Stone arch with your own hands. Decoration of the arch with gypsum artificial stone in the apartment

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

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

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

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

Arch decoration, what to choose?

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

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

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

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

Artificial is better than natural!

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

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

It is strong, durable and no less beautiful.

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

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

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

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

The main stages of work: where to start?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arched openings have firmly entered the interior design of a home or office. Even in ancient times, the arch was associated either with a passage into the future, or with a triumphal procession. Decorative stone in the decoration of this architectural element gives the arch even more sophistication and chic.

Designers offer many ways to decorate arches. Among them, gypsum moldings, wood paneling and forged elements look especially elegant and elegant. Such combinations will perfectly fit into any style of the room and emphasize its individuality. But nothing can compare with the beauty and durability of stone. This is what ensured him superiority in the decoration of arched openings. But a natural stone very expensive today. And therefore, its artificial counterparts are increasingly being used to decorate arches.

Which is better: artificial or natural stone?

Of course, fans of everything natural will prefer natural material. And even its cost will not be a reason to abandon the plan. Photos of arched openings finished with natural stone in magazines and on the Internet show how much beauty and grace they add to the interior. Very unusual in texture and surface are rocks such as sandstone and shell rock. And marble is valued for its unusually delicate color and intricate pattern.

The arches in the apartment, finished with granite, look unusually majestic and rich.

But do not deprive your attention of the decorative analogue. It has a lot of advantages compared to natural, the main of which is the cost. An artificial counterpart is much cheaper than a natural one. But at the same time, he can imitate absolutely any breed.

Decorative stone is made from environmentally friendly materials such as expanded clay and pumice. And in order to achieve the desired color, in the mixture add special pigment. After the material has been dried and fired, its strength is in no way inferior to its natural counterpart. And the weight of such a stone is several times less, which is also a significant plus.

Finishing Tools

It is worth noting that in order to complete the decoration of the arched opening with artificial stone, special skills are not required. Here are some tools you will need:

• grinder or hand saw to cut the stone;
• sandpaper;
• construction knife;
• chisel;
• hammer.

decorative stone needed cut into small pieces so that there are no overlaps in the process of work.

Sequence of work

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in such work. But you still have to get used to it.

The advantages of finishing the arch with decorative stone

Decorative stone in the decoration of the arch has a lot of advantages. It not only adds zest to the interior of the apartment, but also helps to give the entrance to the room a special style and monumentality. But this finish option also has a practical component. A doorway is a place through which both people and animals pass. Which means he gets very dirty. Decorative stone will help to avoid this. In addition to the fact that this material is perfectly cleaned, it also has a rather interesting texture, on which stains will not be noticeable.

The decorative finish of the arch has many variations that are perfect for any interior. Many photo ideas are proof of this. You can choose a material imitating brick or small pebbles, or you can choose a design for granite.

Decoration methods

Of course, you can lay out a decorative stone and the entire wall that is adjacent to the arch. But most often they only post side row around the arch.

With the help of various stone imitations, you can create a variety of variations of the entrance to the room. So, a granite arch will imitate the entrance to an ancient castle, and light green arches will become like an entrance to a sea grotto. What exactly you want to see in your home is up to you.

It is worth noting that using combination of photo wallpaper and masonry you can create a panorama from the ruined building and the city behind it. But not only this decor option can be applied. This is a matter of taste and your imagination.

And, most importantly, you should not overload the interior if the arch decoration in it is planned from stone. This will lead to the fact that the effect of pretentiousness is created. The whole design of such a room, if there is more than one stone element in it, will crush with its weight. But, if you have a fireplace in your house, it must be finished in the same style as the arch. Together they will create a harmonious ensemble, giving the house a special charm and warmth.

Decorative arches in the apartment

Interior arches are a very original way to decorate your interior. The arched opening always attracts, someone has an association with a triumphal arch, for someone it is the entrance to a grotto or a mysterious cave. Anyone who makes an arched opening in their apartment gets comfort and visual expansion of space. But it is very important to properly arrange such arches.

There are different ways to finish the arch: forging. But none of the methods mentioned will look as natural and unobtrusive as decorating the arch with decorative stone. Firstly, there are different types of stone for every taste, and with the help of each of them you can create a beautiful, unique interior. Secondly, the stone has a number of advantages, and the first of them is reliability and durability.

In this publication, "Dream House" offers to see how interior stone arches look in the interiors of apartments and houses, as well as how beautifully and in an original way they can be designed, so that the result is an interesting design object.

Methods for decorating arches with stone

Decorating interior arches with decorative stone is used quite often in modern interiors. This type of decoration allows you to embody many design ideas. For example:

• with a granite stone in the form of a brick, the arch is stylized as the entrance to a castle or cave;
• an arch framed with blue-green, light stones looks like an entrance to a grotto or an underwater world;
• there is a completely unusual solution - stylized as a dragon's mouth, this option is suitable for a children's room, especially if he lives there.

Arch made of decorative stone photo

Interior arches made of stone photo

And this is not all possible options for finishing arches using decorative stone, but all these techniques often require additional decoration.

