Choosing artificial stone to give stoves a modern and sophisticated appearance has grown in popularity. It’s an adaptable material that can closely resemble natural stone without the high cost or difficult installation procedure. Artificial stone provides a chic and useful option for building a new stove or remodeling an old one.
The longevity of artificial stone is one of its main benefits. It is perfect for stoves that are used frequently because it can tolerate high temperatures and resist wear over time. Moreover, you can discover the ideal complement for the décor of your house thanks to the wide range of textures and colors offered.
This post will discuss the advantages of using artificial stone to face stoves and offer advice on how to achieve the best results. Regardless of your level of experience, you will find all the information you need to complete your project successfully.
Aspect | Details |
Material | Artificial stone is durable, lightweight, and comes in various textures and colors. |
Preparation | Ensure the stove surface is clean and dry before applying adhesive. |
Installation | Apply adhesive to both the stone and the stove, pressing firmly into place. |
Finishing | Fill gaps with grout, and clean off any excess for a polished look. |
- Advantages of fireplace decoration with artificial stone
- Rules for choosing artificial stone
- Finishing technology
- Surface preparation
- Technology of laying artificial stone
- List of necessary tools
- Getting Started
- Rules for grouting
- Video on the topic
- DIY finishing of the stove with decorative stone .
- Finishing the stove with natural stone .
- Furnace lining – I cover the stove with gypsum stone
- 🔥 Facing the stove with decorative stone
Advantages of fireplace decoration with artificial stone
There are several benefits to using artificial stone facing stone in furnaces.
- The technology of finishing the furnace with artificial stone is very simple, this is due to its soft mechanical characteristics;
- The preparation and laying of elements will not require a lot of effort, this will need only the Bulgarian;
- Facing the stoves with stone can be done entirely by hand and therefore it is possible to make the structure much cheaper.
- The finishing stone contains light and soft fillers that reduce the weight of the final structure;
- A large amount of material is offered in retail, the elements of which have different configurations and shapes, which allows you to easily select any pattern;
- The cost of artificial stone for finishing is an order of magnitude lower than natural stone, which allows you to significantly reduce the cost of the finished product;
- The use of this material allows you to implement any of your design ideas.
Additionally, you can read more about the interior application of tiles on our resource.
Rules for choosing artificial stone
Only with the right component selection will the stove’s artificial stone finishing be of the highest caliber.
The stone used to face stoves can vary in size, so it’s important that you take note of this right away. As little waste as possible should be present. It is therefore beneficial to first sketch everything out on paper and perform accurate calculations.
Primary selection standards:
- Ask about the time of presence of the manufacturing company on the market. The longer it has been engaged in this activity, the better.
- Before purchasing a product, be sure to check for the availability of hygiene certificates and certificates of conformity. If they are not available, we recommend refraining from purchasing. This is a chemical production, so you should give preference only to high-quality goods.
- Cost of material. In most cases, the cost of products from foreign manufacturers is an order of magnitude higher than the cost of domestic goods.
The timeliness of work execution enables you to optimize technology and generate superior products:
- Carefully inspect all elements of the material, paying special attention to its structure. If the technological process is violated, the front surface acquires a porous structure, which negatively affects the strength and service life of the structure.
- High-quality products are delivered to points of sale in appropriate packaging with the logo of the manufacturer.
- Pay attention to the production date. The elements gain maximum strength after 28 days from the date of manufacture. If you see an earlier production date, be sure that the product will not be of high quality.
Finishing technology
Anybody without any particular training can perform these tasks. A novice won’t be able to accomplish this, but if you can at least place basic tiles, you can follow the instructions provided to complete the task at hand.
You must be aware that there are specific guidelines that must be adhered to when stone finishing:
- The stove can be made of different materials. Finishing is carried out on wood, metal and other similar elements only after a certain preparation of the surface. For each type of material, it is its own.
- All work is carried out at temperatures exceeding +5 0 C.
- Fireplace finishing stone is fastened from top to bottom, from one end to the other. This avoids contamination of the elements.
- Pay special attention to the manufacturer"s recommendations regarding what solution or glue to use.
- Use a regular hacksaw for metal to cut the elements. It is not recommended to use tools with large teeth. This can lead to damage to the material.
- It is worth looking at photos and videos. Choose the desired design and color of the finish.
Please take note that you must fully lay out the pattern on the floor before finishing any surface. Only after you have completed all measurements can you start fastening.
Surface preparation
Any kind of stove can be finished with finishing stone, but installation requires careful surface preparation:
- If your stove is not made of brick, then their surface is pre-coated with a layer of waterproofing to reduce its susceptibility to moisture.
For this, use a pigment laid horizontally. Do not forget to ensure that the top row overlaps by 4 cm. Vertical seams are also laid with an overlap of about 8 cm. - After this, you can begin to fix the plaster mesh. For this, use special fasteners.
- Vertically, the distance between two adjacent fastening points should be about 12-15 cm, and horizontally – about 40 mm.
- A layer of plaster is applied over the mesh, the thickness of which is about 1 cm.
