What do experienced craftsmen hide, who have been creating durable screeds and ideal tiling for years?
The answer lies in a simple Soviet life hack that has saved builders from cracks and crumbling plaster for decades.
We are talking about PVA glue - an affordable ingredient that can replace expensive additives.
In the era of shortages, when specialized mixtures were rare, adding glue to the cement mortar became a real salvation.
The technology turned out to be so effective that it is still used for screeds, tiling and plastering walls.
The secret is that PVA increases the elasticity of the mixture, enhances adhesion to the surface and prevents cracks from forming even during shrinkage.
Modern building compounds with similar properties are expensive, but there is an alternative.
It is enough to add glue to the cement - either diluted in water for general strengthening of the mixture, or in pure form to create an adhesive solution.
For example, when pouring a floor, 200 kg of sand, 300 kg of crushed stone, 5 kg of alkali-resistant pigment and 20 kg of PVA are taken per 100 kg of cement. Such a screed fills the smallest voids and maintains its integrity for years.
For plastering, experts recommend mixing M400 cement with sand in a ratio of 1:3, and adding 60 g of glue for every 10 liters of solution.
The resulting mixture is easy to apply, does not slide off vertical surfaces and sets quickly.
The main advantage of the method is its versatility. It doesn’t matter whether you are laying tiles in the bathroom or repairing the facade: the glue will turn ordinary cement into a multifunctional composition that is not inferior to store analogues.
This method does not require any special skills or tools. All you need is PVA glue, which is available at any hardware store.
Savings are achieved not only due to the low cost of components, but also due to the durability of the result.
Author: Elena Shimanovskaya