Interiors modern style often contain materials that have natural textures, since not everyone can afford the use of natural materials and bricks. Decorative stones are placed on the wall to impart respectability to the decor, and the variety of shapes and color palette allows them to be used in all sorts of stylistic directions of design. Like any building material, decorative stones have their own installation features and rules for choosing a product. What does an average person need to know who has decided to introduce natural decoration into their interior?

Types of artificial products

Limitation natural resources and difficult methods of processing them make natural building materials expensive. And people’s desire to furnish their premises in an eco-style does not fade. What did they come up with to replace natural materials for wall cladding? Decorative stone tiles are modern solution wall decoration or individual elements premises. So, brickwork has become a common decoration of apartments from the inside.

Making artificial facing material from gypsum, cement, sand and various additives. The output is a product that is not inferior in its operational characteristics natural analogue. Externally, it is difficult for a non-professional to distinguish, for example, from sandstone or shale.

Popular textures of artificial building materials are imitation slate, brick and wild masonry. There are also products for internal and external works. The thickness of the stone varies from 1 to 8 cm. Depending on the purpose of the material, it is also used for floor coverings, and for landscape design.

Material quality

In order not to make a mistake and achieve the desired effect of a noble interior or exterior, you need to carefully study the decorative stone offered on the market, the price of which, although lower than natural material, but not so small as to neglect quality.

The front side of the product should not contain black inclusions. These are micropores formed due to improper casting. Through these holes, during operation, water gets inside the material, and when there is a temperature difference, which is typical for cases of external use of decorative stones, it expands. The result is cracking of the slabs.

Choosing a decorative stone for interior decoration, you should compare the texture of the products with the size of the premises. Small textures (slate) can visually expand the space, and such as brick look great in large areas.

Important! The material is supplied in packs, packaged in 1 square meter units. A sign of quality is the absence of duplicate stones in one batch. But it should be the same.

Basic installation rules

Laying decorative stone requires compliance with certain installation rules:

• The façade cladding starts from the base with an indentation of 10 cm. If you lay the tiles without fulfilling this condition, you can expect that winter time, after the soil freezes, the lower masonry products will disappear. When finishing the interior of the entire wall, you also need to remember about the indentation for the baseboard.
• The base and back side of the product must be treated with concrete contact, primer or other similar solutions for better adhesion. On brick and wooden wall should be stuffed metal mesh and cover it with cement mortar, and then treat it with primer. Decorative stones are placed on the wall after the plaster mixtures have completely dried.
• The adhesion of the material to the base occurs through special adhesives recommended by manufacturers of artificial stones.
• Treatment of the cladding with a water repellent is mandatory. This is a product that protects the porous structure of the stone from moisture.

Tool

Laying artificial material does not require any special tools. For cladding you will need:

• level;
• roulette;
• cord for installing horizontal beacons;
• metal brush;
• electric drill with a mixer for preparing grout and adhesive solutions;
• paint brush;
• trowel;
• Bulgarian;
• rubber hammer;
• syringe gun for filling seams;
• wooden rods, approximately 12 mm thick.

Some of the listed tools may not be used when working using the seamless method.

Decorative stone tiles are mounted on the prepared wall. As for gluing wallpaper or cladding ceramic tiles, the base must be level. Although artificial material is lighter than natural material, it still creates a greater load on the wall. Therefore, veneer plasterboard partitions decorative stone Not recommended. It is better to replace them with OSB sheets, on which the material is easily mounted

Work is carried out at above-zero temperatures. On particularly hot days, it is necessary to wet the wall and the back of the slabs with water. After drying for three minutes, you can begin styling. If the back side of the stone has cement laitance or a glossy layer, it should be thoroughly cleaned with a wire brush.

Unlike ceramic tiles, laying decorative stone begins with preliminary laying it out on the floor. As mentioned earlier, the products differ in appearance from each other. Therefore, having laid out 1-2 square meters on the floor, by rearranging and swapping tiles, you can achieve the best combination, which then remains to be transferred to the wall.