Illumination and flowers: additional decoration of stone arches

First of all, do not forget about such additional decoration methods as the use of light and plants. Vegetation is indispensable when the arch is stylized as an entrance to the underwater world. It will not be superfluous in other cases.

Mystery and solemnity are given to the arched opening by illumination. With soft light, the "green" arch will look like an aquarium. And certainly not without the use of light in the case of the "dragon head".

Finishing arches with artificial stone photo

How to decorate the arch with a decorative stone

Decorative stone arch: only advantages

It is worth once again dwelling on the advantages of decorative stone and emphasizing that it has practically no drawbacks. The artificial material of which it consists is not subject to corrosion and decay, will not suffer from fungal diseases. In a word, he is very reliable.

Lovers of natural need not worry, because the decorative stone consists of cement, pumice, expanded clay and other equally environmentally friendly fillers. Pumice is a volcanic glass formed when flowing lava cools rapidly. The gas released at the same time leaves large depressions inside, making pumice frost-resistant, giving it valuable properties of a heat insulator. Expanded clay is fired clay balls or slate. Perlite is again a material of volcanic origin.

A reasonable question may arise: why is real natural stone not used? The answer is simple: even if the customer has enough material resources to purchase natural stone, it is not a fact that it is suitable for an arched opening. Not every base (wall) can withstand the weight of such a cladding - natural stone is very heavy. For example, granite is 3 times heavier than decorative stone.

It is worth mentioning some more advantages of finishing the arch with a decorative stone:

• Artificial stone is very easy to care for: a simple wash with any non-abrasive detergent is enough.
• Manufacturers of decorative stone have mastered their production so well that it has become possible to create a stone that imitates any natural one. Moreover, similarity is achieved not only in color, but also in texture.
• And the process of laying the stone is so simple that, if desired, it is quite possible to cope with the decoration of the arch on your own.

Decoration of arches with decorative stone photo

How to lay out an arch with a decorative stone

Stone arch in the apartment

Arch decoration with decorative stone photo

People who prefer decoration with decorative stone, as a rule, do not stop at just one arch for the simple reason that the result is stunning. To enhance the effect, you can use individual elements of the arch to decorate the interior of the room. The imagination of designers is limitless, because decorative stone is very convenient, and in skillful hands it becomes a multifunctional material for creating any interior. And if you really want originality, then decorating the arch with a decorative stone will certainly help solve this problem!

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

About arches

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

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

About decorative stone

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

Benefits of a stone arch

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

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

There are a number of other advantages of this approach:

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

Materials for creating a structure

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

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

Instruction

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

Preparation of the adhesive solution

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

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

Laying

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

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

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

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

Seamless laying

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

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

Stone arch is inexpensive, but looks great

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

The arch is an adornment of any room, adding comfort and spaciousness to it. However, the arch itself will look quite "boring" if you do not add a little "zest" to it. Finishing this architectural element with a decorative stone will help to give the arch originality and individuality. And although the process of decorating an arch with a stone is quite complicated, it is nevertheless quite possible to do it yourself. So, let's take a step-by-step look at the design of the arch with a decorative stone.

Necessary tools and materials

Before starting work, prepare all the necessary tools and materials. Let's start with the latter. First of all, of course, you need a decorative stone. Given the fact that the work will be carried out indoors, both natural and artificial stone can be used, since in this case the resistance of the material to "external stimuli" is practically unimportant. So you can choose a stone based solely on your aesthetic preferences and financial capabilities. In addition to the stone itself, you will need glue or mortar, a primer, grout and a special composition to protect walls from moisture - a water repellent. Also, putty can be useful for preliminary preparation of the surface of the arch.

When choosing an adhesive for decorative stone, please note that different brands of adhesive can only support a certain weight of stone. Therefore, it first makes sense to purchase the stone itself, and only then choose the right glue for it.

From the tools you will need a building level, a spatula, a construction mixer, tile cutters or a cutting machine, a trowel, a bucket, a tape measure, paint brushes, a metal brush, a rubber mallet, plastic or wooden wedges of the same thickness and for final finishing - a household spray gun.

Having prepared everything you need, you can begin work on decorating the arch with a stone, which should begin with a thorough preparation of the surface.

Surface and material preparation

Before laying the stone, the arch and the adjacent sections of the wall should be properly prepared. Firstly, if the arch was previously finished with other material, such as paint or wallpaper, the remnants of this material should be completely removed. Secondly, it is necessary to check the surface of the vault for defects and cracks, and if any are found, eliminate them with putty. When the putty dries, the surface on which you plan to lay the stone must be treated with a water repellent and primed.

To achieve the maximum effect from the primer, it is recommended to use the type of mixture that is most suitable for the material from which the walls in the room are made. For example, a primer from the Betonokontakt series is best suited for concrete walls.

In addition to preparing the surface, it is necessary to properly prepare the decorative stone itself. To do this, you need to lay out all the stones on the floor face up and group them in such a way that they best match each other in color and texture. You can, for example, sort them according to the degree of change in tone, or “dilute” smooth elements with more relief.

