Square arches made of stone. Arch decoration with decorative stone - basic rules and requirements. Methods for decorating arches with stone

The arch is a real decoration of any room, its smooth forms bring softness and special comfort to design solutions. Highly important point in the device of this element is the finish, since it is she who determines the style and showiness of the arched passage. decorative design should match the overall style of the room, but at the same time, it can become the center of visual attraction for the entire interior.

It should be noted that arches are arranged not only in wall openings, but also as decoration for niches or windows.

Finishing the archway with artificial stone

AT recent times the design of these arched structures with artificial stone became especially popular.

1. Material selection

Today, a wide range of this material is presented on the market. A variety of colors and textures allows you to choose the material for any interior and taste. Among the most popular stone imitations are shell rock, slate, granite, travertine, marble, etc. The texture of the tile can be smooth and refined, or it can resemble a wild rough stone.

Tiles are produced in the form of flat plates different sizes and thickness, as well as the corner version of the product, which allows you to arrange all the corner parts of the arch without problems and with all accuracy. But it must be purchased after careful miscalculations of all sizes and quantities of material.

In addition to being the most spectacular type of finish, it can also be called the most difficult. In order for the artificial stone to hold well, you need to choose it correctly. The choice should depend not only on the appearance of the product, but also on what surface it will be glued to.

Facing stone is made on different bases. For the arch, you need to choose options made from lightweight materials, such as acrylic or quartzite, but in some cases gypsum, alabaster or sand-cement mortar tiles are also suitable.

1. For example, if the arch has a structure sheathed with drywall, a lightweight and flexible acrylic tile is best for it, but the gypsum option is also quite applicable.
2. Made of brick and plastered arch can be decorated with imitation stone made of cement-sand mortar.

Advice: Better adhesion can be achieved if the tile contains the same material that is on the surface on which it will be laid.

Attention! Some craftsmen make tiles that imitate natural stone, at home. Now forms and material for its manufacture can be purchased at hardware stores.

When an artificial stone is selected, you need to carefully prepare the surface for future masonry.

2. Surface preparation and adhesive selection

1. So that the work goes without delay, and the tiles stick well, the surface is leveled and treated with a primer. Then they dry well and only after that they start working.
2. The choice of glue depends entirely on the material from which the artificial stone is made.

• Acrylic and quartzite tiles give good adhesion to drywall surfaces when glued to so-called "liquid nails".
• The gypsum or alabaster variant gives good adhesion to drywall and even concrete if a gypsum-based adhesive is used.
• Cement-sand products can be glued on concrete mortar or a special cement-based adhesive.
• In addition, you will need a special mixture for sealing joints between tiles. The procedure for the design of seams is carried out after the completion of the work.

3. stone masonry

When finishing the arch, the problem of neat masonry lies in two zones - these are the corners and the arc of the structure. Remember, any tile starts to stick from the bottom row.

corners

So that wide seams do not form at the corners, and they look perfect, you can use two methods of working:

• the first of these is acceptable for rigid tiles made of gypsum, alabaster or concrete. At the combined corners of the tile, cuts are made along its thickness at 45 °, which will neatly lie against each other, and the seam at the corner will be minimal;
• the second way of laying the corner is that the tiles are glued with an overlap, i.e. in the first row, on one side of the corner, it is aligned with the corner and glued exactly along it, and on the other hand, with a protrusion exactly the thickness of the previously laid tile.
• It turns out such a masonry design: in each even row, a tile is pulled out on the left side of the corner, in each odd row, on the right. The length of the tile should be adjusted to the total in the vertical row.

vault arch

It should be noted right away that it is best to finish the vaulted part of the arch inside with acrylic flexible tiles. Using it, you will not encounter difficulties in your work. Acrylic adheres well to the surface and takes the form of a semicircle, and can also be easily adjusted in length and width.

If it is decided to finish with an inflexible material having a certain thickness, then you need to choose a narrow tile and arm yourself with some tools.

1. First, the tile is tried on the plane of the arch, in the place where it will be glued, and its length is marked.
2. Draw several times along the marked line construction knife, after that, with the help of pliers, the marked part breaks off. Edge roughness is smoothed out with a file. If the tile is made of gypsum, it can be cut off with a regular hacksaw.

3. Sealing

Approximately 18-20 hours after the completion of the masonry work, you can start sealing the joints.

This process requires the utmost care, since by staining the tile with a solution, you can ruin all the work.

The seams are filled with a rubber spatula, the excess composition is immediately removed with a damp soft cloth.

