Natural elements in an apartment, house or office - this is a spectacular design solution that will give a special piquancy to any room. And it is not necessary to make a uniform style of the interior, individual insertions and eclecticism are acceptable. For example, it is interesting to look a wall of "wild stone" in a room in a marine style or kitchen a la hi-tech. But even for a classical living room, such an element can be used. And, as for lofts, ethnic and Scandinavian interior, the tiles will become the main forming material in them. Today it is in a trend. Laconic design and rough, but at the same time, elegant simplicity come into fashion, and with the improvement of production technologies for imitation of natural materials, the decorative decorative stone tile looks realistic.

       

disadvantages

But when choosing a building material, you can not focus only on positive aspects. It is better to be aware of all its shortcomings beforehand in order to minimize them when applying. You have to understand what you have to sacrifice, if you choose this particular tile, and not something else. The main disadvantages of the material:

• gypsum products begin to quickly deform due to the high moisture absorption of the tiles, this can be avoided with the help of various substances (a special primer, eg Primer X94, can be used in advance);
• decorative tiles easily breaks, does not have high strength and resistance to abrasion, so when installing it should be neat;
• the material has poor frost resistance;
• "Wild stone" collects dust because of the relief surface and requires frequent cleaning, so it is better to cover it with varnish after installation (the non-varnish surface is treated with a solution of 50 ml of conditioner for laundry dissolved in 200 ml of water).

       

Kinds

Существует несколько классификаций плитки под натуральный камень. Одна из них разделяет разновидности этого материала по применениям. Kinds декоративной плитки в зависимости от места применения:

• Facade - used for exterior facing of building walls in the private and commercial sector. Its features include the absence of a mechanical connection (not counting the grouting) between adjacent elements, the need to seal the seams and waterproof the entire fabric;

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• Floor - made of PVC or porcelain tiles. The floor tile is chemically neutral, does not wear off, does not deteriorate due to sudden temperature changes, and also has high strength. The most resistant floor covering is paving;

• Wall - used for interior decoration of premises. It weighs lightly, and therefore simplifies the installation process. Such a tile has a huge number of designer varieties (for example, tile in the bathroom);

• ceiling - has the least weight of all types of decorative tiles. Its thickness should not be more than 1 centimeter to cover the entire ceiling of the room.

Gypsum

Плитка производится в двух модификациях: гипсе и керамике. Gypsum плитка, как правило, имитирует природный камень или кирпичную стену. Она долговечна, позволяет забыть о косметическом ремонте помещения на много лет вперед. Различают окрашенную и неокрашенную, гладкую или рельефную разновидности материала. Его используют при декорировании закрытых лоджий и балконов, стен и потолков в комнатах и коридорах. Гипсовую плитку применяют для украшения домашних каминов, но для пожаробезопасности лучше оборудовать их теплоизоляционными панелями. Природный состав гипса позволяет поддерживать благоприятный микроклимат. Но все-таки этот материал не применяется в отделке ванн и саун из-за высокого влагопоглощения. По этим же причинам после монтажа в любом помещении плитку обрабатывают гидрофобизирующим средством.

No matter will help to cope with the "wild stone" of gypsum with climatic factors, so it is not used in the outer lining of houses.

       

Ceramic

Ceramic tiles have increased durability and strength. It is capable of withstanding a variety of mechanical loads without damaging its integral structure. The material is used in facade decoration, as it is not subject to climatic influence of the environment (although, of course, when choosing a product and brand, one should focus on regional features). But the main role ceramic tiles plays in the interior of the living room, dining room, kitchen, hallway and bathroom. If you want to make the room look "richer", you can make inserts from tiles that imitate marble or onyx. Moreover, in accordance with international standards, this material practically does not differ from natural analogues in its technical properties and appearance. A wide range of ceramic tiles allows you to choose the best material for any architectural solution. And it does not absorb dirt and smells, and therefore it is convenient to use.

       

Colors

The color solutions of the tiles are diverse and completely imitate the elements of nature. Moreover, the double technology of staining the relief base leads to the fact that there are no two identical tiles. Color veins and bulges will always vary. The choice of shade depends on the style and personal preferences of the designer, but still using this material should be based on a natural palette. It is customary to classify decorative tiles according to colors, depending on the type of stone that is imitated. There are the following types:

• imitation of marble involves the use of white, black and beige with a small impregnation of a gray tinge;

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• tiles for malachite should be dark green with some divorce;

• onyx will be represented by pink, amber and light green flowers;

• Gray and beige shades are suitable for decorative sandstone;

• artificial shale has a brown, gray-green hue with light veins;

• a mixture of stones involves the use of natural shades (brown, white, rusty, etc.).

