Decorative stone for outdoor decoration

Decorative stone has been used for exterior decoration for quite a long time. This material makes it possible to impart an aristocratic polish to an unsightly building, or, conversely, to make the new building old, to award it with a "story." Depending on the financial capabilities of the owners for the decoration of the house using natural and artificial decorative stone. Both materials have a set of advantages and are not without drawbacks. Compare the options, consider the types of surface textures, their stylistic identity and methods of laying.

Advantages and disadvantages of decorative stone for facade cladding

The term "decorative" often means artificial material. In fact, this definition applies to any kind of stone that serves as a decoration for the facade of a house. Natural also belongs to this category, because it is used only in the form of facing, and not building material.

Let's try to compare both options:

• Artificial decorative stone looks almost no different from natural. Modern production technologies allow reproducing the natural texture to the smallest veins. Also imitations have a wider range of colors. Rare shades adorn the surface of natural stone, which is very expensive.
• For the price, imitation again wins against a natural stone. For the original will have to pay much more.
• The natural stone will serve many times longer, than artificial. Manufacturers are trying to apply the latest developments, but they still haven’t succeeded in equalizing the operational terms of imitation and the original.
• Artificial stone is lighter than natural. It is easier to fix on the walls. Original material is not recommended to veneer surfaces with a height of more than 0.5 m. Natural stone can fall off at all, and creates an additional load on the walls.
• Only a professional can distinguish an artificial stone from the natural "by eye". However, not all manufacturers can boast of good faith: some imitations are so poorly “stuck together” that even a knife on their surface can leave scratches and dents.

Sometimes decorative products made of soft materials (plastic, plaster, foam) are referred to as decorative stone finishes. For cladding the facade they are not suitable at all.

By the way, both artificial and natural stone can be used for interior decorating. The material is covered with walls entirely or their separate areas (around the entrance door or window openings), decorative niches, fireplaces.

Types of decorative stone for outdoor work

As mentioned above, there are two large groups of stone used for outdoor work:

• Natural;
• Artificial.

Each group includes dozens of varieties that are united only by origin: made by human hands or obtained by natural means. Consider the most popular options.

Natural

Representatives of the group of natural stones that are constantly on the ear: granite, marble, sandstone, shell rock, travertine, limestone and dolomite. Let's talk about each of them in more detail:

• Granite. Magnificently beautiful natural material whose deposits are rich in Russia, Ukraine, India and China. Granite wear-resistant and frost-resistant. He proved himself as a material for monuments. As you know, steles are constantly on the street and are subject to constant testing by weather conditions. If there were no cracks on the granite slab, then the material will last for more than a hundred years. If there were damages, then over time water will begin to collect in them, which in a frozen state will expand the rift and the granite fragment will split. The material has a rich assortment of colors, depending on the percentage of impurities in the stone (from gray, greenish to brown). The most popular is considered absolute black - black granite, mined in India. It is not necessary to rank gabbro or gabbro diabase in this breed. These are dolerites, which are mined only in Australia, Ukraine and Russia. An igneous rock looks similar to granite (black with rare patches of gray or green), but belongs to another group of stones.

• Marble. Externally beautiful, exquisite material, which is inferior to granite in durability, but gains from it, if we compare the range of colors and textures. Marble cannot be treated with certain types of acids. The material is more loose than granite. Over time, its surface can cover ugly stains (from rain or wet sticking soil), which do not wash anything.

• Sandstone. Formed at the bottom of dried reservoirs from layers of compressed sand. Lightweight material, the life of which is inferior to granite or marble. The sandstone surface even after thorough polishing remains slightly rough. The stone is rather fragile, but with brilliance it withstands the test of high humidity and frost. Provides a high level of additional noise insulation.

