Natural stone has been used by humans in construction for several thousand years, but it has many disadvantages, among which significant weight and high cost are especially noteworthy, which limits its use. As for the balcony, this issue is especially relevant, because there it is undesirable to use heavy materials as wall decoration. In this regard, an artificial analogue of stone was created, which can be considered a practical and justified solution. This stone is cheaper, it is easy to install and maintain, in addition, it has other advantages.
Material selection
When decorating houses, natural stone is still appreciated, despite its disadvantages. However, it certainly is not suitable for a standard balcony. But artificial stone can be used for decoration. It is made on the basis of concrete and may contain the following ingredients:
- cement;
- plasticizers;
- water repellent additives;
- ceramic chips;
- expanded clay;
- sand;
- coloring component;
- reinforcing additives.
The recipe for this material is improved every year, as is the technology. As for environmental friendliness, the artificial stone is completely safe. It is close to natural in strength, and in appearance these materials are almost identical. If you are going to carry out the interior decoration of a balcony under a stone, then you can choose limestone, which has a yellow-pink hue. The thickness of the stone can be equal to the limit from 2 to 6 cm. Yellow-beige limestone is also on sale, its thickness can reach 5 cm, and the minimum value is 3 cm.
Finishing a balcony with stone sometimes involves the use of gray-lilac limestone, which has the same parameters. You can decorate the walls of the balcony with limestone, which has a gray-lilac design, and is presented for sale in the form of "Rock" tiles. Yellow-beige limestone in the form of tiles has standard height parameters that are 10, 15 and 20 cm. As for the length of the products, they are equal to the limit of 10 to 40 cm.
Red-brown limestone, the thickness of which varies from 3 to 5 cm, will give a noble appearance to the walls. The artificial material under the stone differs in texture. In the assortment of shops you can find imitation of grinding stone, fake natural and imitation of material that is not found in nature. You can choose products with smooth edges or sawn material. Some consumers choose imitation bricks or rubble stones. The latter resemble coarse-grained pebbles. As an alternative solution are agglomerates that have frost resistance and strength. They include granite or marble chips, coloring pigments, quartz sand, polyester resin and limestone.
If you want to choose a material with outstanding characteristics, then you should prefer quartz stone. It has heat resistance, high hardness and lends itself well to processing. If you use diamond blades, polishing and cutting will allow you to achieve excellent results. If you started a balcony decoration with artificial stone, you can choose an acrylic material that perfectly resists chemical influences and is uniform. Its surface can be washed, because it almost does not absorb moisture. The structure is viscous, this allows even wallpaper to be made of acrylic stone. This material is lightweight, versatile, easy to process and can be restored.
Additional material recommendations: porcelain stoneware
Porcelain tile is made of:
- dyes;
- feldspar;
- different grades of clay;
- mineral additives.
A high pressure vibrocompression is a feature of production. At the final stage, the products are fired. The texture is similar to glass or ceramic tile. By mixing different components, manufacturers achieve a glossy or matte surface. It can be glazed or embossed. Porcelain tile has flaws, among them it is worth highlighting the deformation under the influence of hydrofluoric acid. In addition, it is very difficult to restore such a facing, because the material is not easy to process.
Technology of work
If you will be decorating the walls of the balcony with stone, then you should use the instructions. From it you can learn that at the first stage the master will have to prepare the tools, among them it should be highlighted:
- level;
- a brush for metal;
- roulette wheel;
- atomizer;
- mixer;
- syringe for grouting.
You will need wedges of the same size and brush. The first can be made of plastic or wood, they are intended for laying between plates, which allows you to get joints of the same thickness. Among consumables:
- a rock;
- special glue;
- water repellent;
- grout;
- primer mixture.
As soon as everything you need is prepared, you can start laying. The procedure consists of several stages.
Wall preparation
Decorating the balcony with a stone with your own hands provides for the preparation of surfaces. Walls should be checked for bumps. If the bases need leveling, then you can use one of the existing methods. With small irregularities (up to 10 mm), the surface can be plastered. Work will be carried out on top of a stuffed mesh, because an artificial stone weighs a lot, although its mass is less than natural. But the finish may well come off with a piece of plaster. You need to work on the lighthouses, this will allow you to get even angles.
How to eliminate large swings
Finishing the balcony inside is carried out only after preparing the walls. If they have large differences, then gypsum board can be used to give the surfaces perfect evenness, because applying plaster of impressive thickness is uneconomical and violates the requirements of state standards.