Laying technology

Tile elements can be glued from top to bottom and vice versa. Both methods have their advantages. If you start facing from the top, you can avoid the mortar from flowing onto the layer laid below, which is typical when laying from bottom to top. When installing the stone from below, the likelihood of the tiles slipping is reduced.

Decorative stone is laid with an offset. That is, the vertical seams between the rows should not match. Then the wall or corner element will look natural.

The prepared solution (glue) is applied to the base and the back side of the slab with a spatula. The estimated thickness of the adhesive layer should not exceed 10-12 mm. Then the decorative element is pressed with some force against the wall surface. It happens that the stone moves, the reason for this may be a liquid solution.

The option of laying with seams involves the presence of wooden rods of the same thickness. They are installed end-to-end between the tiles, forming the same joint width over the entire surface.

Joining seams

After the decorative stone in the apartment has set to the surface, it is recommended to start grouting on the fourth day. Compositions for filling the space between tiles must be selected according to the manufacturer’s instructions artificial stone.

The grout is placed in a syringe gun or dense plastic bag, from which the corner is then cut off according to the thickness of the seam. In order for the masonry to have a pronounced relief, filling is carried out to a depth of no more than 5 mm. The grout depth depends on the artistic design concept.

After laying the mortar into the seams and starting to harden, the leveling stage begins. Use a shaped spatula or spatula for this. The remaining grout is cleaned off with a brush.

The final stage

Decorative stones can be placed on the wall indoors or outdoors, and after installation they should be treated with a hydrophobic compound. Such impregnation can protect the room from future cement dust, which stands out from raw artificial materials, and gives expressiveness to the texture of the stone.

If it is necessary to embody the designer’s artistic intent associated with painting stone, then the characteristics of the product allow the application of paint and varnish compositions. Decorative gypsum stone especially requires such a final stage.

Errors

Knowing the technology of laying artificial stones and having experience in tiling with ceramic tiles, it is difficult to carry out the installation on your own without errors. decorative elements. To check the quality of the masonry, you can remove it after ten seconds while gluing the product and look at the places where the material adheres to the base. If the back side of the tile is not completely coated and there is a trace of glue left on the wall that does not correspond to the area of ​​the back side of the product, then such masonry is doomed to failure.

The fact is that the solution is applied to the entire back side of the tile and when installing it on the wall, it is pressed down well. Thus, part of the glue protrudes on the sides of the product and a single surface is formed with the seam. The presence of voids can be observed by tapping the lining with a rubber hammer. The sound of a drum is a sign of marriage.

Material properties

The “Decorative Stone” tile is made from crumbs and alabaster, which indicates the naturalness of the components. This material is not hazardous to health, since it does not emit harmful impurities. The advantages of artificial stone are high thermal insulation properties, frost resistance, moisture resistance. This is all the same as natural stones. Besides, decorative material superior in quality to its natural analogue. Firstly, it is cheaper than natural and lighter. And secondly, artificial stone products are easier to process and install.

Various compositions of man-made stone products enable the consumer to choose the scope of their application. There are heat-resistant samples that are suitable for laying fireplaces. Decorative stone in the kitchen as an apron must be resistant to moisture. The material is also used for bathrooms: both on the floor and on the walls.

Stone in the interior

The decorative material fits so harmoniously into modern apartments and is combined with other building materials that ideas for its use have become available to everyone. When planning a renovation, a person looks at examples of room design for inspiration, so that he can then implement the designs he likes in his apartment.

Having studied repair catalogs modern apartments, we can highlight popular places for decorating with stone material:

• columns, bar counters, arches;
• fireplaces;
• decorative stone in the corridor;
• kitchen apron;
• slopes, corner elements;
• balconies, loggias;
• baths and swimming pools;
• facades of houses.

Decorative stone: price

In the building materials market in 2016, an artificial material that is not inferior in its properties to natural stone costs around 1 thousand rubles per square meter. The “rock” and “slate” texture will cost the consumer 1,350 rubles. It will be cheaper. Its manufacturers estimate it at 850 rubles per square meter.

Corner elements with the listed textures can be purchased separately. Their cost is calculated per linear meter and varies from 1200 to 1300 rubles.

