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Arches with stone trim. Proper finishing of the slopes of the front door with a decorative stone: photo. Surface and material preparation

There are many options for how to make the interior original and attractive. One solution is to create a beautiful arch from the doorway. But such a design by itself may not be enough. In some cases, you can not do without a spectacular finish. And for this, artificial stone is very often used.

About arches

The arch is an architectural element that plays the role of an opening in the interior. It is known that there are references to the first arches from the times of the Ancient East.

Given such a long history, it is not possible to know the reasons for the creation of arched structures. For a very long time, the building was built of stone and brick. It is already in our days that drywall, wood, plywood, as well as OSB, chipboard or fiberboard have been added to this list.

About decorative stone

This material is not just a great way to decorate the interior, it perfectly performs a protective function. Therefore, he was so fond of designers. Of course, if an artificial stone is used indoors, then its protective functions are reduced to resisting only accidental mechanical damage. And this material is used pointwise in the interior, the maximum that can be finished in one room is a wall. But most often the material is used as an addition to existing elements.

Benefits of a stone arch

This design option has almost no drawbacks. After all, the material does not rot, does not corrode and fungus. Decorative artificial stone consists of environmentally friendly components, therefore it is safe for health.

Why not use natural material? The fact is that, firstly, it is very expensive, and secondly, not all structures can withstand the weight of natural stone. The same granite is three times heavier than its artificial counterpart.

There are a number of other advantages of this approach:

  • no special care is required - any detergent that does not contain abrasives will do;
  • you can use an artificial analogue of any natural stone - manufacturers began to make a very high-quality imitation;
  • decorating stone arches with your own hands does not require special skills, so the procedure is easy.

Materials for creating a structure

Creating a stone arch in an apartment requires the use of a specific list of materials that need to be prepared in advance:

  • the decorative stone itself;
  • pencil;
  • sandpaper;
  • primer;
  • mortar or glue;
  • grout for seams.

Instruction

Finishing the arch with decorative stone starts from the traditional stage of surface preparation. It is necessary to smooth out the bumps using sandpaper, and then putty them using a pre-primer.

Preparation of the adhesive solution

You can lay a decorative stone on a special glue, on a cement-sand mortar or on liquid nails.

The quality of adhesion of the finishing material to the base depends on the roughness of the back side of the tile and the quality of the adhesive mixture. If the solution needs to be prepared on its own, this should be done in small portions, since it sets quickly enough, losing its properties. You need to mix the powder and water in a convenient capacious container using a mixer (it can be a drill with a special nozzle). You need to mix until you get the consistency of thick sour cream.

Laying

Laying is done from the bottom up. You need to start from the corner of the opening-wall. The seam should be left approximately 4-5 mm. If corner stones are used, they must be glued from below. If flat ones are used, laying should be done with an overlap.

During the procedure, do not forget to check the horizontal laying. On an arc, elements can be trimmed to meet the required radius. This can be done with wire cutters or a grinder with a special nozzle.

The edges must be sanded with a file. When the finish is finished, you need to wait for the mortar or glue to dry. After that, you need to do the refinement of the seams. For these purposes, we use a grout of the appropriate color. To perform the procedure, it is better to use a construction syringe. Otherwise, you can use a rubber spatula. You can make the tool yourself. To do this, cut off a square piece of polyethylene, fold it in the form of a cone, fix it with tape. The tip of this element must be cut so that the resulting size corresponds to the size of the seams between the stones.

Next, one of these tools needs to press the grout into the seams in order to completely fill them. In this case, everything must be done carefully so that the material does not get on the front of the products. It remains to wait until the grout dries - the decorative stone arch is ready.

Seamless laying

In this case, the tiles are laid tightly to each other, so finishing the arch with artificial stone requires painstaking work. Glue or mortar is applied to the stone. If the laying is done from top to bottom, you can get a smooth border with clear lines.

Since the edges of the finishing material are well prepared, no pick-up time is required when laying, so the procedure is carried out quickly. At the end, the surface can be opened with an impregnation that will repel water and protect against the effects of chemicals.

Stone arch is inexpensive, but looks great

The design of the arch with a stone allows you to give this element of the interior more expressiveness and style. The room takes on a more refined and attractive look. This option looks especially good in the corridors and living rooms. In a word, the effect of such a finish is amazing, as you can see by looking at the photos of the options.

