Stone-like finishing tiles. Artificial stone

Decorating a hallway with decorative stone is a simple technology and it is quite possible to add originality to the interior with your own hands. Creating a design in the hallway requires special attention no less than in other rooms, because this is the first room that guests see. Decorative stone will give the hallway a stylish look, no matter whether it is used as the main material or as an additional accent.

Types of coating

Before you start work, you need to choose the right finishing material. It is made on the basis of concrete and gypsum with the addition of dyes. Both types have their own advantages and disadvantages, so it is better to study their characteristics first.

The advantages of concrete products include:

Walls decorated with such stone can be easily cleaned of any dirt, and the worn surface can be quickly restored with paint. If you accidentally touch the finish with something hard, there will be no marks left on it and no cracks will appear.

Flaws:

heavy weight;
high price;
processing complexity.

To cut individual fragments when laying, you will need a grinder and a diamond wheel, as well as some effort.

Advantages of gypsum coating:

This stone is chosen for finishing plasterboard walls, which cannot be subjected to heavy loads. If you can’t find the right color, there are unpainted products on sale that you can paint at your discretion.

Flaws:

When dirty, this finish should not be wetted or rubbed vigorously so as not to damage the surface. Treating the stone with a special impregnation or varnish will help to avoid such damage. acrylic base. Also on sale is gypsum stone with polymer coating– it’s a little more expensive than usual, but it’s not at all afraid of moisture.

Preparation for finishing

First you need to calculate the amount of material. If the stone will cover the entire area of the walls in the hallway, you should subtract the area of the openings and add 10%. If the decor will be located around openings, niches, in separate fragments on open walls, draw a rough sketch of the decoration and take measurements of each area. Then add up the area and add 10-15% for trimming. When purchasing material, you should remember that the amount of angular stone is calculated in linear meters, and correct form– in square.

Additionally you will need:

fasten fake diamond Can be used with liquid nails, cement or gypsum based glue. The glue consumption must be indicated on the packaging, so when purchasing, you should know exactly the finishing area and take it with a small margin.

If you use gypsum stone, you will need a special miter box with high sides for cutting.

When everything you need has been purchased, you should start preparing the surface.

Step 1. Dismantling the coating

If the stone covers the hallway walls completely, the old coating is removed completely to the base. If separate areas are intended for decoration, the coating must be dismantled very carefully. On the wallpaper, mark the boundaries of the finish with a pencil and carefully trim it with a utility knife, leaving a margin of 1-2 cm wide for stones. The wallpaper glue is soaked in water and removed with a spatula, and the walls are thoroughly washed. They also remove the paint if it is peeling or cracked, and clean off any loose plaster.

Step 2. Leveling the walls

Laying the stone should be done on a flat, smooth surface - this will facilitate the work process and increase strength decorative covering. Therefore, all small cracks, gaps, and depressions are rubbed down, and if there are differences of more than 5 mm, the entire area is better. Particular attention should be paid doorways: deep cracks may form around the perimeter of the box, to seal which it is recommended to use a cement solution.

Prices for mixtures for leveling walls and ceilings

Mixtures for leveling walls and ceilings

Step 3: Priming

Dry walls must be lightly sanded to smooth out the unevenness of the puttied areas, and then wiped with a rag to remove dust. After this, the surface is treated 1-2 times acrylic primer. If there is wallpaper around the perimeter of the areas to be treated, the primer should be applied so as to cover an edge 1 cm wide - what will be hidden under the cladding.

Laying stone

Decorative stone has uneven edges and consists of different sizes. Laying must be done in such a way that tiles of the same size are necessarily interspersed with larger or smaller fragments, and the seams do not coincide either horizontally or vertically. This way the coating will look most natural and attractive. To understand how best to join the stone, you need to lay out the tiles on the floor, selecting the fragments in a certain order.

