Wall Leveling

How to Level Walls

Wall leveling is typically done in two ways: using drywall sheets or plastering with guides (maya). Regardless of the chosen method, walls must be properly prepared by removing old wallpaper, paint, and plaster. The choice of method mainly depends on the degree of wall curvature.

After leveling, minor flaws are often filled with finish plaster, which has a finer particle size than regular plaster or coarse filler. This step is critical when using thin decorative materials like non-woven wallpapers or water-based paints. However, in some cases—such as when using textured plaster or relief wallpapers—this step may be skipped.

Wall Leveling with Drywall

Drywall is a rectangular panel made of two layers of cardboard and a special gypsum core with reinforcing additives. This method is known as dry leveling. It’s ideal for correcting major deviations up to 50 mm. Using plaster in such cases is impractical due to high material consumption.

The process of drywall leveling is relatively simple. After marking the wall, guide and load-bearing profiles are installed. Drywall sheets are then attached to the frame using screws. Additional space between the wall and the drywall can be filled with utilities, insulation, or soundproofing. The final step involves sealing joints and seams: first with mesh tape, then with filler.

Advantages of drywall leveling include:

due to the absence of drying time, installation is fast;
drywall effectively conceals utilities and allows for additional sound and thermal insulation;
drywall enables not only wall leveling but also complex structures like arches and recesses;
the resulting surface is high-quality and completely safe.

Disadvantages of this method include:

drywall reduces room area by at least 20–40 mm;
the structure is fragile and easily damaged by moisture;
after drywall installation, it's nearly impossible to mount furniture shelves or cabinets. Therefore, embedded fittings must be planned in advance.

Wall Leveling with Guides (Maya)

Plastering with guides (maya) uses various mixtures, with gypsum and cement-sand mixes being especially popular. This method is recommended when wall deviations do not exceed 50 mm.

Before applying the first layer of plaster, small grooves are made on the wall with a chisel to improve adhesion. Then walls are treated with primer to prevent cracks and stains in the final layer, and guide profiles are installed.

Vertical alignment of these profiles is checked with a level. After plaster application, the guides are removed, and the resulting holes are carefully sealed.

Advantages of plastering with guides include:

unlike dry methods, this technique does not reduce room space. Utility lines are routed in grooves (strokes).
plaster mixes typically use natural, eco-friendly materials that contain no harmful substances for human health.
the leveling layer forms a monolithic structure without joints or seams.

Main disadvantages of this method are: