Decorative stones for the fireplace, natural and artificial stone for facing the fireplace. Artificial Stone for Fireplace

A fireplace in a house or in a country house is a place of attraction for the whole family. Of course, you want it to be beautiful, but practicality also does not interfere - soot and soot, dirt or tar from firewood, all this often ends up on the walls of the portal. For this reason, the surface must be easy to clean. In addition, the finish of the fireplace must be heat-resistant - although the sides of the fireplace do not heat up to such temperatures as a stove, this requirement should not be neglected. Few materials meet these requirements. These are heat-resistant plaster, special types of ceramic tiles and stone - natural or decorative.

Fireplace plaster

Plaster is one of the simple and practical options for decorating a brick fireplace. A few years ago, plastered surfaces were whitewashed or painted. Today it is possible to apply a layer of decorative plaster with different textures on top of ordinary plaster.

Types of plaster for fireplaces

Finishing a fireplace with plaster is popular for the reason that any design can be developed. The second plus - if everything is done correctly, to achieve a smooth surface, the finish is beautiful and durable. For plastering fireplaces, the same compositions are used as for brick ovens. Although the heating temperatures of the surfaces are different, the plaster mixes are made the same. There are two options: make the plaster composition yourself or buy ready-made. If there is no experience with clay and determining its fat content, it is better to buy. Shop plasters for fireplaces and stoves include additives and additives that make the surface more durable, cracks appear less often in it.

As a rule, each manufacturer has two compositions with different properties. The first is basic, for rough finishing. It can be applied in a fairly thick layer - up to 10 mm. After drying, the second layer is laid - the finishing one. It contains more finely ground substances, is applied in a thin layer - usually up to 3 mm, the surface is smooth. Such a surface can already be painted if it is plastered evenly) or decorative plaster can be applied.

If you want to finish the fireplace at a minimum cost, you can make plaster compositions from clay, sand and lime yourself. But, once again, without experience with clay, it is difficult to ensure that home-made plaster does not crack. Compositions for plastering a fireplace for making them with your own hands are different, here are a few proven ones:

• Clay lime:
  • 1 part clay and slaked lime + 2 parts sand;
  • based on slaked lime - into 2 parts of lime, one part of gypsum and sand.
• Cement-clay: one part of clay and cement (M 500) + 2 parts of sand;

In order for the plaster solution for the fireplace to be more durable, reinforcing fibers are added to it. Previously, it was finely chopped straw, later asbestos fibers, and today glass or fiber fibers are mainly added. The proportion of this additive is small - 0.1-0.2 parts. It is added to dry components (cement and sand), everything is mixed. The dry mixture is added to the clay and / or lime dough, again thoroughly mixed, water is added if necessary.

It is better to take lime already slaked, in the form of lime dough. If you extinguish it at home, unreacted particles always remain, which are then extinguished during the operation of the fireplace, destroying the plastered surface. Regarding sand - its amount is precisely selected depending on the fat content of the clay. The solution must be sufficiently plastic. The degree of fat content of the solution is checked with a piece of wood. Dip it in the solution and take it out. If an even layer of 2-3 mm thick remains on the surface, the solution is normal. If the layer is thick and lumpy - you need to add sand, if the stick is almost clean - add clay.

The clay is pre-soaked (2 days or until all the lumps are limp), then rubbed through a metal sieve with a cell of 2 cm.

Quarry sand is needed, it must be clean and dry. It is also sifted before use.

For those who do not want to deal with home-made compositions, here are several companies that produce plaster for fireplaces and stoves. The following compositions proved to be normal:

• Plitonite superfireplace refractory;
• Petromix KU;
• heat-resistant plaster Terracotta;
• Bossnab;
• RSH parade;
• rtner;
• Oven plaster HEFNERPUTZ.

The list includes both domestic producers and European ones. It cannot be said that Russian trains are worse, but it is easier to work with imported ones.

Features of plastering stoves and fireplaces

The technique of applying the solution itself is no different: a certain layer is applied (sprayed) with a spatula or a special bucket, then it is leveled (you can use beacons). The main points are to prepare the surface of the fireplace for plaster:

• First, all the old finishes are removed from the walls, if any - paint, lime, remnants of plaster, mortar, etc. Only a clean brick should remain.
• For better adhesion of the plaster mortar to the surface, the seams are deepened by about 1-1.5 cm. They take a joint, a chisel or a screwdriver and scrape the mortar in the seams.
• All gaps that exist are sealed with a repair compound or heat-resistant sealant (which can withstand heating up to 800 ° C).
• When everything is prepared, take a brush with long bristles and clean the surface well. She must be clean.
• Following are the options:
  • If the surface of the fireplace is relatively flat (less than 5 mm difference), you can wet the walls and start applying the plaster.
  • If, due to the curvature of the surface, the layer has to be made more than 5 mm, reinforcement is necessary. A metal mesh with a small mesh is stuffed onto the walls of the fireplace. It is fastened with nails, which are hammered into the seams (the seams can not be embroidered, or embroidered, but not so deep). In order for the hats to hold the mesh, metal washers are put on that are larger than the cell size. Plaster is applied over this stack. In this case, you can be sure that the plaster will not fall off.

