Nowadays, more and more began to set in their homes fireplaces to enjoy flashes of live fire and complacent under the crackle of burning logs. Fireplaces made of natural stone have become very popular due to the many advantages of such a finish.
Design attracts admiring glances not only residents, but also visitors. Due to the stone fireplace can be turned into a masterpiece of art and bring the individual features of the interior.
The main advantages of stone cladding
- Safety and environmental friendliness. When heated stone is no emission of toxic substances or smoke, odors are completely absent.
- Heat resistance, natural stone can withstand all kinds of thermal loads, changes in temperature or humidity. Therefore, stone finish possible and in heated rooms and in the country, without constant heating system.
- High density and strength of the material. With these indicators stone easily withstands physical and mechanical impact through different strokes, deformations or scratches. Therefore, stone fireplace is durable and has a premature wear.
- The high thermal conductivity. By keeping the heat stones are used not only for decorative purposes, but also to heat the home.
- Lined with stone stoves and fireplaces look expensive, luxurious and aesthetically attractive. This exclusive design decorates the space and transmits the depth of spiritual beauty home owners.
- Natural stone can be processed in various ways to create a variety of shapes and textures of products. Therefore, fireplace, lined by stone gives a unique design approach to the decoration of your home.
Modern technologies of our time offer many options for finishing the fireplace portal. It all depends on the style desired transmission facilities. For example, the high-tech requires the use of metal panels and fireproof glass laconic implantation fire in space. Using noble stone can transform a variety of interiors from classic to modern styles.
Species facing fireplace
Oblitsevat natural stone fireplace fun is not cheap, although many choose his name. A wide range of materials and textures of the stones help to enter designs in a variety of designs decoration.
Many understood that the fireplace in the space plays an important role. Most often it is erected to give aesthetic beauty, not with practical considerations. For heating homes typically use the heating system of other types.
Fireplace in the "classical" style meets the strict forms, formed for centuries. Classic assumes an open hearth. Such a style characterized by structures located along the wall or angled design.
Fireplace in the "Country" style reflects the favorable attitude of the owners of natural materials. In the composition of the stone often used in wooden wall elements imparting effect antiquity.
Fireplace in today's "modern" style conveys the severity of shapes and straight lines. Natural stone combined with sheet metal, glass and modern materials.
For the fireplace in the style of "high tech" characterized by unusual, daring and original shape. To finish use a tiled stone, fireproof glass, metal or even plastic. This style involves a minimum of parts for lining.
Variety of types of stone cladding
Among the variety of natural stone for cladding the fireplace use any breed, although preference is given to granite, marble, limestone, serpentine, onyx, sandstone and coarse river gravel. Leaders of granite and marble are among the finishing materials.
Granite has high resistance to extremes of temperature indicators modes. Experienced stovemakers not recommend its use for facing the fireplace, as it starts to crack with time due to deformation of the quartz inclusions, part of the stone.
Recently it became known that granite finish is not used in living rooms at a constant presence of people. This is due to the fact that the mineral has a natural radioactivity that is released in small doses, it will accumulate, may adversely affect the health of occupants.
Marble can be called the perfect stone for facing as it well can withstand even abrupt temperature changes. It can be used to decorate the outer and inner parts of the portal.
In the production of marble slabs sometimes added pigments imparting material expressive streaks and unusual patterns inclusions.
Thanks to modern technology you can cut marble figure of any complexity, with even and smooth edges, while preserving the natural structure of the stone. So are facing materials that convey a delightful ornamental stone fireplace.
Sand rocks stones for fireplaces are the rough handling and impressive look at the massive structure. Thus, the mood of the old buildings of the East and stresses the nature of the hearth.
Facing flexible stone
Progress of new technologies among the natural building materials has given us a flexible stone, made from sandstone, it is called - acrylic tiles. It has many wonderful qualities, but with marble or rhodonite difficult to compare, and the finish looks aesthetically pleasing and tidy.
The main advantages of the flexible stone include:
- Elasticity. The main characteristic that defines its widespread use for decorating. Ease of application of the material does not require special tools and skills building. Anyone who can pokleit wallpaper can cope with flexible decorating the fireplace stone. When decorating the surface having sharp bends or corners, it is advisable to use the heating dryer construction.
- The light weight material. Finishing not increases the load on the structure thus can be used for decorating a very thin surfaces. It can be transported to any height without the use of construction equipment and the help of others. One square meter may weigh not more than 5 kg.
- High moisture resistance and porous structure. Plastic base is not subject to breakage, can not be afraid to damage it. Due sandstone, which consists of material that it retains a high quality exterior finish for the entire period of operation.
- Heat resistance and fire resistance. Can withstand sudden changes in temperature without changing its properties, so successfully used for the decoration of stoves and fireplaces. temperature range varies from - 30 to + 6500FROM. When exposed to direct fire does not ignite.
- Excellent decorative qualities. Many unique and different colors of material. It is difficult to find the same picture of the different structures of sandstone.
Inclusion of various components attached to the original colors and unique shades. For example, clay impurity in stone shades of red and brown iron - gives saturated brown color, while natural sandstone has a gray, yellow and even pink.
- Processability. Using the material can be qualitatively veneered surface accurately observing their contours. Sparingly used, as can be cut easily with scissors, and glued to the surface. Finishing stone fireplaces flexible possible even for people with no special skills or tools.
- Durability. The manufacturer's claim of guaranteed lifetime of 35 years. Moreover, for some types of flexible stone, this figure is much higher. With special surface treatments can increase the service life.
- Environmentally friendly. The material consists of natural ingredients, heating, does not release toxic vapors.
With a large number of such material advantages it also has disadvantages. The main disadvantage is:
- The relatively high price. The cost ranges from 500 to 7000 rubles. 1 m2. This price is associated with a complex production - in the manufacturing process must be cut thin layers of sandstone on a high-precision industrial applications.
- The specificity of the preparatory and final stone treatments. Furthermore bonding material need to apply multiple layers of protective coating.
Most often used in the finishing of different kinds of stones, rocks and combining shades of natural minerals. This achieves the splendor and originality of the natural facing fireplace with natural stone.
Recommendations when choosing a stone
For right choice of material in advance consult with experts. After seeing the finished fireplace, they will be able to offer you a variety of options for its decoration.
- If you yourself have decided to use granite or marble, then pay attention to the integrity of rock.
Important checking sectioned material which may be broken when processing and polishing.
Before the acquisition of its marble carefully examine in different planes of illumination, noting any cracks or chips. Visual inspection Fill checking to the touch, it must have a uniform surface.
Remember! Even small defects not immediately affect the wear lining of the fireplace, but over time, cracks and chips clogged dust and soot, and this worsens the appearance of the fireplace.
Prepare the foundation for stone fireplaces
Natural stones pretty heavy stuff, if it is added to the weight of the hearth, then it turns out is not an easy design. In this regard, the foundation must be created, taking into account the conditions of the construction location.
Either it will be the base, separate from the common ground or a common design. For more information about the parameters and characteristics of the base can be found in the corresponding article.
Raising questions about the benefits of natural stone cladding, given the cost of the material, it is possible to bring the following results:
Intelligently designed trim brings not only aesthetic beauty, but also saves the fireplace for a very long time.
Such a construction is not subject to external influences or corrosive processes and stored for any corrosive environmental factors.
