Decoration of the arch with artificial stone. Decorating the arch with decorative stone is a good solution

Currently, such an industry as private construction is developing very actively. Over the past decade, new finishing materials have been introduced into practice. One of them is a decorative artificial stone. It is used for decoration of various premises and structures. It has received wide application for finishing arches. Today, arches are often used in the construction of houses instead of simple doors. They are oval or semicircular openings that can be hung with curtains or be open.

The arch is a complex structure that requires compliance with strict technology when decorating and repairing. Decorative stone is great for arch cladding, as it has good performance and has a sufficient range depending on the design. Most often, a stone made to look like marble or granite is used to decorate the arch. It is important to know that the architectural features of the design itself and the interior of the room should be taken into account. Let us consider in more detail how to lay out an arch with a decorative stone, the main advantages of the stone.

Preparatory work

Before you directly start decorating the arch with a decorative stone, you need to carefully prepare the surface. First you need to clean it from paint, varnish using sandblasting, grinding. Of great importance is its external examination. This is important in the presence of cracks or other defects. After that, you need to level it with putty and apply a primer. If you stick a stone on a dusty and dirty surface, then this can lead to the fact that it will soon fall off, since the adhesion to the surface will not be of high quality. The next stage of work is the choice of the necessary material. If, for example, the arch is made of drywall, then it is advisable to use narrow plates for cladding, they are better suited for the curved surface of the arch. It is not recommended to use heavy, large stones, as they can spoil, deform the structure.

It is necessary to take into account the color and configuration of the stone. It is optimal to use brighter colors so that they stand out against the background of the arch itself. Currently, decorative stone can be selected in almost any shape and color, it all depends on the taste of the builder. The size of the stone tile should be equal to the radius of the arch. Otherwise, you may need a grinder to cut it into several pieces.

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Preparation of cement mortar

To make an arch of decorative stone, you will need a solution to fix the material. It can be prepared on the basis of sand, cement, lime and glue. It is advisable to use liquid nails. The composition of such a cement mortar is determined by the type of stone. The classic version of the solution includes components such as Portland cement, sand, lime and glue. The exact ratio of components depends on the decorative stone itself, so it is advisable to consult with experts in this matter. You can use ready-made adhesive masses. Glue based on a mixture of PVA and gypsum, mounting, acrylic is well suited.

The fact that the stone will be laid with the jointing or not is also important. If the surface of the arch is sufficiently even and the jointing is not provided, then mounting glue will do. In the presence of jointing and irregularities, a cement-adhesive mortar is best suited.

It is applied with a notched trowel in an even layer on the surface of the arch several millimeters thick.

The following adhesive compositions are most widely used: Ceresit CM 11, Ceresit CM 17, Ceresit CM 115, Litokol K 80, Kreps-super and others. The adhesive base should be thick and plastic, not dry.

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Technology of laying decorative stone

After all the preparatory work, you can begin to lay the stone on the arch. The most optimal method is without jointing, that is, the plates are attached close to each other. Start the first row first. The very first stone is fixed in the place where the arch meets the adjoining wall. At the same time, the artificial finishing material must be applied very tightly, especially if cement mortar is used. This is done in such a way that the excess solution is squeezed out around the entire perimeter of the stone. The material is fixed with the flat side inward, and the convex outward. This technology ensures good tightness of the seams. If necessary (if the stone is large), it is sawn and processed with a grinder. In this case, it is recommended to place the trimmed tile so that the cut is not visible.

Work on laying the first stones on the arch is carried out from below. You need to make sure that the laying is even. To do this, you need to have a building level available. The second row is also laid at the junction with the wall. But in this case, the first stone protrudes beyond the junction of the wall to the width of the facing tile. Thus, the stones are overlapped at the outer corners in a checkerboard pattern. In the place where the arch begins to round, you need to attach the finishing stones to the wall and cut them along the contour of the arc. After that, using a pencil, mark the stone protruding along the edge of the arch from its inner side and cut it off as well. If there are irregularities during trimming, they must be removed with sandpaper.