Step 1. Preparing the glue

Pour dry glue into a container of water and stir well. The ratio of water and glue is indicated on the package, so there is no need to mix “by eye”. Failure to comply with the proportions reduces the strength of the connection or increases the consumption of glue. It is best to mix with a construction mixer, then there will be no lumps left in the mixture. The finished glue should be homogeneous and resemble a thick paste in consistency.

Step 2. Laying the first row

You need to lay out the tiles from the corner of the wall, and this can be done both from above and from below. When laid from top to bottom, the stone is less dirty with glue, and the coating is more neat. If only the area around the opening is covered, start from the corner of the door. For convenience, the wall can be marked by level with horizontal lines every 10-15 cm.

Now you can start installation:

Between the fragments you can leave seams of 5 to 8 mm, especially if the stone is large.

After facing, the joints are filled with putty and jointed, which makes the masonry more attractive. Small tiles can be attached closely, the main thing is that the joints do not coincide.

Step 3: Finishing the corners

For cladding interior and external corners You can purchase special corner tiles, which are more expensive than regular ones, but significantly simplify the work process. If your budget is limited, you will have to adjust the stone yourself using a grinder or a hacksaw. There are 2 options here - laying the stone overlapping or grinding the edges at an angle of 45 degrees. When using the first option for external corners, the open ends must be filed and tinted, otherwise they will stand out too much. In the inner corners, both ends are closed, so processing is not necessary. The second option is more suitable for gypsum products, which are convenient to cut using a miter box.

So, first determine required quantity fragments, cut them from a certain side, process the sections with a file. Next, the stones are smeared with glue and alternately attached to the walls on both sides of the corner, carefully aligning the joints. When the vertical corner is laid out, you can expand the masonry onto the walls.

Step 4. Decorating the edges of the masonry

The edges of the masonry will look more attractive if the tiles are cut beautifully. The surface of the decorative stone has a clear texture, which makes it easier to trim the outer fragments. You should cut with a hacksaw directly along the contour lines to ensure the most natural cuts. All cuts must be sanded with sandpaper.

Step 5. Sealing joints

Dilute the gypsum putty and carefully apply it to the joints, corners, and around the perimeter of openings and switches. For convenience, you can use a thick bag, for example, a milk bag. One edge of the bag is cut completely, and a small incision is made on the other side. Fill the bag with putty mixture and squeeze out an even thin strip onto the seams. If the solution is applied with a spatula, you should immediately wipe off the excess from the surface of the stone to avoid drying out. After filling the joints, the putty is rubbed with a damp foam sponge and left to dry.

Step 6: Finishing

The dried putty has White color, and therefore the treated areas will stand out against the background of the stone. Paint will help get rid of light spots: in a small container, dilute the pigment to match the color of the main coating and use a small brush to paint the putty areas. When the paint dries, the stone is covered acrylic varnish. In places where the walls are constantly touched, it is better to apply varnish in 2-3 layers.

To make the coating more voluminous, you can highlight the edges of the masonry with golden or bronze dye. There is another option: a coating of the same color, but more saturated in tone, is applied to the artificial stone at an oblique angle. In addition, you can use lighting: light directed from above or from the side makes the masonry much more textured and clearer.

Calculation of decorative stone	Formulas	Explanations
Calculate the surface area intended for cladding with artificial stone	S (wall) = AxB	A – wall length, B – wall height
Calculate the surface area that the corner elements of the decorative stone will occupy	S (angles) = Lx0.2	L – angle length (linear meters), 0.2 – coefficient
Find the total area occupied by all corner elements	S (angles total) = S (angle 1) + S (angle 2)	-
Calculate the area of window and door openings	S=AxB	A – window/door width, B – window/door height
Calculate the surface area intended for facing decorative stone, taking into account the area occupied by corner elements, window and door openings	S (stone) = S (walls) – S (corners) – S (windows/doors)	Increase the resulting area by 10%
How to calculate the required number of corner stone elements.	Measure and add the height of the corners to be faced with decorative stone. L (total angles) = L (angle 1) + L (angle 2), etc. Increase the resulting length by 10%	L – length of corners (linear meters)

Video - Decorating the hallway with decorative stone

Gypsum

The best material for stone finishing in the interior is artificial gypsum stone. This material not only has affordable price, but also a huge number of mastered forms, a light weight and simple installation. Plaster decorative rock can be painted and also laid on plasterboard walls. It goes very well in the interior with wallpaper.