Before you start plastering the fireplace, carefully read the instructions on the pack. It usually describes under what conditions and how to apply plaster. But the masters advise to melt the fireplace, warm the walls to 60 ° C, then moisten the surface and start plastering. The walls are heated so that the brick takes its "working" dimensions. In this case, it is less likely that the plaster will tear when heated. Wetting with water is necessary so that the solution is not too dry: the brick is hygroscopic. If it is dry, it quickly draws water out of the plaster and it becomes too dry, does not harden to normal. The result is cracks on the surface.

A few more points about drying. When plastering a fireplace, at least two layers are applied. The second can be applied only after the first has dried completely. To speed up drying, you can organize a draft, but you can not heat the fireplace. The same applies to the second - finishing - layer.

See the following video for the technology of plastering stoves and fireplaces.

Fireplace tiling and stoneware

Finishing the fireplace with tiles or porcelain stoneware is carried out on a special heat-resistant adhesive. Not every tile is suitable for such work. It should tolerate heat well, be strong, dense (with small pores), and besides, it should be easy to care for.

Decorating a fireplace with ordinary ceramic tiles is a lottery. If you are lucky, it will stand normally, if not, after a while the glaze layer will be covered with a network of the finest cracks. The view will be “not very”, it will be difficult to wash. If possible, it is better to use special materials:

• Terracotta. A tile with an unglazed surface, characterized by a characteristic color, thanks to which it got its name. It has a coefficient of thermal expansion similar to brick, therefore it does not crack.

  

  Terracotta - tiles for finishing fireplaces and stoves

• Majolica. This is the same terracotta tile only with glaze applied to the front side. The technology is more complex, the price is higher. Finishing the fireplace with majolica requires careful sketching - you won’t cut such tiles anymore. It also requires a high qualification of the master - the slightest deviations are striking. Apparently, for this reason, and even because of the very high price, you can often see fireplaces and stoves with fragments of majolica. I must say that these fragments decorate and enliven the interior very much.

  

  Majolica - colorful and beautiful

• Heat-resistant clinker tiles. It is made from a mixture of several types of clay, with the addition of fireclay. It is molded, pressed, then fired. The result is a thin - 9-12 mm thick - and durable tile. Colors range from whitish gray to brown.

  

• Porcelain tile. The production technology is similar - first the composition is pressed, then fired. The components differ: in addition to several varieties of clay, quartz sand, fine crumbs of granite or marble, dyes, oxides and metal salts are added. The structure of porcelain stoneware is low-porous, it tolerates both high and low temperatures well. The technology makes it possible to obtain material imitating marble, other natural stones, terracotta, clinker and majolica. The disadvantage of porcelain stoneware is that it is difficult to cut and it has a lot of weight. For facing fireplaces, plates of small thickness are used, therefore the weight is not terrible, and you can cut it into the company (you just need to know the exact dimensions of the required fragments).

  

  Finishing the fireplace with porcelain stoneware - you can design in any style

• Tiles. The production technology is not much different - clay is molded, fired in a kiln. The main difference is the shape and method of installation. The tiles are installed during the laying of the stove or fireplace - the fragments are fixed in the seams with the help of wires. So finishing the finished fireplace with tiles is impossible.

  

Special tiles for facing fireplaces and stoves are made in small or medium format, and the same porcelain stoneware is available in large slabs. Seamless installation is certainly attractive, but there is no guarantee that such a finish will not fall. The coefficient of thermal expansion is quite different, because of this, incidents are possible.

Technology for mounting tiles on the walls of the fireplace and exhaust pipe

All of the listed types of tiles, except for tiles, are mounted on fireplaces using a single technology. Finishing the fireplace with tiles begins with the preparatory stage, and it is one to one the same as described above: clean the surface, embroider the seams, heat up to 60 ° C, moisten and you can start decorating the fireplace with tiles.

In case of large irregularities, it is necessary to plaster the fireplace. Solutions - any containing clay and cement, but not containing lime. Preparation is standard, as is the plastering process. The difference is that the second - the leveling layer does not need to be applied.

