How to put artificial stone on an arch. Independent finishing of arches with decorative stone: advantages, design options, photos

Decorative stone is an excellent material for finishing both building facades and interiors. This material is easy to process, cut and drill.
He is easy to work with. However, to obtain aesthetically good result, it is necessary to strictly follow the cladding technology.

Tools

First, let's prepare the tool.
You will need:

Construction mixer
Building level
Cutting machine or cutting machine
Putty knife
Bucket
Metal brush
Paint brushes
Rubber mallet
Trowel
Construction tape
Grout syringe
Household spray bottle
Wooden or plastic wedges of the same thickness

Consumables – making the right choice

You will also need consumables:

Adhesive for decorative stone

Our advice is when purchasing glue, carefully read what is written on its packaging. The instructions must accurately indicate its properties.
For gluing decorative stone different weights, there are different types of glue. Therefore, first choose a decorative stone that suits you, then buy glue, and not vice versa.
Price plays a role in this case minor role, main quality.

Decorative stone suggests that in addition to laying the stone on a vertical surface, you will also need to cover the vault. In this case, a pull-out force will constantly act on the glued stone.
Therefore, following all recommendations for choosing the right glue is especially important.

Important - when carrying out work on installing decorative stone at an ambient temperature below +5 degrees, it is necessary to use a certain brand of glue. Consider all this when choosing.

You will also need:

Grout of a suitable color
Primer

Our reference is a water repellent, a water-repellent composition for concrete.

Small addition. Many may have a question: what is the difference between waterproofing and waterproofing?

The fact is that when waterproofing the walls are protected from moisture, but in turn they do not breathe. Hydrophobization not only protects walls from moisture, but also allows them to breathe.

Decorative stone finishing

Step one - surface preparation

The first and very important stage is competent and proper preparation surfaces.

Before laying decorative stone on the wall, it is necessary to carry out preliminary preparations:

Remove remnants of old whitewash, paint or wallpaper
The walls must be leveled using putty
Prime the wall and arch. The primer holds together small particles of the wall and on such a surface any finish holds stronger

Our information is that primers for all surfaces are currently on sale. Choose what you need based on the material of your walls.

Concrete walls, especially monolithic ones, must be treated with a special adhesive primer “Betonokontakt”. At elevated temperatures or high humidity of the surrounding air, it is recommended to moisten the back side of the decorative stone with water.

Drywall arch - rules for stone finishing

Someone will be interested in how to finish decorative stone plasterboard arch:

When laying decorative stone on drywall, it is recommended to use light grades of stone.
In addition, decorative stone can only be laid on gypsum boards indoors.
If yours is under a canopy and outdoors, you cannot cover it with decorative stone.

The surface of moisture-resistant gypsum board must be treated with a primer, after which it is necessary to allow the sheet to dry. Only after this can you begin installation.
It is convenient to apply the primer using a roller. At the same time, do not forget to prime both the outer and inner surfaces of the arch.

Proper preparation of stone tiles for laying

Do not rush to lay decorative tiles right away:

Mix stone from different packages.
Next, lay the stone on the floor.
Select the position of individual stones so that its texture looks as advantageous as possible.

For example, distribute it according to the shades of the color difference or place short and long elements in the masonry so that the stonework looks more natural.

Checking the stone - what is important to know

Before laying, make sure that there is no thin foamy layer, the so-called cement laitance, on the back of the tile.
If you find it, you need to clean the back with a wire brush. Do it.

Our information is that the presence of cement laitance significantly impairs adhesion. Your tile will simply fall off.

In a bucket, strictly following the instructions on the package, dilute the glue. Using a mixer, mix it thoroughly.
The mixture should be homogeneous:

Using a spatula, apply a layer of adhesive to the wall where the tiles are installed.
Also apply a layer of adhesive mass on the back side of the stone with a spatula.
Each layer, whether on a wall or on a tile, should be 5 – 10 mm.

Our advice is not to apply too thick a layer of glue, as this may cause the decorative stone to slide off the wall.

