expansion joints between ceiling tiles are among the most difficult surface defects. For decades, people struggled with this problem, but the cracks reappeared due to the shrinkage of the building and seasonal ground movements. Construction market proposes to solve this question installation of a hinged structure that will hide all defects. However, only a few can afford such an expensive purchase, and the dimensions of the room are not always suitable. How to seal the seams between the tiles on the ceiling to forget about this problem forever?

So that the ceiling seams are not visible, you need to carry out a series of finishing measures using special means. But first you need to prepare the surface for work - remove the old coating. It is also worth ridding the seams of cement and lime.

A thorough primer can only be carried out on a dry, cleaned ceiling.

In the process of work, you can not proceed to applying the next layer until the previous one dries. This important nuance which must be observed. Otherwise, the quality of the work performed will suffer.

How to seal the seams on the ceiling between the plates: a quick way to get rid of large cracks

If as finishing material wallpaper or fabric will be used for the ceiling, then you can seal the seam between the plates using construction foam and putties. It's simple and fast way, which is most often used in the presence of wide and deep cracks.

If future plans include full alignment and painting of the ceiling, it is better to use a better method of sealing the seam.

Otherwise, after a while the surface will have to be decorated again. Because on the ceiling in places of grouting, rusts can form, which the paint cannot hide.

The process of overlapping the seam is divided into several stages:

• First, the crack is expanded with a perforator. For this work, it is better to use a special spatula, which is included in the kit.
• Next, the seam is cleaned with a construction knife. Then - smearing the crack with a primer deep penetration. This stage work is best done using a thick paint brush.
• After that, the seam is filled with mounting foam using a construction gun. After 30 minutes of drying, the excess material is cut off so that it turns out Smooth surface. For best result it is better to use a clerical knife.
• Next, the primer is mixed from dry building mix, which is then carefully smeared with a seam with a spatula. This should be done with confident rubbing movements so that the putty enters all the voids of the foam.
• After 30 - 40 minutes, the second layer of the prepared mixture is applied with a wide spatula.

Similarly, it is better to close all the holes that are on the surface. Including the places where pipes enter the ceiling, if any. After drying the sealed holes and cracks, the entire surface of the ceiling should be primed and puttied.

How to close the seams on the ceiling: surface preparation for painting

This method is perfect for eliminating small cracks on the surface, for the design of which whitewashing or painting is chosen. The quality of the work performed will directly depend on the time that was given to dry each layer. Therefore, in order to get perfect ceiling it is important to follow the instructions exactly.

Sealing is carried out in several stages:

• The first step is to expand the crack and clean it. Next, the seam should be primed and left until complete drying at 12 o'clock.
• Then you can move on to puttying. For this work, it is better to use building gypsum, which in a small amount must be diluted to a liquid state with PVA glue. It should be remembered that you can work with this material only for a few minutes.
• The diluted mixture should be placed on an auxiliary spatula and begin to rub into the seam. After closing the crack, the protruding part of the hardening material must be carefully removed, thereby leveling it with the ceiling surface. Next, the seam should be covered and left to dry completely for 12 hours.

Another great putty option is a diluted cement-based tile adhesive. The use of this material almost completely eliminates the possibility of a crack along the closed seam.

The final step will be gluing a special masking mesh onto the seam, which is then smeared with finishing putty along the entire length. The final layer should be left to dry completely for 12 hours. After this time, you can proceed to the finishing putty of the entire ceiling and subsequent finishing.

The joint between the wall and the ceiling: ways to seal

Another common problem is the presence of a crack between the wall and the ceiling. This defect is an obstacle to quality finishes premises and spoils the whole appearance rooms.

There are several materials that can be used to close the joint between the wall and the ceiling:

• Mounting foam;
• Gypsum solution;
• Synthetic putty;
• Moisture resistant putty.

The most practical and convenient to use is mounting foam. When dried, this material expands, filling all the voids between the ceiling and the wall.

Large joints can be closed with a reinforcing mesh, which must be placed in the resulting cracks. Often used and cotton (or linen) cloth dipped in adhesive solution, which is placed over the joint. The final stage, regardless of the material chosen, will be the application of a layer of plaster, which will fix the result.

What to do if joints are visible on the ceiling: final surface leveling

After completion of work on closing the cracks, you should proceed to the final leveling of the surface. This is done using abrasive mixtures.