It is necessary to lay tiles on the walls of the fireplace after complete drying. Laying technology is standard, the difference is in the thickness of the seams. For a fireplace, it is better to make them larger (to compensate for different amounts of thermal expansion), therefore, instead of crosses, pieces of drywall 9.5 mm thick are used.

The adhesive is applied to the wall or tile, leveled with a notched trowel. The tile is pressed against the surface, shaking it from side to side, set to the desired position. Set the distance between the fragments using drywall spacers. Remove from 3-4 hours after installation.

The tiles on the fireplace are left to dry. The exact time depends on the adhesive used and the weather, usually indicated on the adhesive package. The last step is filling the seams. The grout for the joints is also used special, it is better to buy together with glue - from the same company, so that there are no compatibility problems. The process is also standard - the composition is diluted with water according to the instructions, the seams are filled with a rubber spatula or from a construction syringe. Freshly applied mortar levels out, forming a beautiful seam. Excess is wiped off with a soft cloth.

There are tips from the masters:

• To ensure that the tile does not fall, attach a metal mesh with a fine mesh to the wall. Better yet, stuff nails into the seams and intertwine them with soft steel wire, creating a wire frame. This option is better because in difficult places the grid can be made thicker. This stage is necessary if you are going to install heavy porcelain stoneware or large format tiles.
• In order not to put a thick layer of glue, apply it both on the wall and on the tile, and here and there remove the excess with a notched trowel.
• Before laying the tiles, lay them out on the floor so you can really appreciate how attractive the finish will be.
• After laying each tile, excess mortar is removed from the joints. They will then be filled with a special paste. The surface of the tile is immediately wiped clean - if the glue hardens, it is almost impossible to clean it off.

The main thing in this work is to ensure that air cavities do not form under the finish. Air has a large coefficient of expansion and, when heated, it will someday tear the tile off the wall.

Video tutorials for tiling a fireplace

No matter how much you read about how to do it, it is much more useful to look at it - you can grab more details.

How to line a fireplace with stone

Finishing a fireplace with stone is technologically not much different from laying tiles. The difference is in working with the material itself, but there are almost no technical features. The only thing is that when using natural flagstone, it is necessary to upholster the fireplace with a net. It will fall off without it.

Finishing the fireplace with stone - one of the options

Features of working with artificial gypsum stone

This type of decorative stone is inexpensive and light, you can finish fireplaces, especially without overloading the floors. There are only a few nuances, without which you will not achieve a good result.

The production technology of gypsum stone is such that each element has some irregularities, sagging, protrusions. We grind them with a knife, since gypsum is cut without problems. We grind each element of the cladding so that at the back, along the perimeter, a frame is formed with an angle of 45 ° (or so).

Moreover, often the corner elements of a plaster decorative stone are several millimeters higher than an ordinary one from the same collection. To make the cladding look monolithic, this difference also has to be removed - to grind. When all the elements of the cladding are fitted, they can be glued into place. They use heat-resistant glue for lining fireplaces, although with the right design it almost does not heat up.

Working with natural stone

Most often, fireplaces are lined with natural stone, sawn into plates. It is also called flagstone or stone tile. The shape of all the fragments is different, you have to adjust to make everything look beautiful. In this case, it’s definitely better to first lay out the entire picture on some kind of plane, pick up and process the elements. Only after the mosaic has formed can it be glued. The whole technology of mounting on the walls of the fireplace is described above and is practically no different. The whole process can be seen in the video.

Interesting options for finishing fireplaces (photo)

All the methods described above can be combined to create finishes in different styles. Sometimes it turns out very nice. Some of the already implemented ideas are posted below.

There are two options to achieve this effect - paint the existing brick fireplace or revet with clinker tiles.

This is polished porcelain stoneware.

This is an unpolished, small format porcelain tile. As you can see, it fits well into rounded shapes. Horizontal surfaces and columns are also porcelain stoneware of a similar texture, but already in the form of slabs

Smooth clinker tiles - strictly and functionally

Insert tiles - beauty

Type of fireplace lined with artificial stone

One of the most relevant design methods is the decoration of the fireplace with artificial stone (see). Moreover, natural materials are constantly becoming more expensive. Artificial components are produced with such a quality that it is difficult for a non-specialist to identify products (see).

Let's figure out why decorating a fireplace with artificial stone is better than other design methods. Main advantages:

• finishing the fireplace with artificial stone is quite simple, this is achieved due to its soft mechanical characteristics;
• preparation and installation of structural elements will not be difficult, only a grinder may be needed;
• the finishing stone for the fireplace contains soft and light fillers in its composition, this facilitates the weight of the entire structure;
• in retail there is a large amount of such material, the elements of which have different shapes and configurations, this will allow you to choose any pattern;
• artificial stone for finishing the fireplace will cost much cheaper than natural, which will reduce the cost of the product;
• this material can fully reflect the course of your design ideas, will allow you to create any pattern.