Important - the glue must completely cover the back side of the tile without voids. This recommendation also applies to the wall, on which glue is also applied. Everything should be covered in an even layer.

Internal voids can lead to the formation of condensation inside the masonry.

We lay the stone ourselves - competently and efficiently

So:

Place the tile in the desired location and press lightly.
Next, use a building level and a rubber mallet to level the stone.
Move it from side to side until it fits well against the wall.

Our advice is that finishing arches with decorative stone requires high-quality masonry. Therefore, during installation, tap the surface of the stone with the handle of a screwdriver.
This way you can determine if there are voids inside. If they are found, the stone must be dismantled, the glue cleaned off and re-installed.

Additionally, tap the surface of the stone with a mallet. If any glue comes out around the edges, remove it with a spatula.

At the same time, if there is glue left on the ends of the stone, you should not remove it, this way you will achieve better adhesion of the stone not only to the wall, but also to each other. Finishing arches with decorative stone in an apartment (see) presupposes high-quality adhesion of the tiles to each other.

Masonry with jointing

There are two types of laying artificial stone:

With jointing
No seams

Decorating the arch with decorative stone with jointing is one of interesting options design. If you need just such a laying, you need to use wooden or plastic wedges during the laying process.
Select wedges of the thickness you require. After the glue has dried, the wedges can be removed and the seams can be started.
Joining the seams of decorative stone is an equally important stage of work when finishing an arch or just a wall with decorative stone. The entire final result of such painstaking work depends on its competent and careful execution.

Grouting joints

The gaps between decorative stones should be filled with a special grout using a syringe.

So:

Fill the syringe with grout solution
Squeeze it out slowly and carefully fill all the seams.
It is recommended to fill the joints with grout so that it goes 3 - 4 mm inside the outer edge of the stone. This way you will achieve a pronounced relief of the masonry.
If you need to get a smoothed texture of the masonry, you can fill the joint with grout at the same level as the face of the stone.

After the solution begins to set, this is about 30 minutes, it must be smoothed out with a spatula or a special shaped spatula for jointing.

Our reference is that the time range we indicated is 30 minutes.
It all depends on the specific grout you purchased. Read the instructions carefully and carry out all work according to the manufacturer's instructions.

There is a large selection of grouts on sale that imitate the color and texture of real mortar. You can choose grout of different colors and shades, according to your taste and the requirements of the intended design.

We cover the arch - “correct” chips

In an apartment, using decorative stone means that the stone will need to be cut to the required size. Many may have a question: how to decorate an arch with decorative stone without finishing the walls with stone?
It is necessary to understand that a trimmed smooth edge of a stone at the junction of masonry and a smooth, unlined wall will not look entirely natural and beautiful.

A more acceptable result would be when the stone laid along the edges has various chips. This will create the impression of naturalness and the effect will be more natural.

Decorative chips are quite easy to make using sawing and cutting tools.
To perform the correct chipping you must proceed as follows:

Using a knife, outline the main outlines of the future chip
All excess is bit off using pliers

Our advice is that you shouldn’t try to bite off the mark right away. You need to start from the edge, biting off a small piece.
Thus, everything unnecessary is removed according to the mark made. Otherwise, the stone may break in a completely inappropriate place.

Chip areas are corrected using a knife or file
Subsequently, to give the chips a smoother shape, they are processed using sandpaper
If desired or required by the design, chips may not be smoothed out. Everything is at your discretion

Decor - the finishing line

Upon completion of the masonry, small defects may remain, chips in unnecessary places, abrasions, end cuts and not entirely correct color matches.
All this can be easily fixed with an airbrush. In this case, it will take you less than an hour for your masonry to take on its finished form.

The airbrush mixture is:

Tinting paste
Water
Acrylic lacquer

To give the stone the greatest relief and expressiveness, a finishing spray is applied to its surface with an airbrush. In this case, it is necessary to apply spraying in such a way that the airbrush is at an oblique angle relative to the surface to be finished.