Modern and light tiles“Stone like” for interior decoration is usually used when repairing walls. Of course, if you wish, you can line the ceiling and even the floor with it, but the convex and rough nature of such a surface will be excessively original even with the most futuristic design. The walls of the kitchen, corridor, hall and balcony are the most natural and promising place for “dislocation” for artificial stone.

Stone imitation wall tiles - advantages and disadvantages of stone imitation

The advantages of tiles imitating natural granite, basalt and further down the stone list are quite extensive:

Economical. Compared to natural stone, its factory imitation is 3-5 times cheaper;
Resistance to moisture, sunlight and artificial light, chemical reagents and strong mechanical stress at a quite decent, truly “stone” level;
Light weight - with wall mounting the mass of a square meter of cladding is approximately 25-30 kg. Natural stone of such an area will be several times heavier, which will significantly complicate its installation.;
Durability, comparable to the service life of the entire house or apartment (only subject to high-quality installation!);
Significant variety of color, depth and texture textures. Imitation of not only stone, but also marble, ordinary and petrified wood, the interiors of ancient caves, pirate catacombs, etc.

A unique advantage of artificial stone tiles is the ability to partially finish walls. This material looks great in the form of individual “islands”, “chains” and patterns on a smoothly plastered base - other finishing materials must be built as a continuous sheet. “Stone” tiles can be used to cover one or more walls, to decorate decorative stand or use at the final stage DIY fireplace masonry. Design options The use of artificial stone cannot be described in the largest article; it is better to familiarize yourself with them in professional repair catalogs or on specialized websites.

However, this material also has disadvantages (how could we live without them):

Due to the textured outer surface, cutting such tiles is much more difficult than real ones. To adjust the elements to size, you will have to use special and rather bulky machines or a grinder - a diamond glass cutter will be powerless here. The cut will have to be carefully sanded;
A bizarrely lumpy wall looks unusual and stylish, but you can’t hang furniture or other bulky household items on it. Firstly, wide and unsightly gaps will remain. Secondly, why close the unique decorative beauty standard kitchen set?
Any stone - both natural and artificial - belongs to the so-called. "cold" coatings. Constantly or often leaning your head or leaning your back against it is unwise. To contact human body“warm” materials are better suited - wood, natural wallpaper, cork coverings, etc.

Homemade tiles

Indeed, it is not necessary to purchase artificial stone in a store or construction market; if you wish, you can “sculpt” it yourself. However, homemade stone-look tiles will be much less durable and durable than factory-made ones, even if the manufacturing factory is located in a remote corner of a Chinese province. In addition, choosing high-quality pigments for painting pseudo-stone blocks will not be easy, as will special hardeners-thickeners. Additionally, you will need to purchase durable polyurethane molds for casting work.

That's why self-production artificial tiles are relevant if there is excess cement in the household. For example, when large-scale construction work strip foundation for the fence ran out, but solid reserves of cement (grades not lower than 300!) remained. Most good cement in a year or two it will turn into a ossified mass on the shelves of the garage, cellar or barn. It's better to experiment with it non-standard use, rather than throwing away cement fossils in vain.

Other ingredients for the "stone batch" are simple and cheap. For 1 kg of cement you need to add 1.5 kg of clean sifted sand and 1.5 kg of marble or granite chips (pebbles of similar size if possible). Mixing the dry mixture is carried out in a large container, very convenient for this operation manual concrete mixer. In another bucket (trough, tub) an aqueous solution with coloring pigments and thickening reagents is diluted. Mix the dry and water components of the artificial stone as thoroughly as possible, using vibrators or drills with special attachments. The mixture will be thick and will have to be stirred long and thoroughly.