A very important point is the interior decoration of the arch. It is carried out using the same technology. In the event that the length of the stone slab is greater than the opening of the arch, then it is cut off. If the stone is made of gypsum, then a hand saw is suitable for these purposes, if it is made of cement, a circular saw. At the end of all the work, you need to wait about 2 days so that the material is finally fixed and the structure becomes strong. The seams are cleaned and filled with a special solution, then smoothed with a spatula or brush. There must be no mortar residue left on the facing side. If necessary, the stone can be painted in any color.

One of the options for creating an original and practical interior at the same time is the design of a doorway in the form of a beautiful arch. Now it has become fashionable to combine the kitchen and dining room, living room and bedroom into a single room. The arched opening in this case unites the rooms, but leaves some isolation behind each functional space. In rooms with high traffic, corridors, kitchens, dining rooms, they completely get rid of the doors, because the household gets tired of constantly opening and closing them, with the door constantly open, its presence becomes meaningless.

Varieties of arches

The variety of designs of this element makes it possible to find a suitable option for a room of any style. Depending on the design idea, the vault of the structure takes on various forms. Taking into account the appearance of the arch, there are such types of them:

• Classic. The most common, concise and harmonious in a large number of interiors. They have a semicircular vault without protrusions, suitable for spacious, high rooms.
• Romantic. Their arches are rectangular, and the corners are somewhat rounded. They are usually used in wide interior openings.

• Portal. It has a laconic square, rectangular shape, which eliminates unnecessary labor costs, but is not applicable everywhere.
• Modern or British. An intermediate form reminiscent of the classic and the portal. The circle is smoothed, but you can't call it rectangular. It looks good in the openings of those rooms where the ceilings are low.
• Trapeze. The vault has a trapezoidal shape.
• Ellipse. A popular universal type of construction, where the corners are rounded. The most popular type of construction for low spacious rooms. It is combined with other types, columns.
• Semi-arc or Thai. The arch is asymmetric, the left and right sides are made differently, combining in one design an angle and roundings of a non-identical radius.
• Turkish. It originates in the palaces and harems of the Ottomans. It will require harmony with the entire interior, the presence of Mediterranean motifs in decoration and furnishing.
• Gothic. It has a spectacular sharp vault, capable of being the center of the interior.
• Arch-transom. Its upper part is decorated with an insert made of plastic, glass. Stained-glass windows, relief details are used.

About decorative stone

Of the popular materials that are used in the design of arched openings, it is worth highlighting drywall, wood, brick and stone trim. Each of the materials is complemented by a variety of decorative elements. Decorating the arch emphasizes the style of the room, helps to change the dimensions of the opening, and mask some defects. The decoration with stucco, forging and carving is good in its own way, but the arch made of decorative stone is the most spectacular. There is no such design idea that could not be realized with the help of stone.

When using artificial stone inside a house or apartment, there are much fewer requirements for its protective functions. But here, too, it resists mechanical damage better than other materials, does not corrode, and is not subject to decay. The word "decorative" should not scare off lovers of natural: the material contains cement, pumice, expanded clay, environmentally friendly fillers of volcanic origin, clay and slate derivatives. There are practically no shortcomings in raw materials.

Benefits of a stone arch

Listing the positive aspects of decorating arches in an apartment with decorative stone, its aesthetic and practical properties should be noted:

1. Ease of care. Special detergents are not required, any where there are no abrasives in the composition will do.
2. The imitation has no external differences from the original. Manufacturers have achieved complete similarity. At the same time, the price and weight of artificial stone is much more attractive. With its help, the walls of wooden houses are trimmed, they would not have survived the mass of natural granite and marble.
3. Special training in order to make repairs with your own hands is not required. You can do the lining of the arch yourself after appropriate instruction, watching a video on the topic.
4. The material has many style options, antique, modern.
5. A wide range of colors, it will not be a problem to choose for your interior.