The ideal surface will turn out if you use interlining. It should be glued to the ceiling before the final putty. This material helps to remove small irregularities, allowing you to get a smooth ceiling.

After applying the finishing putty, the surface should be primed for the last time. After the work has been done, you can give the ceiling any color by applying paint with a spray gun.

Recommendations of professionals: how to seal the seams between the tiles on the ceiling (video)

The seams between the ceiling tiles are a long-standing problem, which today is easily solved with the help of special materials and compositions. picking up suitable option, you should focus on the size of the crack and the desired method further finishing surfaces. Get the perfect ceiling hinged structures really. The main thing is to carry out the work step by step and observe all the important nuances.

5.00/5 (1 ratings)

To date, laminate is the most relevant and in demand. flooring, which is used in almost all rooms and premises.

However, using it in rooms such as a hallway or kitchen is not entirely practical and appropriate. For these rooms the best option will ceramic tile. However, the laminate in the kitchen can be used in the dining area, and the rest of the room is tiled. And here the question arises: how to close the joint between the tile and the laminate (see video below)?

In order for the joint to look neat and beautiful, it needs to be hidden with high quality. Keep in mind that the tiles and differ in thickness. Therefore, they must be laid out at the same level in order to get a smooth transition. Do not forget to leave a distance of 0.5 cm between the laminate and the tile so that the wood can expand or contract from different temperatures and humidity, without being damaged or swelling.

Setting the thresholds

The most convenient and most popular way to seal the joint between tiles and laminate is to install thresholds. Using the same technology, you can close any joints floor materials eg: between tile and tile. Today you are offered huge selection thresholds. They are different in material: plastic nut, wooden nut, metal nut or aluminum, etc. There are different types and flowers. Let's take a closer look at the most popular ones.

Wooden sills

Wooden sills are the most popular, as well as environmentally friendly and the most beautiful. They are perfect for laminate flooring. This can be seen even in the photo. However, with all this, they are inferior in flexibility to plastic sills. And therefore they are not used for wavy joints. I would also like to note that wooden sills are whimsical in operation and require special care.

Plastic nut

For a wavy joint, a plastic threshold is perfect. They are relatively new on the market, but quickly became popular and in demand. The sills bend well, taking the desired shape and protecting the joint from dust and dirt.

metal threshold

If you want to use more durable material for the nut, then choose metal. Metal sills are perfect for any interior, as you can choose the desired color of the material from the variety on the market. You can choose a metal threshold in the color of the laminate or tile, as well as consider the color of any interior elements and thereby emphasize the design. If there is a situation that the laminate and tiles lie on different levels, then in this case you can use a multi-level metal threshold, which will help smooth out the difference.

Aluminum and rubber sills

Aluminum sills are used mainly for smooth joints. And for wavy joints, rubber sills are better suited. won't be too difficult. This work can be done by hand and in just a few minutes. Just remember to leave 0.5 cm between the materials. To fix the threshold, it is necessary to pre-make holes in the screed for screws. As a rule, they are sold complete with a nut. It is enough to fasten the nut with screws so that it is motionless.

Nut fastening

It happens that there are no screws in the kit. In this case, the threshold between the tile and the laminate can be fixed in a different way. Need to fill the gap silicone sealant so that dust and moisture do not get into the gap. As fastening of the sills, you can use mounting rails, which are screwed to the screed with self-tapping screws. It is on the mounting rails that the threshold for laminate and tiles is then attached. Alternatively, you can use liquid nails.

Flexible sill or molding

For closing undulating joints various materials you can use a flexible threshold. It is installed on a plastic profile with bulges, with which it is attached above the floor covering. Additional fixation with screws is required. To make the molding more flexible, before installing it, it is worth lowering the threshold into warm water about 20-30 minutes.

Why use sills and moldings

A sill or molding is needed to close the joint between the tile and the laminate, and give it an attractive appearance. Also, the sills prevent the ingress of dust and moisture, which will save your laminate from the inside. The sills also hide the contraction and expansion of the laminate. It also allows you to zone the space.

Between the floor slabs on the ceiling, seams inevitably remain.

Do not combine old putty with new. Old putty has already dried up, lumps have formed in it, because of which it will not be possible to achieve the smoothness of the ceiling.