The finished mass is poured into several molds, inner surface pre-treated with silicone or soap solution for ease of subsequent removal of finished blocks. The still liquid stone is leveled with a notched spatula, with simultaneous vibration of the form. So from internal space of our bricks, air is removed, and their back surface is roughened for good contact with the mounting mortar or glue.

Stone-like finishing tiles for interior decoration are removed from the casting molds after 24-36 hours. At least another day should pass until the blocks dry without contact with polyurethane, freely placed on a clean floor. Only after this can you begin wall installation our casting works. It is carried out according to the same procedure by which purchased artificial stone is installed.

Stone-effect tiles - every step is important for interior decoration

Relief tiles for stone-like walls go through the following stages installation installation:

How to tile with relief tiles to look like stone - step-by-step diagram

Step 1: Preparation

All stone blocks must be inspected before mixing the first batch adhesive solution. It is best to lay them on the floor and carefully examine them for chipped corners, damage to the façade surface, disruption of color uniformity, etc. It is very disappointing to first cut or place a stone on the installation site, and then find out its poor quality. Such repair collisions are prevented by a thorough preliminary inspection.

Step 2: Preparation again

The base of the walls must be strong. No peeling plaster, no cracks, rust stains or dampness. When laying a continuous sheet on a wall, you can apply grooves crosswise to deep penetration glue. For partial (designer) installation, the viscosity of the adhesive composition should be higher, because it is applied to a smooth base.

The tiles are always laid from top to bottom and from the corner - this is an unshakable rule for stone repairs. For the first row, auxiliary lines are drawn on the wall surface, according to the position of the plumb line and level. The success of the entire installation procedure depends on the accuracy of the first row.

Step 3: Now the facing

It is better to buy special glue for artificial stone; preferably the composition recommended by the manufacturer. The backside of the block and a section of the wall are smeared with adhesive, after which the tile is pressed exactly in place. High-quality glue will “grab” a heavy element in 10-20 seconds, this time is enough to level it. Excess glue is removed with a spatula back into a bucket or other container.

The entire wall (selected surface) is completely tiled with solid tiles. As with ceramics, the labor-intensive incisions are left for the next day. However, if the amount of work is small (several square meters), they can be glued in one day.

Step 4: Mortises and Seams

The tiles, precisely cut and sanded from the visible ends, are glued to the remaining spaces. When this rather tedious procedure is completed, all that remains is to rub the gaps between the stones with a special fugue. Dyes are added to it to match the color of the relief stone - only now the work is finished, you can begin to admire it.

Interior decoration of a room with stone-like tiles is popular, because with the help of this facing material the room is given a unique appearance. Currently on the market finishing materials There is a selection of a huge number of tiles of various textures, sizes, shapes, colors and imitations of natural stone.

Advantages and disadvantages of stone tiles

Such facing material, like natural stone tiles, they have both strong and weaknesses. The main advantages of this tile include:

Tile price. Imitation stone costs much cheaper than similar products made of natural stone.
High strength of the product, resistance to moisture, ultraviolet rays, mechanical and chemical damage. The strength of artificial stone is as close as possible to natural stone.
Lightweight material. When using stone-like gypsum and ceramic tiles for interior decoration, its weight will be about 30 kilograms per 1 square meter. m. surface area, which is 3 times lighter than natural stone.
An impressive selection of cladding products. When using this type of finishing material, various design ideas, thanks to the variety of colors and shapes.
Possibility of partially finishing the room with tiles. Stone, even artificial, will look appropriate and harmonious when highlighting part of the room. Thanks to the combination of colors and textures, a unique composition is created that decorates a specific area of the wall.

Despite its merits decorative tiles also has a number of disadvantages. These include:

Difficult to process material. Cutting plaster is more difficult than cutting smooth products. A special tool is required, for example, a grinder.
It will not be possible to mount hanging furniture (shelves, mezzanines, etc.) on a wall with decorative tiles.

While creating room cladding ceramic or gypsum tiles are used. Each of these materials has its own characteristics and properties. In order to decide which stone-look wall tiles to use in renovating a room, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the products.