In addition, it is necessary to check the reverse side of the stones. Sometimes a “foamy” coating forms on it, which will significantly reduce the adhesion of the stone to the wall, even with the best glue. If there is such a plaque on the stone, it must be removed with a metal brush.

Glue should be diluted immediately before starting work in an amount sufficient for the process

The glue is diluted immediately before laying, and you should only dilute the amount of material that you are guaranteed to “work out” during working hours. Glue should be diluted in accordance with the instructions attached to it. The only general recommendation, regardless of the brand of adhesive, is to use a construction mixer when preparing the mortar. Thanks to the mixer, the glue will turn out to be homogeneous, which will significantly improve its fastening qualities.

stone laying

The laying of the stone is done from the bottom up, and you need to start from the corner joint of the wall and the arch. Before laying, apply an adhesive solution to the stone with a spatula. Make sure that the glue covers the entire surface of the stone and does not contain voids.

When laying each stone (with the exception of those that form an arched vault), be sure to check that its position is consistent with the horizontal level. You can level the stone by lightly tapping it with a rubber mallet. After leveling, firmly press the stone against the wall for a few seconds, thereby giving the glue a chance to “grab”.

Having laid the stone, be sure to “tap” it with the handle of a screwdriver or spatula. Thus, you will be able to detect voids formed in the adhesive layer. If they are found, it is necessary to remove the stone from the wall, clean it of adhesive residue and repeat the laying again.

If you want to lay a stone without jointing, then all subsequent stones are laid close to the previous ones. If you plan to make decorative seams between the stones, then plastic or wooden wedges must be inserted between the elements - spacers, which can be easily removed after the glue dries.

Video about laying decorative stone

You can learn more about the technology of laying decorative stone from the following video.

Working with chips

Making out the arch with a decorative stone, you will have to lay it on a part of the wall adjacent to it. But if the edges of the masonry are even, then such decor will not look quite natural. To give it greater harmony, it is necessary to “revive” the edges of the masonry with artificial chips. It is most convenient to make them with the help of ceramic tile cutters, but in their absence, you can get by with ordinary pliers.

Artificial chips on the stone will help diversify the design

To begin with, on the wall around the arch with a pencil, draw the “irregular” shape of your future masonry. Those stones that, during the preliminary fitting, will protrude beyond the intended contour, will need to be cut with wire cutters. To do this, attach the stone to its future place and draw a line along its front side with a pencil so that it connects the contour lines visible on both sides on the wall. After that, from the corner of the stone with wire cutters, start breaking off small pieces until you remove all the unnecessary part.

Do not try to break off very large pieces of stone, because in this case it may crack in an "unplanned" place.

After you have finished working with the wire cutters, the edge of the “chip” can be processed with a file, or you can leave it “rough” - it all depends on the “design idea”. The chipped stone is laid on the wall as well as the whole elements.

Seam sealing

If you laid a decorative stone “under the jointing”, then you will need to fill the space between the stones with a special grout. For this purpose, you can use a grout similar to that used for tile joints. However, given that the seams between the stones are much wider than the tile seams, the grouting technology in this case will be different. If a spatula is used in a tile situation, then when working with a decorative stone it is better to use a building syringe. If it is not available, you can use a regular plastic bag, after cutting off one of the corners in it.

You can close the seams with a construction syringe

To do this, the grout powder should be diluted to the consistency of "liquid sour cream" and pour it into a construction syringe. After that, slowly squeezing out the contents of the syringe, fill them with the space of the seams between the stones.

If you want to emphasize the relief of the masonry, then fill the seams to about half their depth. If, on the contrary, you want to smooth out excessive texture, fill the seams completely.

30-40 minutes after applying the grout, the seams should be “shaped” using a special figured spatula for this purpose or, in its absence, any object with a rounded end, for example, the back of a paint brush handle.

Final decoration of masonry

After laying, the stone can be additionally decorated with a tinting mixture and acrylic varnish. By the way, the tinting mixture will also allow you to hide minor stone defects or cracks and scratches received during work.

You can apply the tinting mixture with an airbrush

For applying the tinting mixture, it is best to use an airbrush, although ordinary paint brushes can be dispensed with.

Using an airbrush, it is necessary to apply the tinting mixture from a sufficiently large distance, holding the tool at an angle to the surface to be painted.

Naturally, you should not completely cover the stone with a tinting mixture. It is enough to slightly tint the main protrusions and depressions, and this will be enough to give the masonry a more “deep texture”.

A rather interesting effect can be achieved if gold or bronze coloring pigments are used as the basis for the tinting mixture. And in this case, only the ends of the tiles should be tinted. In this case, the “metal” will not be striking, but when the light hits the ends of the stone, the entire masonry will “play” with light golden highlights.

After applying the tone, it is recommended to cover the decorative stone masonry with a layer of acrylic varnish, which will greatly simplify its care in the future.

The process of decorating an arch with a decorative stone is quite complicated and can take you more than one day. But, nevertheless, it makes sense to find time and energy for this work, since the arch decorated in this way will become a real decoration of your home and will give you comfort for many years. Good luck with your repair!