How to choose a decorative stone for arch decoration

To begin with, an assessment is made of the purpose of the premises being repaired, in which it will be used as a finish. After that, the required amount is calculated. For arched openings, narrow plates are more suitable, which are easier to mount on curved vaults. It is better to purchase stones with water-repellent properties or after coating with a water-repellent compound several times.

To calculate the required amount of material, 5-10% is added to the cladding area. Material is saved by using stone cuts in the corners and for additional fragments. Primers are taken at the rate of double wall processing. The amount of glue is approximately 3 kg per 1 m2.

Before laying on the surface, the package with the stone is opened, the contents are mixed. First, separate fragments of the future decor are laid out on the floor, selecting them according to shades and size. Short ones are combined with long ones, their location next to each other should look natural. Inspect the tile from the back side, it should not have a foamy layer that impairs adhesion. If there is one, clean it with a metal brush.

Choosing a stone by color

Several factors influence the perception of the color of the cladding. When choosing a material, its color is evaluated at different times of the day, in natural and artificial light. At the south and north windows, on a cloudy and sunny day, the samples will look different.

Pay attention to what the selected facing material will adjoin: wallpaper, glass, decorative plaster. The texture and color of products are selected in accordance, but not in one boring color.

The choice of color is influenced by the history and style of the house. Some color may not fit the style, spoil it. Sometimes chocolate is better than black, and beige stones look better than gray ones. If there are colored specks, contrasts, play of shades, this will create a more beautiful surface.

What styles are suitable arches made of decorative stone

Styles sometimes coexist with each other, sometimes one is born from another. It is influenced by wars, fashion, crises. The use of decorative stone is different, depending on the style of the room.

Classic

Strictness and proportionality, high-quality wood, silk are combined with a refined finish. It should be rough, in a small amount. The most suitable monophonic decorative stone.

Gothic

In its pure form, it is practically never found, but you have to deal with the elements. Stained glass windows, forged elements are in harmony with decorative stone. Door portals in a frame of rough stone create a "castle" effect. The part of the arch with “losses”, where brick or various-sized masonry is visible, makes an impression.

Empire

In the rich front decor with bronze, crystal, bas-reliefs, the expressive texture of the stone will play an important role. The arches are laid out in relief fragments, framed with frames, friezes.

Country

In a prosperous country house, there is always a tree and a decorative textured stone. Arches lined with stone harmoniously coexist with plastered walls.

African style

The arches are covered with stone of warm and hot colors: the color of spices, brown, copper. Masks and wooden utensils, skins go well with mahogany, rosewood, and ocher-colored relief stone.

Scandinavian style

The laconic northern interior is emphasized by light natural tones in the decoration. The relief of the stone will look much more advantageous with multi-level lighting.

Vintage

"Grandmother's" antique furniture and an exit from the room through a smoked brick arch will appeal to lovers of romance.

techno

Here, concrete, exposed beams, metal and glass will be in harmony with the rough texture of the stone-lined arch, whitewash and peeling paint. An uneven corner of a brick wall with visible reinforcement will be quite appropriate.

Illumination and other ways of decorating the arch

The visual expansion of space is important to arrange correctly in order to have an interesting object as a result. Only one decorative stone creates a feeling of incompleteness. If the arch leading to the hallway or nursery is stylized as the entrance to a cave, tunnel or mouth of an exotic lizard, in this case light and plants act as an additional decoration method. Without vegetation, it is difficult to create an arch that will serve as a tunnel to the underwater world.

The lamps built into the arched opening do not spread light to the room itself, which is convenient at night. The backlight will add mystery to the arched opening. Here you can not do without light, if the arch is the head of a dragon.

Color nuances and overflows of stone require good lighting. For such purposes, they hang stylish sconces, install LED backlighting, depending on the specifics. The material goes well with living weaving plants, vines. A wide uncomfortable opening is balanced by shelving and shelves on the sides.

Do-it-yourself arch decoration

To create a stone structure in a house, you will need step-by-step instructions, a list of materials, the availability of which is taken care of in advance.