Gypsum wall cladding

When producing gypsum cladding, it is given the appearance of brickwork or the natural texture of stone. Most often this coating is used for interior decoration of the following premises:

Dining room.
Cabinet.
Kitchen.
Hallway.

Through the use of decorative gypsum coating, a specific relief is created on the wall from stone blocks that decorate, when correct location, type of room. Gypsum is a difficult material to use, as it absorbs moisture, and as a result, it cannot be used in rooms with high humidity and on building facades. When using gypsum products, you should pay attention to their properties:

Fire resistance. Products made from gypsum are non-flammable.
Heat and sound insulation.
Gypsum is an environmentally friendly material.
Maintaining a favorable indoor climate.

Ceramic wall cladding

The peculiarity of ceramic products is their durability, closeness to natural beauty and calm color scheme. Ceramic cladding is used to display the surface of a rock with tiny cracks and fractures. This type of material can be used both for exterior cladding of a house due to its moisture-resistant properties, and indoors when finishing bathrooms, kitchens, and hallways. Ceramic finish has proven itself as a coating that ensures hygienic cleanliness, since it remains sterile after cleaning and does not absorb aggressive chemicals. The following technologies for the production of decorative ceramics are currently used:

Porcelain tiles. Porcelain stoneware is not inferior in its characteristics to natural material. The appearance of porcelain stoneware and its colors allow you to implement various design solutions. The products are produced in the form of rectangles or squares with a side length of 30 cm, 60 cm, 90 cm. Due to the strength of the product and its resistance to moisture, it can be used both outside and indoors.
Catto. To create catto, clay is used that is exposed to high temperatures. Products are produced in the shape of a rhombus, square, hexagon. Catto is used to decorate hallway walls. The range of colors of the material is limited to shades of red and brown.
Clinker tiles. It is created from certain types of clay using the extrusion method, as a result of which it has good strength. When laying clinker tiles, they imitate the surface of brickwork. The material is suitable for use both indoors and outdoors.

Laying decorative coverings on walls

Choosing the best one for use in a specific case decorative coating, proceed to its installation. When carrying out work, it is recommended to adhere to the following algorithm:

Preparation work surface for laying tiles. To obtain a high-quality result of the work, the walls will need to be pre-leveled and completely cleaned of any contaminants. available ways. This will require special tool(spatulas, brushes, etc.).
An impregnating primer is applied to the surface of the finished wall using a brush or roller. In the future, this will ensure a strong connection between the adhesive and the wall.
After the primer has dried, they proceed to covering the surface. To do this, use a special glue for artificial stone. The adhesive is applied to the tile and pressed to the desired location on the wall. To correct the position of the tile, you have 20 seconds; after this time, the glue will harden and the work will have to be redone. It is recommended to lay the tiles starting from the lower left corner of the work surface, and then row by row, moving upward. It is recommended to remove excess glue immediately to facilitate further installation.
Grouting joints. For grouting, a special material is used - fugue, to which dyes are added to ensure the closest possible appearance of natural stone.
After laying the tiles, finishing coverings. Remains of glue and grout are removed from the surface of the coating.

If you adhere to this algorithm, you will get a high-quality result, regardless of the type of tile used. This is the installation process considered completed.

Tile is a popular facing material that is used for both interior and exterior exterior finishing. Since the wall and floor tiles under the stone is presented in solutions of various composition and design, making the choice much more difficult. Therefore, to create harmonious interior You should study all the features of different tile coverings under the stone.

Peculiarities

Decorative stone tiles are now one of the most popular finishing materials. In addition, recently, according to designers, this material is relevant in the interior for interior decoration. The stone is considered a trend of the previous and new seasons. It looks elegant and beautiful, but at the same time has high functionality and reliability.

This material has natural origin , so it always looks natural and natural. In addition, natural stone is durable.

Natural materials are always expensive, so not everyone can afford such a finish. Stone is a heavy raw material, which is why it is not always suitable for interior decoration. As a rule, natural stone is used to decorate the facades of houses and buildings, where it looks beautiful, perfectly fulfilling its role and functions, including protective and decorative.

