

    To completely clean the wall, it is better to use a hammer drill or jackhammer with an appropriate attachment.

  3. You can completely get rid of the plaster by subsequent stripping and sanding. When removing the old layer, be sure to wet the surface to reduce the formation of dust.

Thus, the process of removing plaster is not too difficult

It is important to choose the right tool and prepare for the fact that the work will require a lot of time and effort.

Repair and restoration

Damage to decorative wall coverings is not common, but still happens. Repairing or restoring Venetian plaster will not require large expenses and heavy physical work. It is possible to update the finish with your own hands, knowing the basic techniques of plastering and painting.

Possible finishing defects:

  • Chips and scratches that appear on the outer corners, resulting from careless use.
  • Pollution after finishing work or household dirt. It is necessary to restore a large area of ​​contamination.
  • Delamination of the “Venetian” due to water leaks. In this case, repairs cannot be avoided. Water can damage the base on which the decorative plaster rests.

The good thing about “Venetian” is that you don’t have to fix the entire wall covering. It is enough just to restore the desired piece of plaster.

When cracks and cracks appear, restoration can be done with inserts. The repair procedure will be as follows:

  1. Examine the strength of the plaster around the damage and tap it. If it separates from the wall, then it must be removed.
  2. Clean the repair area and the edges of the chips with a brush to remove pieces of decorative material and dust.
  3. Prime the base. To do this, you can prepare a solution yourself at the rate of 1 part PVA and 5 parts water. Using a brush, carefully coat the cleaned area on the wall.
  4. Next, select the desired plaster solution. If the base under the decor is made of plasterboard or gypsum mixture, then the defects are leveled with gypsum-based putty. If necessary, after drying, the putty is rubbed until perfectly smooth.
  5. In order to repair the “Venetian” layer you will need decorative material the same brand as on the wall. If it is not possible to determine the manufacturer, you will have to buy a white one acrylic plaster. It must be tinted in the same color as the main decoration on the wall.
  6. The mixture is applied with a soft spatula to the area that needs to be corrected. If the area of ​​restoration is large, then they try to repeat the pattern on the wall. Usually this is not difficult. because The Venetian is placed with multidirectional movements without a specific direction.
  7. Any excess that gets onto the edges of the Venetian plaster is removed with a damp cloth.
  8. The final stage of restoring the finish is the application of wax or glaze.
  9. The repaired area is polished soft cloth to a uniform shine.

The video below shows the process of restoring damaged decor.

The final stage of work

Experts insist that new plaster working on old plaster is a thankless task. Therefore, the previous finish must be cleaned as thoroughly as possible. The new coating should lie on a flat surface without the remains of the old plaster mass. Only then will it remain as strong and durable as possible.

Therefore after rough cleaning using a spatula or a hammer drill, the wall must be cleaned with a wire brush.

Important! Manual method Performing such an operation will take you a lot of time, so it is better to install a special brush attachment on the drill. .

And finally, be sure to wash the wall surface and remove the room from any remaining finishing materials. Subsequent work must be carried out cleanly: the primer is applied to a clean wall.

Surface cleaning instructions

Old plaster

To make it easier to remove the old layer of plaster, it is necessary to moisten the surface with hot water before starting the process.

This will help not only in getting rid of excess dust, but will also slightly soften the old layer, after which its removal will become less problematic and dusty. Therefore, during repairs, make sure that the walls are damp at all times.

Removing old plaster in an apartment

Your next steps should be in the following sequence:

  1. determine the strength of the old coating using a hammer (if the connection between the wall and the plaster is poor, the finish will begin to crumble or begin to burst along the wall);
  2. if you find areas with a poorly adhering finish, you can remove it using a regular spatula (if a spatula or chisel is powerless, you can use a hammer drill with a “shovel” attachment);
  3. To make cleaning the surface easier, divide it into small squares using a disc and a sander (the smaller the squares, the more you will weaken the coating, and it will be much easier to remove it);
  4. Another stage of “repairing” old walls is sanding the surfaces (note that this process is very dusty, because in this way the plaster is not knocked off, but sanded);
  5. when you manage to remove the bulk of the plaster, carefully work all the seams and joints to ensure the greatest possible connection of the new finish with the surface;
  6. To complete the work, you need to clean all the walls with a wire brush or use a drill with a special attachment for this.

Dismantling work to remove old plaster

After all surfaces have been cleaned of the old layer, you can begin collecting debris and dust.

It is very important that not the slightest layer of sawdust remains on the walls, because in the future it may interfere with the high-quality adhesion of the new mixture to the cleaned wall. To “wash” the walls, you can use a stiff-bristled brush and hot water.

Now you understand how complicated this process is and how little pleasant it is. But, whatever one may say, without these actions it is impossible to make high-quality and durable repairs.

When exactly should you remove old plaster from walls?

It's no secret that many houses were built during the era of Soviet Union. The volume of mass construction had a downside - low quality. Even with the naked eye you can see that the wall “goes in waves.”

In this case, there are simply no options for what to do with the old plaster, and before applying another coating to the walls, gluing wallpaper or performing other actions, the old plaster is removed to the base. You can do this either with your own hands or seek help from specialists.

Important: Applying fresh plaster to old plaster is strictly prohibited. This approach can lead to extremely negative results – peeling of the new coating

Plaster is also removed in cases where cracks or chips appear on the surface of the wall, and there is also doubt about the quality, otherwise the finishing material may fall off along with the old coating.

This is especially true in situations where the wall surface will be covered using fairly heavy materials, such as tiles, natural or fake diamond and others,

It is worth noting that the presence of cracks does not always indicate poor quality of the coating. To eliminate all doubts, you can lightly tap the surface with a hammer and find out whether you just need to repair the old plaster, or whether you still have to completely remove it from the wall.

We tap the wall with a hammer.

When to get rid of old plaster

Options for which it is important to get rid of the old solution. It is not always necessary to remove the old coating. Walls are cleaned only in the following cases:

  1. An old brick wall has an uneven surface, which is most often found in buildings built during the existence of the USSR.
  2. The formation of cracks and chips occurs, which can lead to the destruction of recently applied plaster.
  3. Facing work will be based on the use of not only plasters, but also stone, tiles or any other heavy materials.
  4. Dark spots have formed on the brick, indicating the appearance of mold on the plaster, which must be removed immediately.

In order to ensure that it is impossible to do without removing the old mortar, the surface with plaster along the entire perimeter is tapped with a hammer.

In case of removal from brick wall Only some problem areas, they can be hidden by puttying or covered with a mixture whose structure is based on fine-grained sand.

How to remove decorative plaster from a wall with your own hands

Decorative plaster, depending on its relief and performance characteristics, has a certain service life. Therefore, after some time it will be necessary to eliminate its remnants. There are several ways to remove the finish.

Dust-free methods

The surface must be well moistened with warm water from a spray bottle or a wet sponge. The swollen layer of plaster (putty) can be easily removed with a metal spatula or scraper. During operation, the wall must be periodically wetted.

If the decorative composition is applied in a thin layer, after soaking it is easily washed off with a rag or sponge with a hard abrasive side.

A less common method of removing the outer layer of decorative plaster is mechanized cleaning of surfaces with high-pressure water jets. Disadvantages of this option:

  • a large amount of moisture forms on the floor, which can cause water to leak to the neighbors below;
  • purchasing expensive equipment is beneficial only for professional builders.

How to clean a brick wall

First, the plaster is removed from areas where it no longer holds. This can be easily checked by tapping all areas with a hammer. A dull sound means one thing - the facing material has already peeled off. Loud blows mean a strong grip of the old composition.

At the beginning of the work, a chisel, chisel, chisels, a large steel scraper and a hammer are used.

