Cullets: selection, sticking, painting

Cullets are considered one of the most durable finishing materials. They can last you 30 years or more, while maintaining perfect condition. In addition, these wallpapers can be repainted many times, and sticking them will not cause any difficulties at all. They fit perfectly into any interior, can decorate any room, so it is not surprising that today they are at the peak of popularity. Despite this, not all buyers know for sure how to choose glass, and what to do next: how to glue them, and then paint. Let's try to shed light on some pressing issues.

Probably from the name of this finishing material you can guess what does it consist of. This is glass that, under the influence of high temperatures, is melted and drawn into threads, from which a fabric is subsequently woven. So that the finished material is not too fragile, it impregnated with special substances based on starch. Similarly today they make two main types of cullet:

• The "cobweb" - This is the thinnest fiberglass, also called painting fiberglass. It is used for leveling surfaces, reinforcing walls, and also as a base for painting the ceiling. Such material does not have patterns;
• actually glass wallpaper or fiberglass wallpaper. They have a denser structure, differ in the presence of some kind of pattern: herringbone, rhombus, circles, waves, etc. This material is used for pasting walls and cabinet furniture, designed for reusable subsequent painting. It is about this type of wallpaper that we will talk about.

Pros and cons of cullet

Cullets are very popular today, and the growing demand for them is explained by a number of their advantages:

• absolutely safe and environmentally friendly material;
• high strength, because it is almost impossible to scratch them;
• this is non-combustible material, like the glass itself;
• cullet optional strengthen wallshide small cracks;
• can let air in but mold or fungus they will never start on them, so this type of finish can be used in rooms with high humidity;
• opportunity glue such wallpaper on any surface;
• opportunity several times repaint. Depending on the pattern, density and manufacturer, the number of paint layers varies from 6 to 20;
• if the paint is selected correctly, then the coating can be washed, and wash off even the inscriptions made by a felt-tip pen;
• durability: 30 years or more.

With all the advantages of cullet it is necessary to take into account some of their shortcomingsso that the coating does not disappoint in the end. So, the main disadvantages are as follows:

• if you decide to make repairs and replace wall decoration, then remove cullets from the walls will be problematic;
• they cost more than paper or vinyl wallpapers;
• high paint consumption compared to simple wall painting;
• the choice of patterns is not the richest, and if the pattern is not sufficiently embossed, then it may completely disappear under several layers of paint;
• if you pick up the wrong paint, then some spots may not be washed off later.

How to choose glass?

At choosing cullet is worth paying attention to several key parameters: their density, pattern, composition and manufacturer.

Glass Density

Strength and durability directly depend on density. The denser the cullet you choose, the longer their life and the more times they can be repainted. For high-quality decoration of the room, it is better to pay attention to the material. with a density of 100 g / m² and higher. In this case, the wallpaper will last, as expected, 30 years or more.

Wallpaper with a density of less than 100 g / m² not so dense and strong, their durability is much lower, but also the price is more affordable. Such material is suitable for finishing economy class, or if you do not plan to repaint the walls often.

Glass Pattern

A variety of patterns, although limited, but still there is plenty to choose from. Most often on sale you can find materials with the following texture:

• herringbone;
• matting;
• rhombus;
• some manufacturers have material with a pattern that resembles raindrops on a window pane, parquet or rice paper.

This is not an exhaustive list of possible textures, as manufacturers constantly replenish their collections materials with new drawings. Nevertheless, a texture suitable for the apartment can be found.

Pay attention to how much the relief is voluminous and deep. It depends on how many layers of paint can be applied without losing the pattern.

Composition and packaging

An important parameter when choosing is and glass composition. Ideally, the material should consist of 70% fiberglass and 30% impregnationthat is indicated in the accompanying documents. A significant deviation from these parameters or the lack of necessary documentation should be alarming.

Also pay attention to glass packaging: it should be holistic. The canvas itself must be neatly woven, not crumble, have smooth edges. It is very convenient when the manufacturer marks the wrong side with the corresponding signs, which helps not to mix up and properly glue the canvas.

The best manufacturers of cullet

Whatever you say, the name of the manufacturer today means a lot. Some firms have established themselves well in the market, and their products are of consistently high quality. So, which manufacturers should you pay attention to first?