The idea of ​​creating a business for the production of artificial stones has been flourishing in Russia for seven years now. There are programs for calculating the economic model for the production of facing materials, classified technologies and even special molds for casting.

Today there are a huge number of options on how and with what to decorate a wall outside and inside. One of the most popular and sought after methods is decorative stone wall decoration. Using decorative stone you can create beautiful facade, which will complement the overall exterior of the building and harmoniously combine with the landscape design. You can also use decorative stone to decorate walls indoors. In order for the decorative stone to hold securely, a certain technology must be followed when gluing it. We will take a detailed look at how to glue decorative stone to a wall, from preparation to finishing work.

What is needed for the job?

In order for your work to proceed as quickly as possible, and you do not have to be distracted, it is recommended to prepare all construction material and tool. To glue a decorative stone with your own hands you will need:

• square,
• drill/mixer for making adhesive mixture,
• Bulgarian with cutting disc on stone
• spatula, trowel or trowel,
• level,
• rubber hammer,
• paint brush,
• metal brush,
• wooden block,
• roulette,
• container for grout and glue,
• medium hard brush for smoothing seams,
• syringe gun,
• sprayer for water repellent,
• adhesive mixtures.

You need to have everything you need at hand, then the work will not seem tedious, although this process is quite painstaking! So, the first step is to complete all the preparatory work.

Good preparation is the key to success!

In most cases, indoor walls are plastered, concrete or brick. If you have a similar wall, then preparatory work there won't be enough. It is much more difficult if there are remnants of old wallpaper or paint on the surface of the wall. Before gluing the decorative stone, all remnants of previous finishing should be carefully removed. To do this, you can use a wire brush or spatula. The surface should be cleaned so that the adhesive has good contact with the base of the wall. A wire brush will scratch the surface, and a spatula will remove everything completely. possible contamination. Afterwards you need to thoroughly prime the wall with a primer, preferably an acrylic one. water based. A roller or brush is used for this.

If the surface of the walls is wooden or plasterboard, then similar work should be done with these surfaces. However, if the decorative tiles will be glued to an adhesive composition that contains cement, then you will first need to fill in a special painting mesh, for example, based on fiberglass, then treat the surface by applying a layer of plaster.

When the walls are ready, it is necessary to prepare the decorative stone itself. If the stone you choose is made from gypsum, then it is advisable to also treat the back surface of the tile with an acrylic primer. All these preparatory, it would seem, simple work, can speed up and facilitate the work process several times. Now you need to choose the right adhesive composition for the decorative stone.

Choosing the right adhesive

Today there are two types of glue, namely:

1. Cement based.
2. On a gypsum basis.

One of the most popular and in demand is Ceresit CM11 glue. However, if the decorative stone will be glued externally, CM17 or 117 is required. As a rule, the packaging of the glue indicates what kind of work it is intended for: external or internal. Be prepared for exterior adhesives to cost more.

There are two more brands that are in great demand due to their quality, namely Perlfix and Knauf. These types of glue are great for decorative tiles on a gypsum basis. There are other lesser-known brands, but you shouldn’t buy too cheap ones, because there is a risk of purchasing low-quality glue.

Installation of decorative tiles. Stages!

All work on installing decorative tiles can be divided into several stages, namely:

1. Applying an adhesive layer.
2. Laying decorative stone.
3. Application protective coating.

Each of these stages must be performed with the highest quality, in accordance with all technological requirements and regulations. Now we will look at the basics, step by step.

Application of adhesive composition

If you purchased a decorative stone based on gypsum, then it can be glued to almost any adhesive, for example, PVA or even gypsum. Some people use liquid nails, water-acrylic assembly adhesive etc. The weight of such tiles is small, unlike sand-concrete artificial stone. Accordingly, there is every chance that it will stick to the wall surface for a long time and firmly. In some cases, there is no point in applying a layer of plaster, as we indicated above when talking about plasterboard and wooden surface. But only in cases where the stone is installed without a seam. In all other cases, the surface should be treated with glue. The adhesive composition is applied to the wall using a spatula. It is important to ensure that the application layer is uniform.

