The facade, lined with stone, looks respectable and reliable. However, natural materials are very expensive today, they have an impressive weight and it is quite difficult to work with them. An alternative is wall decoration with artificial stone - a material that in its characteristics is not inferior to natural stone. Thanks to the appearance of the above-mentioned decoration, facing works have become simpler and cheaper, and developers and designers have gained more opportunities for decorating external walls and interiors.
Why choose artificial stone
The 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 than natural, this expands the area of use of the material. Thus, thermal panels and walls made of drywall can be ennobled with it.
Artificial models can give the surface any color and shape, which allows you to create unique design projects. If you want to see an artificial stone on the walls, you can count on the fact that it will be very convenient to work with it, because on the reverse side it has a flat surface.
Manufacturers also produce special corner parts, which greatly simplify the decoration of corners, as well as openings. The technology of facing external walls with stone is no different 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 practically the same physico-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 solutions of the room. If the surface to be coated has properties that differ from those of concrete, preparatory work can take a lot of time. Asbestos cement, plastic or wood will need to be coated with vapor barrier compounds such as roofing material or glassine. 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. Once it dries, the surface is treated with a deep penetration primer. Only after that you can begin to surface the surface with artificial stone. If the work is carried out outside the house, then the application of plaster should be done at plus temperature.
Toolbox Preparation
The artificial stone on the walls, according to many designers, looks very original. That is why it is worth considering: maybe 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 construction level, a rubber mallet, a metal brush, as well as a medium-hard brush, which will be needed to clean the seams.
When preparing a grinder, it is necessary to take care of the presence of a special disk, which 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 the 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 wooden block with which it will be convenient to customize the tile. In the process of carrying out these works, you can not do without a paint brush, as well as a plastic bag with a nozzle. The last element can be replaced with a syringe gun designed to perform masonry joints. In order for the cladding to have a completed look, it is worth preparing the layout.
Facing conditions
The artificial stone on the walls will look very aesthetically pleasing, and the work will be able to be performed efficiently if you provide suitable conditions for the described work. Artificial stone finish refers to wet construction work. The adhesive composition is a cement mixture, which is prepared on the basis of water. In order to ensure good adhesion and to eliminate the loss of properties of the composition, it is necessary to observe a certain temperature regime. The optimal indicator is in the range from 5 to 25 degrees.
It is worth remembering that in the cold the adhesive composition will freeze, so it will be impossible to work with it. Low temperatures negatively affect the quality of the finish.
Expert Advice
If you decide to stick artificial stone on the wall, then you can use frost-resistant adhesives, if the work is supposed to be carried out under appropriate conditions. In such mixtures there are special additives that can ensure the preservation of the quality of the composition during operation even at low temperatures. However, you can use this glue at a temperature not lower than -10 degrees. When the thermometer rises above +25 degrees, the glue will quickly lose moisture, its properties will deteriorate. Under such conditions, strong bonding of the material to the base will be very difficult.
If there is a need to carry out work under conditions when the thermometer mark has dropped below zero, you can use the device "teplyak. To implement this idea, scaffolding will need to be closed with a strong film, and a heat gun should be installed inside. Once the air temperature reaches +8 degrees, you can begin work.
Additional recommendations
When an artificial stone is glued to the wall, after completion of work at negative temperatures for 3 days, it is necessary to maintain the facade in a "warm" so that the glue seizes and gains design strength. As an alternative material, which is able to simulate masonry and does not imply compliance with the temperature regime, facade panels made of artificial stone are used. Their installation is allowed at any time of the year by the dry method.
Facing
When an artificial stone is laid for interior wall decoration, in some cases there is no need to make joint seams. A larger number of collections of the described material is recommended to be laid with seams, which are then filled with grout mixture. The masonry after the completion of work looks neat, and the seams are tight. The thickness of the seams should be from 1 to 1.5 centimeters. However, depending on the type of stone, this limit can be reduced or increased.
When buying finishing material, you must take into account the standard width of the seams, since in total they will occupy a large area. It should be borne in mind the inevitability of waste when fitting and trimming products. This indicates the need for an addition to the estimated volume of 10% of the material, so that the finish is enough for the entire facade.
Preparation of a stone for work
If artificial stone will be used for interior wall decoration, it must first be prepared. In order for the facade to look natural, elements will need to be adjusted. It is recommended to do this on the ground, laying out a small area, after 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, which have a 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 an artificial stone on a 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.
The nuances of the work
Facing walls with artificial stone involves applying the solution to a small area of the surface with a thin layer. Installation must begin from the corners and openings of the building. To do this, use corner elements. Glue must also be applied to the back of the stone. You can be made and wall decoration with artificial stone in the hallway. Photos of such interiors are presented in the article.