They do not decorate the interior of the room at all. To close them, you need to do the following:

• expand by removing the concrete filler from the joint;
• cover it with a primer;
• fill the seam with mounting foam;
• cut off excess foam after it dries;
• level the surface with a gypsum plaster mixture;
• make the final alignment of the ceiling;
• glue a strip of non-woven thin fabric or gauze onto the joint with PVA glue;
• putty the seams;
• sand after the putty dries with an emery cloth or mesh.

Tools and materials

To perform ceiling repair work may need:

• spatula with an elastic flexible blade;
• dry gypsum putty (preferably Knauf, Uniflot);
• drill or perforator;
• masking tape;
• nozzle-mixer for a drill;
• PVA glue;
• primer with deep penetration properties;
• fine-grained sandpaper or sanding mesh;
• construction pistol;
• acrylic sealant.

Back to index

Work order

The repair of irregularities on the ceiling can take place in the following sequence:

1. Expand the seam between the floor slabs using an electric hammer drill with a spade-shaped nozzle. Remove with a spatula or knife pieces of old cement screed and filler.
2. Clean the surface of the ceiling and cracks from dust. Prepare the primer according to the instructions for use. Using a brush, coat the ceiling seams. The primer should penetrate well into the cracks. The primer layer must be dried.
3. Prepare gypsum plaster according to the attached instructions. Mix the mass thoroughly construction mixer. A small amount can be mixed with a spatula. The prepared mortar for grouting should have the consistency of very thick sour cream. They carefully fill all the cracks and irregularities on the ceiling. It is better to close deep cracks in several steps. Each layer dries well. A seam of large width and depth can be filled with mounting foam. Cut off excess foam after it dries with a knife. Termination ends with a leveling layer gypsum plaster, carefully rubbing it into the pores of the foam.
4. After the seams have completely dried, they are coated with PVA glue and sealed with a strip masking tape. The width of the tape should be 2-3 cm wider than the seams. Apply over the tape thin layer putties.
5. After the repaired joints have dried, another layer of primer is applied to the entire surface of the ceiling and finishing putty. It is better to apply it with a wide spatula as thin as possible. Instead of finishing putty or plaster, you can glue the surface with masking fiberglass, prime and paint the ceiling. termination ceiling seams finished.

Sewing seams is not easy. The material hardens for a long time, the putty tends to fall down. It must be held with a spatula for several seconds. The main thing in this work is not to rush. Otherwise, you will have to redo all the work again.

The easiest way to hide irregularities and cracks in the ceiling is with stretch ceiling. Another option is to mount a suspended, multi-level, plasterboard ceiling. It is possible with fiberglass paint mesh and various dry mixes. Over each seam between the floor slabs, a fiberglass masking mesh with a cell of 2x2 mm is laid. She also masks the seams in plasterboard ceiling. On such a ceiling, they are first glued with paper tape, only after that they are reinforced with a mesh.

You can seal the seam between drywall sheets in the following sequence:

1. Joint and part of the surface drywall sheet are smeared putty mixture layer about a millimeter thick.
2. Fitted on the seam paper tape, pressed into the solution, smoothed with a spatula and covered with a thin layer of putty.
3. Excess putty mass is removed with a wide spatula.
4. Each seam is sealed in the same way.
5. After the putty has dried, the seams are sanded with an emery cloth or mesh and primed.
6. A fiberglass mesh is fixed on the surface of the entire ceiling. You can temporarily secure it with push pins. A layer of putty is applied over the mesh and then carefully smoothed out. The putty penetrates through the mesh cells and firmly adheres it to the drywall sheets. Excess putty is removed with a spatula.
7. After drying, the ceiling is sanded and primed again.
8. If necessary, a final leveling layer of putty is applied. It should finally hide the traces of screws and seams, mesh and paper. Ceiling seams completed.

As a result, at least two layers of putty are applied to the ceiling surface. With the grid applied, at least one more is added. Between the application of these layers, drying, grinding and priming of the surface is carried out. It is not necessary to reduce the number of these cycles in order to save time. Such preliminary work guarantees the quality and durability of the ceiling. Only after that the ceiling is ready for final finishing. You can paint it in any color, paste over with wallpaper, tiles and so on. The approximate consumption of dry mix for putty is 1 kg per 3-4 square meters plasterboard ceiling area.

Such troubles as the formation of gaps between the floor slabs on the ceiling, or simply the manifestation of once not entirely successfully sealed seams, are very common in panel high-rise buildings. Therefore, at the first sign of such phenomena, action must be taken. And for this you need to have information on how to seal the seams between the panels on the ceiling on your own, without resorting to calling finishing specialists.