Tools and materials

1. Construction mixer for thorough mixing of glue. Failing that, fit a drill.
2. Level, tape measure, mallet.
3. Desirable cutting machine.
4. Glue container.
5. Paint brushes.
6. Pencil, sandpaper.
7. Metal brush.
8. Grout syringe, grout.
9. Spatula or spatula, sponge.
10. Wedges made of wood or plastic.
11. Water repellent. Unlike waterproofing, it will allow the stone to "breathe".
12. Primer, glue, stone itself.

Surface preparation

This stage takes place traditionally: the remnants of the previous coating are removed, the irregularities are smoothed out using sandpaper, then they are puttied using a primer. The primer is chosen in accordance with the material of the walls.

If the walls are concrete, monolith, a special adhesive primer is used. When working in a hot or too humid environment, the back of the tiles is moistened. Moisture-resistant GCR after priming is well dried.

Getting ready to lay the stone

The laying material is being reviewed again. In accordance with the markup, the finishing stone is correctly cut. When developing a sketch, take into account the method of laying: end-to-end or with the formation of a seam. Trimming is done using a machine, giving the products an arcuate appearance. If necessary, the reverse side is cleaned with a metal brush.

When using a hand saw, you need to be careful. Excessive force when cutting causes the stone to break along unforeseen lines.

Preparation of the adhesive solution

The material is attached to the wall using silicone tile adhesive. Liquid nails are suitable, as well as a cement-sand mortar. The best option is a specialized composition, which is prepared in a bucket using a mixer. The composition is thoroughly mixed until completely homogeneous.

It is worth buying glue after purchasing the tile, cook it in accordance with the instructions. They do not make a large supply, because the solution sets quickly.

stone laying

The design of the arch starts from the bottom. First, with a spatula, glue is applied to the wall, then to the back of the stone. On both surfaces, its thickness should be 5-10 mm.

Too thick a layer will lead to the sliding of the stone, the cavity - to the formation of condensate. During the procedure, the horizontal laying is periodically checked.

To finish the corners, special shaped elements are used or the stone is laid so that its edge protrudes to the thickness of the tile. Fragments on the other side of the corner will level the ledge.

The tile is applied to the selected place, slightly pressed down. With the help of a level and a mallet, level, achieve a full fit. When tapping, having determined the voids inside, the elements are dismantled, the glue is cleaned off, the process is repeated again. The glue that has come out along the edges is removed with a spatula. At the ends of the elements, the glue is not removed, it will contribute to their better adhesion to each other.

With a seamless method, the tiles fit snugly together. Provided that the material has been previously prepared, the process is fast. By laying from top to bottom, clear border lines are obtained.

For laying with jointing, special wedges of the required thickness are used. You can use drywall strips of different thicknesses or crosses for tiles. The beauty of the arch in the future depends on the competent and accurate work. If the used fragments exceed 15 mm in thickness, the technology prescribes a pause after laying 3-4 rows, giving them the opportunity to seize.

Grouting and finishing steps

After the solution hardens, after about two days, the auxiliary elements are removed. Excess solution is also cleaned off. Prepare the composition for the grout, which fills all the seams. To fill the gaps, a construction syringe is used. After half an hour, the seam is smoothed with a special spatula, spatula. To remove excess grout, you can use a dish sponge. In accordance with the design, grout of different colors and shades is used.

Rules and secrets for laying facing stone from experts

To create a natural masonry, the stone in places with the edge is decorated with decorative chips. To do this, draw the desired line with a knife, bite off the excess with pliers, trying to snip off the excess in small pieces. Chips are smoothed out with a file.

A stone of large and small size is alternated, and the joints of the plates should not coincide from row to row. When finishing, which is not made from the floor, an auxiliary metal profile is fixed on the wall, which is removed after the structure dries. Clear and even angles, curly details are obtained with the help of a grinder using a diamond wheel.

You can protect the arch from scuffing with acrylic varnish. When cleaning, they use a broom, a vacuum cleaner, a spray gun, after which they simply remove the drained water from the floor with a rag.

