More recently, stone was used only for processing the external walls of houses, but over time it began to be used for interior decoration. Undoubtedly, the main argument in favor of using this material indoors is its durability and environmental friendliness.
However, today they rarely work with natural stone because of its high cost and difficulty in processing. It has been successfully replaced in modern dwellings with porcelain stoneware and other imitations that can be glued to walls or laid on the floor and which do not require complicated care.
Stone in the interior
According to experts, natural stone for wall decoration in an apartment requires large spaces: it fits perfectly into the interiors of villas and cottages. But what should owners of city apartments dream of exactly this finish? It turns out that a modest apartment in this matter is not a sentence. Strictly observing stylistic rules, this material can be used in any room in apartments of multi-storey buildings.
The basic principle of using stone in a small apartment is dosage. The fireplace, albeit artificial, finished with stone, turns an ordinary room into a modern and stylish room. Stone is a unique highlighting material. If you want to divide the room into functional zones, then the stone segments in the decoration will help to cope with this task without difficulty.
Bedroom
The stone for wall decoration in the apartment looks spectacular in the bedroom. Do it yourself with your own hands to lay it at the head of the large spacious bed. And you can decorate the wall opposite the bed so that your look rests on a beautiful masonry.
Kitchen
In the kitchen, stone is suitable for an apron in the work area. But in this case, it is necessary to choose a material of a smoothed shape, and then it should be coated with a protective composition. A worktop made of artificial monolithic stone has already become a classic for modern kitchens.
Stone panels in hallways look great, for example, around a mirror.
Bathroom
And for this room, the stone is perfect. This is a worthy replacement for annoying ceramic tiles and tiles. Only in this case, it is necessary to take care of the antifungal and moisture-resistant composition for styling.
When should you not use a stone?
Even if the stone for wall decoration in the apartment is used metered, it is necessary to understand that there are styles and finishing materials with which he will not "get along". It is difficult to imagine stone elements in a romantic interior, with cute accessories and airy textiles.
Natural stone for wall decoration in the apartment is beyond competition: it occupies the entire space, attracts attention and becomes the highlight of the interior. At the same time, a stone wall will look organic only in two cases:
- In a calm, concise, not overloaded with details and bright accents interior.
- If there is another object, equally strong for perception, in the room, for example, a panoramic window.
It should be understood that the stone surface "steals" the volume of the room. Therefore, if it is not spacious enough, do not “sew” it into the stone completely, otherwise you run the risk of feeling in a stone well.
Remember, stone wall decoration in the apartment (photo you can see below) suggests that there will be no other decor elements on the walls or they will be contrasted in texture and color of the stone.
Common natural stone
For use in interior decoration, natural stone breeds are divided into several groups:
- metamorphic (quartzite, marble, slates);
- sedimentary (sandstones, travertines, limestones);
- igneous or volcanic (tuffs, granites).
Most often used for decoration:
- travertines;
- sandstone;
- shales;
- marble.
But in reality there are many options.
Undoubtedly, processed natural stone is an unusually beautiful, but expensive pleasure. To reduce its cost and simplify the installation process, sawn, not edged stone, "noodles" made of natural stone and a strip are used. When calculating how much such a repair will cost you, you need to consider the cost of delivery and installation of the material.
Artificial stone for wall decoration in the apartment
Today, there are many finishing materials that are suitable for decorating walls. Classic types of decoration with ceramic and granite tiles, natural and artificial stone, wallpaper are very popular.
Wall decoration with artificial stone in the apartment has several advantages, most of which are unusual for other materials. The use of whole natural stones is limited by their high cost, complexity of use due to the significant weight of the material and the lack of high availability. Therefore, today decoration materials imitating a stone structure are widespread.
Advantages of the material:
- Artificial stone weighs significantly less than its natural counterpart, therefore, the load on the walls is reduced. At the same time, it can be glued to ordinary tile glue.
- Almost all types of decorative stone walls in the apartment, with the possible exception of porcelain, are resistant to mechanical damage.
- Some materials, for example, liquid stone, are made with the addition of dyes, but despite this, they do not fade and are not susceptible to the adverse effects of ultraviolet rays.