Note! It is not recommended to apply the adhesive immediately to the entire wall where the decorative stone will be installed. It is best to cover a wall area of ​​up to 1 m2. Otherwise, the glue may dry out before the stone is glued.

Laying decorative stone

So this process is divided into four successive steps, compliance with which will lead to a positive result.

At this stage it is important to carry out the correct kneading adhesive composition. It should be quite elastic and thick, but in no case crumbly. When gluing artificial stone, it should be pressed well. This is especially important when the stone is placed on cement mortar. Apply moderate pressure so that any remaining adhesive comes out along the entire perimeter of the tile. This will avoid voids and also provide an excellent seal. On next stage all connections and joints will be rusticated.

If the stone needs to be trimmed, you can use a hacksaw or grinder. If the stone is gypsum-based, then it is better not to use a grinder, as there is a risk of splitting the stone. At the same time, try to place the cut edge in places out of sight. In this case, the appearance of the finished wall will be more aesthetically pleasing.
If the stone you purchased must have seams, then strive to ensure that they are uniform. Monitor the width and parallelism of the rows. However, you should not achieve such precision as when laying tiles, where every millimeter is taken into account. Some negligence can only be beneficial.

It is best to start installing decorative stone from the corner. This is due to the fact that this technology does not provide corner elements. The stone should be laid sequentially, row by row. At the same time, head from bottom to top. If you want to start laying from the middle of the wall, you can fill the guide rail. It could be aluminum profile. This process will prevent glue from getting on the tiles, as each row will rest on each other.

In most cases, decorative stone is placed under the jointing. This implies a certain distance of the tiles from each other. These seams can be filled with glue during the process of pressing the stone. Therefore, it should be carefully removed. These seams are then filled with special jointing. If the jointing mixture consists of the same adhesive composition, then there is no point in removing residual glue from the seams. When the mastic has completely hardened, it can be tinted a different color, which will enhance the expressiveness of the decorative stone. As for the width of the seam, everything will depend on the tile you choose. The seam can be millimeter wide or several centimeters wide. For example, when a brick is placed under jointing, then standard width seam 1.2 cm. In the case where there should be no seams between the stones in the masonry, it should be laid as closely as possible to each other. If the process of gluing the tiles was carried out correctly, then the glue that came out into the seams may be enough to form a seam. To form it, you should wait a little so that the mixture hardens slightly. Forming can be done using a special wooden spatula, which must have a certain shape and appropriate thickness for the seam.

If the squeezed out glue is not enough to beautiful formation seam, then additional mixture should be prepared. To apply it, you will need a special bag from which it will be convenient to squeeze the mixture into the seam. This way, there is less risk that you will stain the tiles. When the seams have dried and the mixture is crumbly, the surface of the stone can be cleaned of any remaining glue that may have gotten on it. This can be done with a dry brush, but under no circumstances with a wet and hard brush. This can cause irreparable harm to the decorative stone.

On final stage All that remains is to apply a special coating to the surface of the decorative stone. protective composition. This action is mandatory. It can significantly increase the service life of the cladding. In addition, using a protective layer you can give a different shade. Protective coating required:

• in places where there is a risk of moisture or, conversely, the room is consistently humid;
• if there are pets or children in the house;
• if the stone has a surface layer of paint;
• if the purchased gypsum is of poor quality.

In all these cases, the protective layer special staff will reliably protect finished surface from possible damage. As for the choice of protective coating, it must also meet some important characteristics. For example, it must have increased adhesion and contain gypsum. When using it, there should be no traces left after drying.

Note! If you want to purchase a water-repellent composition, then the best one is the one that is water-based. Such compositions are better than those containing solvents. Although in some cases, coatings that have a solvent base are more effective. This is due to the fact that they form on the surface protective film, figuratively speaking, “concrete” the surface.

Note! The protective coating should be applied only when the cladding is ready and the jointing is completely dry. It is applied using a spray bottle or roller/brush.

If the walls will be finished outside, it is advisable to carry out the work in dry weather.