Arches, as a rule, do not stop at decoration with decorative stone. This element looks more advantageous, echoing the same fragments on the walls of the room. The process takes a lot of time, but the arch designed in this way will decorate the house in an original way and bring additional comfort.

Decorative stone is today one of the most suitable materials for finishing surfaces both inside and outside buildings. This material is quite easy to process, it can not only be drilled, but also cut. But to get a good result, you should be guided by the technology of installation work, it will be presented below. You can use decorative stone for interior decoration, as one of the elements of which is the arch.

Instrument preparation

Decorative stone begins with the preparation of tools, among which are:

• construction mixer;
• cutting machine;
• a bucket for mixing the adhesive solution;
• paint brushes;
• trowel;
• grout syringe;
• wedges of the same thickness.

Among other things, you will need a building level and a spatula. It is important to take care of the presence of a metal brush and with the help of the latter you will be able to adjust the elements on the surface after laying. To measure and cut the material, you will need a construction tape measure. In the process of work, you can not do without a household spray gun. Wedges can be made of wood and plastic, they will allow the formation of seams. You can replace the cutting machine with a cutting machine.

Preparation of materials

Decorative stone is carried out after the preparation of all the necessary consumables, among them should be highlighted:

• glue;
• primer;
• grout;
• water repellent.

When choosing a glue, you need to pay attention to its purpose. For certain types of finishes, different grades of adhesives are produced, usually they are designed to hold the calculated weight of the material. Therefore, first you need to choose finishing materials, and only then proceed to the purchase of glue. If the work is supposed to be carried out at low temperatures, then the choice of adhesive composition should be taken more seriously, it must have the appropriate properties.

Surface preparation

Finishing with stone necessarily involves the preparation of walls. To do this, you need to rid the base of the old whitewash, wallpaper or paint. The master will have to level using putty. The surface of the arch must be primed, this composition will fasten small particles together, so any finish will be held as tightly as possible.

On sale you can find primers for any surface. If you have to work with a concrete wall, then you should treat it with Betonkontakt primer. When conditions in the room are characterized by high humidity or temperature, the back of the decorative stone should be moistened before laying.

The decoration of arches with decorative stone is carried out according to a slightly different technology, if we are talking about a drywall construction. To prepare for such work, you need a light stone. It is necessary to carry out such manipulations exclusively indoors. If the gypsum board arch is outdoors or under a canopy, then it cannot be decorated with stone.

The surface of the drywall is treated with a primer, which should be left until it dries, only after that you can proceed with the installation of products. The primer is applied with a roller, and not only the outer, but also the inner surfaces are treated with the composition.

Preparing the stone for laying

If you will be finishing arches with decorative stone (photos of design options are presented in the review for reference), for starters, it is recommended to mix all products from different packages first. At the next stage, the stone must be laid out on the floor. The position of individual elements is chosen in such a way that the texture looks the most advantageous. For example, you can distribute elements by shade or shape, as well as size.

Rules for applying glue

Before starting work, you must read the instructions and dilute the glue in the bucket according to it.

The composition is mixed with a construction mixer until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Using a spatula, the mixture is applied to the wall only in the place where the product is supposed to be installed. On the reverse side, the stone must also be treated with glue, which is applied with a spatula. The layer thickness should not seem more than 1 cm. If this parameter is exceeded, the product will slide down the wall.

The adhesive is applied to the entire surface of the stone, while avoiding voids that can cause condensation inside the masonry during operation. This recommendation also applies to walls, on their surface the adhesive should be applied in a uniform layer.

The method of installation of decorative stone

When finishing the arch with a decorative stone in the apartment, you must follow certain instructions. The stone is applied to the place treated with glue and pressed against the surface. In this case, it is important to use the building level, and with the help of a mallet, the products are aligned vertically. The stone can be moved from side to side to achieve its snug fit to the surface.