The color of the coating should be slightly darker than the color of the stone itself. If you want to get an unusual effect, you can add special metallic pigments, gold or bronze, to the mixture.
But you need to understand that this coating must be used in limited quantities, preferably at the ends of the stone.
Under normal conditions, this shine will be practically invisible. But when direct rays of the sun or directed light hit it, your decorative stone will “come to life” and begin to sparkle in various colors, as it happens in nature.

Our advice is that after completing the decorative finishing and applying the finishing spray, we recommend that you coat the masonry with acrylic varnish.
This recommendation is relevant in active zones. Arches are just one of these zones. This will protect the coating from scuffs.

Use clear, matte or semi Matt lacquer on water based. It can be applied using an airbrush or spray gun.

Finishing the arches with decorative stone will add a unique and truly memorable look to your interior.
On our resource there is quite a variety of video and photo material on design and ways to implement it. With us you can learn a lot of new things and get acquainted with expert advice that will be useful to you when performing certain types of finishing work.
Good luck to you!

The history of arches as an architectural element goes back to Ancient East. It is impossible to determine who its creator is. IN modern world materials for building arches went far beyond stone. Now arches are made from OSP boards, chipboards, etc. But what if the araka just looks boring? Reduces the design to nothing. In this case, the arch is decorated with decorative stone. It is very easy to use and has a number of advantages: resistance to mechanical stress and absence of rotting, corrosion and fungus. Decorative stone is an environmentally friendly material for indoor use and will not cause harm to health. But when laying decorative stone, for the most pleasant effect, you should remember the work technique and follow it. How to finish with decorative stone? What could be the result later in the article.

Interesting decoration of the front door with decorative stone: photo

There are many ideas that can be realized using decorative stone. Walls, corners and doors look cozier. The stone protects them from external influences and lasts a long time. And the variety in color will help make your wildest apartment design dreams come true.

Options for compositions made of decorative stone for doorways and front door:

If the interior of the room is restrained in colors and content, then you can put a decorative stone only on the wall, using a rare step. Without weighing down the entire arch. This will help highlight the opening, but not cover the rest of the space.
Completely cover the walls where the entrance doors are located with stone. Unusual effect of a stone house. The entrance openings are trimmed with stone, which allows the use of heavier items in the interior, such as a massive chest of drawers made of wood.
The Greek motif paintings create an atmosphere of sunny and warm Cyprus. They allow you to forget about the cold and remember the sea.
Decorative stone is used to achieve the effect of antiquity. They completely decorate the wall with it and imagine themselves in a safe castle.

Finishing with decorative stone allows you to diversify the interior. The soft colors of the stone create an atmosphere of warm countries, reminiscent of summer. More dark colors decorative stones look noble, like reliable and indestructible walls of a castle or large wooden house. The main thing is that this is really so. After all, with such a decorative element, the walls are not afraid of time.

Proper finishing of entrance door slopes with decorative stone: photo

Slopes lined with artificial stone will give the interior an original look. You can create the illusion of a cave or an ancient castle. And the practicality of this type of finishing makes it one of the most popular among the people. Artificial material has a number of advantages that make it so popular.

The surface on which the stone is placed may not be flat, the weight of decorative stone is less than natural stone, there is a very wide variety of textures and appearance.

Artificial stone has good fire resistance and heat insulation, and does not absorb liquid. It is used indoors where very strict sanitation standards are observed. This material is safe and easy to use and clean.

Working on door slopes for artificial stone dictates a number of conditions:

When the door has a rectangular shape, the lower part is made wider. This will create a visual evenness and natural look, helping to transition from stone to another material without harsh elements.
The template must match the curvature of the structure.
Don't do it smooth edges, this can destroy naturalness.

All this work can be done without a master, who may charge too high a price. To do this type of work with your own hands, you must remember that the color and size are selected before installation; the stone is easily cut with a special tool. Everything is assembled into a single composition and after that you can finish the required surface.

Stone arches: preparation of tools, adhesive joints and surfaces

Before you start framing the arches with artificial brick or stone, you need to prepare everything necessary materials. After all, you can’t just start working on top of old untreated walls by gluing fake diamond for jelly. The adhesive connection required for the work is prepared and the working surface is processed.

