Today, stone decoration is very popular. It is used both for exterior decoration and interior, used in the kitchen, in the hallway and even in the bedroom. Artificial material is created using a unique technology. First, a special concrete solution is foamed to a certain consistency, and then poured into molds. It is used to finish the facade of the building, as well as interior spaces: the kitchen, the corridor, and in some cases the bedroom. It all depends on the personal preferences of the owners. Artificial stone has many positives and negatives.
Dignity of artificial material
Its main advantage is its low thermal conductivity, which occurs due to air bubbles that have formed as a result of concrete foaming. Finishing the house with stone will serve as an additional insulation.
If sheathe them allhome, it will be very warm.
The next benefit is also related to air bubbles. They do not conduct sound waves well, that is, extraneous sounds and noises from the street will not enter the house. This advantage is very important, since you do not need to spend extra money on soundproof materials.
The third advantage is the light weight of the tiles. Although one block has large overall dimensions, its weight is much lower than that of a brick. Therefore, shrinkage is reduced to a minimum. Also, thanks to this factor, home decoration is much easier and faster.
Before moving on to the negatives, there are a few more features to note. When performing work, not cement is used, but a special glue, which practically does not form cracks and, as a result, prevents cold air from entering the house. The tile adapts to all types of construction work. For example, when laying an electrical wire in a tile, small channels can be made. However, it will not collapse.
Disadvantages of artificial stone
This material is very fragile. Finishing with natural stone at home will last a long time, but before starting work, you must follow the rules for its storage.
The next drawback is the high water permeability of the material.
It occurs due to the presence of air bubbles, where any moisture easily gets. After that, the material will begin to break down. Therefore, some rules must be observed during storage and transportation.
The third drawback is the unsatisfactory appearance after construction. To solve this problem, it is necessary to perform cladding with another material. In addition to giving an aesthetic appearance, it will protect the artificial stone from various influences. The lined stone should be easily washed from dirt.
And the last disadvantage of this building material is shrinkage. Before you start facing the facade, you must wait a while until the tiles sit down. In some cases, the time period can be quite substantial. In the process of shrinkage, it is better to cover the tile with polyethylene so that moisture does not get on it. All these manipulations complicate the construction process.
Finishing the house with artificial stone
This process is carried out by special construction organizations.
However, the work can be done by hand, with certain skills and knowledge. Stone finishing (photo above) is performed in several stages. Let's consider each of them in detail.
Preparing the base. To begin with, the surface is leveled by applying plaster. We attach insulation boards to a flat wall. This is done with dowels or glue. A quartz primer is applied on top of the insulation, which can be roofing material. The next step is to attach the construction mesh. It provides a strong grip. After carrying out these preparatory works, they begin to finish with artificial stone. At the same time, it is important to know the laying technology itself
Additionalinformation. If the wall surface crumbles, it is better to use a special primer for deep penetration.
2. Plinth cladding. External processing can be carried out using torn or even slabs. Finishing stone in the second way is much easier, but torn elements give the house sophistication and a more pleasant appearance. The difficulty in laying such elements lies in the collection of a specific pattern. Facing is performed in the following sequence:
- a special glue is applied to the wall;
- the plate is applied to the wall and pressed until glue comes out from the edges;
- wood spacers are inserted between the tiles;
- corner elements are stacked at right angles;
- after finishing the cladding, we wash the artificial stone.
Additional information: cladding of the outside of the house is carried out at a temperature of +5-25 ºС.
3. Seam grouting. For this stage, it is necessary to prepare a cement-sand mixture. Then we apply it to the cladding using a special tool. After the surface is washed and treated with water repellents, which prevent the ingress of moisture, exposure to dirt and sunlight.
Stone decoration in the apartment
Today, stone finishing is performed in almost all rooms.
It all depends on the personal preferences of the owners. The most popular is the finishing of the kitchen with stone and the corridor. As a rule, separate areas are covered with artificial stone in the kitchen.walls, less common full laying.