In order to check how good the masonry is, during installation it is necessary to tap the products with a screwdriver handle. This will allow you to understand whether voids have formed inside. If there are any, then the stone is removed, cleaned of glue, and the work is repeated anew. When finishing the arch with a decorative stone in the apartment, you should definitely consider the photo. They will allow you to understand which material is better to prefer. As soon as the finish is on the wall, you need to gently tap on its surface, the adhesive that has come out is removed with a spatula. If the mixture appears on the ends, it is not necessary to remove it, it will improve the quality of adhesion of the material to the wall. Work can be carried out using one of two technologies:

• without seams;
• with stitching.

Laying stone with seams

When finishing the arch with a decorative stone with your own hands, you can form seams between the products. Their grouting is carried out using a syringe filled with grout. The solution must be applied in such a way that it extends 4 mm from the outer edge of the product. This will form a clearly defined relief. To obtain a smooth texture, it is necessary to fill the seam at the same level with the front surface of the stone. 30 minutes after applying the grout, it is necessary to smooth the seams with a special spatula or spatula. When choosing a grout, you should be aware that the compounds can mimic the color and texture of a real grout. The grout may have a different color.

Chip treatment

When finishing the door arch with a decorative stone, it may be necessary to process chips. The stone is cut to size, but if its edge remains even at the junction, then the wall will not look natural. You can perform a chip by outlining its outlines with a knife. At the next stage, the excess part is bitten off with pliers. You don’t need to bite off the products along the edge of the mark, you need to start with small pieces, otherwise the product may break in the wrong place. You can correct errors with a file, with its help you will give the chip smoothness. Additionally, the surface is treated with sandpaper. However, sometimes the chips do not smooth out.

Final decoration

Finishing the interior arch with a decorative stone can be completed by applying varnish or tinting mixture. The latter allows you to hide defects and cracks that have formed in the process. To apply the composition, it is better to use an airbrush, however, some masters manage with paint brushes. The airbrush allows you to apply the mixture from a long distance, while holding the tool at an angle to the surface to be painted. You should not cover the entire area completely, it will be enough to tint the main protrusions and depressions, this will help to get a deep texture.

An interesting effect can be achieved if bronze or gold coloring pigments are used as the basis for the mixture. In this case, it is necessary to tint only the ends of the tiles. Metal with this finishing technique is not striking, but with a certain illumination of the ends, the masonry begins to play with golden highlights.

Conclusion

The arch is a rather small element of the interior, but its decoration sometimes takes several days. However, you should find time and effort for this work, because decorating this part of the room will allow you to decorate the house, making it more comfortable, and the interior more refined.

Arches in apartments and private houses rarely went out of fashion, most likely, many were stopped by the difficulty of work. Today, finishing materials have appeared that allow it to be produced without any problems, in particular, gypsum boards. Decorative stone is well suited for their cladding, which has many advantages.

Advantages of artificial stone

With its help, any room is immediately transformed, getting a solid and original look. In addition to beauty, artificial stone is a practical material.

Finishing the arch with a decorative stone is not always done on a perfectly flat surface, thereby removing one of the finishing stages.

Facing the arch is one of the ways to add zest to the interior of the room.

What else is interesting about the material:

• unlike its natural counterpart, it has a much lower weight, and due to the correct shape, it is much easier to work with it, in addition, its price is lower;
• the stone does not contain any harmful impurities, as it is created from quite ordinary materials;
• the product does not rot, cannot be spoiled by fungi or mold, bacteria do not create their colonies on it;
• it is not necessary to carry out any special measures for its care, it can be washed and cleaned with any non-abrasive detergents;
• by adding various dyes to the main mixture, you can make exactly the color that is needed in a particular interior. The same applies to the shape of the stones, depending on the pouring forms, where you can make stones like tiles or bricks, antique or modern style.

Valued as a decorative stone, and for their reliability. Therefore, the decoration of arches with decorative stone at the front door or in the corridor, in places where walls can most often get dirty or damaged, has become so popular.

Getting ready for work

The main difficulty in facing the arch is not so much its smooth surface as the rounded inner part. Below will be the installation instructions and the subtleties of the process itself, which will help to make it with minimal effort on your own.