Materials to help create an arch:

The stone itself, which is selected according to a pre-thought-out design;
Pencil for indicating the location of parts, framing;
Sandpaper will help to trim rough corners of the stone;
The surface is covered with a soil solution to prepare it for cladding;
Adhesive connection for attaching stone to the surface of interior walls;
In order for the stone tiles to look decent, the gaps between each element are covered with grout for the seams;
A tub for mortar or glue.

Unevenness on the walls can also be smoothed out with sandpaper, and later also primed. This will prepare the surface. A special glue (liquid nails) or mortar (made of cement and sand) is used. The reliability of the fastening depends on the quality of the adhesive joint or how rough the surface of the decorative stone itself is. If the work is carried out without the help of a specialist, then it is worth preparing the solution gradually. This will help prevent it from drying out quickly. Mix the adhesive compound using a drill with a special attachment. The solution should resemble liquid sour cream in consistency.

How to decorate doors with decorative stone

The materials used to decorate doors with stone can be completely different. Granite, marble and many alternative things created by nature and processed by man. But they are rarely used, due to their heavy weight. This puts stress on the wall and doors. Cracks may form. Also, such material is difficult to transport and is expensive. It is for these reasons that decorative stone is most often used.

Technologies for laying decorative material (how to apply):

Surface preparation. As stated above, it is necessary to prepare the plane for work. Remove remaining elements of old materials and finishing material.
Apply primer to a dry wall, perhaps even more than one coat.
Wait for it to dry completely.
The stone is laid out according to the planned design scheme, observing the color transition.
The mixture for the adhesive joint is prepared. All necessary components are mixed until a homogeneous solution.

It is advisable not to wet the stone before installation, as this may prevent the adhesive from fixing the stone to the wall. It is possible to lay stone with a beautiful ornament if you study the patterns (seamless and seamless), which are available to anyone. All these nuances are taken into account during work for the most acceptable effect.

Practical finishing of an arch with decorative stone (video)

A beautifully and neatly decorated door or arch with decorative stone will help the interior become expressive and stylish. The room will look elegant. No one will remain indifferent under the effect of stone walls or an original design with a decorative stone frame. This design (cladding) looks great.

Decorative stone today acts as one of the most suitable materials for finishing surfaces both inside and outside buildings. This material is quite easy to process; it can not only be drilled, but also cut. But to get a good result, you should be guided by the installation technology, which will be presented below. You can use decorative stone to decorate the interior, one of the elements of which is an arch.

Preparing tools

Decorative stone begins with the preparation of tools, among which we should highlight:

construction mixer;
cutting machine;
bucket for mixing adhesive solution;
paint brushes;
trowel;
grout syringe;
wedges of the same thickness.

Among other things, you will need a building level and a spatula. It is important to ensure that you have a metal brush, and with the help of the latter you will be able to adjust the elements on the surface after installation. To measure and cut the material you will need a construction tape. You can’t do without a household spray bottle while working. Wedges can be made of wood or plastic, they will allow you to form seams. You can replace the cutting machine with a cutting machine.

Preparation of materials

Decorative stone is carried out after preparing all the necessary Supplies, among them the following should be highlighted:

glue;
primer;
grout;
water repellent.

When choosing an adhesive, you need to pay attention to its purpose. For certain types of finishes, different grades of adhesives are available, usually they are designed to hold the calculated weight of the material. Therefore, first you need to choose finishing materials, and only then start purchasing glue. If the work is supposed to be carried out at low temperatures, then you should take a more serious approach to the choice of adhesive composition; it must have the appropriate properties.

Surface preparation

Finishing with stone necessarily involves preparing the walls. To do this, you need to rid the base of old whitewash, wallpaper or paint. The master will have to carry out the leveling using putty. The surface of the arch must be primed; this composition will bind small particles together, so any finish will be held as firmly as possible.

On sale you can find primers for any surface. If you have to work with a concrete wall, you should treat it with Betonkontakt primer. When room conditions are characterized by high humidity or temperature, the back side of the decorative stone should be wetted before installation.

The finishing of arches with decorative stone is carried out using a slightly different technology if we are talking about a plasterboard structure. It is necessary to prepare a light stone for such work. Such manipulations should be carried out exclusively indoors. If an arch made of gypsum plasterboard is located outdoors or under a canopy, then it cannot be decorated with stone.

The surface of the drywall is treated with a primer, which should be left until it dries, only then can you begin installing the products. The primer is applied with a roller, and not only the external, but also the internal surfaces are treated with the composition.

Preparing stone for laying

If you will be decorating the arches with decorative stone (photos of design options are presented in the review for your reference), it is recommended that you first mix all the products from different packages. At the next stage, the stone must be laid out on the floor. Position individual elements is chosen in such a way that the texture looks most advantageous. For example, you can distribute elements by shade or shape, as well as size.

Rules for applying glue

Before starting work, you must read the instructions and dilute the glue in the bucket according to it.

The composition is mixed using a construction mixer until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Using a spatula, the mixture is applied to the wall only in the place where the product is supposed to be installed. The reverse side of the stone must also be treated with glue, which is applied with a spatula. The thickness of the layer should not appear to be more than 1 cm. If this parameter is exceeded, the product will slide down the wall.

The adhesive is applied to the entire surface of the stone, while avoiding voids that can cause condensation to appear inside the masonry during operation. This recommendation also applies to walls; glue should be applied to their surface in an even layer.

Methodology for installing decorative stone

When decorating an arch with decorative stone in an apartment, you must follow certain instructions. The stone is applied to the area treated with glue and pressed against the surface. In this case, it is important to use a building level, and with the help of a mallet the products are leveled vertically. The stone can be moved from side to side to achieve a tight fit to the surface.

In order to check the quality of the masonry, during installation it is necessary to tap the products with a screwdriver handle. This will allow you to understand whether voids have formed inside. If there are any, then the stone is removed, cleaned of glue, and the work is repeated again. When finishing an arch with decorative stone in an apartment, you should definitely look at the photo. They will allow you to understand which material is better to prefer. As soon as the finish is on the wall, you need to gently tap it on its surface, and remove any excess glue using a spatula. If the mixture appears on the ends, there is no need to remove it; it will improve the quality of adhesion of the material to the wall. Work can be carried out using one of two technologies:

no seams;
with jointing.

Laying stone with seams

When finishing an arch with decorative stone with your own hands, you can form seams between the products. Their grouting is carried out using a syringe filled with grout. The solution should be applied in such a way that it deepens 4 mm from the outer edge of the product. This will create a clearly defined relief. To obtain a smoothed texture, it is necessary to fill the seam at the same level as the front surface of the stone. 30 minutes after applying the grout, it is necessary to smooth out the seams using a special spatula or spatula. When choosing grout, you should know that the compositions can imitate the color and texture of real mortar. The grout may have different colors.

Chip processing

When finishing a door arch with decorative stone, it may be necessary to process chips. The stone is cut to size, but if its edge remains smooth at the joint, the wall will not look natural. You can make a chip by outlining its outline with a knife. At the next stage, the excess part is bitten off with pliers. There is no need to bite off the product along the edge of the mark; you need to start with small pieces, otherwise the product may break in the wrong place. You can correct errors with a file; with its help you will make the chip smooth. Additionally, the surface is treated with sandpaper. However, sometimes the chips are not smoothed out.

Final decoration

Finishing an interior arch with decorative stone can be completed by applying varnish or a tinting mixture. The latter allows you to hide defects and cracks that formed during the work process. It is better to use an airbrush to apply the composition, but some artists make do with paint brushes. The airbrush allows you to apply the mixture from a long distance, while holding the tool at an angle to the surface to be painted. You should not cover the entire area completely; it will be enough to tint the main protrusions and depressions, this will help to obtain a deep texture.

An interesting effect can be achieved if bronze or gold coloring pigments are used as the basis for the mixture. In this case, only the ends of the tiles need to be tinted. With this finishing technique, the metal does not catch the eye, but with certain lighting at the ends, the masonry begins to play with golden highlights.

