What to do before wallpapering: priming and puttying the walls - is it necessary - Setafi

Quite often there are doubts about whether it is necessary to prime the walls before wallpapering. In almost all cases, this question can be answered in the affirmative. In fact, priming is the most important stage, which allows you to level out differences, eliminate seams and cracks, and also increase adhesion to the surface. How to properly prepare the walls is described in detail below.

Do you need a primer

One of the questions that beginners ask is whether the walls need to be primed before wallpapering. Indeed, even some masters sometimes do without this stage, especially if the surface is fairly even. But if you really work for the result, there is no doubt whether it is necessary to prime the walls before wallpapering.

This is a universal processing method that is suitable for all types of finishing work:

• wallpapering;
• painting;
• applying liquid wallpaper;
• wall plastering.

If there is any doubt whether a primer is needed before wallpapering, you can easily see its importance, if you keep in mind several advantages of such treatment:

• improving adhesion to the surface of subsequent finishing materials;
• prevent the formation of small cracks, depressions;
• the material passes air, provides a normal microclimate;
• mold and rot prevention.

Based on this, it is clear whether it is possible to glue wallpaper without a primer. On the one hand, this is an acceptable technique, but very undesirable. In most cases, the surface is uneven, so it must be prepared without fail. For work, you can choose any composition, mainly 2 types are common:

1. Based on acrylic - they are suitable for concrete, brick, plasterboard, wooden surfaces, walls made of gas silicate, plastered and putty.
2. Based on alkyds - also suitable for drywall, wood, brick, aerated concrete and wooden surfaces.

Do I need to putty the walls

Another question is whether it is necessary to putty the walls under the wallpaper. In this case, the answer is not so unambiguous, because it all depends on the condition of the walls and the characteristics of the wallpaper. As a rule, the treatment is carried out in order to improve adhesion to the surface, preserve the color of the wallpaper, and also prevent the formation of bubbles.

It is clear whether the wall needs to be primed before wallpapering. This is an obligatory stage of preparation. As for putty, it will be required in many cases:

• wallpapers are thin, density up to 150 g per square meter;
• light wallpaper (any density);
• they are glued to a base with an uneven or bright color, with inscriptions, markings, designations;
• the wall is treated with plaster (large fraction);
• there are pronounced seams of drywall, plywood, blocks, chipboard;
• It is planned to use non-woven wallpaper.

There is no doubt whether it is possible to glue wallpaper without a primer on the walls. In most cases, this is a necessary step. Processing allows you to make the surface extremely smooth, without the slightest cracks. In addition, subsequent layers lie more tightly, which facilitates work and increases efficiency.

But in order for the result to be of high quality, you need to figure out how much you can glue the wallpaper after puttying. It is impossible to answer this question exactly, because everything depends on temperature, composition and layer thickness. But approximately we can say that the process will take at least 4-5 hours, sometimes up to a day. In some cases - within 2 hours (quick-drying formulations).

If we consider whether it is necessary to apply a primer before wallpapering, the answer is definitely yes. As for putty, in some cases it is not used:

• it is planned to apply liquid wallpaper;
• it is planned to glue thick wallpaper (at the same time, the base is not bright, plain);
• the base is of good quality, there are no seams and irregularities.

Step-by-step instruction

Now it is clear that it is necessary to prime the walls before wallpapering. Surface preparation is carried out in several stages, you must first purchase the following tools and materials:

• set of brushes;
• pile roller;
• container (bucket);
• rags;
• stairs;
• primer;
• putty;
• goggles, mask, gloves.

Preparatory work is carried out as follows:

1. Remove the old coating, clean from greasy stains, dust and other contaminants. Sometimes the question arises whether it is possible to apply putty on wallpaper, i.e. on the old foundation. This is also an acceptable technique, but first you still need to treat it with impregnating primer.
2. Stains are not always easy to remove. To do this, it is advisable to use not only detergents, but also antibacterial and antifungal agents (in case of mold and other microorganisms).
3. It has already been said above why the walls are puttied before wallpapering. But first they need to be primed. During the initial treatment, the surface is disinfected, after which it is passed a second time with a roller.
4. There may be cracks, seams and other defects on the surface. Puttying and priming the walls under the wallpaper is just required in order to eliminate them. The discovered cracks should be filled with the prepared putty mixture and leveled with a spatula. When everything is dry, sand it with sandpaper.
5. It has already been said above whether a primer is needed for wallpaper. This is the primary treatment to obtain a smooth surface. But in order for the result to be of high quality, you should go through the primer a second time. This is necessary for disinfection and the formation of a protective film.
6. Now it remains to figure out when you can glue the wallpaper after puttying. It is necessary to wait a few hours, focusing on the actual state of the surface.

Thus, in most cases, there is no doubt whether the walls need to be primed. This is the main stage of preparation, which follows immediately after removing the old base and cleaning the surface from dirt and grease stains. Next, you should assess the condition, whether it is necessary to putty the walls before sticking the wallpaper. If the wallpaper is thick, this is not necessary. If they are thin, and the base itself is defective, this procedure is also carried out.