- Then you should wait until the plastered surface is completely dry.
- If the stove is made using concrete or metal, then the preparation procedure differs only in the absence of the need to install additional waterproofing, which can be found in retail.
- If the fastening is made on a brick or concrete surface, then it should be plastered. Before this, notches are applied to the plane.
Technology of laying artificial stone
Both artificial and natural stone are finished essentially in the same way.
All of the future structure’s components are arranged in front of the cladding area to facilitate work:
- It is not recommended to lay with one type of element, they should be alternated. This allows you to give the final structure a natural look. Alternate the thickness, texture and color of the elements. Use elements from different boxes.
- When laying elements that involve subsequent jointing, start work only from the upper corner of the structure.
- During the laying process, make sure that the thickness of the seams is approximately the same. You can even use a template. Do not make the seams too even, they should be in the same plane, but slightly different in thickness. Try to avoid horizontal seams that are located one above the other.
- In case of significant discrepancies in the thickness of the material and uneven structure of its surface, do not attempt to correct the material and eliminate irregularities. After all, as a result, the finished structure will have a rather harmonious appearance.
- In the case of using seamless laying, the fastening of the elements is carried out from the bottom up. During installation, it is necessary to press the adjacent elements tightly.
- When performing "brick" cladding using rectangular elements, special attention should be paid to the vertical seams. It is necessary to control the places where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect. Make sure that the angle is exactly 90 °. You can use a template to check.
List of necessary tools
Prior to beginning work, get the required tools ready:
- Container for mixing the solution;
- Smooth wooden block;
- Drill;
- Angle grinder with cutting wheels;
- Hammer;
- Construction trowel;
- Sprayer or brush to moisten the surface of the material and masonry;
- Nails or screws for fastening auxiliary materials during installation.
Getting Started
The initial phase of fastening holds great significance.
You must realize that the way the work is started will determine the outcome:
- It is recommended to start cladding from the corner. Installation is performed alternately with alternating long and short elements.
- First of all, the thickest tiles are fastened using a minimum amount of mortar. This helps in carrying out further work.
- To give the structure a more natural and aesthetic appearance, the elements should be adjusted to size. For this, you can use a hacksaw or wide nippers. The processed sides are mounted so that they are located above or below the viewing angle.
- A 1.5-centimeter layer of mortar is applied to each element of the installation. A trowel is used for this. It is necessary to control the distribution of the solution, the surface must be covered with an even layer of solution.
- When laying, the elements are pressed slightly and moved slightly into different positions. This helps to completely fill the seams and properly secure the elements.
- During the installation process, the solution should slightly protrude from the seam.
- With seamless installation, special attention is paid to the end seams. Make sure they are completely filled. To do this, the solution is applied to the entire surface of the element (the excess is removed during shrinkage). Then the excess solution is removed with a trowel.
- When fastening to a too dry surface, the laying plane and elements are moistened with a sprayer or a regular paint brush. You can place the laying elements in a container with water. After two minutes in the water, they are completely ready for installation.
- With seamless installation, each element must be moistened with water, regardless of the weather.
- After the solution gets on the facing surface, do not remove it immediately. Wait until it dries slightly.
Rules for grouting
Filling the joints with mortar all the way through is necessary to give the masonry a more beautiful and natural appearance. It is advised to use only grouting materials with brands for this.
Do not use mixtures meant for ceramic tile installation:
- To completely fill the joints, you can use a bag for filling the joints. You can make it yourself. To do this, cut off the corner of an ordinary plastic bag. Make sure that the hole is slightly smaller than the joint being filled.
- Fill the bag with mortar (do not pour too much). Press the bag to force the mortar into the joints. Make sure that the liquid does not get on the front surface.
- Wait until the mortar dries a little, and use a trowel to remove its excess, simultaneously pressing it into the joints. Do not remove the drips immediately after filling, as this can stain the front surface.
- Using a broom made of plant materials, completely clean the seams. It is strictly forbidden to use solvents.
- The seam is the most important stage of the work, completely eliminating the ingress of moisture into the structure.
One excellent way to improve the appearance of your living area is to finish your stove with artificial stone. It has all of the beauty and grace of real stone without the exorbitant price tag or difficult installation. You can find a style that complements your interior design with ease because there is a large selection of colors and textures.
Artificial stone is not only very beautiful to look at, but it’s also very easy to maintain and long-lasting. It requires no sealing and is less prone to discoloration or cracking than natural stone. This makes it a sensible option for homeowners looking for a fashionable yet low-maintenance solution.
With artificial stone, you can realize your vision whether you want to create a sleek, modern look or a comfortable, rustic atmosphere. Your stove can become a gorgeous focal point in your house with the correct planning and cautious installation.
Artificial stone facing stoves is a clever way to blend design and function, providing a strong, eye-catching finish that can emulate the appearance of real stone without the exorbitant price or weight. It’s a flexible solution that not only makes the stove look better but also retains heat better, making it a useful and beautiful addition to any house.