Currently, such an industry as private construction is developing very actively. Over the past decade, new finishing materials have been introduced into practice. One of them is a decorative artificial stone. It is used for decoration of various premises and structures. It has received wide application for finishing arches. Today, arches are often used in the construction of houses instead of simple doors. They are oval or semicircular openings that can be hung with curtains or be open.

The arch is a complex structure that requires compliance with strict technology when decorating and repairing. Decorative stone is great for lining the arch, as it has good performance and has a sufficient range depending on the design. Most often, a stone made to look like marble or granite is used to decorate the arch. It is important to know that the architectural features of the design itself and the interior of the room should be taken into account. Let us consider in more detail how to lay out an arch with a decorative stone, the main advantages of the stone.

Preparatory work

Before you directly start decorating the arch with a decorative stone, you need to carefully prepare the surface. First you need to clean it from paint, varnish using sandblasting, grinding. Of great importance is its external examination. This is important in the presence of cracks or other defects. After that, you need to level it with putty and apply a primer. If you stick a stone on a dusty and dirty surface, this can lead to the fact that it will soon fall off, since the adhesion to the surface will not be of high quality. The next stage of work is the choice of the necessary material. If, for example, the arch is made of drywall, then it is advisable to use narrow plates for cladding, they are better suited for the curved surface of the arch. It is not recommended to use heavy, large stones, as they can spoil, deform the structure.

It is necessary to take into account the color and configuration of the stone. It is optimal to use brighter colors so that they stand out against the background of the arch itself. Currently, decorative stone can be selected in almost any shape and color, it all depends on the taste of the builder. The size of the stone tile should be equal to the radius of the arch. Otherwise, you may need a grinder to cut it into several pieces.

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Preparation of cement mortar

To make an arch of decorative stone, you will need a solution to fix the material. It can be prepared on the basis of sand, cement, lime and glue. It is advisable to use liquid nails. The composition of such a cement mortar is determined by the type of stone. The classic version of the solution includes components such as Portland cement, sand, lime and glue. The exact ratio of components depends on the decorative stone itself, so it is advisable to consult with experts in this matter. You can use ready-made adhesive masses. Glue based on a mixture of PVA and gypsum, mounting, acrylic is well suited.

The fact that the stone will be laid with the jointing or not is also important. If the surface of the arch is sufficiently even and the jointing is not provided, then mounting glue will do. In the presence of jointing and irregularities, a cement-adhesive mortar is best suited.

It is applied with a notched trowel in an even layer on the surface of the arch several millimeters thick.

The following adhesive compositions are most widely used: Ceresit CM 11, Ceresit CM 17, Ceresit CM 115, Litokol K 80, Kreps-super and others. The adhesive base should be thick and plastic, not dry.

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Technology of laying decorative stone

After all the preparatory work, you can begin to lay the stone on the arch. The most optimal method is without jointing, that is, the plates are attached close to each other. Start the first row first. The very first stone is fixed in the place where the arch meets the adjoining wall. At the same time, the artificial finishing material must be applied very tightly, especially if cement mortar is used. This is done in such a way that the excess solution is squeezed out around the entire perimeter of the stone. The material is fixed with the flat side inward, and the convex outward. This technology ensures good tightness of the seams. If necessary (if the stone is large), it is sawn and processed with a grinder. In this case, it is recommended to place the trimmed tile so that the cut is not visible.

Work on laying the first stones on the arch is carried out from below. You need to make sure that the laying is even. To do this, you need to have a building level available. The second row is also laid at the junction with the wall. But in this case, the first stone protrudes beyond the junction of the wall to the width of the facing tile. Thus, the stones are overlapped at the outer corners in a checkerboard pattern. In the place where the arch begins to round, you need to attach the finishing stones to the wall and cut them along the contour of the arc. After that, using a pencil, mark the stone protruding along the edge of the arch from its inner side and cut it off as well. If there are irregularities during trimming, they must be removed with sandpaper.