1. Tassoglas - A well-known Swedish company, which is considered a world leader in the production of glass. The company offers a material with a different pattern, high durability and strength. Depending on the model, such wallpapers withstand 5-15 layers of paint;
2. Nortex - Chinese-made cullets. These are durable finishing materials, perfectly balanced in price and quality. The density of different types of cullets in the manufacturer’s collection is 115-260 g / m², and the choice of possible textures is very extensive;
3. Virtulan - cullets of the German manufacturer, and they cost an order of magnitude higher than, for example, Nortex. The company has existed since 1931, and has already managed to establish itself in high German quality. Designers are constantly working on the creation of new textures and patterns, so the cullets of this company always differ in their original appearance, and the collections are constantly updated.
4. Vertex - Czech manufacturer of cullets, in the range of which there is a basic set of all patterns. The material has a good balance of price and quality, is widely represented in the domestic market.
5. Alaxar - A group of companies whose production facilities are located in China, Finland, Germany and Sweden. Trademarked cullet produced Wellton and Oscar. The assortment is very wide, and in Russia there are many representative offices of the company, so domestic buyers will be able to choose exactly the option that suits them the most.
6. X-Glass - cullets of the middle price segment. Interestingly, the manufacturer is located in Russia - it is Liga LLC, and the plant operates in Finland. The range of products is sufficient.
7. China's major manufacturers such as Mermet are widely represented in major hardware stores and hypermarkets., Veterman, Bau Master and Walltex. They offer a very affordable product, the quality is usually average. They are in good demand among domestic buyers.

How to glue the glass?

So, the material is selected, now it remains only to glue the cullet on the wall and paint them, and then enjoy the result.

First you need completely get rid of the old wall decoration: peel off wallpaper, remove paint coat, etc. Now the surface is needed primerto strengthen the wall. If there are strong cracks and irregularities, then it is better to putty them, however, do not overdo it, since cullets have excellent reinforcing properties. This means that they can hide small differences in the plane and defects very well, while preventing further cracking. At this point you can also treat the walls with a fungicidal compositionto prevent them from appearing mold and mildewthat is a frequent occurrence in the kitchen and in bathrooms.

Starting to cut and glue the glass, do not forget about your own safety. Material of even the highest quality may crumble slightly during cutting, and small particles will fly in the air when working with it, falling on the skin and airways is undesirable. Therefore worth put on clothes covering the whole bodygloves and cover your mouth and nose.

Cut the canvas of glass depending on the geometric parameters of the walls in the room, but do not forget to leave an allowance of 5-15 cm, depending on the pattern, so that it can be correctly combined. The width of the roll is usually 50 cm, sometimes 1 m. Cut it is convenient to strip it with scissors, you can use a knife.

Now, as for the sticking itself. Glue it is better to choose a special one for cullet. In the lines of some manufacturers of glass walling there is its own glue - this is the best option. A composition for sticking vinyl wallpaper may also be suitable, but using glue for paper wallpaper is not recommended, since it will not withstand the weight of the relief canvas.

Finished glue evenly applied to the wall area with a rollerto which the prepared cut-off section is immediately applied. Next it is worth holding it with a clean roller or a special spatula to ensure better contact with the surface of the wall, as well as to let out air and excess glue from under the wallpaper.

The following canvas is glued according to the same principle. Wherein end-to-end canvasesso that there are no gaps, but without forgetting about the need for an exact match of the picture. If excess glue seeps through the joint, then it should immediately be carefully removed with a sponge or a clean rag.

Some defects when gluing glass is easy to fix.. If in some places they come off or a bubble has formed, you can type glue into the syringe and fill in the problem areas. If the air bubbles are large, you can make a neat cut, and then glue this section of the wallpaper. After painting, it will be difficult to discern where the defect was. But if in the process of installing wallpaper sagging and creases formed, then getting rid of them will be almost impossible.

How to paint glass?

Glass painting can only be started after they are completely dry, and this is about two days. But before applying the paint the surface is best primed. This is done so that the paint goes better, and so that it is less absorbed into the porous surface of the glass. As a primer, you can use glue diluted with water. It is applied with a thin uniform layer over the entire surface of the wallpaper, and after drying it goes directly to painting.

Painting glass is very easy, a beginner will also cope with this.It is better to use a roller for this. It remains only to choose the desired paint color, and maybe several colors, if this meets the interior concept.

For painting not everyone will do it type of paint. Experts recommend using:

• water-dispersible paint, resistant to washing. Optimally matte compositions or silky matte;
• acrylic paint;
• latex paints;
• polyurethane varnish paints are also quite applicable.

Depending on the desired effect, the paint is applied in one or several layers, but at the same time you need to wait for the previous layer to dry. It is better for beginners in painting to choose matte compositions: if there are any irregularities on the surface, then they will be inconspicuous.

With cullet is very simple update the interior. It is enough just to buy the right paint and paint the walls: the pattern will remain, and the color will change.

In conclusion

Cullets are an excellent alternative to paper and vinyl wallpapers, as well as decorative plaster. They are simply glued and painted quite simply, and in order for the installation and operation process to be as easy and trouble-free as possible, you need to choose the right cullet, and our advice should help you with this.