The most popular solution for decorating the facade today is stone. It can be natural or artificial. However, in order to make a choice, you must first familiarize yourself with the main varieties of this finish, as well as study its characteristics.
The main varieties of natural basement stone
Natural ground stone is presented to the attention of consumers in several varieties, among which are:
- granite;
- shell rock;
- sandstone;
- wild stone.
The latter is shale and quartzite. The most popular today is granite. It has an original appearance, and the size of the stone is very diverse. It can take the form of tiles, the thickness of which begins with 1 cm.
The next most popular is sandstone. It differs from granite in less strength, and its color scheme is expressed in sand. The sizes of sandstone can be very different, these are stones and tiles. Shell rock is a stone that is often used when facing a socle. It is more reliable and stronger than sandstone, and it can be purchased in the form of thick plates. Sometimes manufacturers offer solid blocks for sale. The hue of this stone is close to yellow. The structure consists of pores, so leaving such a base without finishing for a long time is not recommended.
Shell rock is a stone that must be covered with a protective layer after laying. A simple varnish or primer is usually used for this. To carry out the described work, you can also use wild stone. It is implemented in the form of plates of different thicknesses and sizes. The most common are quartzite and slate, which have a fairly dense structure, thanks to it the material exhibits low susceptibility to climatic and weather conditions.
Such a natural basement stone is quite diverse in color, you can find light and dark shades, and streaks are visible on the surface. Quite often, marble slabs are used for decoration . But in some regions they may be subject to deformation, so the external design in this case will be damaged.
Characteristics of natural agglomerate
Facing the base with natural stone has one important advantage, which is expressed in naturalness and environmental friendliness. Such materials will not harm human health and the environment. Natural stone is reliable and durable. On the surface, it can withstand almost any load. This is ensured by a dense structure.
Of the main advantages of stone, it should be noted the absence of fire hazard and a long service life. The only drawback is the high cost compared to other varieties of finishing materials. If you will use natural stone for finishing the base, then you can clean it with rags and plain water. At the same time, cleaning chemicals are not recommended, because they can damage the surface and start the process of destruction of the structure.
Granite Description
Natural granite stone is also quite often used in the decoration of the basement. If we compare it with marble, then the strength in the first case will be 2 times higher. The presence of quartz provides hardness. The stone is polished and cut using diamond.
Over time, granite products do not lose their operational characteristics and appearance, this is true even when the stone is used in a temperature differential. This finish can withstand severe frosts, as well as heat up to +50 ° C, which acts as a rather important factor when it comes to using the material in the Russian climate.
Why it is still worth choosing granite
Granite stone has excellent performance. It looks impeccable and retains its original strength throughout the entire period of use. It is less than marble, is subject to fungal infections. In the role of another plus, fire safety can be highlighted. Material begins to melt only at +700 ° C.
The strength of the material depends on the level of moisture absorption. According to this indicator, granite is far ahead of the rest. Granite undergoes excellent environmental influences, various acids and precipitation. Freezing and thawing cycles do not affect its performance characteristics. Their number can reach several hundred times.
Granite Stone Specifications
If you decide to use granite as a material for finishing the socle, then you should familiarize yourself with its main technical characteristics, among them density should be highlighted. It is 3.17 g / cm 3 . As for the compressive strength, this parameter is 550 kg / cm 2 . Bulk mass is equivalent to 2.7 g / cm 3 . But moisture absorption is 0.2%. You may also be interested in frost resistance - it is equal to 25. Abrasion is 1.4 g / cm 2 .
Varieties of artificial stone: cement based material
The most common type of artificial stone is a cement based material. For production, silicone, rubber or plastic molds are used, into which a solution made of sand, cement, plasticizers and dyes is poured. Sometimes other ingredients are added to the ingredients that can improve the properties of the products. Depending on the form and dye used, the appearance of the stone and its texture can mimic natural materials.
Polymer sand artificial stone
If you want to buy a base stone, then you should pay attention to the composite finishing material, it is made of sand, plasticizers and polymers. In the end, it is possible to get tiles connected by a castle. On the surface of the base, the fixation of products is carried out using self-tapping screws and a frame. This material is durable and lightweight, and its installation can be combined with insulation.
Flexible stone and clinker tiles
The basement stone may be in the form of a flexible artificial material. It is a multilayer composite, which can take the form of solid paintings or individual tiles. Using glue, a thin section of rock is applied to the fabric base. Inside is another layer - the adhesive, which is necessary to fix the tiles or canvas on the surface.
In order to protect such products from premature drying, the material is covered with paper. If we compare a flexible artificial stone with other varieties of similar materials, the former have the smallest mass, but they are universal and have excellent indicators of resistance to temperature changes.
Ground stone is also made in the form of clinker tiles. According to the manufacturing method and appearance, it resembles a stone based on cement. However, clay is used in the manufacture of clinker products. In its class, the described tile has the most outstanding performance characteristics, as well as high cost.
Conclusion
If you nevertheless decided not to save on home decoration and choose natural stone, you should know that it is also classified by its surface type. It can be chipped, sanded, polished or roughened. The chipped surface will look more natural, but with some roughness the polished base will turn out to be. If you want to make the base shiny, you should choose a polished natural stone.