How to cover an arch in an apartment with stone. Decorating an arch with decorative stone - basic rules and requirements. Methodology for installing decorative stone

There are many options on 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’t do without a spectacular finish. And for this it is very often used artificial stone.

About arches

An 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 structure was built from stone and brick. Nowadays, plasterboard, wood, plywood, and also have been added to this list. OSB boards, chipboard or fibreboard.

About decorative stone

This material is not just an excellent way to decorate the interior, it performs an excellent protective function. That's why designers loved him so much. Of course, if artificial stone is used indoors, then it protective functions are reduced to resisting only accidental mechanical damage. And this material is used in the interior in a targeted manner, 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.

Advantages of a stone arch

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

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

There are a number of other advantages of this approach:

not required special care– any detergent that does not contain abrasives will do;
you can use an artificial analogue of any natural stone– manufacturers began to make very high-quality imitation;
Decorating arches with stone with your own hands does not require any special skills, so the procedure is easy.

Materials for creating the structure

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

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

Instructions

Finishing an arch with decorative stone starts with the traditional stage of surface preparation. You need to smooth out the unevenness using sandpaper, and then putty them using a primer first.

Preparation of adhesive solution

Decorative stone can be laid using special glue, cement-sand mortar or for 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 you need to prepare the solution yourself, you need to do this 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 (this can be a drill with a special attachment). You need to mix until you get the consistency of thick sour cream.

Laying

Laying is done from bottom to top. 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, the installation should be done with an overlap.

During the procedure, you should not forget to check the horizontal positioning. Elements on the arc can be trimmed to maintain the required radius. This can be done with wire cutters or a grinder with a special attachment.

Edges in mandatory be sanded using a file. When the finishing is completed, you need to wait for the solution or glue to dry. After this, you need to start refining the seams. For these purposes, we use 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 a square piece of polyethylene, roll it into a cone, and secure 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, use one of these tools to press the grout into the seams to completely fill them. In this case, you need to do everything carefully so that the material does not get on the front part of the products. All you have to do is wait until the grout dries - the arch is made of decorative stone ready.

Seamless installation

In this case, the tiles are laid tightly together, so finishing the arch with artificial stone requires painstaking work. The glue or solution is applied to the stone. If the installation 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 time is required for selection during installation, so the procedure is carried out quickly. At the end, the surface can be opened with impregnation, which will repel water and protect it from the effects of chemicals.

A stone arch is inexpensive, but looks great

Decorating an arch with stone allows you to give this element of the interior more expressiveness and style. The room becomes more sophisticated and attractive appearance. This option looks especially good in hallways and living rooms. In short, the effect of this finish is amazing, as you can see by looking at the photos of the options.

For recent years Decorating arches with stone is becoming increasingly popular. Received unusual appearance rooms, for example in the hallway, gives the room individuality, originality and a solid look, expanding the space and creating a feeling of spaciousness.

Decorating arches with decorative stone has not only beautiful design, but also practicality. After all, stone does not require a perfectly smooth base when used, and there is no need to level the surface. Many apartment owners want, but do not know, how to decorate an arch with stone. The information presented below will help you figure this out.

And what advantages will the surface have if you decorate the arch with stone?

Layout diagram for a beam arch: B is the height to which you want to raise the top of the arch, C is half the width of the opening, R is the radius.

Finishing arches with stone, as mentioned above, creates not only an external interior that is pleasing to the eye. Decorative stone has correct forms and is light in weight, which greatly simplifies the work. This material absolutely harmless from an environmental point of view, not susceptible to corrosion, fungi and other bacteria. The stone does not require special care; it can be washed with any ugly detergent, he has wide choice colors and structures (imitation brick or in the form of tiles), in addition, the style of execution can be different (antique or modern).

The stone is especially valuable for such advantages as reliability and durability. Typically, arches are included in the design when designing the interior of corridors near entrance doors. This part of the apartment is characterized by a high probability of contamination and damage to the walls.

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What tools and materials are required for finishing arches with stone?

