The contents
The question facing the fireplace among the actual followers of their own to create the comfort of home. Making plaster does not differ aesthetics and soon would require replacement. Therefore, we offer practical ways out of the fireplace mantel that will help create a unique design space for an extended period.
The choice of material ↑
The desire to bring zest to the interior of the home and place the hearth on an individual project must be accompanied by a selection of high-quality material. Requirements, that should guide you when buying are the following:
- high temperature resistance;
- good thermal impact;
- excellent ink adhesion with a solution;
- resistance to mechanical damage;
- aesthetics.
Options veneer fireplace materials, fully conforming lots. Most common are the following types:
- tiles (terracotta, clinker, porcelain stoneware, majolica);
- natural and artificial stone (granite, basalt, marble, soapstone);
- tiles;
- brick.
In detail, we will focus on the properties and the process of facing the fireplace with the use of the first two types.
Design options with tile ↑
Tiles in cladding the fireplace looks stylish and modern. Among the popular types of majolica tiles, clinker, terracotta and porcelain tiles. Despite certain similarities, they have distinctive features.
Veneer fireplace granite tile approximates the appearance of the design to the design of natural stone. This is not only due to the external similarity of the materials and their technical characteristics.
Majolica is a ceramic product extruded, printed, protected with glaze. Due to this coating, veneer fireplace has a bright sheen and gloss, it blends harmoniously into the classic interior of the room.
A distinctive feature of the fireplace mantel tiles – no glaze. This finish can successfully simulate the crushed stone, the Prague old brick or wood surface. Wide color palette of ceramic tiles allows you to choose for the fireplace mantel is the most suitable for the interior color. The surface finishing material is polished, grained, or smooth texture. Another advantage of tiles is the environmental safety and high temperature resistance.
Originally looks like the facing of clinker tiles. The basic component of this material is clay, which does not affect the efficiency of the fire, although the warm-up period the heating of the structure increases slightly. The use of ceramic tiles is another option to simulate a different type of finish: marble or granite, tiles or brick.
As an inexpensive and distinctive version of the design of the fireplace you can use a combination of ceramic tiles and decorative bricks. Combining rough and smooth textures, dark and light tones will create a unique design home.
The use of natural and artificial stone ↑
Properties of natural stone, fully meet the requirements of the materials for the fireplace mantel. Among the advantages of finish using natural stone, you can note the following points:
- Fine grain structure provides good heat dissipation.
- Environmental safety, durability, and resistance to high temperatures.
- High strength to withstand any mechanical loads.
- Aesthetics and attractive appearance.
- Processing in different ways allows us to give a unique shape.
The most popular finishes are marble and granite. Marble is used only for fireplaces made of brick, foam or aerated concrete. When choosing marble, the attention is focused on the following criteria:
- Whole slab or baby. For the production of slabs used not only natural marble, but also marble chips. The second option is much more economical, and natural products are much more durable.
- The integrity of the material. Each tile is thoroughly inspected for cracks or other defects.
- Color. The marble has different textures (polished, antique, etc.) and colors (from white and pink to grey and black).
One of the most durable materials for lining the fireplace is granite. His color palette includes the following shades:
- Pale beige and pearl white;
- yellow and green;
- red and purple;
- grey, brown and black.
Rare minor contamination provide easy care facing the fireplace, made of granite, and the ability to apply different finishes to harmoniously fit into the home in any interior. Time-consuming process of extraction and the difficulty of polishing formed a high cost policy in respect of granite.
Recently there has been an artificial hype around soapstone. Its properties is no better granite or basalt, but the price category is on a par with luxury marble.
For some owners of the fireplace the cost of cladding with natural stone will seem excessive. In this case you can use a worthy alternative to artificial stone. In many respects, it is not inferior to its natural counterpart. Artificial stone production eliminates the time consuming process of cutting, grinding or sanding, and modern technologies allow to obtain complex figure performance elements that looks as close to natural stone.
The process of tiling ↑
Facing the fireplace tiles is a simple process consisting of the following stages:
- surface preparation;
- fixing of steel mesh;
- the formation of the layer of plaster;
- laying tile.
First, the surface of the fireplace is freed from dust and old plaster. The joints between the bricks is subjected to Stripping to a depth of 0.5-1.0 cm, it will provide high adhesion with adhesive or mortar. Steel mesh is chosen with cells 1,5×1,5 cm, its mounting dowels with washers.
The surface of the fireplace, covered with wire mesh, subjected to alignment with the adhesive designed for fixing ceramic tiles. After applying the glue with a spatula and drying the surface of the fireplace go to the tiling.
Facing the fireplace tiles starts with the layout, which uses a rope with a sinker or a laser level. Further, the stacking process proceeds from the planned lines. Facing the fireplace starting with the bottom row. Notched trowel the adhesive is applied to the area of the fireplace, the same size as one or two tiles. After which the finishing material is firmly pressed her hands to the surface of the fire, optionally equipped with a rubber mallet. Remnants and scraps left on the final stage.
The formation of equally smooth clearance of the lining contribute to plastic crosses, fixed on both sides of the tile. Carefully follow the line of placement of tiles marked lines. The test plane is carried out using conventional rail. Identified deficiencies in facing the fireplace remove, without delay, continue to do this will not be possible.
After the fireplace mantel pass to remove remaining adhesive. Grouting is carried out with a rubber spatula or trowel in a day. The alignment of the seams after filling is carried out with a damp sponge. A quarter of an hour the remains of grout from tiles can be remove with a clean cloth.
The nuances of working with stone, ↑
Veneer fireplace decorative stone is a time consuming process, due to the physical properties of the material. In General, the initial stages of the work is similar to the tiling:
- the surface of brick masonry fireplace cleaned thoroughly of contaminants;
- seams deepen 1 cm;
- the surface of the tightened wire mesh, the cell size is 5×5 cm;
- proceed to the adjustment of stone, chosen for the.
For these purposes, the floor is depicted the figure, an exact copy of the size of one of the vertical surfaces of the fireplace. Then she alternately lay out the trim, picking up the line thickness and color.
The smooth surface of the stone on the contrary, requires complete conformity to the thickness inopportune instances it is better to cull or when used in the facing of the fireplace will require adjustment of the adhesive composition. The thickest elements of stone used in the first place and are fixed at the minimum of the adhesive layer. It will be a beacon for the future of the wrapping process. Remaining after cutting small pieces attached in inconspicuous places. The irregular shape of the stone requires pre-marking before lining. Picking up all the items on the floor, they should be numbered, and on the faces adjacent to put numbers. This will allow not to get lost in the process of fixing the stone on the fireplace.
The process of laying marble tiles start from the front side of the fireplace. After the cladding of the facade is transferred to the side walls. When fixing marble stone finished, in the blank space through the gap filled with glue. Its freezing lasts for hours. Below the surface of the marble plates is not contaminated, the ends pre-pasted masking tape. For better joining of seams at facing the fireplace marble tiles using a special cement. The process of coating with the use of artificial stone similar to the above-described action.