But in the interior of a house or apartment, decorative artificial stone is used for decoration. This is due to the fact that it costs much less than its natural counterpart and is lighter. This is why it differs from natural stone.

Stone-look tiles can look exactly the same as natural material, not only in appearance, but also in feel. Manufacturers present models with realistic relief and texture. Some models look so natural that even a professional cannot distinguish them from their natural counterpart.
In addition, new technologies are used in production that make this material no less reliable than natural stone.
Not everyone can cope with the installation of natural stone, but tiles for this material are quite easy to install, because their installation does not require special skills or special knowledge.

Stone-look tiles are based on high-quality and natural compositions, so they look quite natural. Imitation stone can transform any interior. She can become his highlight. Such tiles may look like granite sawn into layers; they may have a marble or malachite design, as well as any, even the most ordinary stone. Moreover, the stone patterns and texture are believable and unique. The stone looks luxurious and elegant.

This tile is quite easy to lay; during the cutting process it practically does not split, maintaining its presentable appearance. Stone-effect tiles are used to decorate both walls and floors, and are also used as decorative elements for various interior items. As a rule, the floor is finished with porcelain stoneware tiles, since they are the highest quality and most reliable.

In addition, such tiles can withstand any, even strong shock loads. That is why the space in the hallway is often decorated in this way.
It is easy to care for because it has a very low moisture absorption rate. You can carry out wet cleaning if necessary.
Stone-effect tiles are considered to be of high quality and quite practical. It can be installed in any room. Thus, it can be called universal. Stone models look very interesting and can fascinate with their design. You can choose almost any shade, texture and texture.
Manufacturers present models for every taste and budget. In addition, stone-look tiles are no less environmentally friendly and safe than their natural counterpart. It does not contain harmful components, and it does not emit toxic substances or aldehydes. Stone-effect tiles, like many types of this finishing material, meet safety requirements and have low electrical conductivity.

Many stone models are resistant to sunlight, so they do not fade at all. The tiles retain their original appearance for many decades, especially for high-quality, high-end models.
This tile is resistant to high humidity. Since the material tolerates water well, stone-look tiles are also used to decorate bathrooms, saunas, and swimming pools.
The texture of the stone is quite practical: dust, dirt, and small scratches are invisible on it. That is why such options are often used to decorate rooms with high traffic.
Stone-effect tiles are quite easy to care for: due to the origin of this material, it is resistant to chemicals and can be washed using special products.
Ceramic tile It weighs very little, so it is often mounted on walls. In addition, this particular type of tile is perfect for fragmented accent wall decoration. It is often used to cover parts of walls, windows, doorways and some other elements. This means that you can choose models of even the smallest sizes, and they will all look very natural.

But stone-look tiles have some disadvantages:

Although in general many types of this finishing material are easy to cut, smooth models are much easier to process than embossed stone-like products. This will take much longer than cutting regular tiles without relief. In order to beautifully and evenly cut stone tiles, you will need to purchase tools specially designed for this.
Another disadvantage is that it is difficult to combine with other decorative surfaces, since it is quite thick and embossed. Therefore, it is necessary to select other rough and thick materials. In addition, a wall decorated with such tiles will have wide tile joints and a rough texture, so it will not look good with all other coatings.
Stone-look tiles are a cold material, so they are rarely used to decorate residential premises. That is why it is purchased mainly for finishing the kitchen, hallway, and bathroom. It is not customary to do such a design in the bedroom and nursery. In such intimate rooms, natural stone will look out of place. In the interior of residential premises, natural stone can only be used in combination with warm floors.
Some also note the difficulty of caring for coatings with small relief: dirt and dust get stuck in it, which darken the tiles. That is why you have to wash and clean it often so that the coating always remains presentable.

Kinds

Stone tiles come in a variety of types.