Choosing an artificial stone

High-quality finishing with a fireplace stone is possible with the right choice of product components.

Criterias of choice:

1. Material cost. As a rule, the price of foreign-made products exceeds the cost of domestic ones.
2. When purchasing a product, check the hygiene certificates and the certificate of conformity. If they are missing, it is better to refrain from buying. This is a chemical production, so you should take only high-quality goods, otherwise the finish can be harmful to health.
3. Pay attention to the time the manufacturer has been on the market. The more it is on the market, the better.

The time of work allows polishing the technology and producing a quality product.

1. Inspect all the elements and pay attention to the structure of the material. With the wrong production technology, the structure of the front surface will be porous, which affects the strength and, accordingly, the life of the structure.
2. A quality product arrives at the points of sale in the appropriate packaging, which has the manufacturer's logo.
3. Find the date of manufacture. The maximum strength of the elements is gained only after 28 days after manufacture. If you saw an earlier production date, then the products cannot be of high quality.

Fireplace finish

The work of finishing can be mastered by a person without special qualifications (see).

But stone finishing of fireplaces is carried out according to certain rules that should be followed:

1. Finishing fireplaces with stone is carried out on metal, chipboard, wood and other elements of a similar type only with a certain surface preparation. It is different for every material.
2. Finishing work should be carried out at temperatures above 5°C.
3. The fireplace trim stone should be fixed from top to bottom, starting from one end to the other, this way you will avoid contamination of the elements.
4. Pay attention to what kind of glue or solution the manufacturer recommends.
5. Elements can be cut with a conventional hacksaw for metal. Do not use a tool with a large tooth, you may damage the material.

Surface preparation

Finishing stone for a fireplace can be used with any material for the manufacture of a fireplace.

Just every surface should be properly prepared for installation.

1. When processing a wooden surface, it must first be covered with waterproofing so that it is not susceptible to moisture. To do this, you can use a pigment. It is laid in a horizontal position, the top row should overlap the top one by 4 cm. The vertical seam is also overlapped by about 8 cm.
2. When this work is done, the plaster mesh should be fixed, this is done using special fasteners.
3. Vertically, the distance between the fastening points should be 12-15 cm and horizontally up to about 40 mm.
4. A layer of plaster is applied on top of the grid with a thickness of about 1 cm.
5. After that, the plaster is given time to dry completely.
6. If the fireplace or portal is made using metal or concrete, then the cooking procedure differs only in that it does not require the installation of additional waterproofing, which is available in retail.
7. If fastening is carried out to brick or concrete, this plane must also be plastered, only it should first be applied along the notch plane.

Rules for laying artificial stone

Finishing fireplaces with natural stone and artificial performed almost the same.

In order to correctly imagine all the structural elements, to further facilitate subsequent work, they should first be laid out in front of the cladding site.

1. Do not install with one type of element, they should be alternated. This will give the design a more natural look. Change color, texture, thickness. Apply elements in work from different boxes.
2. If you use the laying of elements with subsequent jointing, start installation only from the top of the structure.
3. When laying, try to make the seam approximately the same, you can apply a template, do not make the seam too even, it should have one plane, but fluctuate slightly in thickness. Do not make horizontal seams located on top of each other.
4. If there are significant discrepancies in the thickness of the material and its surface has an uneven structure, do not try to eliminate irregularities and correct the material, anyway, the design in its total mass will look quite harmonious.
5. Using seamless masonry, the elements should be fixed from the bottom up. When installing, press the elements against each other.
6. When making a “brick” cladding and using rectangular elements, pay special attention to vertical seams. Control the intersections of the horizontal and vertical lines, the angle of intersection should be 90°. Use a template to test.

Required Tools

To start work, you should prepare the necessary tool:

• screws or nails for fastening auxiliary materials during installation;
• sprayer or brush to moisten the masonry surface and material;
• construction trowel;
• a hammer;
• grinder with a cutting wheel;
• drill;
• a flat block of wood;
• container for mixing solution.

Getting Started

The beginning of fasteners is a crucial moment.

How you start is how you finish.

• At the beginning of facing the fireplace with stone, the finishing is carried out from the corner. Laying should be carried out alternately, alternating long and short elements.
• First of all, fasten the thickest tiles and use the minimum amount of mortar for this. This will help you in further work.
• In order to make the structure look as natural and aesthetic as possible, the elements of the installation should be adjusted in size. To adjust the size, use wide cutters or a hacksaw. Try to mount the processed sides in such a way that they are either below or above the angle of view.
• Apply a layer of mortar of about 1.5 cm to the laying element. Use a trowel for this. Control the distribution of the solution on the surface, it must be covered completely and evenly.

