Gypsum stone for interior decoration: features of use and advantages

Among the wide variety of existing building materials for interior decoration, many more and more often prefer stone. Especially if the chosen interior style requires it. But natural stone is an expensive material, its use is not always justified. Therefore, it is sometimes replaced by a cheaper analogue that can decorate any room: gypsum stone for interior decoration. The features of the use and advantages of this type of material attract many consumers in the building products market.

If we compare natural stone and gypsum, then a number of advantageous characteristics can be noted. Outwardly, a natural version from an artificial one is almost impossible to distinguish, the latter looks very worthy. But for interior decoration of an apartment, decorative material is also convenient because it is much lighter than its natural counterpart. This means that installation is much easier. The load on the wall is small, and, accordingly, the material will hold better.

Facing stone can be made by hand. To reduce the cost of processing the material, it is possible to initially produce a stone with a smooth surface.

Gypsum stone is more resistant to negative influences than its natural counterpart. The man-made material is easy to clean and dirt-resistant. A varied color palette allows you to choose the best option for finishing.

In order to create such a finishing material with your own hands, you must use anhydride, gypsum, water and the required shape. It is best to use a silicone base for these purposes, it is more pliable and plastic, and therefore the finished stone looks more natural. But along with the silicone mold, metal, wooden, plastic containers are used. However, this process is laborious and time-consuming. Therefore, it is more customary and more convenient to use a ready-made stone.

When using certain decorative materials, their advantages and disadvantages are always revealed. This is evidenced by consumer reviews who have already used these finishing options. When it comes to gypsum stone, buyers are generally satisfied with the technical and decorative features of this material.

The pluses include the following characteristics:

• light weight of the tile, which allows it to be mounted on any surface;
• ease of installation, which does not require special skills, and absolutely anyone using this material can make repairs with their own hands;
• the material contains environmentally friendly components, which makes it safe to use gypsum stone;
• a large assortment allows you to choose the desired color and texture, which does not limit the choice of design solutions;
• the tile is affordable, which varies from 380 to 800 rubles per square meter;
• gypsum tiles retain heat well, do not transmit noise and are not a fire hazardous material.

There are much fewer disadvantages.

• When laying tiles in rooms with high humidity, additional surface and material treatment is required. The walls are treated with a primer, and the finished surface with acrylic varnish.
• Gypsum is a fragile material, so you need to be careful during transportation and repair work.

Such a stone can be laid on any surface, even on wood and drywall. Only in this case additional surface preparation is required. For a wooden wall, it will be appropriate to install a crate and make waterproofing. With concrete and brick surfaces, everything is easier, but careful leveling of the surface cannot be avoided. It should be clean and smooth.

The walls are different everywhere, it is necessary to take into account all the nuances.

• The walls are cleaned of dirt and dust.
• Cracks, irregularities, pits are repaired with a putty.
• If the walls have pronounced irregularities, you need to use drywall.
• Carefully close up all joints, cover the surface with putty.
• Then cover with a primer, if necessary, do it twice, after waiting for the first layer to dry.
• Additionally treat the wall if there is fungus on it. It is not enough to simply eliminate it, you need to dry the wall well, then treat it with a primer.
• If there is an old covering on the walls, it must be completely removed. This applies to paint, wallpaper, decorative plaster.

The prepared surface is treated with a primer. Rooms with high humidity are treated with a special compound that prevents the appearance of mold and mildew. You can glue the gypsum stone using a cement-glue mortar, which is applied with a notched trowel to the wall. The glue dries very quickly, so you don't need to dilute a lot at once. You should try and adapt how much you get to spend in a certain time.

This is a very important point, because the quality of the glue determines how the decorative elements will hold. It can be of several types.

• A dry mixture based on cement. Provides good adhesion of the material to the surface, but shrinks.
• Dry mix, having a plaster base. Most suitable for gypsum tiles due to its composition.
• Can be used glue that is produced for tilesas well as liquid nails and mastic. Each composition has instructions for the preparation and use of the material.

To lay out the panels efficiently, you must first make a markup. To do this, you need to use the level and draw a line along which the first row will be laid out.

Laying starts from the bottom corner to the central part. The stone can be laid in even and uneven rows, leaving seams, which are then sealed with a grout having a gypsum, alabaster, cement base. A narrow spatula is used in the work, they act carefully, trying not to cover up the tiles. If the surface is dirty, immediately remove the solution with a wet sponge.

Today, gypsum tiles can often be found in a wide variety of interiors. It looks stylish and original, and by decorating certain areas in an apartment or house, you can emphasize the chosen style of the room, focus on specific surfaces and details. The use of such a finish can transform a room.

The peculiarities of gypsum stone are that it is interesting in the design of specific elements and is simply irreplaceable for creating an original interior.If you cover the entire room with it, it will most likely be lost, although this option, with proper design and choice of decor, is also appropriate. It's just that a whole room decorated with stone can get bored over time, and repairs are done for more than one year.

Gypsum tiles are actively used in combination with other materials. It is very beautiful with its help you can arrange a fireplace, as well as the area near it. And it will look very harmonious, especially if you choose the right decor elements.

• Columns, arches, accent walls are designed in this way. In every room there is a place for this stone, you just need to skillfully use its unlimited possibilities. Where to apply it will tell your own intuition, taste, sense of style.
• In the kitchen, you can use it to arrange a bar counter and even a work area. Correctly selected furniture will emphasize the overall style.
• The entrance hall, decorated with plaster tiles, immerses the person entering the house in a mysterious atmosphere. It immediately becomes interesting: what else will surprise the owner?

• Such a stone surface is also suitable for a bathroom. Using different stone textures and shades, you can make a very interesting design. But at the same time, one must not forget to carry out additional surface treatment.
• Due to the different colors, you can visually change the space. To make the room more mysterious and cozy, darker tones will help to induce relaxation. And the light ones will expand the space and make the room more solemn and elegant.

• Balconies and loggias can also be given an original look with the help of plaster stone and create a cozy corner for relaxation there. In a country house, plaster stone is perfect for decorating a veranda or terrace.

In a word, there are a lot of options for using this finishing material. You can show your imagination or use ready-made design solutions.

For information on how to lay gypsum stone, see the next video.