Natural stone tiles

This is the only natural option for stone coating. It is durable and high quality. This is the most durable and resistant to external influences material. The stone is dense and hard and can withstand all mechanical stress. Manufacturers present both glossy and matte relief models that have gone through several levels of processing.

Stone tiles can have not only a pronounced relief, but also a smooth surface. It is also covered with glaze or varnish. These models are quite expensive and are mainly used for decoration. luxury interiors. Among all the models, the most popular are stone tiles made of marble, onyx, granite, balsate and other rocks.

photos

All other models of stone tiles are decorative and are not natural. They only imitate this material, therefore they differ in a number of properties and qualities. But the manufacturer includes natural stone shavings in these finishing materials, which makes them as close as possible in terms of external and quality characteristics to their natural counterpart.

Stone effect ceramic tiles

This is the most common type of this decorative coating. With its help, almost all types of premises are finished. Ceramic tiles with this design have a good price-quality ratio. Its performance characteristics are quite high; the coating can last more than 50 years.

Stone-effect tile models come in a huge variety color solutions , drawings that are able to display even the smallest relief elements, transitions, as well as stone veins. They can imitate cracks and irregularities, pores of rocks. Ceramic tiles are capable of conveying transitions of different shades, which is typical for this natural material.

It brings comfort to the interior and fills it with freedom. But with its help you can make a rather strict and restrained finish or, on the contrary, carry out a more romantic interior by performing accent wall decoration. Ceramics can also be presented in brighter and more variegated shades; it is often used to hide some uneven surfaces and other visual imperfections in the room. Many decorative stone models are able to focus attention on the merits of the interior, as well as hide all its defects.

It is not susceptible to temperature changes. Even if it is exposed to frost, it will not deform. That is why it is used even in rooms that are not heated. Even outdoor gazebos and paths are finished with such stone-like tiles.

This type of tile is easily combined with other materials. It's special important quality, if you combine coatings.

It is used for both complete and accent finishing. It is quite light, but durable. In its manufacture, a mixture of quartz sand and clay is used, as well as some other elements necessary for coloring it and increasing the level of wear resistance. This material is made by molding under high temperatures.

Decorative stone tiles can even be smooth: in this case, they are covered with glaze, and the natural pattern remains the same, but the coatings do not have a relief texture. Also, during production it is left rough, then the texture of the coating will be similar in tactile qualities to natural stone.

Gypsum decorative tiles

Such stone models have a completely different origin. They are made from a mixture of gypsum and polymers, being not so dense and reliable. The coating is not resistant to high and low temperatures, so it is used only for finishing heated rooms. But plaster stone models are quite lightweight and therefore easy to install.

The gypsum used in this coating is completely natural and environmentally friendly., therefore it is completely harmless to human health. Despite the simplicity of its composition, gypsum interior tiles provide good heat and sound insulation, they are flexible and plastic.

Of all the types of decorative stone-effect tiles, gypsum models are the thinnest; these wall tiles are suitable even for the smallest spaces: they will not hide extra centimeters. The small thickness is a huge plus, because it simplifies the joining of this material with other coatings.

Gypsum can affect the humidity in the room. So, it can release moisture if the air is excessively dry or, on the contrary, absorb it if the air is very humid. This is an excellent regulator that is suitable for residential applications. Plaster models are easy to process, but they are still very fragile. That is why you need to be very careful during the installation process.

The material is plastic and soft, it differs in its friability from other types of stone coatings. It is mainly used only for wall finishing, as it is not stable enough for floor coverings. Such tiles are easily damaged by mechanical influences, which is its disadvantage.

Experts advise using gypsum decorative stone models mainly for accent decoration in rooms with light loads and a good microclimate. That is why it is often used to line walls in corridors, hallways and some elements of living room walls. Decorative models made of plaster to look like stone are usually varnished, since the coating is excessively embossed.

Plaster models are often used for cladding doorways, arches, and workrooms. In some cases, tiles are used to finish decorative fireplaces, since such cladding looks no less advantageous. Many designers note that gypsum is able to best convey the texture of natural stone, which is why such tiles look most realistic.