• Cockleshell. The breed is formed from the remains of mollusks, which for hundreds of years have been crumbling and caking on the seabed. The material is lightweight, porous, has a low thermal conductivity. Its surface, even with high-quality grinding, has a characteristic texture with dents, from which petrified ammonites sometimes “look out”. Shell is often erected at home. The stone is sold in the form of blocks or tiles. The shell is impossible to set on fire. Over the long years of stay on the seabed, it is saturated with salt water and iodine. Shellfish is not only environmentally friendly, but also useful for human material.

• Travertine or tibursky stone. It is a light, porous rock. It has an original texture and an assortment of colors within shades of brown, gray or white. Some types of travertine vaguely resemble marble surfaces.

• Limestone. It refers to the "marine" rocks, which are formed from the caking of the remains of living organisms, quartz, silicon, phosphate and particles of sand, clay. The material is very malleable: it is easy to cut and shape. Limestone is light, often used to finish not only the foundation, but also the entire facade of the building. In terms of operation slightly inferior to sandstone.

• Dolomite. Although the material is durable, it is quite flexible, and while cutting the slab into fragments one should be careful, as it is easy to get cracks. Dolomite is colored in shades of brown (from yellowish to coffee with milk).

Also for outdoor work sometimes use basalt, quartzite, slate. The surface of one of the varieties of the latter is dotted with small shiny splashes that glitter play in the sun.

The frightening information that granite and marble "fonate" does not deserve attention. The material, before it goes on sale, must pass certification. The radioactivity of a stone is indicated in this document, which is attached to a quality product.

Artificial

The group of artificial stone includes the following types:

• Clinker and ceramic facade;
• Agglomerates;
• Concrete;
• Acrylic.

Clinker is produced by firing refractory clay. In terms of strength, it is not inferior to natural stone and will last more than one year. Ceramic stone for facades made from feldspar, clay, sand with the addition of pigments. For exterior work choose the facade option, as it has a special strength and frost resistance. Concrete stone is cast from the same material, so it can be safely used for laying garden paths or decorating the facade of the house. Agglomerates (quartz composites) are obtained from quartz and polyester resins by pressing. The content of natural filler in this material is the highest, so according to its characteristics it is as close as possible to the natural analogue. Quartz composites mimic the surface of marble and granite exactly, but they are several times lower. Acrylic stone is more often used for worktops and surfaces for furnishings. Elastic and malleable material for facade decoration is rarely used.

Tips for choosing a stone

Decorative stone (both artificial and natural) for outdoor work must meet certain requirements: be frost-resistant, moisture-proof and heat-resistant. It is desirable that the material additionally possesses fire resistance. This will significantly reduce the risk of building fire. In the natural stone should not be cracks, through holes and other defects.

If they exist, the fragment will sooner or later crack. When it comes to granite or marble, the surface of the rock should be perfectly smooth. Artificial stone bona fide manufacturers necessarily carefully paint over not only outside but also inside. The second nuance can be checked by looking at the side cut of a tile or panel. Be sure to request from the manufacturer certificates of conformity for the goods. If not, then you can leave the store immediately. Traditionally, the thickness of the stone for finishing work does not exceed 4 cm.

Choice of stone color

Natural stone does not have a uniform color. On its surface there will necessarily be small inclusions. The more uniform the color and less impurities, the more expensive the material. The main color range of natural stone - gray-brown and white. Of course, marble or granite may have a greenish, reddish, pinkish tint or, in general, be black with silvery streaks. Slate, for example, has a dark gray "asphalt" color. For an artificial stone there are no restrictions in color scale. Some manufacturers experiment with shades and offer consumers even unexpected orange, rich blue, purple or green tones.

Each style has its own stone

The slate is suitable for houses whose facades are decorated in the style of high-tech. The same direction is well combined with granite and marble of certain colors. However, these materials have been used for quite some time, therefore they are suitable for classicism. English mansions were traditionally built of stone. To stylize a country house under the British ethnics, use torn sandstone or slate. For antique and colonial style exterior trim is suitable limestone or shell rock. The facades of dolomite look good in the style of Provence and a number of ethnic areas. Sandstone harmonizes with modern potpourri-directions: fusion and eclecticism.