After laying the mesh, a layer of mortar should be applied

• When laying the element, it should be pressed lightly and slightly moved to different positions by pressing. This will help to completely fill the seam and secure the element most correctly.

Seam adjustment in progress

• When laying, the mortar should protrude slightly from the seams.
• When carrying out seamless masonry, attention should be paid to end seams. They must be filled. To do this, apply the solution to the entire surface of the element (excess is removed during shrinkage). After extrusion, excess mortar should be removed with a trowel.
• When fastening to a surface that is too dry or during installation work in dry weather, the surface of the elements and the laying plane should be moistened with a spray gun or a paint brush. The laying elements can be simply lowered into a container of water and after 2 minutes in the water they are ready to be laid.
• With seamless installation of elements, they must be moistened, regardless of weather conditions.
• After getting the solution on the surface of the cladding, do not remove it immediately, let it dry a little.

How to do the stitching correctly?

To give masonry for a more natural and aesthetic appearance, the joints are completely filled with mortar. For stitching, it is better to use only branded stitching materials.

Do not use mixtures that are designed for laying tiles.

1. To completely fill the seam, you can use a bag to fill the seams. It can be done quickly by yourself, you just need to cut off 1 corner of an ordinary plastic bag, only the hole should be slightly smaller than the seam to be filled.
2. We fill the bag of solution (do not pour too much, the volume should fit in the palm of your hand), press and force the solution into the seam. Try to avoid getting liquid on the front surface.
3. We wait until the mortar in the seams begins to set, after which it is necessary to remove its excess with a trowel and at the same time press it into the seam. Do not try to remove the sags immediately after filling, you will only stain the front.
4. After removing the excess, the seams should be finally cleaned with a panicle, which should be made from plant materials. Do not use solvents for cleaning.
5. Jointing is an extremely important process of work, which completely eliminates the ingress of moisture into the surface. If moisture penetrates under the cladding, cracking of the surface is possible.

End of work

After the surface of the structure is completely dry, it can be treated with a special hydrophobic composition. It forms a translucent protective film on the surface. Such a coating does not allow moisture to pass through and does not collapse when the structure moves. It is good to remove dust from it. It especially helps with temperature changes (if the fireplace is located in the country, where there is no constant heating).

Job done right. You can step back from the design a few steps and admire your work.

Fireplace facings made of artificial stone can be found quite often. After all, artificial stone for facing the fireplace has a lot of advantages. But not in all cases, such a finish is suitable.
Today we will talk about this topic. We will consider how much such a finishing option is suitable in your case, we will learn about the advantages, we will determine the disadvantages, and instructions will also be given for lining the fireplace with artificial stone.
All stages of work can be viewed in the photo and in the video, you can select the desired configuration of the product.

Artificial stone is made in three stages.
Let's take a look at what we have to do:

Pros of using artificial stone for fireplace decor

The main advantages of the material:

• It has soft mechanical properties, as a result of which it is quite easy to work with it during the finishing process;
• The preparation of parts of the structure and their installation will not be a laborious process; only a grinder can come in handy from working tools;
• The structure will have a small weight, since the material consists of light and flexible fillers;
• On the market, the finishing stone is represented by a wide variety of shapes and textures, which allows you to lay out any pattern from it;
• The price of artificial stone is much lower than the cost of natural stone, as a result, you can save a lot on finishing the fireplace;
• Using artificial stone for decoration, you can fully express your imagination and make the fireplace original and unique.

What to look for when choosing a finishing stone

A competent choice of material will allow high-quality finishing work on decorating the fireplace.
Selection conditions:

• Pay attention to the price. Domestically produced material will cost several times cheaper than foreign products.
• Before making a purchase, check whether the material has the necessary certificates. There must be a certificate of conformity and hygienic. If the seller cannot provide you with the required documents, it is not recommended to buy such material. Since artificial stone is produced chemically, the quality of the material should be given the closest attention.
• If the manufacturer is known in the market, has been working in this field for a long time and has a positive reputation, you can safely buy such material.

Attention: Pay attention to the quality of the material when buying. This will guarantee the quality of your work.

• It is necessary to check all parts of the material and pay special attention to its structure. If the manufacturing technology was violated during the production process, the outer surface of the brick will be porous. This will not in the best way affect the strength of the material, and, as a result, its service life.
• Good quality material will always have good packaging with the manufacturer's logo.
• Pay special attention to the date of manufacture, which the manufacturer must indicate on the packaging. The material gains the strength necessary for operation only 28 days after it was made. If the material was produced later, the quality of the product is worth considering.