The plaster is cleaned down to the brickwork. After removing easily peeling sections of the old coating, further processing is carried out along the brickwork. Place a chisel or chisel between the plaster layer and the brick wall. Then, gently knock the loose pieces onto the floor with gentle blows of the hammer.

If durable material cannot be removed with hand tools, it is advisable to use a hammer drill with a blade-shaped attachment in the “chipping” mode. Another way to remove durable coating is to divide the wall surface into fragments using furrows. To do this, use a grinder with a disc for processing stone. Then the separated parts of the finishing material are knocked out with a chisel or perforator. The brickwork, freed from plaster, must be primed and allowed to dry for at least a day.

How to quickly remove from concrete

The layer of old coating on the concrete wall is removed with a narrow or medium spatula. We also recommend using a special scraper, the metal edge of which must be well sharpened.

To speed up the work of cleaning walls, we recommend using a sander. A grinding wheel with coarse sandpaper or a diamond bowl is used as an attachment. The disadvantage of this method is that too much dust is generated during surface treatment. You can reduce its amount using a construction vacuum cleaner.

How to remove old plaster from a wooden wall

Wooden walls in old houses were previously plastered using reinforcing structures - shingles, metal mesh, and other available materials. When removing the old layer, use a chisel and a hammer to knock off the flaking pieces of plaster without touching the retaining structure.

If during the repair it is planned to replace the reinforcing structure, a wide vertical groove is prepared in the middle of the wall, cleared to the wooden surface. Then the retaining mesh is dismantled along with the plaster.

If the plaster is applied directly to the wood, it is removed with a spatula or scraper.

Having familiarized yourself with the stages of removing plaster, you can understand how important, but at the same time unpleasant, this process is.

Builders who deal with such situations every day offer some useful advice to beginners:

  • When starting work, you should first determine the location of the wiring and, if necessary, turn off the power supply. Prepare in advance all the tools and materials, as well as the means necessary for personal safety.
  • The hammer drill should be used carefully so as not to damage the base of the wall. It is better to remove the plaster layer a little longer than to repair the damaged base again.
  • A sanding machine is used on a small layer of coating. If the layer exceeds 3 mm, a vibration grinder is used. Her distinctive feature is another principle of movement of the working element.
  • If the old layer of finishing partially remains on the surface, then the next layer must be a little weaker. For example, any composition can be applied to a cement-sand or polymer coating. Gypsum or clay mortar. Gypsum is not able to withstand the cement layer, since it is heavier. And nothing at all should be applied on top of clay plaster; this composition can only withstand its own kind. But the clay-sand mortar will stick to any surface.


  • If the layer of plaster is on drywall or on top of shingles, then dismantling should be done carefully, avoiding strong impacts. It is better to remove the coating manually with a spatula or scraper.
  • When applying a new layer of coating, experts advise using a more expensive composition. The main thickness of the previous layer can be “added” with the same composition, and applied on top with a more expensive thin layer.
  • During the dismantling process, the problem of disposal becomes acute removed plaster. IN multi-storey buildings It is necessary to immediately organize the process of removing construction waste, since there is usually nowhere to store it. In private buildings, construction waste must be placed under a canopy (hidden from precipitation) before it can be removed, because during rain the waste may increase in weight, which will complicate loading of waste.

It is worth understanding that the weight of plaster in one square meter. meter with a coating thickness of about 2 cm is about 20-30 kg, depending on the composition of the finish.


  • During the dismantling process, do not forget about moistening the surface being treated. These manipulations will not only help loosen the old layer, but will allow you to work in the cleanest possible conditions, without the formation of dust.
  • It is better to scrape off plaster from the ceiling with a scraper or a long-handled spatula. Using such devices, you can remove the coating with both hands.

ABOUT possible errors When dismantling plaster, see below.