As you can see, anyone can lay decorative stone with their own hands. There's nothing fancy here technological processes. If you have already completed this work, or have had a similar experience in the past, then please share your impressions at the end of this article by leaving comments.

Video

Laying technology without filling intermediate seams. Given detailed instructions for marking and calculating masonry:

For those who are used to doing everything with their own hands, instructions for self-production decorative stone:

A wall made of decorative stone looks great in a room with a fireplace and goes perfectly with an aquarium and fountain, indoor plants on her.

If you want to add a touch of chic and aristocracy to the interior of your room by decorating a wall or part of it with decorative stone, you need to know its features. The article will tell you what decorative stones are used on the wall and how they are laid.

The most common decorative stones are made on the basis of:

• Plaster (see). Such materials cannot withstand high humidity, which allows them to be used in areas such as:

1. bedroom;
2. corridor;
3. living room.

• Cement mortar. These are moisture-resistant materials and can be used in the bathroom and kitchen.

Nowadays artificial stones are widely used; in appearance they imitate:

• Brick. It fits perfectly when decorating the interior of a balcony, corridor and bedroom, and can give a strict and fashion design these premises.
• Slate. This is the only type of coating for creating a continuous wall of decorative stones. Each element has a bright originality, and the composition of them looks quite impressive and charming.

Natural decorative stones are:

• Sandstone. It can be fine-, medium- and coarse-grained, with a color palette consisting of three shades:

1. chocolate;
2. red;
3. green.

When laying, hewn sandstone stones are used, and in appearance they can have:

1. mosaic pattern;
2. uniform alternation of elements located vertically and horizontally.

• Marble(cm. ). Has a very wide color palette, the most popular of them:

1. black;
2. brown;
3. red;
4. beige;
5. white.

• Limestone. It is an alloy of stones of various sizes in a horizontal row. Its color can be:

1. yellowish;
2. absolutely white;
3. gray;
4. with a pink tint.

• Granite(cm. ).

The advantages of decorative stone are:

• This is a wonderful highlight that all guests immediately pay attention to.
• The material is easy to work with, the stone is light in weight and correct forms. He doesn't need special care, just use any detergent.
• This is an environmentally friendly coating that is resistant to corrosion, fungi and other bacteria.
• Long service life while maintaining all its qualities.
• A large selection of colors, different structures and patterns on the walls made of decorative stones allow you to create an interior that satisfies any person’s tastes and desires.

What materials and tools are needed for laying stone?

To lay decorative stone with your own hands, you will need to purchase:

• Liquid nails or tile adhesive.

Tip: For gypsum stone, you should not buy very strong tile adhesive - gypsum is quite light. If the amount of work is small and the surface is flat, you can use liquid nails.

• Putty for seams.
• Notched spatulas are designed for applying tile adhesive to stone.
• Bulgarian and diamond blade, when using cement-based stones.
• A regular hacksaw with a fine tooth, for cutting gypsum stone.
• Dye. It should be supplied complete with a decorative stone and have the same color.
• Water based varnish. Used to cover joints between stones.
• Construction mixer for preparing tile adhesive.
• Construction level.
• A simple pencil.

How to prepare a surface for laying material

Laying decorative artificial stone on a wall begins with careful preparation of the surface.

For this:

• Remains of old coating and wall defects are removed:

1. wallpaper (see);
2. dye;
3. all kinds of stains;
4. fats.

• Don't try to achieve a perfectly flat surface- the stone hides all flaws, but you need to check the adhesion of the surface. For this:

1. water splashes on the wall;
2. Pay attention to the areas where droplets form; water is not absorbed here.

These places are carefully processed mechanically, and then the surface is again checked for “sticking”.

• Using a metal brush, the entire wall is scratched to improve the adhesion of the glue.
• The surface and back of the stone are treated with a primer water-based paint brush.
• Before you start laying the facing material with your own hands, lay out the future wall decor natural stone , which will allow you to imagine how the entire composition will look on the wall and eliminate defects during the work process.

What are the general rules for laying decorative stone?