Clinker

This type of tile consists of small bricks for a fireplace. This material is usually used not only for internal, but also for exterior finishing. It is excellent for cladding building facades. In addition, due to its high stability and reliability, it is often used to decorate surfaces in bathrooms, swimming pools, saunas and even baths. In addition, clinker is often used to decorate real home fireplaces.

Clinker stone models are ideal for both wall cladding and floor finishing. Clinker is placed even in rooms where heavy loads are placed on the floor.

Porcelain tiles

Such stone-like models have almost zero level water absorption. That is why such tiles can be used both inside and outside the house. They are used to lay floors on verandas, terraces, gazebos, as well as walls and floors in houses. Porcelain tile is the highest quality analogue of decorative stone and is practically not inferior to it in strength and reliability. It has a high wear resistance class and can last up to 100 years.

Cotto

This type of decorative stone model has an unusual color and texture. As a rule, cotto is made from red clay, so it looks very natural and natural. Typically, this coating is not glazed, leaving its texture a little rough, which makes it even more natural. As a rule, cotto covering is often used for tiling floors in hallways, hallways, and kitchens. Walls are rarely finished with such tiles, but corner cotto is perfect for tiling the lower part of the hallway walls.

Majolica

This material has one important feature - a painted bright surface. Usually these are quite small tile models that look quite unusual. Now designers advise laying majolica with a marble design, and it is not at all necessary to follow the pattern. This kind of styling can become the highlight of any interior.

Large models of such tiles are also popular. With their help, you can create an almost seamless installation on both walls and floors. This coating is suitable for both classic and modern interiors. With its help you can create a bright, contrasting stone floor and lighter walls. Such a design solution will look bold and interesting.

Conglomerate

This type tiles have the highest percentage of natural stone in their composition. So, it partly consists of crumbs of natural stone. Moreover, such models can include quartz or acrylic, so they are durable and of high quality.

Thanks to the inclusion of natural stone chips, conglomerates are able to imitate almost any type of natural minerals, including malachite, granite, onyx, jasper, marble, travertine and others. The conglomerate is solid and of high quality, and this tile is easy to process. With its help, both walls and floors are finished.

Dimensions

Decorative models imitated with natural stone vary greatly in their external characteristics. Thus, manufacturers present both large tile elements, which display small details such as pebbles and simplify installation, and smaller products in the form of each individual stone. The latter option looks more natural and voluminous.

Stone tiles can have almost any shape from square or rectangular to hexagonal and even round. Small tile models are suitable for stone mosaic finishing. This design is great for small spaces.

Large slabs are usually used for cladding spacious rooms. In this case, choose models 30 by 30 cm or 45 by 45 cm. The thickness of such materials is especially important. Since such stone models generally have an interesting and large relief, they are always more than 5 mm thick. The average thickness of such tiles is 12 mm.

Design

Stone-look tile designs can vary greatly.

Many models have an interesting relief with a heterogeneous texture. Thus, a coating with this design can be used for contrasting wall decoration in combination with smooth, even surfaces. Colors can also be contrasting: black granite looks great with white marble tiles.

Separately, it should be noted the antique decorative tiles. These coatings look vintage and very stylish. It seems that such a stone has lain for many years, which has affected its texture. Such coatings can imitate chips, cracks, and abrasions. This design is perfect for an interior in a classic, Provence or country style.

Tiles with a torn stone design look interesting. It is distinguished by obvious unevenness in texture, color and resembles crushed stone. It seems that the old stone has simply lost its integrity. It is difficult to trace any specific pattern on such a coating. Torn stone looks original and interesting, which is why it is used in some new interiors to focus attention on the walls.

Decorative tiles imitating rubble stone also look original. It differs in that on one tile there are stones of completely different sizes and types. Moreover, these can be either large slabs with images and stone relief, or individual elements of different sizes, which are assembled and combined by the hands of a craftsman on the walls or on the floor. In any case, such a coating will look heterogeneous and original; the specific finishing option will depend only on your wishes and imagination.