When carrying out the work, the main difficulty is the fact that it is necessary to cover not only the flat surface, but also the inner rounded part of the arch. If you carefully read all the nuances of the process, stone finishing will no longer seem so complicated; you can do it yourself.

To finish the arch, before starting work you need to prepare the following tool:

pliers;
pickaxe;
roller;
saw;
primer;
building level;
spatula;
knife for construction work;
sandpaper;
pencil.

In addition to this you will need:

stone;
liquid nails or glue;
cement mortar;
solution for sealing joints.

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Preparatory stage of work

Stone tiles can be fixed not only with cement, but also with liquid nails.

Before starting work on lining arches with stone, the following operations must be performed:

selection of stone. If the surface of the arch is made of plasterboard sheets, then too heavy stone tiles can deform or destroy it. As a rule, narrow plates are purchased for finishing arches, since it is easier to attach them to the arched inner part;
surface preparation. It is necessary to carefully inspect the surface for possible defects.

The stone can only be fixed to a solid, clean surface.

Gluing a stone onto a dusty or dirty surface is strictly prohibited. This will lead to poor-quality fasteners, and the stone will soon fall off. The surface must first be treated with a special impregnation. Penetrating inside the material, it significantly strengthens it. If the surface is too smooth, then you will need to make notches using a pick. They will help improve the adhesion of the stone plate to the arch. Finally, the arch is treated with a primer.

Preparation of cement mortar. The composition depends on the type of stone used. Classic mortar includes sand, cement, lime and glue. The exact proportions of all components depend directly on the stone. Therefore, it is better to resolve this issue with specialists. If you use a decorative stone that is light in weight, it will be easy to glue it to a pre-treated surface using special glue or liquid nails.

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How to finish an arch from the outside?

Stone laying is carried out according to the following sequence:

After covering the arch, at least 24 hours must pass, after which all seams must be rubbed with a special solution.

Laying the 1st row. The walls bordering the arch also need to be finished. The first tile is attached at the junction of the arch and the wall. Work starts from the very bottom. To obtain a neat, even row, you need to use a building level and plastic crosses.
The 2nd row is also placed at the intersection of the arch and the wall. However, the 1st stone of this row should protrude beyond the joint at a distance equal to the thickness of the tile. The facing tiles are attached to external corners overlap This will allow you not to seal them in the future, and the masonry will become more durable. It turns out that the tiles should be laid in a checkerboard pattern. The number of tiles depends on the length of the rows.
Approaching the curve, the finishing tile is first applied to the wall on which it will be mounted, and then, being careful, it is cut along an arc (maintaining the radius of the curve). Using a pencil, the stone is marked according to the rounding.
You can carefully cut the stone by first passing several times with a construction knife along the drawn markings. After this, all excess is removed with ordinary pliers. In addition, you can cut the tiles using special tile cutters or a grinder. The cut surface is processed sandpaper. All other elements bordering the arch, if necessary, are adjusted in the same way.

Arched openings are both constructive and decorative elements of the interior. They make the space warmer, more residential and spiritual. Often it is the arch that creates the character of the room, but only where it is assembled correctly and tastefully. And even in this case, a knowledgeable question arises: how to decorate the arch? The decoration of arches can be extremely varied:

Arches with wood trim

Arches with wood trim make the room more significant. They are ideal for rooms decorated in classic style. Wooden elements perfectly emphasize the shape of trapezoidal, vaulted arches and interior designs in the shape of an ellipse. However, designers do not recommend resorting to wood finishing where there are arches of non-standard shapes, as well as in laconic interiors and in wet rooms. Natural wood- an expensive material and the feasibility of its use should be carefully considered.

Arches finished with MDF and chipboard

Such arches are significantly cheaper than their wood-lined counterparts. However, with the right approach, such slabs produce smooth corners and beautiful arches. geometric shapes. If lamination and veneering technologies are additionally applied, the material will be impossible to distinguish from solid wood, but only experienced professionals can carry out such a task.

Arches finished with facing bricks

This option is also not suitable for every interior. This is a rather labor-intensive process that includes 2 stages:

First of all, vertical pillars are installed;
In the second, the arch vault is erected.