If it is supposed to decorate not only the corners of the arch, but also the wall around it with artificial stone, this is done after completing work with the main structure.

Arch finishing examples

Everyone chooses the interior decoration to their taste, but if you decide to use a stone for this, which will decorate the arch, it’s good to look at already ready-made options. Perhaps someone will find among them suitable for themselves.

AT this interior used acrylic tiles that imitate natural stone. It is unusually and interestingly arranged around a spectacular arch. invoice and color solution in harmony with the overall design of the room. The shade of the plastered walls and door panels is perfectly matched. Enough thin wall, in which the structure is arranged, would hardly allow the use of tiles made of heavy materials - it would look rude and out of place. The acrylic version gives subtlety and elegance to the design.

Wide arch finished with gypsum tiles under wild stone, organically echoes the chimney masonry and is, as it were, its continuation. In this option, a small narrow tile is used, which will facilitate its laying. The work will take more time, but it will save you from unnecessary adjustments to the material. The arch fits perfectly into the interior both in form and in color scheme. The design is in its place, creating the overall harmony of the room.

In the design of the arch and fireplace, a heavy version of imitation of artificial stone was used. made from cement-sand mortar. It has a certain thickness, but does not look rough and defiant. The rounded edges of the tiles give the masonry a special charm and elegance. It should be noted that such a tile is made independently or to order, as it has individual shape for a specific arch design. In some places of the vault, corner tiles are used, which make the corners neat and beautiful. In support of the arched opening, a fireplace, a niche and a decorative element on the wall are pasted over with the same stone. The interior imitates the room of a medieval castle, but more comfortable and modern.

On the example of this arch, you can clearly see how the corner stones for a semicircular arched vault look and are fixed. This is a very convenient element that eliminates the masking of seams at the corners. The arch is decorated with tiles, under a wild stone. Such specimens are made from a cement-sand composition and are attached to a special adhesive, which is based on cement. In this case, the seams also play the role of a decorative decoration of the opening.

When starting to design a structure with an artificial stone, it is necessary to think through all the nuances of the work. After reviewing the above instructions, you can draw conclusions about whether you can independently equip this element of the interior. If you are completely unfamiliar with this process, it is better to invite skilled craftsman who will do everything in the best possible way.

The design of arched structures with stone is becoming increasingly popular. Such design solution allows you to give the room special style, as well as greatly facilitate the procedure for cleaning behind doorways, which are most exposed to rapid contamination. Decorative stone does not require special care, is distinguished by reliability and durability in operation, is not affected by various fungi, corrosion and is absolutely harmless to the health of residents. Almost everyone can carry out all the work on decorating the arch with a stone. To do this, you need to know the rules for selecting material and styling features.

The arch can change the room beyond recognition, add grace and attractiveness to it.

How to choose a decorative stone for arch decoration

Manufacturers of decorative stone took care of large selection its products. Finishing material has a wide variety of textures and colors. The most popular material is considered to be: imitation of shell rock, granite, slate, marble and travertine, but the texture can be chosen to be smooth or reminiscent of a rough and untreated stone.

With the help of the arch, you can visually increase the space of your room.

If the arch will be finished on the facade of the building, it is preferable to stop the choice on natural material, which retains its protective properties better. For decorating the arch indoors, the protective properties of the material are not so significant. The main selection criteria are appearance and the basis of the facing material.

Regardless of the type and shape of the arch, it will be able to decorate any interior.

The base of the facing stone can be made of quartzite or acrylic, which are lightweight materials and are better suited for decorating the arch. Such materials have less weight and will be more reliable to keep on plumb lines. But if the warping of the arch is strong, you can opt for finishing tiles with gypsum, alabaster or sand-cement base. For example:

1. A flexible and lightweight acrylic material is better suited for drywall construction. It will not damage, does not deform the structure and is easily fixed on its surface. An acceptable option may also be with tiles made of gypsum.

2. The arch, plastered and made of brick, is decorated with a facing stone, which is made on a cement-sand mortar.

Arch is the one architectural element, on which depends overall design premises

Advice: In order to achieve better adhesion of the tile to the base, it is advisable to select a finishing material with the same base as the surface on which it will be fixed.

One more secret good choice facing material - give preference to narrow-shaped tiles, which are easier to lay on the smooth lines of the arch. And to facilitate work with the corner parts of the structure, you can use the appropriate corner option products that will allow special efforts arrange the corners.