A very important point is the interior decoration of the arch. It is carried out using the same technology. In the event that the length of the stone slab is greater than the opening of the arch, then it is cut off. If the stone is made of gypsum, then a hand saw is suitable for these purposes, if it is made of cement, a circular saw. At the end of all the work, you need to wait about 2 days so that the material is finally fixed and the structure becomes strong. The seams are cleaned and filled with a special solution, then smoothed with a spatula or brush. There must be no mortar residue left on the facing side. If necessary, the stone can be painted in any color.

The arch, as one of the design methods, is usually installed in the transition between the hallway and the living room.

This is, in fact, the first element of decor design that can surprise the guests who have come.

Now arched structures are very popular, they have a variety of shapes, sizes and designs.

Finishing the arch with decorative stone is the most popular way to make it more functional, sophisticated and trendy.

Arch decoration, what to choose?

You can decorate the arch in several ways: with plastic panels, with a wooden opening.

But all of them are no longer relevant: they are not environmentally friendly, because they do not let air through, plaster is very susceptible to mechanical stress, and wood does not always meet the high requirements of trendy design.

To date, the most popular way to decorate arches is to decorate them with artificial stone, which has a lot of advantages compared to natural.

In addition to everything, it has a high wear resistance of the surface and is able to retain its original appearance for a long time.

Artificial is better than natural!

Perhaps such a statement can be perplexing, since there is a general opinion that natural is always better than artificial, but not in this case.

Firstly, the artificial (decorative) material is one hundred percent natural and consists of expanded clay, pumice, cement and other natural fillers, and is only obtained in an industrial, artificial way.

It is strong, durable and no less beautiful.

Secondly, there are several advantages of decorative stone over natural:

  • It is almost three times lighter than its natural counterpart, which allows the use of artificial material on arched structures of different strengths;
  • Available for purchase on the construction market and is several times cheaper than natural;
  • The shape, texture, color can exactly repeat the popular types of natural stones used in decoration;
  • Ease of maintenance of the decorated surface;
  • Even an amateur can decorate an arched space with such material, the product is malleable during trimming and grinding sharp corners.

Thirdly, the material is immune to high humidity, temperature extremes, the effects of fungus, corrosion and decay.

This certainly makes it a leader among similar ones when choosing a product for room decor.

The main stages of work: where to start?

When decorating an arched space with artificial decor, there are three main stages:

  • Preparation of the working surface of the wall and working equipment;
  • Basic work on finishing the inner and outer surface of the arch;
  • Surface decoration.

The first stage includes preparing the base for laying artificial stone and the necessary working equipment.

In the first case, special care is not required, the main thing is that the surface be cleaned of dust and primed.

For better bonding of the adhesive, wall and decor, notches are applied to the base of the wall before laying the layer.

To work, you will need the following tools and materials:

  • Priming composition;
  • Mortar or construction adhesive;
  • Grout for seams;
  • Auxiliary tools (pencil, ruler, sandpaper, plastic spatula, construction syringe).

It should be borne in mind that the cement mortar (glue), its composition and proportions, must correspond to the selected type of material.

The second stage is the decoration of the arch with decorative stone, in a word, its laying on the prepared surface.

The first row of material is formed at the junction of the arch and the wall according to the “bottom up” principle, the second according to the same principle, but in a checkerboard pattern.

The complexity of the work of the second stage lies in applying decorative elements to the arched shape of the arch with the designation of additional markings of the required radius.

As well as trimming the product according to the intended pattern, followed by grinding the cut edges.

The time for drying the adhesive layer depends on the type of solution chosen, most often it is about two days.

Artificial stone can be laid out in two ways: without seams and with jointing.

In the case of using the second method, after the glue has completely dried, the gaps between the tiles are rubbed with a construction syringe or a plastic spatula with a special compound.

The third stage of finishing work is decorating the surface, that is, giving it a finished look.

It is important to remember that the applied adhesive composition must dry completely, otherwise, when processing the seams, the carefully laid out chess pattern may be violated.

Decoration includes: primary processing of seams with a composition for grouting gaps between products, giving the finished surface the desired shade with an airbrush.

Also cleaning the masonry from excess glue and grout, surface treatment with polishing and water-repellent agents.

Laying of artificial stone can be carried out on a special construction adhesive, cement and sand mortar or liquid nails, the adhesive base is selected depending on the type of wall surface and the type of decorative product.

