What Is Fiberglass, Where Is It Used, How To Eliminate Cracks Using Fiberglass

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

Technical indicators and advantages of glass fiber
Application of fiberglass
How to prepare the surface
Basic gluing procedure

Very often, when renovating an apartment in a new building, the owners are faced with the problem of cracks appearing on the walls under the decoration. This is due to the fact that the building heats up over time and shrinks. The plaster is covered with a mesh of the smallest cracks. Such material as painting fiberglass cobweb was created for wall reinforcement and today is popular with consumers.

Technical indicators and advantages of glass fiber

Fiberglass is a fabric consisting of non-woven fibers. This material can be confused with fiberglass, which have a different structure, but are produced in a different way.

The fiberglass canvas does not contain a pronounced color and pattern, moreover, it has increased tensile strength. The material has acquired the name "spider web" among the people, thanks to its soft and fine structure. The density of the glass fiber painting ranges from 25 to 65 g / m ². The denser the panel, the more resistant it will be to damage.

In order to understand how to use fiberglass, you need to find out its technical characteristics:

increased fire safety;
hypoallergenic;
durability;
resistance to acids and temperature extremes, as well as moisture;
useful for leveling surfaces and finishing;
high density ensures material reliability.

Among the firms engaged in the production of spiderweb glass canvas, the most popular are:

Wellton is a manufacturer from Finland.
Spectrum is a company from Holland.
Samtex is a Swiss manufacturer.
Oscar is a domestic manufacturer.

Basically, this material is produced in rolls, 1 m wide, and has a price of 500 to 800 rubles per roll.

The listed technical indicators of the material determine the advantages of the cobweb fiberglass, the use of which is so popular today:

The material is not prone to burning.
The fiberglass mat will never be attacked by mold, mildew or corrosion.
Ease of care.
The breathability of the spider web allows the material to "breathe".
Environmental safety for health.
Fiberglass does not accumulate dust and static charge.

It is important to take into account the fact that craftsmen who use cobweb fiberglass in their work always use protective clothing: respirator, gloves, plastic glasses. When cutting, the material can injure a person, and glass microparticles hitting the skin can cause itching and irritation.

Application of fiberglass

This material is used in construction work. It is used not only for wall or ceiling reinforcement, but also for floor surfaces. In addition, fiberglass has proven itself in the manufacture of roofing materials, glass wallpaper, flooring, pipe insulation, panels and batteries.

The high strength indicators of the spider line glass fiber painting, the use of which is found in many areas of construction, make it possible to use this material in the manufacture of suspended ceilings, gypsum boards, as well as in the reinforcement of plastic.

How to prepare the surface

To protect the walls or ceiling from microcracks using glass fiber, you need to carefully prepare the surface. This process is similar to the procedure for preparing walls for wallpapering and includes the following activities:

Surface filling. Masters recommend filling and smoothing out visible irregularities in order to avoid swelling of the material when gluing.
Primer. Prime walls and ceilings before using fiberglass. Do not forget to close all windows and doors while gluing the material - there should be no drafts.
If the prepared wall is made of plasterboard, the seams are preliminarily covered over, and the fiberglass is glued end-to-end.

After the work done, you need to decide which glue to use for the fiberglass. On the construction market, there is a special glue for such a material, or, the glue composition can be supplied with a roll of fiberglass.

Take into account the observance of the proportions: if the glue is diluted with more water than indicated on the pack, there is a risk that the material will lie incorrectly and it will take much more time to dry.

Cobweb glue must be bought with a margin, since its consumption is several times higher than when gluing ordinary wallpaper. It is best to use ready-made glue in a bucket.

Video:

Basic gluing procedure

To carry out self-pasting walls, use a fiberglass spider web 1 m wide. From the tools you need a wide brush, a construction knife and a flat plastic spatula. The order of work will be as follows:

Measure out the required amount of glass canvas painting and cut it off with a construction knife or scissors. Be sure to use gloves to avoid damaging your skin.
Take a paintbrush and apply glue to the wall along its entire height and along the width of the fiberglass roll.
Place the previously cut sheet against the wall and press it down with a plastic spatula, starting from the center of the sheet. Gradually smooth the surface with a spatula from the center to the edges, expelling air bubbles from the fiberglass.
Cut off the excess material, then apply the glue again with a brush already on top of the fiberglass. This is done for better impregnation of the product and reliable adhesion to the wall surface.
Again, run the spatula directly over the adhesive. The fiberglass can darken a little - there is nothing wrong with that, the material will simply absorb moisture.
The next sheet is recommended to overlap the previous one. Do the same operations as with the first sheet, then take a sharp knife and draw a line through two layers of glass fiber. Remove excess strip of material. When working on corners, the canvas needs to be cut.
When gluing the ceiling with fiberglass cobweb, the use of goggles and a face mask will be mandatory. Sheets for the ceiling must be cut off with a length of no more than 2 meters so that there are no difficulties in work.

It will take about a day to completely dry the paint canvas, after which you can start finishing. If you plan to paint the wall, then you first need to putty the surface.

If a crack appears, which is unlikely, the situation is easy to fix. Cut a patch out of the material and glue it directly on top of the putty, while its width should be 6 cm wider. Use a knife to make a cut around the perimeter and take out the old putty and canvas. Thus, you get a patch that is ideal in size, which must be glued, and later putty.

The use of fiberglass is recommended if you want to reinforce the walls and protect them from cracks: this material significantly extends the service life of the finish.