In the case of a balcony, you should choose a moisture-proof drywall. The guide profile is set first. It is strengthened around the perimeter. Then you should calculate the CD profiles. The distance between them should be 60 cm. However, when using decorative stone with smaller dimensions, the step should be equal to 40 cm. The profile is fixed with U-shaped fasteners. Drywall sheets are sewn on top of the structure. The advantage of its use is the possibility of simultaneous insulation, which is carried out using mineral wool or expanded polystyrene.
Work with wooden walls
Decorating the balcony with decorative stone is also carried out in the case when the walls are made of wood. It is noteworthy that the described lining can be laid on almost any surface. The base has to be prepared, for this, a grid is stretched, along which plastering is performed. To do this, it is necessary to use a solution of sand and cement, to which water glass or PVA glue is added.
Wooden surfaces are treated with an antiseptic, and the solution is laid on beacons. Decorating a balcony with decorative stone can be done using a slightly different technology. At the preparation stage, it provides for the fastening of DSP sheets. But the artificial stone will be mounted on a special glue. Prior to installation, surface priming is required. To do this, it is better to use a deep penetration composition. The material is applied in several layers, each of which is necessarily dried.
Finishing Technology Description
It is possible to lay a decorative stone according to one of the existing technologies. The first involves the use of flashing, while the other technique is seamless styling. The first method is the best option for beginners. The impressive thickness of the seam allows you to even out bumps that occur during installation.
The gap between the products is regulated by distance gaskets and can reach 10 mm. Decorating the balcony with stone can be done with seamless styling. This technique is only for experienced craftsmen. In this case, special attention is paid to ensure that the excess adhesive does not fall on the seams and the front surface of the finish. It will be very difficult to clean the porous material from glue.
Material laying
It is necessary to start the installation of the finish after you lay out the tiles to select a suitable pattern. The pattern should be repeated, as well as color differences. Products are numbered from the end, this will allow to observe the sequence. Before you finish the balcony inside, along the perimeter from the bottom you need to beat off the zero level. The profile is used as a support.
The first row usually does not fit on the floor itself. Solid tiles should be on top. Products are trimmed from the bottom and stacked, and this will require support, it will be located on the first row. At the next stage, you can begin to dilute the glue. Better if it will be done on white cement. The mixture is mixed and left for 10 minutes, and then mixed again. In work, you can use a drill or mixer, where it is possible to adjust the speed. The composition is applied to the work surface using a construction comb.
Methodology
The mixture is applied with a spatula to the first tile. The glue should be tried to rub into the surface. Products are applied and pressed down a little. Once you finish the first row, you can proceed to the next. However, in one working day, you do not need to climb more than 150 cm. The remaining glue must be disposed of immediately.
Embossed cladding
When the balconies and loggias are finished with stone, you will be able to complete the embroidery. To do this, a number is conducted from below, but it should be borne in mind that the glue can slip and fall onto the stone. A number can be led from the ceiling. However, for this you should use glue, which provides subsidence of tiles up to 1.5 mm. After the installation is complete, you need to wait for the glue to dry, which takes up to 48 hours. The final value will depend on the composition. Only after that you can start grouting.
Use of plastic plates
Decorating a balcony with plastic slabs under a stone is very common today. There are many reasons for this. Firstly, such a cladding is durable and looks attractive. Secondly, just look after her. Thirdly, consumers choose plastic panels for the reason that they are easy to install. At the first stage, it will be necessary to prepare the surface. To do this, it is possible to carry out insulation and sealing. In the process of thermal insulation, the balcony is sheathed with a metal lattice fence. For insulation, you can use polystyrene, which is placed between two metal elements of the frame system.
The crate can be made of wooden battens, which are installed on the dowel nails. If the house is old and damp, it is best to use CD profiles. The distance between the elements of the lathing will be slightly less than the width of the lining. The panels are trimmed to fit the walls and inserted into the groove of the box. The upper part is held by hand and slightly bent. The upper end of the board is inserted into the grooves. If the lining is stuck, then it is necessary to hit it a little with the palm of your hand, and it will fall into place. Openings are made using the same technology. However, to begin with, the wall should be sheathed with solid boards, which will be located between the openings.
Wood use
Decorating a balcony with stone and wood is today the most common. The first version of the cladding was discussed above. But if you decide to use wood, then lining is perfect for this. The boards are cut to size, and then inserted into the corner with a comb. With the help of nails you can strengthen one product. The last board is cut to width. However, approximately 2 mm, which will go to thermal expansion, should be subtracted from this value.
Conclusion
Decorating a balcony with stone has recently become more and more common. This fact cannot be called random, because the interior looks very attractive after completion of work. In parallel with the installation, it is possible to make insulation, which will make the balcony more comfortable to use, and the interior - cozy. Decorating a balcony with stone can be done by you yourself. To do this, you do not even have to use the expensive services of specialists.