Conclusion

The arch is a rather small element of the interior, but its design sometimes takes several days. However, you should find time and energy for this work, because decorating this part of the room will allow you to decorate the house, making it more comfortable and the interior more refined.

In the modern world, where everyone strives to be individual not only in their appearance, but also in the design of their home, people are increasingly trying to remake the standard apartment layout to suit their vision of space. Unnecessary bulky partitions are demolished and plasterboard structures are erected that do not take up much space.

This also applies to doorways. Traditional rectangular shapes are changed into beautiful rounded arches. Immediately there is a feeling of spaciousness in the room, and traffic flow increases (especially in the living room or kitchen). Most often, the doors to these rooms are open, and there is no particular need to keep them constantly closed. After all, every family member comes there quite often. Instead of the usual wooden platbands and extensions, the arch is finished with decorative stone.

By building an interior arch, you will undoubtedly add your own zest to your home interior. Moreover, an arch covered with decorative stone will always be in the center of everyone's attention. Whether to give it the appearance of an Arc de Triomphe or whether it will resemble an ancient entrance to a cave is up to you, the main thing is to choose the right type of stone for this purpose. It is not recommended to use cement stone for finishing. It is heavy, most often quite thick, and is used for cladding building facades. But finishing the arch with gypsum stone is exactly what is needed.

Gypsum stone is light, thin and will not steal extra centimeters from the space of the arched opening. There are a huge number of types of gypsum stone. Just as in nature there are many varieties of stones, so with artificial finishing you can choose what will fit perfectly into your interior.

What to lay on

Glue. Laying artificial decorative stone on a wall or arched opening can be done using special glue for artificial stone. There are quite a lot of them on the modern market, here are a few examples:

Stone adhesive KR Professional Professional. This cement-based adhesive is used specifically for installing artificial stone indoors and outdoors. Sufficiently high quality, hermetically fixes the stone and gives a neat seam (when laying artificial bricks with jointing).
Glue for stone Plitonit Wb. This adhesive is used for gluing artificial and natural stone, all types of porcelain stoneware, facing and clinker tiles. It has proven itself well when laying stone on gypsum plaster, plasterboard, reinforced concrete, brick surface, cellular concrete, lime and cement plaster. When installed with this glue, artificial stone does not slip, which allows the master to lay it in any direction - from bottom to top and top to bottom.
Weber Vetonit stone adhesive - Stone Fix. It is used for laying artificial and natural stone, as well as any tiles, mosaics, both inside and outside the building. Adheres firmly to surfaces: gypsum fiber and gypsum board sheets, cellular concrete, gypsum and cement plasters.

Liquid Nails. Finishing arches in an apartment with stone can also be done using liquid nails - strong adhesive. It is convenient because it is applied pointwise to stone tiles with a gun, sets quickly and is suitable for many types of surfaces:

polyurethane;
tree;
glass;
metal;
drywall;
cement and gypsum plaster.

Putty. In addition to the listed means, you can use gypsum finishing putty to glue stone to drywall. It can also be used to edit joints at corners, provided that the stone is installed unpainted. Painting will take place after installation. When installing stone on putty, it is not polymeric ones that have proven to work well, but simple gypsum mixtures such as “Prospectors”.

Preparation and styling

An ideal surface before installation is required when you want to make torn stone, that is, leave sections of the wall for another decorative finishing. But plasterboard arches are most often initially smooth, so it is not necessary to putty on the corners and cover the screws. The stone will hide it all anyway. If you decide to lay decorative stone with your own hands, then initially the plasterboard arch should be primed before work. For this you can use a deep penetration primer, but ideally it is better to use contact concrete for priming. This special primer contains tiny particles of quartz sand and dries to leave a rough base. After such treatment, the adhesion of the arched opening to any finishing material increases.

