The facade, lined with stone, looks respectable and reliable. However, natural materials today are very expensive, they have an impressive weight and are quite difficult to work with. As an alternative, wall decoration with artificial stone is a material that, in terms of its characteristics, is not inferior to natural stone. Thanks to the appearance of the mentioned finishing, facing work has become simpler and cheaper, and developers and designers have received more opportunities for decorating external walls and interiors.
Why choose artificial stone
Artificial stone on the walls looks attractive and has many additional benefits. The cost of this material is lower compared to natural counterparts. Among other things, the weight of such a stone is one and a half times less compared to natural, which expands the scope of the material. Thus, it is possible to ennoble with it thermal panels and walls made of drywall.
Artificial models can give the surface any color and shape, which allows you to createunique designs. If you want to see artificial stone on the walls, then you can count on the fact that it will be very convenient to work with it, because on the back it has a flat surface.
Manufacturers also produce special corner parts that greatly simplify the finishing of corners and openings. The technology of facing external walls with stone does not differ from the technology of laying ordinary wall tiles.
Preparation for work
Wall decoration with artificial stone in the hallway can be done by you yourself. Before you start the process, you need to stock up on a set of tools and materials. Only in this way will it be possible to create suitable conditions for high-quality installation.
If you have to work with walls made of monolithic concrete, cinder blocks or bricks, then the preparation will involve leveling the surface with plaster. It is important to get rid of protruding elements.
The listed materials have almost the same physical and chemical characteristics as the facing stone, so it will be possible to connect the elements together using special glue.
Artificial stone for interior walls should be selected depending on the interior design of the room. If the surface to be tiled has properties that differ from those of concrete, preparatory work can take a long time. Asbestos cement, plastic or wood will need to be covered with vapor barrier compounds like roofing material orparchment. After the surface is reinforced with a reinforcing metal mesh. Wall decoration with artificial stone, the photo of which is presented in the article, may involve surface treatment with plaster. As soon as it dries, the surface is treated with a deep penetration primer. Only after that you can begin to veneer the surface with artificial stone. If work is carried out outside the house, then plastering should be done at a positive temperature.
Preparing the tool kit
Artificial stone on the walls, according to many designers, looks very original. That is why it is worth considering: perhaps this particular finish should be chosen for the facade or interior walls of your house. However, for finishing, you will need to prepare a set of tools: a grinder, a square, a building level, a rubber mallet, a metal brush, as well as a medium-hard brush that will be needed to clean the seams.
When preparing the grinder, you need to take care of the availability of a special disc that is designed for cutting stone. To mix the glue, you will need an electric drill, as well as a nozzle in the form of a mixer. Artificial stone for walls in the apartment is glued using a special composition. Among other things, you should have a trowel and a trowel in your arsenal.
Prepare a block of wood that will be convenient to fit the tiles. In the process of carrying out these works, one cannot do without a paint brush, as well asplastic bag with nozzle. The last element can be replaced with a syringe gun designed for masonry joints. In order for the cladding to take on a complete look, it is worth preparing the jointing.
Conditions for cladding
Artificial stone on the walls will look very aesthetically pleasing, and the work can be done with high quality if you provide suitable conditions for the described work. Finishing with artificial stone refers to wet types of construction work. The adhesive composition is a cement mixture, which is prepared on the basis of water. In order to ensure a good setting and eliminate the loss of properties of the composition, it is necessary to observe a certain temperature regime. The optimal indicator will be in the range from 5 to 25 degrees.
It is worth remembering that the adhesive composition will freeze in the cold, so it will be impossible to work with it. Low temperatures adversely affect the quality of the finish.
Expert Tips
If you decide to stick an artificial stone on the wall, you can also use frost-resistant adhesives, if the work is supposed to be carried out under appropriate conditions. In such mixtures there are special additives that are able to ensure the preservation of the quality of the composition during operation even at low temperatures. However, such glue can be used at a temperature not lower than -10 degrees. When the thermometer rises above +25 degrees,the glue will begin to quickly lose moisture, its properties will deteriorate. Under such conditions, it will be very difficult to achieve a strong adhesion of the material to the base.
If there is a need to carry out work under conditions when the thermometer mark has dropped below zero, you can use the "teplyak" device. To implement this idea, scaffolding will need to be covered with a strong film, and a heat gun should be installed inside. As soon as the air temperature reaches +8 degrees, you can start working.
Additional recommendations
When an artificial stone is glued to a wall, after completion of work at sub-zero temperatures for 3 days, it is necessary to keep the facade in a "warm room" so that the glue grabs and gains design strength. Facade panels made of artificial stone act as an alternative material that is able to imitate masonry and does not imply compliance with the temperature regime. Their installation is allowed at any time of the year by dry method.
Tiling
When artificial stone is laid for interior wall decoration, in some cases there is no need to grout. More collections of the described material are recommended to be laid with seams, which are then filled with grout. The masonry after completion of work looks neat, and the seams are sealed. The thickness of the seams shouldbe from 1 to 1.5 centimeters. However, depending on the type of stone, this limit can be reduced or increased.
When buying a finishing material, you must take into account the standard width of the seams, since in total they will occupy a large area. At the same time, one should remember about the inevitability of waste when fitting and trimming products. This indicates the need to add 10% of the material to the calculated volume so that the finish is enough for the entire facade.
Preparing the stone for work
If artificial stone is used for interior wall decoration, then it must first be prepared. In order for the facade to look natural, it will be necessary to adjust the elements. It is recommended to do this on the ground, laying out a small area, after which it will be transferred to the wall.
All material from different packages should be mixed, as the texture and color in different boxes may vary. If you bought several types of facade stone that have different relief, then you should alternate the elements when laying out.
As for the dimensions, to obtain a natural harmonious masonry, you need to alternate small and large elements. Laying artificial stone on the wall involves changing the position of the elements until the mosaic completely suits the master. After that, the pattern can be transferred to the surface.
Nuances of the work
Wall cladding with artificial stone involves applying a thin layer of mortar to a small area of the surface. It is necessary to start installation from the corners andbuilding openings. To do this, use the corner elements. Glue must also be applied to the reverse side of the stone. You can also finish the walls with artificial stone in the hallway. Photos of such interiors are presented in the article.