If the apartment is located on the last, top floor, and there is a gap between the plates on the ceiling, then it is possible that soon it will start to drip from it, which means that persistent odor dampness and stains of mold or fungus, and besides this, the heat will quickly leave the room. These circumstances are especially unpleasant in the cold months of the year. Therefore, in such a case, repairs should begin with a revision of the roof, since if you do not cope with the flaws roofing, then sealing the cracks from the inside and leveling the ceiling is a waste of time.

If the inspection of the roof suggests that everything is in order with the roof, then you can safely proceed to repair the ceiling. In the case when it is found that the waterproofing roofing material is damaged, you must first to take steps its repair, for example, to replace sheets of roofing material, which usually cover the roof in high-rise buildings with a flat "soft" roof.

However, seams can crack not only on upper floors, but also on any other. This is a common consequence home shrinkage processes.

So, making sure that no external factors won't spoil T labor-intensive work on sealing the ceiling, you can proceed to repair activities inside the apartment.

Ceiling seam seal

If a small crack has formed between the plates, then you should start by expanding it. It often happens that the process of cutting even a small crack or gap suddenly opens up “big horizons” of work. Therefore, since hands have already reached this repair measure, it must be done immediately in good conscience, in in full so as not to return to this issue for a long time.

If you want to solve two issues at once - sealing the seam and leveling the ceiling, you need to clean the entire seam from old concrete. Usually, this is not difficult to do, since during the construction of houses, not too strong is used to seal the seams. cement mortar.

Materials and tools

In order not to repeat the mistakes of the masters who, during the construction of the house, worked on the seams of the ceilings without due diligence, you need to purchase quality materials and all the necessary tools for the job. It is necessary not only to cover up, but to carefully embroider the seam and carefully seal it when sealing.

So, starting work you need to purchase:

1. From the tools you will need a medium, wide and narrow spatula, a spray bottle, a narrow metal brush, a wide brush, a container for mixing the solution, construction knife and a drill with a perforator.

2. You can close the gaps using different materials, and it is worth listing all that may come in handy.

• Deep penetration concrete primer - necessary for better adhesion of the surface and the material that will seal the joint between the plates.

• NTs, which is designed for sealing deep seams. This material tends to expand during hardening, densely filling the entire space of seams and joints.

Cement "NC" - perfect for sealing joints

• If a wide seam is found that requires sealing, it is necessary to purchase dense insulation materials made of polyurethane or polyethylene foam. Instead, foam can be used.
• Requires latex elastic putty.
• Reinforcement required. Its width will depend on the width of the seam - the tape should extend beyond its borders by 40 ÷ 50 mm on both sides.
• For final finishing you will need primary and finishing putty for the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe ceiling.

Prices for mixtures for leveling walls and ceilings

Mixtures for leveling walls and ceilings

How to seal the seams between the panels on the ceiling - we do it ourselves

Repairing the seams between the floor slabs will definitely entail bringing the entire ceiling in order, so you should start by completely cleaning the surface of paint, whitewash and, possibly, plaster.

• Using a spray gun, the ceiling is sprayed with water. It is better to spray not the entire ceiling at once, but in parts. A well-moistened area is left for 10 ÷ 15 minutes to soak, and then the old coating is removed using wide and medium spatulas. After that, you can move on to the next section, on which you need to carry out the entire procedure from the beginning. Such work is carried out until the entire plane of the ceiling is completely cleaned.
• Having removed the old coating in this place, the owner will immediately see the amount of work to be done. Usually there are two or three joints of floor slabs per room. Sometimes they are patched up very inaccurately and act as ugly humps. These bulges need to be eliminated and the ceiling made perfectly flat.

To do this, you need to take a puncher, install the desired nozzle on it, switch to shock mode without rotation, and step by step release the joint from the old frozen mortar.

The joint and the slab around it must be completely cleaned, and the gap itself must be deepened by at least 50 mm.

• Next, you need to take a narrow iron brush or a wide brush and carefully clean the gap from dust and small pieces of concrete.