Prepare tools and materials:

• pick;
• pliers;
• roller;
• hacksaw;
• decorative rock;
• primer;
• building level;
• liquid nails or special glue;
• cement-based mortar;
• putty knife;
• construction knife;
• pencil;
• sandpaper;
• seam solution.

Getting ready to install

Before you learn how to finish the arch with a decorative stone, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work so as not to stop the process at its stages:

1. Choose an artificial stone based on the main surface on which it will be installed. For example, for a drywall arch, a very heavy product can deform or even damage it. Therefore, most often narrow plates are selected for them, since it is easier to fix them to the arcuate inner part.

1. Prepare the surface of the archway. Be sure to carefully review it for various defects. Lay the stone only on a solid and clean surface.

If you decide to stick it on a layer of dust or debris, the product will fall off the wall very quickly. It will not be superfluous to treat the base with a deep penetration primer, which will significantly strengthen it.

Tip: make notches on a too smooth surface with a pick, which will improve the adhesion of the stone to the base. After that, the arch must be well primed.

1. Prepare a cement mortar, the components of which are determined by the type of artificial material. It usually consists of lime, sand, Portland cement and glue. Their exact ratio depends on the stone, so at this stage it will not be superfluous to use the recommendation of a specialist.

Since the mass of the material is small, it can be easily glued to the treated surface using, for example, liquid nails or special glue.

We cover the arch from the outside

1. First row. Docking walls to the arch should also be finished. Attach the first stone at their point of contact. Start the process from the bottom rows, gradually rising up. Use plastic crosses for uniform seams and use the building level to make the masonry even and neat.

1. Second row. It also begins at the junction of the wall and the arch. However, the first stone here should be pushed beyond the junction of the wall to the thickness of the finishing tile. Due to this, the elements are overlapped at the outer corners, allowing them not to be sealed in the future, and the masonry will become more durable. Next, lay the stones in a checkerboard pattern. The amount of material depends on the length of the rows.

1. Attach the finishing elements to the adjacent wall at their attachment points, when you get to the rounding of the arch, and cut them very carefully in an arc, keeping the radius. Take a pencil and mark the stone along the arched arch that protrudes from the arched interior of the arch, and cut that too.

Tip: to carefully cut the stone, you need to go through the markings with a construction knife several times, and then remove the excess with pliers.

To cut the stone, you can use an angle grinder ("grinder") or wire cutters. After that, sand all the irregularities with sandpaper. Adjust the remaining elements framing the arch in shape and size.

Facing the arch from the inside

- a complex and responsible stage. Approach it with special attention and accuracy.

1. Glue the decorative stone on the inside using the technology indicated above, but remember about overlapping.
2. Trim the tile if it is longer than the width of the opening. Use a hand saw for this, if the base of the product is gypsum, if cement - with an angle grinder.
3. After finishing the arch with artificial stone with your own hands, wait about 48 hours so that the material can be well connected to the surface of the arch. Fill the joints with artificial stone mortar and smooth them gently with a soft rubber spatula or brush without pressure on the stone.

Try not to get the solution on the front of the product, and remove the excess with a soft cloth or sponge. If you wish, you can paint the stone in the desired color, at the same time the seams will be decorated.

Conclusion

Facing an arched opening with artificial stone requires concentration and accuracy. All work can be done independently, using conventional tools and materials. In the presented video in this article you will find additional information on this topic.

Finishing the arch with decorative stone allows you to make the interior really stylish and bright. Such unusual openings always attract attention. They are associated with triumphal arches or mysterious cave entrances. If you decide to create an arched opening in the apartment and arrange it correctly, you can make the space visually wider.

Stucco, carving, forging or wood can be used for decoration. But the ideal solution is a decorative stone. There are different types of this material, so finding the right one is very easy. The arch, trimmed with stone, will perfectly fit into the interior and bring some zest to it. She looks truly great. At the same time, the material itself is durable and reliable.