The choice of facing stone by color

Decorative stone has a large palette of colors. It is difficult for an ordinary consumer, without any design skills, to choose and stop at one option. A few tips that will facilitate the choice and help create a unique design of the room:

1. If the idea was in the making maritime theme, you can take a tile that matches the color of natural sand. Such an arch and the whole room will look like the seabed, and the blue or turquoise ceiling, like the sea surface. Well suited stone and cold blue. The design can be added large quantity fresh flowers that will serve as a kind of algae.

Modern design arches allows you to divide the room into zones

2. For rooms where holidays are held, tiles imitating marble are well suited, and preferably in light colors. This option will give the room a celebration and sophistication.

The arch with decorative trim looks quite interesting in any room.

3. Arches that are closer to front door, it is better to decorate with tiles of dark shades. These places are the most exposed different kind pollution. The dark version of the tile will hide them.

This finishing option will allow homeowners to fully express their individuality.

4. Tiles that mimic the color and structure of natural stone are well suited for ideas in creating a kind of entrance to the castle.

elegant and stylish design arched design will always be in fashion

Advice: Choosing facing tiles dark shades, you should think carefully about the future lighting in the room. Otherwise, the graceful arch will turn into an entrance to a dark cave.

The right choice of glue

Each type of decorative stone has its own weight, and universal adhesive for any surfaces have not yet been invented, so the adhesive composition is selected only after the acquisition of the facing material. In this case, the price is a secondary thing that is paid attention to, the main thing here is quality and correct selection materials.

Decorative stone, depending on the color and texture, can be used in different styles interior

Do not forget that the laying of plates is carried out not only on vertical surfaces. The lining of the arch is a factor that needs to be given special attention, because on facing material force will continuously act on its separation. Rules for choosing an adhesive composition that will achieve good adhesion of surfaces:

The alabaster or gypsum version of the tile is well fixed on concrete or plasterboard surfaces, if you pick up an adhesive based on gypsum;
if the surface is drywall, and the tile is made on the basis of quartzite or acrylic, the selected liquid nails glue would be an excellent option;
cement-sand products - glue, which is based on cement (or you can use a concrete solution).

Advice: For decorating arches that are located outdoors and where the ambient temperature is lower than +5, you need a special glue of the intended brand. This fact is taken into account when choosing.

On the packaging of any adhesive there should be instructions that accurately indicate the properties of the selected material.

Rules and secrets for laying facing stone from experts

Begins decorating the arch by preparing its surface.

Removed old wallpaper, paint or whitewash;
the walls are well aligned and cleaned;
the surface of the future arch is primed.

The primer is needed to bond small particles of the wall together. This will provide a better hold. Picked up ground material depending on the basis of the walls. For concrete and monolithic bases, it is better to purchase a special adhesive primer, for example, Betonokontakt.

Finishing the arch with decorative stone begins with the stage of surface preparation

To make the arch harmonious, all the elements should be removed from the packages and mixed. Then lay them out on the floor and place them in the version that will look the most advantageous. To do this, the texture of the stone, its shades and dimensions are taken into account. Darker tones blend with light colors, and the short elements are distributed among the long parts.

Arch with decorative stone ready-made looks very impressive

The base of the arch is prepared, each individual element has found its place, and the glue is kneaded strictly according to the instructions - you can start laying.

1. All laying of decorated stone starts from the bottom rows. Between the elements you will need to leave a gap of about 4 mm, which will serve as a seam. Corners are easier to decorate with a corner stone, but if one has not been purchased, then the plates of each row are overlapped. In the future, following this rule will help to avoid leveling the angle.

Laying decorative stone is quite easy to do with your own hands.

2. When laying each element, its horizontalness is checked. To correct the stone in the desired position, light tapping with the back of the screwdriver on its surface will help. These actions will also help to find places where air has remained under the tile. Its presence prevents good adhesion of surfaces, which means that the element will have to be removed, cleaned and glued again.

3. The arc of the arch is the heaviest section. Here, each stone will have to be initially cut in the desired radius. For these purposes, cutters are used (for solid tile options, a circular saw). Advice from the experts: Do not immediately try to break off a piece of tile according to the markup. It can break off in a completely different place. Bite off in small pieces, gradually moving up to the desired mark.

Arranging the arch is one way to add expressiveness to the living room.

4. The edges of the cut element are sanded with a stone file.

5. Tiles are ready to be laid, but don't rush. Each element must be inspected for the presence of cement milk on its back side. This thin foamy layer will reduce grip and the rock will fall off quickly. If this layer has been found, it can be removed with a metal brush. Elevated air temperature in the room can become an obstacle to high-quality adhesion of surfaces. This problem can be solved by wetting the back side of the plates with water.