It is better to start decorating the arch with decorative stone from the bottom of one of the sides. Gypsum tiles can be easily sawed into the required pieces with a regular hacksaw. If you have corner elements, they will perfectly complement the corners of the arch. If they are not there, then the stone is laid first on the inside of the arched opening, and then on both sides of the facade. To obtain the required fragment of torn stone for the front side, you need to saw off a piece slightly bigger size, than required for the front part. And then simply break it off with your hands or pliers on one side in the form of a broken stone. And stick it. This work is creative and requires attentiveness and a sense of proportion. Especially if the stone is installed already painted. Proper comparison of all stone fragments is the key to ensuring that an arch lined with decorative stone will look harmonious.

Painting options

After installation, the adhesive composition is given a day to dry. And then you can start painting (if the stone is white). For coloring, you can use various colors and dry pigments. They are diluted in water and applied to the stone with a brush or spray gun, and an airbrush is used to remove individual darker segments. It is recommended to first create a base color, that is, the main color of the stone. In order for the design of an arch in a hallway or kitchen made of decorative stone to fit into the overall picture of the room, it is necessary to select colors that are close or several tones darker or lighter than the color of the walls in the room.

Painting stone with tinted paint is not recommended, especially if the stone is porous. Because the paint clogs the pores and the relief gets lost. It spoils quite a lot appearance arches. Most the best option- namely pigments or colors diluted with water. The water will immediately be absorbed into the plaster, and the color will remain outside without damaging the stone relief. And the arch in stone looks as natural as possible.

Applying varnish for protection

In conclusion, I would like to talk about the finishing of artificial stone. An arch trimmed with decorative stone requires a protective coating. To avoid future absorption of moisture by gypsum stone, it is necessary to impregnate it with water-repellent compounds. They not only protect the stone from moisture, but also reduce the likelihood of mold damage to the stone. The artificial stone is cleaned of dust and the water repellent is applied with a brush in two layers.

Acrylic varnish can be used to protect decorative stone. This is a ready-made aqueous dispersion of milky color with a slight odor. After this varnish has dried, a transparent, durable film forms on the gypsum stone, and the stone can be wiped with a damp sponge. The varnish is absolutely harmless and does not emit harmful substances. If necessary, acrylic varnish can be diluted with water and applied with a spray gun, spray gun or airbrush.

This varnish is produced in three versions: matte, semi-matte and glossy. When choosing, it is worth considering that glossy varnish will give the effect of shine on the stone, it will give the impression that the stone is wet. Semi-matte acrylic varnish will only reflect slightly. But matte varnish, unlike previous options, will protect the stone from moisture and will not change its color. This option is suitable for those who want to achieve a natural color when finishing.

Some people think that if they bought a painted stone, then it is already ready and there is no need to further process it after installation. But that's not true. After all, it is impossible to say with certainty how the stone was processed during production. Therefore, when finishing the interior arch with decorative stone is finished, it is recommended to brush over the protective coating again. This will not only clog the pores of the gypsum stone and prevent moisture from being absorbed into it, but will also add strength to the tile.

Decorating a doorway in a living room or hallway in the form of a large arch has been popular in our country for decades. This gives the interior individuality and special charm. However, you should not leave the arch without additional cladding - modern finishing materials can emphasize the beauty of this design element. Today we will tell you how to decorate an arch with decorative stone.

Finishing two arches in one room with decorative stone in an identical way

Decorative stone for finishing work is a material with virtually no disadvantages. Artificial in itself, it consists of components such as cement, pumice, expanded clay and others, which are environmentally friendly. Corrosion, putrefactive processes or fungus cannot occur on decorative stone. Moreover, in comparison with natural stone This material is cheaper and lighter in weight.

A variety of colors, textures and imitations of decorative stone in construction stores

When decorating arches, artificial stone exhibits the following advantages:

Easy to care for;

To clean the surface, you only need water and any non-abrasive detergent.

Many options for textures and colors;

The production of artificial stone is quite common, and today consumers can choose the appropriate option for any interior. Excellent imitation of natural analogues in color and texture allows you to create cladding that is indistinguishable from natural stone finishing.

Fairly simple installation of the material;

The process of covering a surface with artificial stone is completely simple, so you can handle it yourself.

Protection for arch corners.

Artificial stone covering the corner of the junction of the wall and the internal opening will perfectly resist various mechanical damage.