- Finishing stone walls in an apartment of even a very large area will take very little time. Having the skill of laying this material, the work can be done independently.
- Decorative stones for wall decoration in the apartment are made of natural materials: they do not use chemical reagents, so such a finishing material is completely safe and can be used even in a nursery.
Artificial stone: types
The very concept of "artificial stone" includes various materials with different characteristics: some of them are afraid of mechanical stress, others are sensitive to moisture. In order not to make a mistake when choosing a material, we will present you a description of some of them.
Liquid stone
This is an excellent imitation made from a mixture of natural granite or marble chips with the addition of resistant polymers. Liquid stone is moisture resistant, does not fade with time. It is successfully used not only for wall decoration, but also for the manufacture of kitchen worktops. Thanks to modern production technologies, this material is available in different widths and any size. It is suitable for creating decorative elements of the interior, it can be laid on the floor instead of tiles.
Porcelain Tiles
This is, without exaggeration, the most popular and famous decorative stone for wall decoration in the apartment. As the name implies, this is a mixture of granite crumbs of red clay, which is pressed and fired at high temperature in the furnace.
After firing, the surface of the material becomes glossy, although many experts consider this characteristic to be its main drawback: such a surface is easily susceptible to mechanical stress, and it is extremely difficult to repair scratches that have appeared.
Although porcelain stoneware is considered a finishing material, it is not too often used in interior decoration of an apartment. In addition to a rather easily damaged surface, it has considerable weight, and gluing it to the wall is not easy.
Concrete or gypsum imitation
Given the production technology, this artificial stone for wall decoration in the apartment also falls into the category of liquid. Gypsum or concrete mortar is poured into special rubber forms with a decorative texture. When it dries completely, it is removed from the mold and a high-quality imitation of stone is obtained.
Finishing with such a material has some disadvantages that should be considered before starting repairs:
- gypsum does not tolerate water, and even if a protective layer is applied on top, it cannot be glued in the bathroom and kitchen: such a finish will not be durable;
- imitation of gypsum and concrete requires additional painting, because in its absence it looks unattractive.
Despite the shortcomings, this artificial stone for wall decoration in the apartment is quite popular. This is due to the cheapness and the ability to produce it yourself. In addition, it has a small weight, you can glue it yourself.
Decorative plaster
The complexity of working with this material depends primarily on the desired effect. Quite often, only a professional can work with it, although most “stone” effects can be applied simply: even an inexperienced craftsman can create a surface imitating sandstone or travertine by reading the instructions on the package.
For most types of stone plaster, there is no need to pre-level the walls. The maximum weight per square meter of this coating is 5 kg, which allows it to be used on weakly supporting structures. This material is not too picky about the surface of the walls. Some species fit perfectly on any materials. For example, Plasma 3D can be applied to tiles or laminate without surface preparation.
Rules for the use of stone in the interior
Natural or artificial stone in the interior looks very modern and fresh. But when designing a design, you must adhere to certain rules:
- It is good to illuminate sections of walls partially or completely covered with stone. Thanks to this, overflows of color, texture and other features of the material will be clearly visible.
- The wall in the hallway, decorated with stone slabs, highlight the top or bottom of the LEDs.
- Avoid using the stone in very cramped rooms or narrow corridors, as it will further narrow the space.
- Indoor flowers, especially curly ones, look great next to the stone surface.
DIY finish
Such work is carried out in several stages. First, a wall is prepared. If it is concrete, then it is enough to simply clean the surface from contamination. Brick or processed with other material must be plastered using a reinforcing mesh. Then an adhesive primer is applied to the surface , which will improve the adhesion of materials.
After that, lay the tiles on the floor so that in the process of gluing you do not spend time on their selection. To do this, it is advisable to number the stones with a pencil or chalk.
Apply tile adhesive according to the instructions on the packaging, having previously wetted the surface of the wall and stone with spray water. After this, you should firmly press the stone to the surface of the wall and hold it in this position until the composition adheres to the wall.
Lay tiles, usually from the bottom up. Installation begins from the corner of the room. After gluing one row, allow the adhesive to dry well before proceeding with the installation of the next.
After finishing work, you should wait a day, and then cover the surface with varnish. If you use a stone in the bathroom, then it must be covered with a water repellent.