Removing putty from the ceiling

But what should you do if you need to prepare not only the walls, but also the ceiling for renovation? How to remove putty from the ceiling? In this case there are no differences; you need to act exactly the same as in the case of cleaning the walls. Determine the thickness of the plaster layer and assess its condition. Try using a spatula on a certain area after first soaking it with a starch solution. If this method does not give the desired result, then you should resort to mechanical removal.

It's up to you to decide what to choose - removal with a chisel and hammer, or cleaning with a hammer drill or grinder. It all depends on your skills and availability of the right tool.

Do I need to remove old durable plaster?

The need to completely clean the wall depends on the specific situation. Some compounds are easier to remove, others are more difficult. In addition, removing old plasters is not always justified. But in other cases this cannot be avoided.

The relevance of cleaning walls directly depends on the composition of the plaster:

  1. Clay. They are often used for finishing fireplaces and heating panels. Destruction and peeling of the clay finish leads to the need to replace it, since thermal conductivity decreases.

Cleaning is also inevitable when finishing the stove with tiles, which require a denser base.

  1. Limestone. It can be removed when the layer is weakened, and if necessary, apply cement-sand plaster.
  2. Plaster. The plaster is dismantled as it is destroyed.
  3. Cement. Often dismantled due to design errors made by previous builders (violation of the requirements for cement-sand plasters).
  4. Polymer. Majority polymer plasters durable. Any solution can be applied to them. Therefore, the removal of synthetic masses is associated with errors made during their application, leading to peeling and cracking.

The feasibility of removing plasters must be justified. Plaster is not wallpaper; it is not recommended to change it without a good reason.


Old coatings can be removed completely or partially. It depends on the condition of the layer and the composition of the future, new coating:

  • Repair. The finishing requires partial renovation. It is better to remove weak, loose, exfoliated fragments. If the area of ​​plaster that has retained its strength is small, the wall should be cleaned completely. But if the damage is not significant, you can leave the wall untouched, cleaning only the problem areas.
  • Replacement. The new solution can adhere quite firmly to the old (but durable) one. This depends on the hardness of the previous coating and the composition of the fresh one.

The new plaster should not be stronger than the previous one, so that, by shrinking, it does not destroy the old weak finish, which has less tension.

So, any other solution can be applied to cement-sand plaster (if it is not loosened). Cement cannot be applied to gypsum, since the latter will destroy the surface of the previous one, the adhesion will be insufficient and short-lived. Limestone is reliable as a base for gypsum and clay. But you can’t apply it to anything at all (except clay) - it won’t stick. But here I am clay-sand mixture applied to any base.

Technology for dismantling work

Decorative plaster can be removed with a spatula. To begin, wet the wall surface generously with hot water. This is necessary in order to make the previous finish softer and reduce the amount of dust in the air.

Advice! Experts with extensive experience in performing such operations advise periodically repeating the described procedure several times with a certain time interval. If the wall is constantly wet, the work will be carried out faster.

How to remove decorative plaster from walls after wetting them? To do this, knock forcefully on the wall surface using a small sledgehammer. A large hammer can also be used as a working tool. Those areas of the old plaster that did not hold up well will disappear instantly.

Note that they perform work from the top of the wall to its bottom. To make the work go faster, after the first sections of plaster fall off, pry up the finishing layer using a hatchet at an angle.

What to do if the plaster does not fall off after soaking? If the plaster layer is held too tightly, you will have to use a hammer drill, setting the “chiseling” mode on the tool. Remember, this is the fastest way to quickly remove plaster from the ceiling. However, this is also the noisiest option, the use of which may upset your neighbors. Therefore, such work should be carried out exclusively during the day on a weekday.

Also, cleaning walls from old textured plaster can be done using a grinder, on which a disc is fixed for working on stone or concrete. With this tool the plaster is cut into small sectors.

How to remove Venetian plaster as efficiently as possible? If you have a power tool for sanding plaster, you can simply use it to remove this finish from the wall. True, this is quite dusty work.