Corners lined with artificial stone are perfectly protected from mechanical damage

Stages of finishing an arch with artificial stone

If the pressing question for you is how to decorate an arch with stone, and moreover, if you decide to do the installation yourself, the following recommendations will be useful.

Preparation for work

The preparatory stage of work consists of choosing material, purchasing necessary tools and preparation of the arch surface.

Selection of decorative stone;

To decorate the arch you should choose thin and narrow plates of artificial stone

Usually the shape of the slabs is chosen in the form of thin narrow rectangles; such proportions will look best on the opening. Often the surface of walls (and arches) is leveled using plasterboard, which necessitates installation lightweight material, and thin plates are the ideal option here.

Another advantage of this form of stone is that if you arrange the tiles vertically, this will visually increase the height of the arched opening. In addition, in rounded arches such material is easier to attach.

Small plates of artificial stone are easier to use in finishing a semicircular arch

Required tools for installation;

To decorate an arch with decorative stone, in addition to the material itself, you will need:

putty;
primer composition;
masonry mortar or liquid nails;
putty knife;
angle grinder;
plumb line or level;
pencil;
sandpaper (or file).

Preparing the arch surface.

It is necessary that the surface of the arched opening be smooth. If this is not the case, then the defects in the walls should be smoothed out - cracks and depressions should be filled with putty, and bulges should be sanded.

Careful preparation of the arch surface before finishing with artificial stone is necessary

In the case of a flat surface, notches are made on it using a small hatchet or similar tool. This will increase the adhesion of the applied materials.

It is also imperative that the entire area on which the stone will be applied must be cleaned of dirt and stains. Then the surface is primed, and you can proceed directly to installation.

To follow the correct technology for cladding an arch with stone, surface priming is required.

Technology of facing an arch with stone

Depending on the chosen design, the sequence of installation of materials on the surface of the opening may be different. Typically, installation begins from the bottom up from the junction of the opening and the wall.

The first plate is attached to the surface, leveled or plumb and fixed. Then adjacent plates in a row are fastened in the same way. When the first row is laid out, the installation of the second row begins. Usually, seams are left between the elements - about 4-5 millimeters. To keep them even, you can use special plastic dividers.

Beginning of installation of artificial stone on the surface of the arch from bottom to top

It is worth considering that when installing a stone on the inner surface of an arch, the element must protrude outward by the size of its thickness. This will allow you to decorate the external walls with overlapping material and avoid the need to mask the corners.

To accurately cut the required length of the plate, first it is applied to the wall, and on the inside, markings are made with a pencil directly along the arc of the arch - this will be the cutting line. The exact size of the tile is especially important when installing decorative stone on an arched arched opening.

The most important question that worries inexperienced craftsmen is how to properly cut a plate of artificial stone. There are two common methods - using pliers and a handsaw.

In the first case, on the cut line made with a pencil, you need to draw it several times with pressure with a construction knife. Then everything that is unnecessary is simply bitten off with pliers, and the uneven edge of the plate is sanded with a file or sandpaper.

After marking, the excess part of the artificial stone is bitten off with pliers along the line

As a rule, already mounted material is cut with a hand saw directly on the surface. This method has its own nuances. Firstly, it is only suitable for plates installed vertically or horizontally and glued to a solution containing gypsum (in cases where the stone was mounted on cement, a circular saw is used for cutting). Secondly, some experience is required when working with a hand saw - if the material is damaged, then replacing one damaged element will be almost impossible.

The last stage of installing decorative stone on an arch is sealing the tile joints. About a day after the completion of laying the material, the gaps between the plates are filled with a special solution. To lay the grout into the seams, use either a rubber spatula or a construction syringe (gun). To make the seams look neat, they should be smoothed with a brush.

Filling the seams between artificial stone plates using a construction syringe

Important! Despite its high strength, artificial stone can be damaged during finishing work. Therefore, do not press too hard on the material or bend it.

If you cannot imagine the result of such a design of an arched opening, we offer you a photo of arches, the finishing of which was done using decorative stone. We are sure that among them you will definitely find a suitable option for your home or apartment.

home > Ear