Application

There is a huge number of options for using decorative tiles for bricks. Conditionally they can be divided into standard and non-standard. The standard methods include:

• decorating a separate corner of the kitchen (for example, next to a gas stove);
• facing of internal and external walls;
• the creation of a special "Christmas" coziness at the expense of the firing of the fireplace;
• decoration of bathrooms;
• use for windows and doors openings;
• fringing of mirrors, etc.

As non-standard (conditionally) ways of using artificial stone are called:

• facing the working surface of the headset in the kitchen, which smoothly turns into an apron (while under the bottom edge of the apron tile does not accumulate dirt);
• decor of old furniture;
• from the broken tile (the material is fragile, during installation something is sure to break) you can make a small panel on the wall;
• decoration of garden benches, flower beds and pots;
• from white wall tiles can make a non-standard canvas for adults and children (draw on it you need with special paints for glass or ceramics);
• decoration of stairs in the cottage;
• Extra tiles can be used as a stand for hot or cold dishes.

       

How to choose?

Artificial decorative stone for exterior and interior decoration is chosen on the basis of the price parameter, durability, reliability, ease of use and appearance. Also, you should carefully consider the manufacturer of the product. If the company has long established itself in the market and has a wide range of products, its decorative tile can be purchased. According to the law, tiles are not subject to obligatory certification, but the availability of such a document indicates that the company attentively treats its consumer and conducts product tests (if a large holding buys goods from a small manufacturing company, it always requires technical documentation for inspections). If the consultant refuses to provide quality certificates, one should consider the expediency of making a purchase.

When choosing a fake stone, you should pay attention to its frost resistance. The more they are, the longer the material will last (this applies not only to the facade, but also to the inner lining). The correct tile has an invoice surface that is not distinguishable from ordinary natural stone. When buying a tile you need to look at its surface. If it is porous, then this indicates a violation of production technology (for example, the casting mixture was moved). Such a stone will be short-lived, in the pores formed will begin to get moisture, which will lead to the destruction of the material. Also pay attention to the thickness of the product. Depending on the purpose of the tile, it varies from 1 to 5 centimeters. Ideally, the thickness of the stone should be uniform throughout its length and width. In the case of unevenness, such decorative tiles will be difficult to place on the wall or on the floor, additional finishing works will be required to restore the marriage (at least visually).

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Stacking

The entire process of laying the artificial stone is divided into the following stages:

1. First, dismantle the old coating. If you plan to decorate the entire wall or ceiling, then the cover is removed completely. Otherwise, delete only the part.
2. Then, the walls are leveled, since it is necessary to lay a stone on a smooth surface. Cracks shpaklyuyut, and large swings and slopes skins.
3. After sanding, the priming step begins. Before this, the surface should be cleaned of dust and other dirt. Only after this the site is treated with a primer (preferably acrylic).
4. Tiles have uneven edges, so you have to collect it as a puzzle on the floor with a meter. Same fragments should come in contact with larger and smaller ones.
5. Then it is necessary to prepare the glue (it should be thick and homogeneous without lumps) and proceed to the laying itself, paying special attention to the corner joints.
6. After laying the tiles, wait 3 to 10 days, depending on the type of glue and the features of the room. Only after this period, the tile glue will finally dry up, and the construction itself will become strong.

               

How to care?

Care for decorative tiles is the timely wiping of dust. To avoid problems with excessive moisture, the lining is treated with hydrophobic sprays. Thanks to this coating, the tile can be washed in the future. But it is better to use it not ordinary, but a special rag with microfiber. Also suitable for spraying flowers. Effective cleaning with a vacuum cleaner (better detergent). For some surfaces a static broom is shown, but it is necessary only for dry cleaning. To clean the kitchen apron, a usual porous sponge will do. As a detergent, it is better to choose special means for processing artificial stone. Sometimes use the conditioner for linen, but you do not need to abuse this method, as the surface of the tile can deteriorate. The frequency of cleaning the decorative stone depends on the humidity of the room, as well as the location of objects collecting dust in the apartment (house, office).

Conclusion

Tiles - a great interior solution for any purpose. Simply for each design development a certain type of material is used. Artificial stone helps to focus attention on important details in the interior and dilutes the monotonous finish. Due to the ease of installation, it can be put even with their own hands, without recourse to tile specialists, which reduces the cost of repairs. If necessary, a person will choose a tile of any price category and quality. A lack of strength, which are inherent in artificial stone, almost do not manifest themselves with proper installation and further operation. The key advantage of artificial tiles is that it is installed already after the completion of major repairs and perfectly harmonizes with any building materials.