Finishing with decorative stone is painstaking work, but the result is worth it

6. The adhesive mass is evenly applied both to the wall itself and to the back side of each element, but its layer should not exceed 10 mm, otherwise the stone will constantly slide, violating the whole order.

Filling the joints is carried out only after the structure has completely dried (after about two days). For this procedure, a special syringe is used, which is filled with a solution for sutures. With gentle movements, without unnecessary pressure on the stone, the solution is smoothed out. For these purposes, use rubber spatula or brush. You can clean the surface of the tile with a sponge, as well as a soft cloth. You can protect the coating from scuffs by applying to it acrylic lacquer.

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 good result technology should be followed 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 building level and 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 preparation of all necessary Supplies, among them are:

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

When choosing a glue, you need to pay attention to its purpose. Available for certain finishes different varieties adhesive compositions, they are usually 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 should be taken more seriously. adhesive composition, it must have the appropriate properties.

Surface preparation

Finishing with stone necessarily involves the preparation of walls. To do this, you need to get rid of the base 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 the conditions in the room are different high humidity or temperature, the back side of the decorative stone must 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 arch from the GKL is on outdoors or under a canopy, then it is impossible to decorate it with a 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. On the next step the stone must be laid out on the floor. Position 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 is the finishing door arch 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 interior arch 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 with 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.

AT modern world, where everyone strives to be individual not only in their appearance, but also in the design of their home, people are increasingly trying to remake the standard layout of an apartment to fit their vision of space. They demolish unnecessary bulky partitions and erect drywall structures that do not take up much space.

This also applies to doorways. Traditional rectangular shapes are changing to beautiful rounded arches. Immediately the space is felt in the room, and the permeability increases (especially in the living room or kitchen). Most often, the doors to these rooms are open, and there is no particular need to keep them permanently closed. After all, every member of the family goes there quite often. Instead of the usual wooden architraves and additions, the arch is finished with decorative stone.

Having built an interior arch, you will no doubt add to home interior its own flair. Moreover, the arch lined with decorative stone will always be in the center of everyone's attention. And to give it the look of the Arc de Triomphe or it will resemble an old cave entrance - it's up to you, the main thing for this purpose is to choose the right type of stone. It is not recommended to use cement stone for finishing. It is heavy, most often quite thick and is used for cladding the facades of buildings. And here is the decoration of the arch gypsum stone- this is exactly what is needed.

Gypsum stone is light, thin and will not steal extra centimeters from the space of the arched opening. There are a huge number of types of gypsum stone. Just as there are many varieties of stones in nature, so with faux finish You can choose what will fit perfectly into your interior.

What to put on

Glue. Laying artificial decorative stone on a wall or arched opening can be done on a special glue for artificial stone. There are enough of them for modern market, here are a few examples:

• Adhesive for stone KR Professional Professional. This cement-based adhesive is used specifically for the installation of artificial stone indoors and outdoors. Sufficiently high-quality, hermetically fixes the stone and gives a neat seam (when laying artificial brick with stitching).
• Glue for stone Plitonit Wb. This adhesive is used for gluing artificial and natural stone, all types of porcelain stoneware, facing and clinker tiles. Well proven when laying stone on gypsum plaster, drywall, reinforced concrete, brick surface, cellular concrete, lime and cement plaster. Fake diamond when mounted on this adhesive, it does not slip, which allows the master to lay it in any direction - both from bottom to top and from top to bottom.
• Adhesive for stone Weber Vetonit - Stone Fix. It is used for laying artificial and natural stone, as well as any tiles, mosaics, both inside and outside the building. Adheres firmly to surfaces: gypsum-fiber and plasterboard sheets, cellular concrete, gypsum and cement plasters.

Liquid Nails. Finishing the stone arches in the apartment can also be done with liquid nails - strong fixation glue. It is convenient in that it is applied pointwise to the stone tile with a gun, it sets quickly and is suitable for many types of surfaces:

• polyurethane;
• wood;
• glass;
• metal;
• drywall;
• cement and gypsum plaster.

Putty. In addition to the listed means for gluing stone to drywall, you can use gypsum finishing putty. She can also edit the joints at the corners, provided that the stone is mounted unpainted. Painting will take place after installation. Not polymeric ones, but such simple gypsum mixtures as "Prospectors" proved to be excellent when installing stone on putty.

