Give your home a special touch appearance, attractiveness can be achieved if you use beautiful and natural materials. For example, stone is best suited for a base. It is quite possible to do this work yourself, but it will require certain skills from you.
This article, illustrated with a photo, provides instructions on how to decorate a base with natural stone. Once you familiarize yourself with it, you will be able to do everything not only quickly, but also efficiently.
It is worth noting that the price of this natural material is relatively high, and therefore be prepared for significant financial investments.
Many people are interested in which natural stone to choose for finishing the base. Experts recommend paying attention to frost-resistant species, and preferably dark shades.
This is due to the fact that the lower part of the structure is exposed to the negative influence of natural (and not only!) factors:
- sudden temperature changes;
- splashes from precipitation;
- mud;
- freezing of moisture formed or falling on the base, etc.
Among the variety of breeds, experts advise paying attention to the following:
- granite;
- gabbro;
- quartzite;
- sandstone.
- the stone is pressed tightly to the base;
- it needs to be moved a little from side to side so that it “sits” as tightly as possible;
- when it is fixed, gently tap it with a mallet, which will remove any remaining air under the stone and mortar;
- after securing one copy, select the next one, the shape of which will match the one already installed;
- try to select each specimen and bury it in the solution so that it forms a single plane with the already installed stones;
- When picking up stones at the top of the plinth, use a grinder to cut off the excess.
If you cannot find stones, use large specimens first, placing them as you see fit. The remaining small areas can be filled with smaller pieces.
Please note that the seams must be cleaned immediately after the material is laid and the mortar has not hardened. If there is not enough mortar in any joints, apply additional mortar. Be sure to wipe off any excess mortar or glue, otherwise it will harden and negatively affect the aesthetics of the entire house in general and your work in particular.
In conclusion
Base finishing natural stone with your own hands is an opportunity to really get original design houses with minimal financial costs. (See also article.) As you can see, there is actually nothing complicated about finishing in this way.
The main thing is to follow the instructions for choosing a stone and its subsequent installation. And then all the work will not take you so much time. In the video presented in this article you will find Additional information on this topic.
The desire to make your home not just a reliable and comfortable home, but also a beautiful one is inherent in everyone. One of the final construction processes is decorative finishing base It is not of particular practical value, but, undoubtedly, has a pronounced aesthetic character.
Of all the methods existing today, decorating the outer part of the foundation with stone looks especially interesting and attractive.
Regardless of what type of material is chosen, finishing the foundation with stone always gives solidity and elegance to the house.
There are two main categories of stone:
Natural stone is invariably in demand for finishing the base, despite its high cost, due to its eternal durability and natural origin.
Important! Having chosen this material, keep in mind that significant costs will be required not only for its acquisition, but also for transportation. In addition, finishing the foundation with natural stone will entail additional costs for the rather labor-intensive process of strengthening its outer part.
Why is artificial stone more practical?
An artificial substitute has become an excellent alternative, gradually replacing natural stone. In our country, it appeared on the market relatively recently, about 10 years ago, but immediately took a strong position.
The continuing interest in it is ensured by a number of advantages:
What is artificial stone?
The production of artificial stone occurs using two technologies:
- gypsum based
- based on Portland cement.
Sand, marble chips and fillers are used as additives to increase strength, moisture absorption, frost resistance, and weight reduction. The solution is prepared by adding water in the required proportion.
Important! Both types of stone can be made independently at home, using, for example, silicone templates for molding. It is enough to purchase all the components, mix exactly according to the recipe, fill the molds and wait for complete hardening. A visual confirmation is a photo of finishing the foundation under a stone from a material prepared by yourself.
How to cladding the base yourself?
The whole process of finishing a foundation with stone with your own hands is quite simple. The main thing that is required is care and accuracy when performing all work and artistic taste to create an attractive design.
We will distribute all work into several successive stages:
Design design
In the process of artistic planning, first carefully consider the photo of finishing the foundation with stone in various options. Select the most attractive ideas and arrange them yourself in the appropriate sequence.
Calculate the quantity required material, taking into account the parameters of the foundation surface, the size of the fractions, the chosen laying technology and the permissible overrun of about 10%.
How to choose installation technology?
There are two cladding methods:
What to look for when choosing artificial stone?
When purchasing material, be sure to pay attention to the quality of the product, determining it according to the following criteria:
Preparing tools
To complete all work on finishing the foundation of a house under stone, take care of tools and consumables in advance.
Refer to the following list:
How to choose the right glue?
Carefully select the appropriate adhesive composition. Consider the following nuances of choice:
Preparing the foundation surface
The amount of preparatory work is small and mainly depends on the condition of the surface.
Most often, the base material is brick or concrete, which have a similar composition and the same properties as artificial stone. Therefore, the initial adhesion conditions are quite high.
The principle of processing the base of the plinth is as follows:
Laying stone
Start finishing the foundation artificial stone only after completion of all preparatory processes in dry, preferably warm weather.
