Marble decoration as elegant design solution
Marble has been used in the construction and decoration of palaces and temples since ancient times. This is a time-tested, unique, natural building material. Nature has endowed him with strength, aesthetics, a variety of colors and ease of processing. A natural stone is capable of creating a positive energy, and therefore, a positive effect on health.
Marble can be used as the main material in the cladding of walls or floors and as a decorative element in the interior: marble fireplaces, doorways, marble countertops, window sills and so on. Facing marble, as well as decorative, has qualities that should be considered: the color, size and method of processing the material used. The color of a stone should be selected based on the tasks of the premises in which it will be used. Marble has a wide palette of colors, so it's easy to find the right shade for a house, apartment or office.
The size of the material used depends on the functional tasks. Slabs are used to make a marble countertop or a window sill. Slab is a plate that is made with a thickness of 20-30 mm and has dimensions up to 1800х3200 mm. For the implementation of wall cladding and decorative work, it is more convenient to use marble tiles. It can be of several standard sizes: 305x305x10, 400x400x10, 300x600x10, 300x600x15, 300x600x20, 600x600x15 and 600x600x20 mm.
Marble processing methods at the present stage of production development are quite diverse: marble is polished, polished, heat treated. The purpose of the treatment is to give the necessary texture to the stone, to achieve a matte surface, or, conversely, gloss. It all depends on the design project.
Features of the technology of facing with marble
Facing with marble is a rather laborious procedure, therefore it is important to observe some rules so that you do not have to redo it. The basic rule at the stage of selecting the stone for the cladding: do not combine incompatible .Marble refers to carbonate rocks, which makes it incompatible with silicate rocks( sandstone, quartzite).The next task is to correctly choose the attachment of the marble cladding. Depending on the surface and dimensions of the boards, the following types of fastening are used:
- "wet", based on the use of special adhesive mixtures;
- glueless method using fastening systems;
- combined form. In this case, the plates are fixed mechanically, and the emptiness between the lining and the wall is filled with a solution.
Application of the "wet" method is not recommended in the facing of buildings above five floors. Also, experts advise to apply frost-resistant mixtures.
In case the facing of the walls with marble is carried out in a "wet" way, it is necessary to correctly prepare the basis for laying the slabs. It is important that it is firm, smooth, without flaws. It is necessary to take all measures to increase the adhesive properties of the substrate, use special solutions and primers in the work.
Installation of marble on the wall with a glue and combined method begins with the attachment of reinforcing metal mesh. In the upper part of the plate holes are made, hooks are placed there, by means of which the plate will be fixed to the reinforcing mesh. The slab is fixed and exposed vertically with the aid of plumb lines. If necessary, the space between the wall and the plate is poured with a special solution.
To fix the tile in the desired position, use wooden wedges.
Facing it is better to entrust specialists in this field who have theoretical, and most importantly, practical skills.
Original or fake: how to make marble with your own hands
Natural stone is an absolute favorite in the race of building materials. This is due not only to its appearance, but also to the properties that nature has given it. Stocks of marble are limited, progress does not stand still, and as a result of this, artificial marble appeared on the market. It is easy to manufacture and therefore is affordable for consumers. The scope of its application is as diverse as that of natural stone. And the undoubted advantage of artificial marble - it can be made independently.
To make marble with your own hands you will need: a separate room, matrices of polyurethane, cellophane film, river sand - 2 parts, cement - 1 part, water - 0.2 parts, dye - 1% of cement weight, pebbles, plasticizer - 1%from the weight of cement, mixers.
Sequence of actions for the manufacture of marble:
- Preparation of clean and dry forms for future products.
- Preparation of the mixture. Mix cement, pebbles and sand, add dyes.80% of the required volume of water and a plasticizer are added to the mixture. After the mixture has become plastic, add the remaining water. Mix with a mixer and very carefully.
- The resulting mixture is poured into molds and covered with cellophane.
- The mixture freezes and after about 10 hours can be removed from the matrix.
Finished plates can be used as received, but can be further processed. Finishing marble of its own production is not inferior to expensive products made of natural stone, and you can easily decorate your interior with them.