The installation instructions for the material suggest:

• Carry out work at a temperature not lower (+5 ° C) and not higher (+ 30 ° C). With more high temperature It is necessary to moisten their surfaces on both sides with water approximately 25 minutes before laying the products.
• Before installation, you need to carefully inspect the material and choose which side it will be laid out.
• Markings are made on the wall to determine:

1. how to place the stone;
2. in what places should the decorative elements be joined?

• It is better to glue the tiles from the bottom from the corner.
• When adjusting stones to size, it is better to use grinder, a hacksaw with a special blade or pliers, and then sandpaper Bring the surface to perfection.
• Tile adhesive is diluted in such an amount that the entire mass is used within 20 minutes - after which the glue will begin to harden. The consistency of the composition should be creamy, approximately like toothpaste.
• The glue is applied with a notched trowel.
• When laying, the stone is pressed with sufficient force to force excess glue out, but without allowing it to get on the front of the stone, it will be quite difficult to remove it.
• If the decorative stone has different sizes, they need to be placed on the wall in a chaotic order.

In this case, you can post interior walls in a house made of decorative stone or use it outdoors, but installation should be done in the warm season and with special glue.

What installation methods are there?

There are two ways to lay stone:

• With seams. This method of finishing is quite labor-intensive, it is done with jointing between the stones, but it looks more impressive, which makes the process more popular.

In this case, the stones are placed at a certain distance from each other.

Tip: To obtain perfect seams in the composition, you need to lay identical pieces made of plasterboard or fiberboard, up to one centimeter wide, between the rows of products, as in the photo.

After laying all the stones, when the glue has dried, the joints are puttied. To facilitate this process, you can fill, for example, a milk bag with a solution, make a hole in it, and then carefully squeeze the composition through it exactly into the seam, and with an ordinary sponge, remove excess putty and thoroughly wipe the stone.

• No seams. This is a simpler and faster option, in which the finishing stones are laid out as densely as possible, which allows you to obtain an almost monolithic surface in appearance.

Tip: When performing the process, you must ensure that excess glue is removed in a timely manner - this will be difficult to do in the future.

How to finish stone

After installation, decorative stones on the walls of the apartment must be treated with impregnating varnish, which will preserve their performance properties.

Wherein:

• The surface is thoroughly cleaned of all dirt and dust.
• A test treatment is carried out on an unused stone.
• If the gloss level is normal, you can treat all the stones on the wall.

Tip: If the gloss level is insufficient, the surface must be additionally coated with a transparent layer acrylic varnish. If the gloss level is very high, the impregnation varnish is diluted with ordinary water.

• To make the interior more decorative, the surface of decorative stones can be painted with paint with expressive color shades.
• When performing decoration, the price of laying stone depends on the area of ​​its installation, the size of the elements, the surface topography, the type of glue used and subsequent grouting.

What errors occur when installing stone?

When laying decorative stone, the following errors may occur:

• The seam between the stones is too wide, which spoils general form compositions.
• The wall is not properly primed - some stones may fall off.
• Scratches, chips and other cutting damage will ruin the appearance of the coating.
• Improper work can lead to masonry defects.
• Incorrect selection of the shade and texture of the material will negatively affect the entire interior of the room.

If you want to learn more about laying decorative stone, you can watch the video in this article.

IN modern construction artificial stone is widely used both for interior decoration indoors and for external cladding of facades. This material looks very similar to natural stone and at the same time has many advantages:

• durability;
• strength;
• resistance to temperature changes;
• light weight;
• ease of cutting and installation;
• good thermal insulation properties;
• variety of color variations and shapes;
• non-passage of current;
• absorption of odors.

Tools and materials for wall cladding with stone

Installation of artificial stone will be carried out using the following tools:

• roulette;
• construction mixer;
• level;
• buckets;
• cutting machine or angle grinder (angle grinder);
• wedges of the same thickness;
• metal brushes;
• rubber mallet;
• grout syringe;
• jointing tool;
• brushes;
• spray bottle.

From materials, in addition to the stone itself, you will need:

• glue – ultra for installing stone weighing up to 30 kg per 1 sq. m. or extra for fixing heavier stone on the wall, or a special mixture for working with stone at temperatures below 5º;
• grout;
• primer or concrete contact;
• hydrofibizer.