Video
Watch a video of the technology for finishing a foundation with stone.
Conclusion
Facing the outer part of the foundation with decorative stone is not only guaranteed to make the entire appearance of the house more interesting, but also protects it from destruction. Follow the rules of technology in the process of all work and the result, which will certainly please you, will not keep you waiting.
The basement of the house must be heat and waterproofed. An aesthetically attractive base will make the structure unique. Various materials are used for finishing. Natural stone in the decoration will further protect the structure and make it attractive. We will tell our readers how to cover the base with natural stone step by step with your own hands.
Pros and cons of stone finishing
Natural material has a number of advantages:
- Durability, will last at least 70 years;
- environmental friendliness;
- rich appearance of the base;
- not afraid of direct sunlight;
- not subject to chemical and physical influences;
- in regions located in mountainous areas, can be purchased inexpensively;
- variety of shapes and colors.
The disadvantages include: complexity of installation and high price in middle lane Russia. There are negative reviews about the hygroscopicity of the material, but after coating with various protective compounds, the stone is not afraid of moisture.
How to choose finishing material?
Before choosing a material for finishing the foundation, you need to answer three questions:
- What texture should the material have?
- Required bright color base or bed, calm shades?
- What price will suit you?
Types of stone
Among the various wild stones, the most popular for finishing are: granite, marble, dolomite, shungite, shell rock, quartzite, sandstone, flagstone or slate.
The choice of stone type depends on its availability in different regions. Do not forget that the base should be in harmony with the decoration of the walls. The stone matches well with the siding, decorative plaster, imitation timber.
The price for finishing with any type is approximately the same. It depends on the size of the material and the complexity of the base design. In the end, the buyer will pay for Finishing work and material. The total cost will vary depending on the type of stone. But the technology for finishing the foundation is not complicated; if you have free time, you can do the work yourself. The average cost of some breeds is shown in the table:
Price for natural material varies depending on the texture, size and thickness of the stone. Can be used processed and wild stone. Processed ones cost more. Artificially aged stone is in fashion, but processing is labor-intensive and requires various chemicals. The price will be higher. The most inexpensive: sandstone and shale. They do not have the hardness of granite, but correct installation will last no less time.
Before purchasing, calculate the area of the outer wall of the foundation, add 10–15%. So, there will definitely be enough material. It's worth considering fit and human factors.
Installation of stone on the base of a house
Finishing the foundation with your own hands must be done strictly according to the instructions. The technology is simple, but requires perseverance. We will tell you step by step how to perform the installation correctly. And the photos and videos in the article will help the reader imagine the actions more clearly.
Preparatory stage
It is necessary to inspect the basement of the house. All irregularities from the foundation from concrete or cement are removed. Large transitions and protruding reinforcement are leveled using a grinder.
Advice from the “façade designer”
It is important that the wall is perfectly flat; it will be easier to install the finish.
Primer of the base
Before installation, the base is primed. The primer increases adhesion, the cladding will adhere more tightly to the foundation wall. The wall must be primed with a coarse fraction of concrete contact. The solution must be applied with a roller or brush. It is necessary to insulate and waterproof the basement outside the house at the priming stage.
Laying out the pattern before installation
Untreated natural stone has uneven edges. If you do not select a pattern in advance, it will be difficult to make adjustments on the wall. The technology resembles a mosaic. The drawing is laid on the ground, next to the wall, and the necessary adjustments are made. 
Next, put natural stone, straight from the picture. They take one element after another and attach it to its place. You can first draw a design on the base and put the elements side by side in a certain order.
The top row of elements must go strictly horizontally. The edge from above is leveled with a grinder. The same distance is left between the elements for the seam. The ideal seam gap is 1–1.5 cm.
We attach individual elements to the wall
It is easier to attach a natural element to the wall using tile adhesive. But they take the mark for heavy ceramic tiles. The stone will not stick to liquid compounds. The stone is laid alternately from the right to the left. For heavy elements, a metal corner is attached below; it will prevent the cladding from sliding down.
Sealing seams
The seams between the elements must be sealed immediately, otherwise moisture will penetrate inside and repair work will have to be carried out. The seams are filled with tile grout, the technology is similar. Grouting must be done before the glue under the material dries.
To decorate the base, you can add a coloring element to the grout, contrasting in color with the finish.
Treatment of the finished base from moisture
The natural material is hygroscopic, and the seams also easily allow moisture to pass through. For waterproofing, the top of the base is coated with varnish or impregnation. After drying, the varnish will slightly change the color of the finish, so we recommend testing it on one element first.
The top of the base can be further protected with a visor. A concrete blind area is made from below.
The finished base must be washed and cleaned of dirt and dust once a season. Once a year, the coating with moisture varnish is repeated.
A properly fixed and selected stone will serve the home owner for many years. You will rarely have to think about repair work. Finishing with natural stone is not cheap, but the investment is worth it.