A good stove stands and does not crack for decades. The secret of the master - you say, and on the whole you will be right. This is not just a secret, but also the experience that stove-makers have accumulated and passed on from generation to generation. And the success of the work of a real Russian stove is not only in the special masonry, but also in the plaster, which is located outside. Most often, the problem is associated with this particular external plaster, which cracks and crumbles due to thermal deformation. How to solve this problem with cracks, if not once and for all, then at least for many years?
Read in the article
- 1 Better to plaster once than a hundred - to grease
- 1.1 Sand concrete: are you serious?
- 1.2 Proven old-fashioned methods
- 2 How to plaster the oven correctly
Better to plaster once than a hundred - to grease
So, this is understandable - it is better to immediately use a good high-quality plaster, so as not to endlessly experiment with different compositions. So which one to choose and why?
First of all, do not jump to conclusions because of the popularity of this or that recipe on the Internet. In pursuit of fame, the authors sometimes give not entirely practical advice. But let's look at it in order.
Sand concrete: are you serious?
The most popular advice is to use a sand-concrete mixture as a plaster.
In the sand concrete, according to the master, it is necessary to add fireclay clay, which should give the solution the necessary resistance to temperature effects and increase adhesion. A pound of clay in a bucket of mortar.
The bottom line is: 500 ml of glue per bucket of mortar will force you to plaster at the speed of light, because such an amount of liquid glass will help to instantly solidify the mixture. 100 ml is a more reasonable volume for this amount.
And the use of a cement mixture for this purpose raises great doubts.
If you are not going to heat the stove, then, in principle, you can plaster with cement.
Proven old-fashioned methods
There is an option that is superior to a cement mixture and even ready-made fireclay plaster, and it is known from time immemorial literally as "eternal".
The composition of the solution is as follows: 1 kilogram of salt and slaked lime, 3 kg of ordinary furnace ash and sand, which you will add to the desired consistency. And, of course, water, prepare about 10 liters. Note, no astringent additives, only the listed ingredients.
For kneading, lime is diluted with water and filtered, and then mixed salt with ash is poured into it and sand is gradually added until the solution acquires the consistency of thick sour cream.
Practice shows that such a composition lasts much stronger and longer than any newfangled compositions with plasticizers and miracle additives.
You can slightly modify this composition by adding chamotte clay and egg white to it, as was done in the old days. It won't be worse for sure.
How to plaster the oven correctly
In the old days, in addition to the solution, sacking moistened with the same composition was added as a reinforcing part. This makes sense, and this is exactly the case when you can use modern material for reinforcement.
The mesh is able to cope with temperatures up to +210 ° С, you will not achieve even half of this heat. In addition, the mesh stretches in all directions and deformation is negligible. So feel free to use it for this purpose.
And finally, one more significant nuance: the stove needs to be plastered in a heated state. Pre-strip, deepen and moisten the seams. On a warm oven, the mortar will set faster. But then, when heated, it will not crack. The first layer of plaster should be applied with a brush, as if you were painting over, and the next one can be done with an ordinary plastering tool.
Do you have experience in plastering a Russian stove? Share it in the comments!