Preparation and styling

An ideal surface before installation is required when you want to make a torn stone, that is, leave sections of the wall for another decorative finish. But drywall arches are most often initially even, so it is not necessary to putty the corners with putty and cover up the screws. The stone will hide it all anyway. If you decide to lay a decorative stone with your own hands, then initially the drywall arch should be primed before work. For this you can use a primer. deep penetration, but ideally it is better to use concrete contact for priming. This special primer contains the smallest particles quartz sand, and after drying leave a rough base. After such processing, adhesion to any finishing material increases at the arched opening.

It is better to start decorating the arch with a decorative stone from the bottom of one of the sides. Gypsum tiles remarkably sawn into the necessary pieces with an ordinary hacksaw. If you have corner elements, they will perfectly complement the corners of the arch. If they are not, then the stone is laid first with inside arched opening, and then on both sides from the facade. To obtain the necessary piece of torn stone for the front side, it is necessary to saw off a piece of a slightly larger size than required for the front side. And then just chip off with your hands or pliers on one side in the form of a broken stone. And glue. This work is creative, requires care and a sense of proportion. Especially if the stone is mounted already painted. Competent comparison of all stone fragments is a guarantee that the arch lined with decorative stone will look harmonious.

Painting options

After installation, a day is given for the adhesive to dry. And then you can start painting (if the stone is white). For coloring, you can use various colors and dry pigments. They are diluted in water and applied to the stone with a brush, spray gun, and an airbrush is used to remove individual darker segments. It is recommended that you first create a base color, that is, the main color of the stone. In order for the design of the arch in the hallway or kitchen made of decorative stone to fit into the overall picture of the room, it is necessary to select colors that are close or a few tones darker or lighter than the color of the walls in the room.

It is not recommended to paint the stone with tinted paint, especially if the stone is porous. Because the paint clogs the pores and the relief goes astray. This greatly spoils the appearance of the arch. The best option is pigments or colors diluted with water. Water will immediately be absorbed into the gypsum, and the color will remain outside without damaging the relief of the stone. And the arch in stone looks as natural as possible.

Lacquering for protection

In conclusion, I would like to talk about the finishing of artificial stone. An arch trimmed with decorative stone requires a protective coating. To avoid future absorption of moisture by gypsum stone, it is necessary to impregnate it with water-repellent compounds. They not only protect the stone from moisture, but also reduce the likelihood of mold damage to the stone. The artificial stone is cleaned of dust and the water repellent is applied with a brush in two layers.

To protect the decorative stone, you can use acrylic varnish. This is a ready-made milky water dispersion with a slight odor. After drying of such a varnish, a transparent, durable film forms on the gypsum stone, and the stone can be wiped with a damp sponge. The varnish is absolutely harmless and does not emit harmful substances. If necessary, acrylic varnish can be diluted with water and applied with a spray gun, spray gun or airbrush.

This varnish is produced in three versions: matte, semi-gloss and glossy. When choosing, it is worth considering that the glossy varnish will give the effect of the shine of the stone, it will give the impression that the stone is as if wet. Semi-matt acrylic varnish will only slightly glare. But the matte varnish, unlike the previous options, will protect the stone from moisture and will not change its color. This option is suitable for those who want to achieve finishing natural color.

Some people think that if a stone is bought painted, then it is ready-made and there is no need to further process it after installation. But it's not. After all, it is impossible to say with certainty how the stone was processed during production. Therefore, when the decoration of the interior arch with a decorative stone is completed, it is recommended to brush the protective coating again with a brush. This will not only clog the pores of the gypsum stone and prevent moisture from soaking into it, but will also add strength to the tile.

Arch of stone traditional way decoration and strengthening of passages and walls, which does not lose its relevance. The variety of types of constructions and finishing materials allow you to realize the most daring ideas, both indoors and outdoors. The arch not only emphasizes the style of the interior, but is also comfortable functional solution on every day.

Options for finishing arches with stone

The progenitors of architecture, the ancient Greeks, began to decorate the passages not in the form of a rough square or rectangle, but a smooth arc. They persistently built triumphal arches, decorated with stucco, framed with marble and mosaics, and dedicated these architectural objects to the winners.

To date arched structures firmly entered into everyday life as a popular element of interior and exterior design. Pasted over with wallpaper or finished with plastic, drywall, it looks advantageous both in work and home premises, and allows you to diversify the look of boring interior passages. The arch serves to separate zones and decorate walls.

But one of the most popular options for its cladding is stone decoration. Thanks to the rich variety modern materials and styling technician, the process takes less and less time and effort. But the result becomes a real reward for the customer - an aesthetic pleasure for the eyes and a practical household solution for many years.