Features of facing the facade with natural stone

Natural stone due to the large weight creates an additional load on the walls. This has already been mentioned above. The whole process of facing works is conventionally divided into several stages:

• Surface preparation;
• Laying stone fragments;
• Finishing grout stitches.

Let's talk about each of the stages in more detail.

Wall preparation

To begin with, the walls are cleaned of the layer of old decorative material (if any) and dirt. If the surface is smooth, then you can not do without a reinforcing mesh. For walls made of brick, the edges of which will provide an additional hitch, you can not resort to additional reinforcement. In other cases, the reinforcing mesh is still needed. It is fixed on the surface with the help of dowels throughout the decorated area. Consumption of fasteners will be approximately 10 pcs. per square meter.

Material preparation and stone laying on the wall

To begin to measure the starting level. Laying the first stones should be on the corners. Between the two elements pull the thread. It will become a guideline for the correct location of the fragments. This rule applies only to smooth rows. If the styling is chaotic, then these subtleties are not needed at all. Then start laying out rows. The reverse side of each stone is necessarily coated with cement mortar, as well as a section of the wall on which it is fixed. From above, the fragment is tapped with a hammer in order to fix itself better.

The basement is usually trimmed with the same type of stone as the rest of the facade, but a couple of shades are darker. This will hide the spots that the soil will leave during the rainy season.

Grouting

Grouting is carried out after the complete drying of the cement mortar. It is carried out with the help of a special composition, which is diluted in a clean container before work. The grout is applied to the joints using a rubber spatula or a special “bag” that looks like a pastry syringe. Grout is desirable to carry out in the warm season. Frost on the street does not help consolidate the composition.

Features of facade cladding with artificial stone

It is much easier to work with artificial stone than with natural stone. It is less heavy, easier to cut and more malleable, which makes it possible to veneer even elements of a complex configuration. Surface preparation for works with imitation does not differ from a similar stage when laying natural stone. Work with the material is possible only in the warm season, when the temperature does not fall below 5 degrees. But then the most interesting thing begins - the choice of the type of installation:

• With jointing;
• Seamless;
• Without stitching.

Consider the features of each method.

Masonry seamless

When stacked seamlessly, fragments of artificial stone are fitted as closely as possible to each other. It turns out a solid surface, which is almost devoid of joints between the pieces. To achieve a similar effect, acquire elements, the edges of which have no chamfer (bevel). Lubricate only the reverse side of the stones. Excess composition is immediately removed from the surface. During the work, the fragments are adjusted to each other. To do this, use the grinder to cut off excess. Work start with the corners of the traditional pattern.

Masonry without jointing

Artificial stone is represented by identical fragments, like bricks. Pre-lay them are not required. The main thing is to be "ligation": each subsequent row has a shift relative to the previous one. It can be half or a quarter of the length of the fragment rib. In this case, the transverse seams will not be formed, and hence the jointing is not needed. If you use the clutch without "ligation", then the builder risks. Stitching makes it possible to cover the frozen cement with an additional protective layer, which over time can still begin to crumble. Masonry without jointing is used in cases where it is necessary to obtain a slightly rough appearance of the facade, if this is caused by a stylistic decision. For example, for country, this option will be justified.

Conclusion

The facade of the house really transform their own hands. To work with a stone it is not at all necessary to involve a whole brigade of workers and, accordingly, overpay for repairs. Enough couples of volunteers who will give valuable advice and morally support the novice. Although natural stone is an environmentally friendly material and durable, in recent years, more and more consumers prefer imitation. Their relatively short operational life plays into the hands, because after a five-year period, the tired finish can be replaced with a new, fresh one that meets the fashionable trends in exterior design. There are also conservatives who adhere to traditional options with expensive granite or luxurious marble. These materials are able to make a "candy" even from a shack.