The facade of the building helps create a first impression of the owners of the house and evaluate their viability. But sometimes even the largest and most expensive cottage can get lost in the background of a small but exquisitely tiled structure. Today there are many different materials for cladding exterior walls, but natural stone occupies a leading position in popularity. Facing the facade with natural materials lends elegance to the building and indicates the good taste of property owners. In addition to aesthetic functions, this finish reliably protects the walls from the negative effects of atmospheric phenomena and acts as a heater. What types of stone can be used for these purposes and what are the features of the installation technology of natural cladding, should be considered in more detail.
What are the advantages of natural stone over artificial materials?
• Buildings decorated with natural stone look very well maintained and stand out noticeably among neighboring buildings.
• Finishing from natural materials is very resistant to mechanical damage and has the longest service life.
• The stone retains its properties under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, humidity and temperature jumps, therefore it is not prone to deformation, fading and cracking.
• During operation, the products do not require periodic treatments from corrosion, fungus and mold, which contributes to saving the budget of home owners.
• Facing the facade of the house with natural stone, due to the resistance of the material to fire, allows you to reliably protect the building from fire from the outside.
• A large selection of colors and textures helps to choose the option that will look as harmoniously as possible with the design of the entire site.
Natural material options
Limestone, shell rock, sandstone, marble, granite - all this is a natural stone. Facing facades can be performed using one type or by combining various options. Consider the brief characteristics of each of them.
Limestone is a sedimentary rock, which is mainly formed in shallow sea spaces and only occasionally in fresh water bodies. It consists of calcite and minor impurities of clay, quartz and other components. Limestone retains heat well, does not interfere with air exchange and protects against radiation.
Shell rock is a durable stone of zoological origin, consisting of shells and shells of marine inhabitants. It is found only in milk color. The material has a long service life, resistance to fire, excellent noise insulation and heat-saving characteristics.
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock that forms during the compaction of sand in the ground or at the bottom of water bodies. The stone has a variety of colors and textures, which is why it is very popular. Sandstone is very resistant to natural phenomena and requires no maintenance.
Marble is perhaps the most durable and beautiful natural stone. Facade cladding such material does not cause difficulties, since it lends itself very well to processing. Marble is found in more than five colors, is durable and suitable for finishing any surface.
Granite is characterized by the ability to withstand severe frosts and withstand any damage. These qualities make it a very durable and popular material for facing buildings.
Material calculation
When undertaking facade work, it is important to determine what the main stages include the cladding of external walls, where natural stone is used as the finish. Facing the facade always begins with counting the required amount of finishing material. Since some types of stone have a very high cost, in order to avoid unreasonable costs, it is necessary to correctly make all the calculations.
If it is planned to use a flat stone during the work, it is necessary to measure the surface area that is to be finished and divide the result by the area of one facing element. Typically, manufacturers indicate these parameters on the packaging of the material.
For facing corners and joints, parts are acquired depending on the meter of these surfaces. The total length of all angles is divided by the length of one product. The result indicates the required amount of facing stone.
Wall preparation
Now we will consider how the facade cladding itself is performed with natural stone. Technology exterior wall finishing involves careful preparation of the sheathed base. Walls are examined for falling elements. Weakly held bricks and layers of plaster are removed, and the potholes formed in their place are smeared and smoothed. Irregularities with a depth of not more than 2 cm can be covered with glue, and holes larger than 2 cm can be sealed with a cement-sand mortar.
When all defects have been eliminated, the walls are treated with a primer, which contributes to a more durable adhesion of the decorative coating to the base. Porous surfaces (like a shell rock) must be treated several times, since the first layer is usually completely absorbed into the pores of the material. After the primer is completely dry (after 4-6 hours), natural stone can be mounted on the walls. Facing the facade with natural material is carried out exclusively in warm weather. The temperature of the surface to be trimmed should be in the range from +5 to +30 degrees.
Stone laying
Starting the installation of the cladding, the first step is to clean or wash the material from dirt and dust, and then dry it well. Facing the facade with natural stone, a photo of which can be seen in this article, begins with the preparation of an adhesive solution. The composition is prepared depending on the type of coating and the type of natural material. To do this, you can use special glue or prepare a high-quality cement mortar, strictly observing the recommended proportions. The composition is applied to the wrong side of the material, where it is evenly distributed with a trowel.
The stone is pressed strongly against the wall so that excess adhesive sticks out at the edges of the product. Excess solution is carefully removed with a rag. Thus, all natural stone is attached. Facing of facades with this material has one distinctive feature. The fact is that grouting of joints between products should be carried out immediately, as decorative elements are installed. Given this fact, the grout mixture must be prepared in advance.
If during the installation process it becomes necessary to trim the material, an ordinary grinder with a diamond disk or a circle for cutting stone will cope with this task.
Wood wall decoration
Wooden buildings more than others need high-quality wall protection, and often natural stone is used for these purposes. For facing the facade of a country house, it is necessary to perform a series of actions that do not concern brick and concrete walls, so we will consider this process separately:
- Waterproofing is carried out on the wooden facade, which will protect the walls and cladding from the harmful effects of moisture.
- A metal mesh is attached on top (the cell width is at least 30 mm), after which the facade is plastered.
- On a dry surface with the help of screws, the selected cladding is fixed.
Cost
The cost of finishing with natural stone completely depends on the selected material. Limestone, shell rock and sandstone are considered the most economical options and are most often used for facade decoration. So, facing with limestone will cost from 850 rubles per 1 m 2 , sandstone - from 1000 rubles per m 2 , and shell rock - from 1450 rubles for the same volume. Granite and marble are the most expensive stones, but, despite this, their reliability and beauty conquer many property owners. The cost of the most inexpensive grades of granite starts from 2000 rubles. Marble tiles have a price of 2200 rubles per 1 m 2 .
Conclusion
In this article, we examined what constitutes facing the facade of a house with natural stone, photos of various options and installation features. In conclusion, I would like to note that when choosing a particular material, it is very important to take into account the load that it will add to the foundation. If limestone, sandstone and limestone are relatively light in weight, then granite and marble significantly aggravate the walls of the building. For this reason, in some situations it is appropriate to strengthen or expand the base of the house.