The arch is made using a template, which must not be removed until the solution has completely hardened. Corners and joints can be decorated with plastic.

Polyurethane finish

When thinking about how to decorate an arch stylishly and inexpensively, it’s worth remembering polyurethane. Polyurethane finishing looks expensive, although it is quite affordable. This one is durable yet flexible and lightweight material has impressive performance characteristics, therefore it is widely used for making stucco molding, for finishing ceilings, corners, cornices and, of course, interior arches. The undoubted advantage of polyurethane is the ease of its installation - a completely untrained person can do it with their own hands with a little effort. In terms of performance, such arched structures are not inferior to, and perhaps even superior to, arches made from many other materials.

Decorating the arch with decorative stone

This finish looks organic only when part of the wall is used stone composition. Moreover, if natural stone is a very difficult material to process, then finishing an arch with decorative stone does not imply much difficulty - it is very easy to attach it with special glue or ordinary liquid nails.

Plasterboard partitions, and even walls made of light blocks, are not designed for heavy loads, so finishing an arch in an apartment will be more successful if you use artificial stone wisely. This material is based on binder, for example gypsum or cement. In addition, the composition contains expanded clay or perlite, and modern technologies staining makes artificial analogues almost indistinguishable from natural stone. A big plus is the limitlessness of its shades and textures.

Decorative plaster

How to finish an arch without much labor? The easiest way to decorate arches with your own hands is by plastering them with decorative plaster. First, uneven areas and visible parts of the fastenings should be puttied, and a primer should be applied on top. After 4 to 24 hours have passed ( exact time specified in the manufacturer's instructions), you can start applying decorative plaster. The range of such a mixture allows you to choose any surface texture. If relief is expected, it should be applied to a wet compound. If you use this method of finishing arches, it would be appropriate to use an arched corner, which will save the plaster from chipping.

Wallpapering an arch

Wallpapering is a suitable option for finishing the arch. Please note that the adhesive mixture should be slightly thicker than for regular wall coverings. Corners will help protect the wallpaper from abrasion. You need to take the wallpaper that is stronger and bends better, suitable options:

Mirror tiles

Mirror tiles are a specific facing material, which can be used to design the most different rooms. In the case of an arch, it is suitable in the form of separate inserts made of narrow strips. Such tiles go well with all other finishing materials (plastic, wood, etc.) and can be used to stylishly separate different finishing textures and decorate corners.

Mosaic

How to decorate the arch to give a unique look to the room? Decorating the arch with mosaics is ideal for stylish interior with character. Mosaic can be:

Made of glass;
Ceramics;
Natural stone;
Self-adhesive panels, etc.

In any case, attaching it is a delicate and labor-intensive process. At the same time, such finishing is performed quite often, as it looks original and unusual. First, an adhesive solution is applied to the wall, all corners are coated well, and then the mosaic is applied using a level, beacons are inserted between the parts, then they are pulled out, and the seams are treated with decorative putty.

In addition to the methods listed above, finishing an arch in an apartment can be done using a host of other materials that can make the arch unique. For example, it is convenient to use flexible acrylic tiles for finishing, which replicate the appearance of natural stone, but can be of various sizes and colors. Stripes of decorative molding secured by “ liquid nails" There are options with plastic - use plastic lining and panels can quickly and easily give the arch a neat and beautiful view. Plastic finishing is very inexpensive and practical.

Finishing the wall around the arch

A decorative arched corner serves to highlight the arches against the background of the rest of the interior. In addition to its design function, the corner allows you to hide unevenness in the arched doorway. This is especially true for those who make the arch with their own hands. But even an ideal doorway should match the style of the wall on which it is located. The main purpose of such a wall is to emphasize the beauty of the opening. This works well, for example, against a decorative background. relief plaster. A wall lined with artificial stone looks no less harmonious. As elite finishing options - compositions from Venetian plaster on the wall. If the arch is finished with plastic, then a section of the wall can also be covered with plastic. You can also decorate the wall with wood - attach wood panels on part of the wall. Even simple wallpaper, chosen with taste, will emphasize the beauty of the arch on the wall.