Despite the fact that it is quite simple to work with such material, laying artificial stone still requires compliance with a number of rules regarding cladding technology, otherwise the desired aesthetic and durable result will not be achieved.

Technology of installation and laying of artificial stone

1. Surface preparation.

Do-it-yourself installation of artificial stone can be done on a surface made of various materials: wood, metal, drywall, brick, concrete, etc. Regardless of the type, the surface is treated with a primer to avoid collapse.

Primers are selected depending on the surface, e.g. concrete surfaces choose a special one adhesive primer– concrete contact, ensuring reliable adhesion of the facing material to the surface.

On plasterboard walls Only lightweight material is installed and such masonry is carried out only from the inside of the house. Plasterboard walls to be covered must be made of waterproof material. Its surface is also treated with a primer, only after it has completely dried can you get to work - start facing with stone.

2. Preparation of the material.

We mix stone from different packages in order to prevent the presence of textured and shading fragments in the masonry that stand out from the overall picture. The optimal result is achieved by first laying out part or the entire volume of the future masonry on the floor.

The back side of the stone must be clean - not contain a thin cement layer called “milk”. If there is one, then we clean the tiles with a stiff brush, otherwise the adhesion will be unreliable.

We dilute the dry adhesive mixture with water according to the instructions.

3. Direct laying of decorative artificial and natural stone.

If there are corners on the surface to be treated, we begin laying from them. Apply a layer of 0.5-1 cm of glue to a small area of ​​the wall so that it does not have time to dry.

We also apply glue thin layer and on the stone. The glue must completely fill reverse side stone, then moisture will not get in and the material will last longer.

We press the tile into the glue, moving it lightly to ensure better adhesion. We remove the excess glue squeezed out as a result of these actions with a trowel, leaving a little at the ends for better sealing.

If laying is done with jointing, then to ensure same sizes We use wedges for seams. To ensure an impeccable level of masonry during work, we use a special construction thread.

4. Unstitching.

We perform the jointing with a construction syringe filled with cement grout of the selected color, squeezing the solution to a depth of 5 mm or more. You can fill the entire depth.

WORKING WITH DECORATIVE STONE

The tips below will help you correctly lay decorative stone on the wall so that your home will always be cozy, warm and beautiful.

COVERING

The facing process is the laying of decorative stone on a surface using specialized adhesive solutions. The working surface is first cleaned, leveled and, if necessary, dried. Although the facing is creative work, but it is still necessary to follow some mandatory rules so that the process goes smoothly and without any problems, and of course, to obtain best result. If you want the stonework to have natural look, you must use corner fragments. They are specially designed for cladding corners and allow you to achieve the desired effect. Besides, high-quality styling can only be achieved by using proprietary mixtures from reliable manufacturers.

To lay the stone you need to prepare:

• 1. Electric drill-mixer - with its help all the necessary solutions are prepared.
• 2. Square and building level.
• 3. Wood block and a rubber hammer allow you to adjust and upset the parts.
• 4. Grinder for cutting stone (there is a special disc).
• 5. A syringe gun or a special bag - for applying grout.
• 6. Container for preparing grout and adhesive solution.
• 7. Paint brush- will be needed to moisturize the surface and material.
• 8. Wire brush - to get rid of unnecessary debris from the surface.
• 9. For measurements you need a ruler or tape measure, as well as special cords for horizontal beacons.
• 10. To clean the seams and level the surface, use a brush or brush.
• 11. The water repellent is applied by spray or brush.
• 12. Trowel, trowel.

First of all, the surface is prepared before installation. Requirements for the wall: strength, evenness, cleanliness, no hint of deformation or shrinkage, with good adhesion so that glue solution grabbed. As a rule, to check the last condition, the surface of the wall is sprayed with a small amount of water. In this case, drops may appear in some places, that is, moisture has not been absorbed into the surface, then additional mechanical treatment is required. IN summer time It is necessary to lay the stone by moistening the surface. This advice also applies to the wrong side of the material, although you need to wait a few minutes, then the moisture will be absorbed. If the surface absorbs moisture strongly, then it is necessary to coat it with a primer in advance.