Plastering walls with old plaster six stages

Finishing the brickwork of a house or apartment with plaster 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 loud, the finishing from the old masonry will have to be removed.

You will need the following tools to remove 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:

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 instruction, following which a beginner can clean the walls from dilapidated finishes, and the video in the article will help you understand the work in more detail:

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 work.

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 the old layer is cracked, but the adhesion to the brick is tight, then 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.

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.

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.

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.

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, only 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.

There should be no questions about how to remove decorative plaster from walls, since the instructions for regular and other types are the same. If you have to completely remove the old plaster, you can make the job easier using 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 capital or cosmetic repairs We recommend that you clean the walls of the previous finish and only then apply a new one. Otherwise finishing work will be done in vain.

material:

How to remove old plaster yourself, take a look.

Decorative plaster, a type of which is also “liquid wallpaper,” is considered one of the best and most fashionable finishing materials for wall surfaces. It is easy to apply and the effect is excellent. But it happens that sometimes, when making renovations, you want to replace the decorative trim in one of the rooms with regular wallpaper or paint the walls. But before you start gluing wallpaper or painting the walls, you need to remove this plaster. How to do this? Removing decorative plaster is not as easy as applying it. In order to do this, use the tips and instructions.

Removing plaster is a very labor-intensive and time-consuming process, especially if the walls are finished with cement-sand mortar.

Instructions for removing decorative trim from walls

To remove decorative plaster from the walls, you need to perform work that consists of two stages: sanding and leveling the surface with putty.

Before you begin the first step, you need to collect everything you need for this. Namely those materials and tools that will be useful to you.

List of materials for removing wall coverings:

  • gypsum putty;
  • paint (if you paint the walls after removing the plaster);
  • oil primer.

Tools needed to remove decorative plaster:

  • polyethylene film;
  • gloves;
  • damp cloth;
  • bucket with water;
  • scraper (or spatula, chisels, hammer, grinder, grinder - your choice);
  • spray.

When all materials and tools are ready, you can start working.

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Methods for scraping decorative coatings from the surface layer

We start with the first stage - scraping. There are several ways to do this job. They differ from each other in the different tools that can be used to perform it. You choose which ones you will use yourself.

Removing decorative wall coverings is a very dusty business, so be sure to cover all surfaces with plastic wrap to reduce the amount of dirt in the room (this applies to all methods). Next, take a scraper 130-150 mm long and run it along the wall, pressing lightly. By selecting correct angle applications, start doing the work. With light movements and the correct tilt, you can cycle the finish: first start with a small part of the surface, then move on to a larger one. After this, wipe the walls with a cloth soaked in water to remove all particles and dust from the remaining decorative plaster. Rinse the cloth in water frequently to better clean surfaces.

If you don't have a scraper, you can use a hammer and spatula. To do this, first the surface with decorative finishing need to be moistened with plenty of hot water. This is done in order to soften the putty well and reduce dust. Do not forget to wet the entire surface of the walls with water throughout the work, then removing the plaster will be easier. After you have moistened the surface, you need to tap the wall with a hammer. Thanks to this, those parts of the plaster that are not held tightly together will fall off on their own. Well, others will need to “help”. To do this, you will need a chisel and a hammer: the layers of putty are pryed off, and they fall off the surface in pieces. You will also need a spatula, which can be used to remove any remaining finishing material. Please note that decorating finishing material must be removed from the top of the vertical ceiling.

You can also use a grinder with abrasive discs. Using this tool, the plaster is erased rather than knocked down. But don't forget, you still have to moisten the surface, otherwise you will drown in a “sea of ​​dust”. Get ready to work, as you will have to spend a lot of effort sanding the surface. Decorative plaster It is necessary to remove carefully, do not forget about the seams. Once everything has been freed from the plaster, go over the wall with a wire brush to remove it completely. This is one of the most effective methods if hot water doesn't help.

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