Among the many modern finishing materials, mosaic plaster stands out, thanks to which you can create a decorative and original wall coating with your own hands . This ready-made mixture of natural crushed stone and acrylic resin opens up great opportunities for decoration and decoration of premises for various purposes.
Where and when did it appear?
The art of mosaic plaster was widespread in Byzantium and ancient Greece, where it was used to decorate religious and cultural buildings, decorate the walls and floors of various buildings. However, over time, she went out of fashion and was forgotten. The next peak of popularity came in the 13th century. At that time in Europe, the so-called Florentine, but, in fact, only slightly modified mosaic plaster was used to decorate both temple and secular buildings. But this variety, which used marble chips instead of stone, was also forgotten. Once again, the technique of creating mosaic wall coverings was discovered already in the XVIII century by M.V. Lomonosov. In the future, it was in Russia with the help of this technology that panels of various styles were created.
What is it like
Modern mosaic plaster does not have a clear division by type, but it has several features that can be used to classify this finishing material.
1. Depending on the features of use and external qualities:
- for interior decoration of decorative and architectural elements of decor or walls;
- for processing facades of structures;
- mosaic plaster for acrylic base plinth.
2. According to the size of the filler particles, mosaic plasters can be divided into the following groups:
- large, grain size in which can vary from 1.5 to 2 mm;
- medium, particles of which have a diameter of from 1.2 to 1.6 mm;
- small - diameter from 0.8 to 1.2 mm;
- fine-grained, grain size less than 0.8 mm.
3. By the type of filler material used:
4. Depending on the method of staining particles. In order for decorative mosaic plaster to be more expressive, crumbs of different colors are mixed in the composition. Use both stone grains of various natural colors, and specially painted.
Advantages
Thanks to the materials that make up the mosaic plaster, it has the following advantages:
- resistance to ultraviolet radiation and the ability to "hold" a given color for a long time;
- the ability to withstand the numerous diverse adverse effects of the world - thaws and freezing, heat and severe frosts, various precipitation - a long time;
- vapor permeability of the material - any surface on which the mosaic plaster was applied retains the ability to breathe;
- the ability to lay it on almost any basis: brick, concrete, natural stone, cement, foam concrete, ordinary plaster or drywall;
- long life without loss of appearance;
- the possibility of a wide choice of the color of mosaic plaster, the owner liked best or suitable for the interior or exterior of the building, in addition, today many manufacturers produce plastering compounds with the ability to set any color or shade suitable for the needs of the designer or customer;
- good elasticity of the material, due to which there is a compensation of stresses arising under the influence of various external factors.
A bit about the flaws
According to most experts in the field of construction, the main disadvantages shown by mosaic plaster: the price is quite high, the need for highly professional application to the surface and, accordingly, the additional cost of money for hiring a specialist. In addition, some types of this acrylic-based exterior material have rather low vapor permeability, which is why manufacturers do not recommend using them for insulated structures, for example, mineral wool, which should breathe.
Some practical tips
Before applying mosaic plaster, the composition must be mixed. Since natural stone chips are usually used in the manufacture, batches produced at different times may have slight color differences. If you buy several packages of such plaster, be sure to check whether they are from the same batch: they were released on the same day and have the same serial number. In the event that the compositions were made on different days or in different batches, then to align them with color, experts recommend combining them all in one large container and mix thoroughly.
It should also be remembered that the size of the stone particles introduced into it must be indicated on the packaging of mosaic plaster, since both the appearance of the resulting coating and the consumption of material depend on their size. The larger the grains present in the composition, the more the mixture will leave per square meter.
Issue price
Today in the building materials market there are many offers of ready-made mixtures for creating a mosaic plastered surface both inside the house and outside. The average price of a kilogram of mosaic stucco mixture produced in Russia in Moscow varies from 120 rubles per kg and above. The price is affected by the material and grain size, density and adhesion. For mosaic plaster intended for exterior facade work, important indicators that determine the cost are the coefficient of water absorption and frost resistance. In stores you can find compounds at a price of 110 rubles per kg.