Fireplace decoration

There are a number of rules according to which it is necessary to carry out work on finishing the fireplace with artificial stone:

• Artificial stone can be used when finishing metal, wood and other structures, for example, from chipboard. The surface of each material must be prepared in its own way for work.
• Finishing work can be carried out if the air temperature in the room exceeds 5°C.
• Artificial stone must first be laid out at the top of the fireplace, gradually descending. This is necessary in order to avoid contamination of the material during the finishing process.
• For fastening elements, it is better to choose glue or mortar, which is recommended by the manufacturer of artificial stone.
• To cut stone, it is best to use a hacksaw, just make sure that the tool does not have large teeth, as this can damage the material.

How to prepare the surface for finishing

Artificial stone can be laid on a surface made of almost any material. It can be different for everyone.
Let's see what you should pay attention to when facing different surfaces:

• The wooden surface is very susceptible to moisture, so it must be coated with waterproofing materials, such as pigment, before processing with artificial stone. This material covers the entire wooden surface of the fireplace before work.
• The next necessary stage of work will be the installation of a plaster mesh using special fasteners.

Attention: To do this, make holes in the masonry using a perforator and place self-tapping screws in them. You also need to put washers on hats. Then the grid will not fall under load.

• The fastening points should be located at a distance of about 15 cm vertically from each other, horizontally - about 5 cm.
• Plaster must be laid directly on the grid so that its layer is at least 1 cm.
• The plaster must be allowed to dry completely, and then continue to work.
• All the same actions can be done when laying an artificial stone on a metal or concrete surface, with the only difference being that there will be no need for waterproofing.
• It should be noted that on a plastered concrete or brick surface, it is desirable to apply notches to the entire surface before starting the finishing process.

What tools will be needed for work

Before you get started, make sure you have all the necessary tools at hand:

• Nails or self-tapping screws with which the elements will be attached;
• A small brush or special spray to dampen the surface of the fireplace before laying the stone;
• Master OK;
• Ordinary hammer;
• Grinder;
• Drill;
• Wooden block with a flat surface;
• Dishes in which the solution will need to be kneaded.

Attention: It should be said that masonry can only be carried out on material that tolerates elevated temperatures. Clay works best for this. If you use cement mortar, then fireclay must be added to it. Otherwise, the masonry will crack quite quickly.

Initial stage of work

The most important moment is the beginning of bricklaying.
If the start of work is correct, then the result will be excellent:

• At the beginning, finishing is carried out from the corner of the structure. When facing, alternate material of different lengths.
• First you need to fix the largest elements of the stone, while using a small amount of mortar. So you simplify the further laying of the material.
• The fireplace will look more natural and attractive if the stone is sized when laid. For these purposes, you can use a hacksaw or pliers.

• Using a trowel, it is necessary to apply a solution to the stone with a layer of about one and a half centimeters. Make sure that the surface of the facing material is evenly covered with mortar.
• When laying the stone, lightly press on it, moving it to the right place. So the element will be better fixed, and the seam will be completely filled.
• Please note that when laying the mortar should go slightly beyond the edges of the joints.
• If you are using seamless stone laying, pay close attention to the side seams. They should be filled with the solution as much as possible. Apply the mortar to the entire area of ​​the element, lay the stone in the desired position, press well and remove excess mortar with a trowel.
• If you are cladding in a room that is too dry and you see that the surface of the finishing material is also too dry, dampen the surface of the fireplace and the inner surface of the artificial stone with a spray gun or go over them with a wet brush. You can also hold the stone for some time in the water, a couple of minutes will be enough.
• If you are using seamless masonry, the stone must be moistened no matter what the room temperature is.
• If the solution gets on the surface of an artificial stone during work, it should not be removed immediately, it is better to wait until it dries a little.

Attention: Initially, you need to check the configuration, especially the corners. Otherwise, you may not get the correct geometric shape after work.

How to properly finish the facing stone

There is no particular difference in finishing with natural and artificial materials; masonry is carried out almost according to the same scheme.
For fruitful work on cladding, you need to lay out all the elements of the future structure at the place of work:

• When laying artificial stone, you should alternate its types, change the colors, size and texture of the stone. Thus, the fireplace will look natural.
• It is advisable to start the installation of bricks from the top of the fireplace if, when laying the material, jointing will be used in the future.
• When finishing, the seams should be made approximately the same size, but at the same time make sure that they do not turn out too even. The ideal option would be if the seams become different in thickness, but will be in the same plane. Avoid overlapping horizontal seams.
• The surface of the stone can be uneven, have a different thickness. You should not pay attention to this, since this will not affect the finished look of the structure.
• If you are laying stone without seams, start fixing the material from the bottom of the structure, gradually moving up. In this case, the elements must be strongly pressed against each other.
• If the artificial stone has a rectangular shape, pay close attention to the vertical seams, controlling the intersection of their lines with the horizontal ones. The intersection of the lines must be at right angles. This can be controlled with a template.