When self-preparing the adhesive solution, it is necessary to use it in small portions, otherwise it may dry out and partially lose its properties.

You should not immediately lay an artificial stone, first you need to mix it together from several different packages.

The decorative finishing stone certainly has its fans. After all, this is a practical, beautiful material, the laying of which can be done even by a non-professional.

The variety of textures and a wide range of colors of the stone will help you decorate the interior in various styles, create coziness and comfort in your apartment or private house. The most widely used facing material is in the decoration of walls, columns, kitchen "aprons", niches and doorways, including arches.

For interior work, gypsum-based artificial stone is most often used. It is lightweight (much lighter than concrete analogues), breathable, environmentally friendly material with high performance characteristics.

Today we will dwell in more detail on the decoration of arches and doorways with decorative stone.

Types of decorative stone

  • decorative brick

Brick of a natural shade is a popular material in the interior in the loft style. Brick-like tile imitates brickwork. A brick arch looks good in combination with dark-colored ceiling beams in a country-style interior.

White brick will make the room more romantic and light. Suitable for interiors in Scandinavian, Mediterranean and vintage style, and of course in Provence style.

  • shell rock, sandstone

Facing tiles made of shell rock will fill the interior with light and warmth. The warm colors and porous surface go well with columns in antique-style interiors.

  • limestone

Limestone tile or its imitation is distinguished by texture and a variety of shades: from white to brown.

  • river stone

This cladding looks very brutal, reminiscent of a medieval castle or the entrance to a cave. A large stone is suitable for the interior in the style of "chalet" and in the Gothic style.

When looking for suitable options, it is useful to study the catalogs of finishing materials. Finished products made of natural stone include dozens of different items, skillfully combining which, you will get a harmonious interior designed in your own style.

Making an opening with a stone has a number of advantages. Firstly, it is the protection of the side surfaces and outer corners from abrasion and dirt. Secondly, this finish is more durable.

Thirdly, the opening or arch takes on an interesting look, can become an accent in the interior or emphasize its general style.

Finishing the doorway with artificial stone will help to visually unite the hallway with the living space, it looks great in combination with decorative plaster or smoothly painted walls.

Decorating openings, arches and walls with natural or artificial stone provides ample opportunities for the flight of design ideas in interior design. The light pastel colors of the stone are in harmony with various frescoes.

A long corridor can be visually “divided” into sectors with the help of arches lined with stone, and “expanded” by decorating the walls with mirrors.

Performing decorative stone work

Artificial analogues of decorative stone attract the buyer with their affordable price, and in appearance they almost do not differ from natural material. You can also save money if you perform cladding work without involving specialists.

For it is necessary to select light material, and narrow tiles are easier to lay on the arched (vaulted) surface of the opening.

The composition of the adhesive solution directly depends on the material chosen for the finish. It is necessary to knead the glue, following the instructions on the package. Use a special mixer for kneading so that the structure of the solution is uniform and plastic.

The surface of the walls must be clean and treated with a primer. For better adhesion with glue, some experts recommend making notches on the wall.

The glue is evenly applied with a spatula both on the wall at the place of gluing and on the back side of the tile. The layer thickness should not exceed 5-10 mm.

After attaching the tile to the wall, press it and seal it with a rubber mallet, tapping on the surface. Carefully remove excess glue around the edges with a spatula. The drying time of the glue is about a day or two.

Decorative facing stone can be laid in two ways: with and without jointing. When laying grouted tiles, use plastic crosses or wooden wedges of the desired thickness.

Grouting is usually done with a solution using a special syringe. After some time (20-30 minutes), after setting the solution, the seams are smoothed with a spatula for jointing.

At the end of the masonry, after the grout has dried, it is recommended to clean the artificial stone from dust and cover it with a transparent water-based acrylic varnish, for less abrasion of the surface during operation.

Subject to the sequence of work, the decoration of arches and openings, however, as well as the decoration of walls, is within the power of any person who has the desire and at least some skills in repair. Without hiring builders, you can transform your house in a short time by decorating it with stone.