After the preparatory work, it is necessary to remove the stones from different boxes and place them on a level surface, at least two meters in size. This will allow you to clearly see what the final result will be after covering the wall. The stones should be laid as follows: small elements next to the large ones, and choose Various types by texture and color. You should not create areas consisting only of small or large fragments, identical in color and height. When choosing an option for installing decorative stone, you do not need to follow strict rules; as we have already said, this is a creative process. Therefore, it is better to swap elements before receiving the desired option and type. When you have decided on the option, you can begin the laying itself.

If there are corner elements, installation begins with them. They are laid in turn - first the short sides, then the long ones, the short ones again, and so on in turn. From selected facing stone installation method is selected. For this reason, some people start at the top edge, others at the bottom edge of the wall. If you install from above, then the glue will not get on the laid rows, but if from below, you can avoid slipping. Some facing materials may have a glossy or foamy layer on the reverse side, as well as cement laitance, then they are removed with a wire brush. During the installation process, there is no need for the vertical seams to be on top of each other. By the way, decorative stone can simply be processed if necessary. Therefore, to give the right size, a grinder with a corresponding disc is used.

Next, the glue is prepared; how this is done is described in the instructions on the manufacturer’s packaging. On work surface The glue is applied in an even layer using a spatula. The use of a smooth or notched trowel depends on the texture and thickness of the facing material. Then the glue is applied to the underside of the stone; the thickness of the layer can vary from one to six millimeters, the main thing is that the element on this side is evenly covered with glue. Better to avoid large quantity glue, because then the stone will slide. The adhesive solution is intended for facade works with material from maximum thickness twelve millimeters. There is no need to increase the calculated thickness of the adhesive layer. To ensure good adhesion to the wall, the stone must first be pressed, then moved a little. We get rid of excess glue by tapping or pressing on the material. Just don’t squeeze out the glue too much. If the facing material moves or slides, it means that there was too little or too much glue, or the prepared glue solution turned out to be liquid.

You need to work carefully with the glue so as not to stain the front surface of the stone. When laying rectangular stones, you need to follow the horizontal lines, a level will help with this. A dowel of the required width will help you monitor the size of the seam. Some advise using solid polystyrene foam; this material is cut into pieces with a utility knife required thickness. When the glue has dried, you can begin unstitching. It is better to wait from three to five days, it depends on the room temperature.

Grouting means using a special cement grout, which looks like masonry mortar. This is done so that moisture does not get under the cladding, and the elements do not deform when negative temperatures. If you carry out the jointing correctly, the lined surface will be protected, and the end result will be attractive. appearance. The grout solution is prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions.

To obtain a special effect, you can add to the grout specific color. First, dye is added to the dry mixture, only then the solution is mixed. While using the mixer, you must use low speed, then you will get a homogeneous mass. Then the solution is prepared according to the attached instructions. To fill the seams with grout, you can use a syringe gun or a special bag. The solution is filled into the selected tool, then slowly squeezed into these seams until they are filled. From the back side of the material, the seams must be filled with grout at least five millimeters. Such masonry will have a pronounced relief, contrast of light and shadow.

If desired, the seams are filled to the full depth. Then the result will be a smoother texture. The choice of method depends on the decision of the designer and the drafted project. The solution will begin to dry within half an hour, and you can already smooth it out with a spatula. The drying time depends on the type of grout, and it is also affected by humidity and temperature indoors or outdoors. After the grout has hardened, the excess is removed with a trowel. And after complete drying, the surface of the seam must be completely leveled and sanded.

If the masonry is completely dry, then treatment with a hydrophobic composition can begin. This protective layer helps protect the masonry from dirt and moisture. First you need to carefully read the instructions for the water repellent before you start using it. Worth a try at small area, from the invisible side of the object. The selected area is treated with a water repellent, then after complete drying, you can see whether this has affected the color of the lined surface. Only then is it worth completely processing the entire facade. The hydrophobic composition can be applied to the surface with a spray or a regular brush.