Proper stitching

It is completely necessary to fill all the seams with mortar so that the stone after the end of the lining looks not only natural, but also aesthetically pleasing. Experts advise using branded materials during embroidery.

• In order for the seam to be completely filled, you can use a special bag, which is quite simple to make. To do this, you need to take a regular plastic bag and cut off one corner of it. Please note that the hole that is formed as a result should be slightly smaller than the width of the seam.
• After filling the bag with a solution (it should not be too much, about the size of a palm), it is necessary to press and squeeze the solution onto the seam. Make sure that the solution is minimally exposed to the outside of the stone.
• As soon as the mortar began to harden, it is necessary to remove the excess with a trowel, while driving the mortar into the seam. If an unnecessary solution remains on the surface of the seam, do not remove it immediately, you need to let it dry slightly. So you will avoid excessive contamination of the facing surface of the stone.
• Once the excess is removed, the seams need to be cleaned again. To do this, it is better to use a small whisk made from natural materials. Never clean the seams with chemical solutions.
• Jointing is one of the final stages of work on facing the fireplace. When carrying out this work, moisture should be completely prevented from entering the inner surface. If this happens, the stone may crack soon.

Completion of works

Once the cladding work is completed, the surface must be allowed to dry completely. After that, the entire artificial stone must be coated with a hydrophobic composition.
Such a coating will prevent the penetration of moisture inside, due to the formation of a special protective film on the surface of the material. This film is transparent, dust and dirt are easily erased from it, it is resistant to temperature changes in the room.
If you did everything right, facing the fireplace with artificial stone will delight you for more than one year and warm you on cool evenings.

Gained great popularity. Many began to create in their homes a place where you can sit with your family, sitting comfortably near a warm hearth. But before this can be achieved, it is necessary to create such an atmosphere in accordance with all the rules. It is necessary not only to lay out a fireplace, but to choose a lining for it so that the hearth harmoniously fits into the room and becomes its “highlight”. High-quality facing materials have a long service life, they are easy to operate. If you do not know which ones to choose, be sure to pay attention to which can be used for decoration.

Advantages

The great popularity of natural stone is due to the following advantages:

How to choose the right material?

Almost any of the available on the construction market natural stones can be suitable for decoration, and all of them have unlimited design possibilities. Materials differ in durability of use. The most short-lived are limestone and colored marble- they change after 30-70 years.

Note! The service life depends on the external conditions and factors that affect the material, as well as on whether the fireplace was properly cared for.

On a note! The most popular options are granite and marble. The first is a durable breed that is easily polished and processed. However, such material has a rather high cost, due to the laboriousness of its extraction..

Marble is not as popular as granite, but it has a special beauty and allows designers to create bright, extraordinary masterpieces.

On a note! In addition to these materials, limestone, tuff or sandstone are often used for cladding. The latter has high heat capacity, which ensures its rapid warming up. Such a stone keeps heat longer.

When choosing a material for cladding, it is worth considering the following criteria:

1. The price of the goods depends on the manufacturer and will be significantly higher for imported manufacturers.
2. Availability of a certificate of compliance with sanitary standards.
3. An important point is the good reputation of the manufacturer, the duration of the work on the market. An experienced manufacturer will provide quality products.
4. The strength of a stone is affected by its structure.
5. Packaging must be branded with the manufacturer's logo.
6. Pay attention to the production date of the product.

The quality of the adhesive composition for is also important. Choose only a well-known supplier and composition that is recommended by the stone manufacturer. If an artificial coating is glued, then a specific adhesive based on it is usually recommended, which provides a strong adhesion of the material to the surface.

How to make a lining? Stages of work

It should be noted that such work will require certain skills and efforts. There are some nuances that you need to know before starting the cladding process.

First stage. Preparatory

First of all, surfaces are cleaned of dirt and dust. The masonry seams must be deepened by at least 1 cm. The entire surface of the fireplace must be sewn up with a metal mesh. Next, we move on to the process of fitting the cladding.

It is best to draw one of the vertical walls of the fireplace on the floor with chalk. It is important that the size and shape are exactly the same. On the prepared template, we lay out all the elements of the cladding and adjust them to each other.