Corridor Requirements
It is a place that connects other rooms (kitchen, bedroom, hall, bathroom). Each of them is performed in a specific interior. Therefore, the task of the corridor is to provide a smooth transition to these rooms.
The corridor must meet the following requirements:
- be wide enough to carry furniture, etc.;
- lit (provided by lamps located on the ceiling and walls);
- functional (if necessary, you can place furniture and other things in it);
- don't have sharp corners that could hurt you.
Special requirements are also imposed on the decoration of the corridor. It should be hygienic, durable, low maintenance and have a pleasing appearance. Artificial stone meets these requirements.
Types of corridor finishes
The stone decoration of this room is carried out in three versions:
- Full cladding of walls and door slopes. This method of decoration is used in homes where it is necessary to create an atmosphere of ancient times.
- Partial wall cladding and full door slopes. This method is aimed at giving the room a more comfortable look.
- Facing individual sections of the wall. This method is aimed at creating a pleasant appearance of the kitchen.
Finishing technology
First you need to level the walls from bumps with plaster.
Sheapplied with a spatula. There should be no cracks, pits, bulges on the wall, that is, it should be in perfect condition. Finishing the hallway with a decorative stone on an uneven surface will cause a lot of difficulties.
The next step is to prime the walls. It is used to achieve two goals: to make the surface of the wall more solid (so that a piece of plaster does not fall off it), and also to ensure that the adhesive adheres to the wall. If pieces of plaster are already falling from the wall, then a deep impregnation primer is used.
Before laying the stone on the wall, it is necessary to put it on the floor in order to select a specific pattern that would combine both color and size.
Finishing the corridor with stone starts from the corner of the wall from bottom to top. To simplify this procedure, you can make a preliminary pattern of tile placement on the surface, which will give a more complete picture. The sketch is done with a simple pencil.
About glue
To glue the artificial stone on the wall, a special adhesive-sealant is used. Before starting the procedure, the material is cut to the desired size. You can also sharpen the corners. It is applied first to the tile and then to the wall to ensure a secure fit. The adhesive is applied to the wall with a notched trowel. The distance between the laid tiles must be at least 8 mm. Wooden spacers are inserted between them. Then they are removed and the joints are grouted with a cement-sand mortar. It is applied to the seams with a spatula or cloth.
If they are not needed, thentiles should be laid close to each other. To change the size or shape of an artificial stone, use a hacksaw or pliers. If necessary, sharp corners are ground. After finishing work, it is necessary to wash the tiles from cement with water.
Cost of decorative stone
The price of this material depends on its overall dimensions, thickness and other characteristics. The average cost is 800-1200 rubles per 1 square meter. It is worth noting that the price of natural stone is much higher.
Cost of material and work for finishing the facade
Finishing them is one of the cheapest jobs. It creates an imitation of a brick, the cost of which may vary. Its cost depends on the complexity of the texture. The thinnest decorative brick can be purchased at a price of $ 20 per 1 square meter.
The cost of some types of stones reaches $30.
Finishing the facade and apartment with decorative stone can be done both independently and with the help of specialists. In the first case, the owner will be required to have tools and certain knowledge in the construction industry. Otherwise, you need to entrust everything to professionals. They charge varying amounts of money for their work. The amount depends on the company, region, complexity of work. On average, it is about 700-1000 rubles per square meter.
Conclusion
Finishing with decorative stone is a simple and cheap type of work. It can be performed both outside the house and inside. Whereinthe room will look nice. The outer cladding, due to the porosity of the stone, protects against the penetration of cold winds and noises coming from the street into the house. The laying technology is quite simple, and anyone with some knowledge in this matter can perform it. Thus, you can add some zest to the interior design and make it unique. At the same time, all practical qualities will be preserved - durability, thermal insulation and resistance to various kinds of damage.