The decorative stone has practically no flaws. It is made of a material that is not afraid of any corrosion. Also, it is not subject to rotting and fungus infection, which makes it truly reliable.

The composition of the decorative material includes:

• expanded clay;
• cement;
• pumice.

All fillers are environmentally friendly. Pumice is a glass of volcanic origin, which is formed during the rapid solidification of lava. It has a porous structure and perfectly retains heat. Expanded clay is fired balls of clay. Perlite is also of volcanic origin.

Another advantage of artificial stone is the ease of maintenance. It can be cleaned with a mild detergent.

The widest range of artificial material allows you to find an imitation of any natural stone. Similarity is noted in texture and color.

Decorative stone arches in the interior

Today, interiors often use arches trimmed with decorative stone. With it, you can easily implement any, even the most unusual design ideas. So, for example, if the arch is framed with stones of light and blue-green tones, it can resemble a fabulous entrance to an underwater grotto, and if you create an imitation of granite, then it can be in the form of a fancy entrance to a cave or an old castle.

At the same time, it must be remembered that additional decoration is required to create the most harmonious design. A great solution is the plant and the masterful use of light. If the arch is stylized as a magical entrance to the underwater world, then plants are a must.

The backlight will give a special solemnity and some mystery. If you highlight the green arch with soft light, you can create the illusion of an aquarium.

The choice of material and decoration of the arch

Before you learn how to finish the arch with a decorative stone, you need to decide on the finishing material. It is worth noting that all types of artificial stone are quite easy to work with, so often the most important argument for choosing one or another option is its cost.

It is best to work with narrow tiles. In this case, finishing the bends of the arch is much easier. If plasterboard arches are decorated, you need to take into account the weight of the material. Too heavy - will deform or damage the surface.

How to decorate the arch with a stone with your own hands?

The stone laying process is very simple. For this work, you do not need the help of a professional builder, everything can be done by hand. Let's consider it in more detail:

1. Before you start work, you need to clean the surface of the arch and prime it. Work must be done carefully so that no dirt or debris remains. This is very important, because in the future you will need to glue decorative stone elements, and they simply will not stick to an uncleaned surface. If the surface is very smooth, it is worth making notches.
2. After that, a cement-based mortar is prepared, the composition and proportions of which depend on the type of stone. At this stage, it is extremely important to fulfill the requirements that the manufacturer of the selected material makes.
3. Only after that you can go directly to the masonry. First, a stone is laid on those places where the arch is in contact with the wall. Work is carried out from the bottom up. To keep everything smooth, use the building level. You can also use plastic crosses. After the first row is laid, the second row is laid according to the checkerboard principle. An overlap is made in the corner.

Stone laying work should start from the bottom and then go up

To finish the arc-shaped section, you must first mark the stone itself. To do this, it is applied to the wall and cut off. At this stage, it is very important to maintain the radius of the arch. It is necessary to remember the need for grinding the cut points.

In order to cut the product as accurately as possible, you must first draw the markup, and then go through it several times with a special construction knife. Excess can be easily removed with simple pliers. Special tile cutters or a grinder are also suitable. Sandpaper is used to process the cut surface. The remaining elements, if necessary, are adjusted according to the same principle.

To remove excess decorative material, special tile cutters are suitable.

To lay out the inner surface with decorative material, you should follow the same steps. In this case, the elements are also adjusted in length. For trimming, use a hand saw (suitable for gypsum-based material) or a circular saw. This is how the entire surface is covered.

When the laying work is completed, it takes a certain time for the cement mortar to harden well. It usually takes a day or two. Then it is necessary to process the seams using a special putty.

After everything dries well and the primary processing is completed, you can proceed to decorate the arch for a certain style or paint the stone. An airbrush is perfect for this job. It is enough to choose the necessary coloring mixture and also take into account your own taste.

As you can see, decorating the arch with decorative stone is as simple as possible. It can be done without the help of specialists. You can bring a stylish element to the room. Even an amateur enthusiast will do it with incredible ease. You just need to do it very carefully and follow the entire sequence of work.