Note! If you have chosen a material with a smooth surface, then all that will differ in thickness must be set aside and selected with the same parameters. With an uneven structure, materials of different thicknesses can be used. The thickest ones must be fixed at the very beginning on a thin layer of glue: they will become a guide for further work.

Second phase. Fixing the stone to the surface of the fireplace

Work starts from the bottom corner and leads from the bottom up. After that, the horizontal top row is fixed, and then the remaining space is already laid. Provided that the height of the fireplace is more than half a meter, on which thick tiles are fixed, additional wire fasteners will be required in order to create a reliable structure.

Advice! Such a mount is attached to the reinforcing mesh, and a tile is fixed to the lower edge. It is necessary to use fasteners the more often, the thicker the cladding is chosen..

Important! Having fixed the entire stone on the surface, you must wait two days, after which you can wipe the seams. It is worth checking on an inconspicuous area how the component lays down and whether it leaves marks.

Facing with artificial stone is carried out in three stages. Let's see what needs to be done:

1. Prepare the surface - this affects the life of the structure. If it is done incorrectly, the lining will not last long.
2. Select material:

• details should be multiples of the surface width, to reduce waste;
• make sure that the building material can withstand high temperatures;
• artificial stone should fit into the overall decor.

1. Make your own cladding.

Advantages of artificial stone:

• has soft mechanical characteristics, which makes it easy to work with;
• the design will weigh a little, since the material used consists of flexible and lightweight components;
• in the construction market, stone is presented in a wide variety of shapes and textures;
• the price of artificial stone is much lower than for natural material;

There is a list of rules to be followed when working on finishing a fireplace with an artificial stone:

It should be clear what you need to pay attention to when making the facing of different surfaces:

• wood coating is very susceptible to moisture damage, so it should be covered with waterproofing, for example, pigment, before processing with artificial stone;
• an important next step will be the installation of a plaster mesh with special fasteners. To do this, you need to make holes in the masonry with a puncher and insert self-tapping screws into them. Caps should be put on caps. In such circumstances, the grid will not be able to fall when loaded. Fasteners should be about 15 cm apart vertically, and horizontally - 5 cm;
• the plaster on the mesh must be adjusted in such a way that its layer is 1 cm. It must dry completely, after which it is worth continuing to work.

All the same actions can be carried out when laying an artificial stone on a concrete or metal surface, with the only difference that waterproofing will not be required.

Necessary tools for work:

• self-tapping screws or nails for fastening elements;
• a spray gun for moistening before laying the surface of the fireplace;
• construction hammer and trowel;
• grinder, drill;
• a bar with a flat surface;
• utensils for mixing the solution.

It should be remembered that laying is carried out only on material that tolerates elevated temperatures. Clay works well for these purposes.

At the very beginning of the processing of the fireplace with artificial stone, the decoration begins to be carried out from the corner of the fireplace. In the process, you need to alternate material having different lengths.

First, the most dimensional parts of the stone are attached, using a small amount of mortar for this. So you will be able to facilitate the laying of the material in the future.

With a trowel, a solution of 1.5 cm layers should be applied to the stone. Make sure that the surface is covered evenly.

When laying the stone, lightly press on it, moving it to the desired position. So the element is better fixed, and the seam is completely filled.

If you are doing the cladding in a very dry room, then the surface of the fireplace and the inside of the artificial stone must be moistened with a wet brush or spray gun.

If you use seamless masonry, then the material should be moistened, regardless of the room temperature.

How to make artificial stone trim

There is no big difference in facing with artificial and natural materials; masonry is carried out according to an identical scheme.

• when performing the installation of artificial stone, it is required to alternate types, size, change the colors and texture of the material so that the fireplace looks natural;
• it is advisable to start laying from the top of the fireplace in case the jointing will be used in the future;
• the seams should be done when facing the same size, but make sure that they are not very even. The ideal result is seams of different thicknesses, located in the same plane. Avoid placing them in a horizontal position one below the other;
• the stone may have an uneven surface and thickness. This does not affect the finished look of the structure.

When the artificial stone has a rectangular shape, special attention should be paid to vertical seams, controlling the intersection of these lines with horizontal ones. It should be done at a 90 degree angle.

Do not use mixtures with which tiling is done.

To completely fill the seam, you need to use a bag made from a regular plastic bag with one corner cut off, while the hole should be slightly smaller than the width of the seam.

After filling the bag, you should press on it and squeeze out the solution minimally so that it does not get on the outside of the material.

After the beginning of the hardening of the solution, you need to remove the excess with a trowel.

Shutdown

Once the cladding is completed, the surface should be allowed to dry completely. Next, the artificial stone must be treated with a hydrophobic composition.