Content:

Finishing the arch with decorative stone: a solid look and decoration of the interior opening

Finishing arches with decorative stone - Photo 1

An arched opening between rooms is an interesting option for decorating a home or office interior. Unusual in form, the entrance to the room, rounded from above, is associated for us either with a triumphal procession, or with a portal at the junction of two worlds. Additional decoration of the arch with decorative stone gives this architectural element even more solidity and emphasizes the originality of the style. From the proposed article, you can learn how to correctly and beautifully decorate the arch with a stone.

Ways to decorate interior arches

Designers offer us different ways to decorate the arch. Among them, the options for decorating with wood panels, plaster moldings, or even forged metal parts look especially interesting. In the context of the general style of interior design, any of the finishing methods will look quite attractive. But nothing can replace the durability and beauty of natural stone. This natural material can claim the first place in the decoration of arched openings.

Arches made of decorative stone - Photo 2 Arches made of decorative stone - Photo 3 Finishing arches with stone - Photo 4 Finishing arches with stone - Photo 5

In some cases, it is permissible to use artificial finishing materials that imitate natural decorative stone to decorate the arch.

What to choose natural or artificial decorative stone?

Lovers of everything natural, without fake, prefer materials from real natural stone, no matter what it costs them. A very interesting in texture, unique surface is demonstrated by such rocks as sandstone, tuff, shell rock and some others. The delicate color and intricate patterns of marble have been valued for their special beauty for more than one millennium.

Arch trimmed with decorative stone - Photo 6

Architectural details finished with granite impress with their majesty.
At the same time, an artificial decorative stone has no less right to exist. Compared to natural, it even has some advantages, since it is less expensive and is able to imitate any rock.

Artificial decorative stone is made from environmentally friendly components such as cement, pumice and expanded clay. To give it the desired color, mineral pigments are added during manufacture. After drying and firing, the decorative stone acquires a hardness that is in no way inferior to natural material.

Finishing stone arches in the apartment - Photo 7

The weight of artificial stone is much less than real granite, marble or slate. This important quality provides him with an additional priority among finishing materials of this kind.

Preparing for laying decorative stone

In order to finish the arch with a decorative stone, you do not need special professional knowledge. It will be enough to stock up on the appropriate tools, including:

  • Cutting tool such as "grinder" or hand saw;
  • Construction knife;
  • Chisel or small pick;
  • Hammer, pliers, spatula;
  • Plumb and level;
  • Sandpaper.

The facing stone must be cut in advance in the form of thin tiles so as not to create difficulties during work.

Stages of work

  1. Prepare the surface for laying decorative stone tiles. Make a notch on the wall and apply a primer so that the glue or cement mortar will hold on tight. The surface must be carefully leveled and free from dust.
  2. Prepare a solution to which you will glue the stone. Traditionally, it may consist of Portland cement with the addition of sifted sand, lime and some PVA glue. It is permissible to use special grades of glue or “liquid nails” instead of cement mortar.
  3. Start laying out the stone tiles from below, from the junction of the arched opening with the floor. Apply a sufficient layer of mortar or glue to the wall with a spatula and press the stone against it. Try not to press hard on the stone tiles so that cracks do not form.
  4. Level each next row of stone and install using plastic crosses. Don't rush to complete all the work in one go. It is better to take a break, having reached half the height, so that the lower rows have time to “grab”.
  5. When you get to the rounding of the arched arch, you will have to cut the stone to give the tiles the desired shape. If you do this manually, then you will need to carefully walk along the marking line with a construction knife, and then remove the excess edges with pliers. Irregularities will have to be processed with sandpaper.
  6. When laying stone tiles on the inner surface of the arch, you should follow the same work technology. It is only necessary to more carefully monitor compliance with the dimensions of the facing material.

Video instruction for laying artificial stone

The final stage

When you finish decorating the arch with decorative stone, you will need to stop working for about two days. Such a period is necessary for the reliable fastening of all elements of the stone cladding.

Only after the proper time has passed will it be possible to fill the tile joints with cement mortar or grout. At the same time, try not to allow drops of the solution to fall on the outer surface of the stone. It is better to avoid unnecessary pollution right away than to make efforts to eliminate them later. Remove excess solution with a wet sponge or cloth.

Interior arch trimmed with stone - Photo 8 Interior arch trimmed with stone - Photo 9 Arch decoration with decorative stone - Photo 10 Arch decoration with decorative stone - Photo 11