Decorative rock

One of the popular ways to design portals is to finish with decorative gypsum stone. Firstly, its many variations allow you to imitate almost any natural surface. Secondly, it is cheaper than analogues, for example, natural stone. And, thirdly, it is a light decor, therefore it is suitable even for processing thin structures.

The photo shows an arch with a rough stone finish separating the living and dining areas. The furnishings in discreet sandy-brown shades organically combine the natural relief of the stone and perfectly smooth floor and wall coverings.

Natural

Natural (wild) stone is not often used for indoor surfaces due to high cost, significant weight and complexity of processing (hewn slate or travertine is required). However, for outdoor street work, this is the best choice. The arch lined with stone looks great, and the material itself has the highest strength and durability - when using a high-quality mortar, it can last for many decades.

If the goal when designing an arch is not the texture of a stone, but an imitation of a brick, then the choice is quite wide. Flat decor is sold in every hardware store, it is not expensive and weighs little (the thickness of the bricks is 5-20 mm). Laying by level is so simple that even a non-professional can handle it. As a result, the opening will be transformed, and a piece of trendy loft style will appear in the room.

On the picture modern interior with imitation brickwork, which decorates not only the arch, but also parts of the walls of the room.

imitation stone

But even if simple styling decorative stone / brick seems to be too long and painful process, there is a simple interior solution- finishing the arch with ceramic tiles and such "flexible" coatings as liquid wallpaper and decorative plaster. The process will take less time and effort, but with professional execution it will give a pleasant result.

Types of arches

There are several main groups of arches depending on the form of execution:

Round

In the presence of large area walls, such an arch will expand the boundaries of the room, making it lighter and more "airy".

Pictured is a stairwell. The rough surface contrasts with the white wallpaper on the walls.

semicircular

A traditional type of stone arch used to decorate and reinforce doorways and other types of passageways.

The photo shows a stone arched passage to the dining room. natural finish decorates not only the opening, but also part of the wall around it.

Rectangular

Usually this arch differs from the standard opening in its large size, it allows you to zone the space and looks organically in almost any setting, especially in the spirit of the classics.

In the photo archway rectangular shape and part of the wall with brick trim. The design combines warm shades of brick, door leaf and walls.

narrow

The optimal solution for small areas: it allows you to comfortably form the passage and strengthen it for a long service life.

Trapeze, angular, curly

• A trapezoid-shaped arch can become one of the key art objects in a geometric interior - with an emphasis on clear lines and angular elements.
• The corner one looks advantageous in a single design concept along with other elements with a clear geometry of forms.
• The curly design option depends only on the imagination of the performer and is able to transform even the most boring traditional setting.

Decoration ideas and design of stone arches

If you want novelty in a familiar setting or if repairs are planned, but there is no clear vision of the picture yet, you should think about the design of the arch. Perhaps it is not enough to look at the home environment from a different angle.

The style, color and shape of the structure can set the general tone for the design project:

• Ragged. Chaotic - oddly enough, one of the most popular techniques in the design of premises. Arch as well as a rough surface wooden furniture or fireplace stones, doesn't have to be perfect. By giving it a "torn", deliberately sloppy shape and adding the same "wrong" texture of the external material, you can get an excellent result.
• Carved. In this case, there are no boundaries for decorating the arch, or rather, they are determined by the imagination. Asymmetric images, flowers - any shape is acceptable.
• With backlight. Able to take on the role of one of the central accents of interior lighting.
• With columns. Roman-style decoration with neat stone vaults will organically complement a clear and elegant classic interior.

These are the main types of arches that should not be limited. The selected option may not be similar to them, which means it will become unique idea room decoration: corridor, kitchen, etc.

Photo of stone arches in the interior of the rooms

To "revive" the imagination, you can first get acquainted with completed projects arches that will be appropriate in the hallway, hall, kitchen, living room, bedroom, balcony, loggia and even in the bathroom.

Arches are diverse not only in shape and shade, they are also able to transform, thanks to the image and lifestyle of the owners of the house. They can be decorated with your favorite trinkets or photos to enjoy the informality of the interior.

In the photo, the arch in the apartment in scandinavian style. The design combines the abrasive surface of brick and lacquered wood flooring gender.

Making out the arch, it is important with special attention approach the choice of its color, as well as shade finishing material around her. A light palette can be considered ideal, which will turn the element into a lighter, “non-pressing” design in the overall setting.