• The next step is to treat the gap with a primer in several layers, each of which must dry. The primer will make the solidified solution remaining inside the joint stronger, will not allow dampness and fungus to form in it, and will provide good contact with the repair compound, which will be applied later.
• If the gap between the joints is wide enough and is more than 30 ÷ 35 mm, then you first need to fill it with mounting foam. It will be well fixed on the primed surface and, expanding, will fill the entire opening.

Hardening, the foam will come out of the seam, and when it is completely dry, it is carefully cut off so that at the joint of the plates in the foam a groove is formed, 30 ÷ 50 mm deep, tapering inwards, like a triangle.

• If during cleaning a joint is deep, but at the same time narrow, then it is worth doing the following.

Having chosen a sealant made of foamed polyethylene of the required thickness, on it On the one side a strip of sealant is applied and filled into the cleaned and primed joint with a spatula, leaving room for filling with concrete.

• Further, the joint is sealed with a solution of expanding concrete, but it is imperative to leave a small recess in the joint to expand the mortar and decorative plaster.

seam seal concrete mortar"NC"

• After the mortar has dried or the groove has been prepared in a dry mounting foam, an elastic latex-based is applied to the joint. Work is best done using two spatulas - wide and medium or narrow. A solution is collected from a container on a wide spatula, and with a narrow one it is applied to the joint between the plates, compacting into a seam and leveling to the level of the ceiling surface, while removing excess putty.

• After 2 hours, which will be required for drying, they begin to reinforce the seams. To do this, a thin layer of putty is applied to the seam and the ceiling next to it in a strip of 50 ÷ 60 mm with a spatula, a sickle mesh is fixed on it, pressing it into the solution and removing its excess with a spatula.

• After the joints have dried, the entire ceiling is treated with a primer, applying it with a roller. It is better to cover the surface with two layers of the composition.
• When the ceiling is dry, you can proceed to it. First, a thin layer of primary plaster is applied, and after it dries, a finishing final smooth layer is applied. It is applied with a wide spatula and at the same time leveled to the ideal.

Finishing- plastering the ceiling

• After the finish layer has dried, paint, whitewash or wallpaper can be applied to the ceiling.

Video: repair of seams between floor slabs

Fixing a hole in the ceiling

Sometimes it also happens that when cleaning the seam from the old solution, it does not just open narrow gap, A big hole- Defect of the floor slab. In this case, this hole can be repaired in two ways.

Sometimes such a “surprise” may appear on the ceiling when cutting seams.

In any case, the first thing to do is to carefully clean the inside of the resulting hole. This process is best done with a narrow brush.

1. Having freed the inside of the hole from dirt, it must be well sprayed with a primer. After waiting for the first layer to dry, it is necessary to apply the second.

• Next, the hole is filled with mounting foam.
• Then, after it dries and expands, the excess is cut off, and a cone is cut from the inside of the hole, at the base the size of a hole, and 40 ÷ 50 mm high.
• This cutout is necessary to fix the cement mortar in it, which is applied next step. It is leveled with a spatula and left to dry completely.
• Then putty is applied to the place where the hole was and around it for 50 ÷ 70 mm, and a sickle mesh is glued on it, which is pressed into the applied layer of the solution, smoothed and left to dry.
• Further work proceeds in the same way as when sealing seams.

2. Another termination method differs from the first, and it is used if a large void is found in the ceiling.

• In this case, you will need a piece of plywood (you can use scraps of laminate) about 100 mm larger than the dimensions of the hole.
• Then, it is necessary to strengthen the wire grate in the hole, which must be fixed to the sealant or cement mortar inside the hole. After the mortar has dried, the wire must be securely fastened inside the opening. The grate will serve as reinforcement for the repair mortar, with which they create a kind stove.

Closing a volumetric hole in ceiling- an example diagram

• Mixed concrete is laid out on the prepared plywood, it must be uniform and not excessively thick.
• The plywood platform with the solution is lifted and pressed tightly against the hole so that the solution completely fills the remaining cavity. We will have to come up with a reliable support for this kind of formwork, which will hold it until the repair composition dries completely. For this, a thick branch, a bar or a pyramid of a table and chairs is suitable.
• After the mortar dries in the opening, a perfectly flat ceiling surface will be obtained.
• Next, you can begin to work on putting in order the entire surface of the ceiling.

Video: sealing a volumetric hole in a floor slab

It should be noted that the joint between the plates is quite possible to update independently. But the full is enough hard work, so it is better to entrust it to an experienced master finisher. However, if there is a desire and self-confidence, and this is quite doable.