Decorative finishing arches in the house requires great delicacy; at this stage it is easy to make a mistake that will disfigure even the most durable and neat arched design. And yet, it is quite possible to finish an arch well without the help of specialists - with your own hands.

Currently, an industry such as private construction is developing very actively. Over the past decade, new finishing materials. One of them is decorative artificial stone. It is used for finishing various rooms and designs. Wide Application he received it for finishing the arches. Today, arches are often used in the construction of houses instead of simple doors. They are oval or semicircular openings that can be curtained or open.

An arch is a complex structure that requires adherence to strict technology when carrying out decoration and repair work. Decorative stone is excellent for cladding an arch, as it has good performance characteristics and has a sufficient range depending on the design. Most often, a stone made to look like marble or granite is used to decorate an arch. It is important to know that when decorating an arch, the architectural features of the structure itself and the interior of the room must be taken into account. Let's take a closer look at how to lay an arch with decorative stone and the main advantages of the stone.

Preparatory work

Before you start decorating the arch with decorative stone, you need to carefully prepare the surface. First you need to clean it of paint and varnish using sandblasting and grinding. Great value has its external inspection. This is important if there are cracks or other defects. After this, you need to level it with putty and apply a primer. If you glue a stone onto a dusty and dirty surface, it may soon fall off, since the adhesion to the surface will not be of good quality. The next stage of work is the selection of the required material. If, for example, the arch is made of plasterboard, 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 damage and deform the structure.

It is necessary to take into account the color and configuration of the stone. It is optimal to use more bright 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 tiles 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 from decorative stone, you will need a solution to fix the material. It can be prepared using 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. Classic version The mortar 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 adhesives. Glue based on a mixture of PVA and gypsum, mounting, acrylic, is suitable.

The fact that the stone will be laid with jointing or not is also important. If the surface of the arch is fairly flat and jointing is not provided, then assembly adhesive. If there are joints and unevenness, a cement-adhesive mortar is best suited.

It is applied using a notched trowel. even layer onto the surface of the arch a few millimeters thick.

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

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Decorative stone laying technology

After all preparatory work you can start laying the stone on the arch. The most optimal method is without jointing, that is, the slabs are attached close to each other. The first row starts first. The very first stone is attached in the place where the arch meets the adjacent wall. In this case, 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 along the entire perimeter of the stone. The material is fastened flat side inward, and convex outward. This technology ensures good sealing of the seams. If necessary (if the stone is large), it is sawed and processed with a grinder. In this case, it is recommended to place the cut tiles so that the cut is not visible.

The work of laying the first stones on the arch is carried out from below. You need to ensure that the masonry is level. 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 wall joint by the width facing tiles. 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 finishing stones to the wall and cut them along the contour of the arc. After this, use a pencil to mark the stone protruding along the edge of the arch from its inside and cut it off too. If there are any irregularities during cutting, they must be removed using sandpaper.

Very important point is interior decoration arches It is carried out using the same technology. If 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 it is suitable for these purposes hand saw, if made of cement - circular. After completing all the work, you need to wait about 2 days for the material to finally fix and the structure to become strong. The seams are cleaned and filled with a special solution, then smoothed with a spatula or brush. There should be no mortar residue left on the facing side. If necessary, the stone can be painted in any color.

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 receive good result should be guided by technology installation work, it 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 are:

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 consumables, 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 are available different varieties adhesive compositions, they are usually designed to hold the calculated weight of the material. Therefore, first you need to choose finishing materials, and only then start purchasing glue. If work is supposed to be carried out at low temperatures, then you should take a more serious approach to the choice 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 concrete wall, then it should be treated with Betonkontakt primer. When room conditions are different high humidity or temperature back side decorative stone must 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 the gypsum plasterboard arch 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. The position of 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 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. WITH reverse side 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 glue 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 is finishing carried out? door arch 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 interior arch decorative stone can be completed by applying varnish or 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 with long distance, it is necessary to hold 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.