Decorate walls with lime spatula: Here's how

Decorating walls with the lime spatula technique is not easy. Experienced do-it-yourselfers can do this easily with practice.

Wall plasters and lime-based fillers improve the indoor climate, regulate air humidity and can even bind pollutants and odors. Lime filler is more porous and leaves smoother surfaces than lime plaster, but also requires a little more care and accuracy when processing.

You need this to fill the walls with lime filler

Bucket to mix

Drill with stirring attachment

Smoothing trowel and spatula

Sandpaper of medium and possibly coarse grain

Lime smoothing spatula (from Auro, for example)

GlovesGoggles

Mouthguard

Possibly a primer

Tint the lime spatula with paint

You can tint the lime spatula with colored lime paint before processing. The amount depends on the desired intensity. The alternative: simply paint the finished wall with colored lime paint.

Prepare substrate for lime spatula

Before you start filling, test the absorbency of the substrate: To do this, wet the wall at various points with water. If the water is absorbed in a few seconds and forms dark spots, you should prepare the wall with deep ground before filling. If the water is not absorbed or even drips off, you must first apply a primer.

Filling walls: the individual steps

1st step: Mix lime filler

First you have to mix the lime spatula with water according to the instructions on the packaging. For a three-kilo package of filler - as in our example - you need 1.75 liters of water. Make sure that the powder dissolves free of lumps and forms an even, creamy mass.

The lime filler powder is dissolved in water.

Photo: Auro

Thorough mixing is best achieved with a drill attachment for the drill. Mix thoroughly for about a minute and then let the mass swell for two to five minutes. Then it is stirred again for about a minute. Tip: Since the lime filler has to be processed quickly, in case of doubt you should only mix half the package at first. It is best to weigh the required amount with a balance so that you can dose the water correctly.

Stir lump-free with the drill.

Photo: Auro

Step 2: Apply lime spatula to the wall

With a spatula, take some of the filler out of the bucket and spread it on the smoothing trowel.

Spread the mass on the trowel

Photo: Auro

First of all, make the coarse bumps and holes and apply the lime spatula in a targeted manner and with sufficient pressure. Then spread the mass all over the wall with long swings back and forth across the wall, creating a flat, even surface. The layer thickness should be between one and three millimeters.

Small holes can be filled with the lime plaster.

Photo: Auro

3rd step: smooth the lime spatula

Finally, smooth the leveling compound by placing the smoothing trowel directly under the ceiling and guiding it downwards, layer by layer, with enough pressure. As soon as the surface is reasonably flat, the wall is finally smoothed. To do this, briefly immerse the trowel in a bucket of water, drain it well and then pull it over the wall in an arcuate motion. The trowel must always be firmly pressed on: the pressure generated in this way compresses the surface and closes the larger pores. If the surface begins to shine slightly, it is well smoothed.

Spread generously, then smooth the mass.

Photo: Auro

4. Rework the edges of the wall

Careful work is particularly important on the edges of the wall so that the corners are well shaped. If you can't do this without tools, you can lay a smooth planing board on the edge and use it as a guide for the smoothing trowel. Finally, you should also smooth out the surface on which the board was placed.

Carefully fill at the edges.

Photo: Auro

5. Let the lime spatula dry and sand off

After application, the lime spatula has to dry for twelve hours. If possible, turn the radiator to the highest level during this time. The next day, if necessary, treat the surface again with medium grain sandpaper to remove fine wiping marks. For larger areas it is best to use a belt sander, open the windows and wear a face mask - the dust development is extreme!

Sand down small bumps with the sandpaper

Photo: Auro

6. If necessary, apply a second layer of filler

If the wall is so uneven that a layer thickness of three millimeters is not sufficient, you have to apply a second layer of lime spatula after drying. In this case, use as coarse sandpaper as possible to smooth the first layer and only lightly sand the surface. It is only important that it has a somewhat rougher structure so that the next layer adheres well. The second layer is applied and processed in exactly the same way as the first.

Step 5 Repeat for the perfect result.

Photo: Auro