Decorative stone tiles for interior decoration +60 photos

Natural elements in an apartment, house or office - this is a spectacular design solution that will give a special piquancy to any room. And it is not necessary to make a single interior style, separate inserts and eclecticism are permissible. For example, it is interesting to look at a wall made of "wild stone" in a room in a nautical style or in a high-tech kitchen. But even for a classic living room such an element can be used. And, as for the lofts, ethnic and Scandinavian interior, the tile will be in them the main forming material. Today she is in trend. Laconic design and rough, but at the same time, elegant simplicity is coming into fashion, and with the improvement of production technologies for imitating natural materials, decorative stone facing tiles look realistic.

The popularity of this design supports the trendy direction of a healthy lifestyle, ecology.

Benefits

The widespread use of artificial tiles that mimic a wall of cobblestones, due to its advantages. Material advantages:

the installation of tiles of such a plan does not require special skills and can be performed independently, subject to the availability of basic knowledge in repair and construction;
this material weighs less than cement tile, therefore it is fixed even on plasterboard;
in the product line are budget options (the minimum cost depends on the region, in Moscow, for example, according to the price lists of individual companies, prices start from 450 rubles per square meter);
the material has an increased refractoriness and does not conduct electric current, therefore it can be used in the repair of a kitchen or a nursery;
the tile possesses excellent heat-conducting and soundproofing properties;
natural elements decorate any interior;
this material is environmentally friendly;
There are a lot of tile modifications, it can recreate any kind of stone or brick.

disadvantages

But when choosing a building material can not focus only on the positive aspects. It is better to be aware of all of its shortcomings in advance in order to minimize them when applying. We must understand what will have to sacrifice, if you choose this tile, and not something else. The main disadvantages of the material:

gypsum products begin to deform quickly due to the high moisture absorption of the tile, this can be avoided with the help of various substances (you can use a special primer in advance, for example, Primer X94);
decorative tile breaks easily, does not have high strength and resistance to abrasive effects, so you should be careful when installing it;
the material has poor frost resistance qualities;
because of the relief surface, the “wild stone” collects dust and requires frequent cleaning, therefore, after installation, it is better to varnish it (the non-varnish surface is treated with a solution of 50 ml of laundry conditioner dissolved in 200 ml of water).

Kinds

There are several classifications of tiles under natural stone. One of them shares the varieties of this material according to the applications. Types of decorative tiles, depending on the place of application:

facade - is used for exterior cladding of the walls of buildings in the private and commercial sector. Its features include the absence of a mechanical connection (not counting the grout) between adjacent elements, the need to seal joints and waterproof the entire fabric;

outdoor - made of PVC or porcelain. The floor tile is chemically neutral, does not wear off, does not deteriorate from sudden temperature changes, and also has high strength. The most resistant flooring is pavement;

wall - used for interior decoration. It weighs easily, and therefore simplifies the installation process. This tile has a huge number of designer varieties (for example, tile in the bathroom);

ceiling - has the lowest weight of all types of decorative tiles. Its thickness should be no more than 1 centimeter to cover the entire ceiling of the room with it.

Gypsum

The tile is made in two modifications: plaster and ceramics. The plaster tile, as a rule, imitates a natural stone or a brick wall. It is durable, allows you to forget about the cosmetic repair of the room for many years to come. Distinguish colored and unpainted, smooth or embossed varieties of material. It is used in the decoration of enclosed loggias and balconies, walls and ceilings in rooms and corridors. Gypsum tiles are used to decorate home fireplaces, but for fire safety it is better to equip them with thermal insulation panels. The natural composition of gypsum allows you to maintain a favorable microclimate. Still, this material is not used in the decoration of baths and saunas due to the high moisture absorption. For the same reasons, after installation in any room, the tile is treated with a water-repellent agent.

No substances will help to cope with the "wild stone" of gypsum with climatic factors, so it is not used in the exterior cladding of houses.

Ceramic

The tile from ceramics possesses the increased durability and durability. It is able to withstand a variety of mechanical loads without damaging its integral structure. The material is used in the facade decoration, because it is not exposed to the climatic effects of the environment (although, of course, when choosing a product and brand, it is necessary to focus on regional features). But the main role of ceramic tiles plays in the interior of the living room, dining room, kitchen, hallway and bathroom. If you want the room to look "richer", you can make inserts from a tile that imitates marble or onyx. Moreover, in accordance with international standards, this material practically does not differ from natural analogues in its technical properties and appearance. A wide range of ceramic stone tiles allows you to choose the best material for absolutely any architectural solution. And it does not absorb dirt and odors, and therefore easy to use.

Colors

The color solutions of the tiles are diverse and completely imitate the elements of nature. Moreover, the double technology of coloring the relief base leads to the fact that there are no two identical tiles. Color veining and bumps will always vary. The choice of hue depends on the style and personal preferences of the designer, but all the same when using this material should be based on the natural palette. It is customary to classify decorative tiles by color depending on the type of stone that is simulated. There are the following types:

marbled imitation involves the use of white, black and beige with a slight impregnation of gray;

Malachite tiles should be dark green with some divorces;

onyx will be presented pink, amber and light green flowers;

gray and beige shades are suitable for decorative sandstone;

artificial slate has a brown, gray-green shade with light streaks;

a mixture of stones involves the use of natural shades (brown, white, reddish, etc.).

Application

There is a huge number of options for using decorative brick tiles. Conventionally, they can be divided into standard and non-standard. Standard methods include:

decorating a separate corner of the kitchen (for example, next to a gas stove);
facing of internal and external walls;
creating a special "Christmas" comfort due to the edging of the fireplace;
decoration of bathrooms;
use for openings of windows and doors;
edging mirrors, etc.

As non-standard (conditional) methods of using artificial stone are called:

facing the working surface of the headset in the kitchen, which smoothly passes into the apron (while no dirt accumulates under the lower edge of the apron tile);
decor of old furniture;
from a broken tile (a fragile material, something will break when installed) you can make a small panel on the wall;
decoration of garden benches, beds and pots;
white wall tiles can be used to make a non-standard canvas for adults and children (it is necessary to paint on it with the help of special paints for glass or ceramics);
decorating the stairs in the cottage;
excess tiles can be used as a stand for hot or cold dishes.

How to choose?

Artificial decorative stone for exterior and interior decoration is selected based on the parameter price, durability, reliability, ease of use and appearance. You should also carefully consider the manufacturer of the goods. If the company has long established itself in the market and has a large range of products, then its decorative tiles can be purchased. By law, tiles are not subject to mandatory certification, but the presence of such a document indicates that the company is attentive to its consumer and conducts product tests (if a large holding buys goods from a small manufacturing company, it always requires technical documentation for inspections). If the consultant refuses to provide quality certificates, you should think about the advisability of making a purchase.

When choosing a fake stone, you should pay attention to its cold resistance performance. The larger they are, the longer the material will last (this applies not only to the facade, but also to the inner lining). The correct tile has a textured surface, indistinguishable from ordinary natural stone. When buying a tile you need to look at its surface. If it is porous, then this indicates a violation of production technology (for example, the injection mixture was moved). Such a stone will be short-lived, moisture will begin to fall into the formed pores, which will lead to the destruction of the material. You should also pay attention to the thickness of the product. Depending on the purpose of the tile, it varies from 1 to 5 centimeters. Ideally, the thickness of the stone should be uniform throughout its length and width. In the case of irregularities such decorative tiles will be difficult to lay on the wall or on the floor, additional finishing work will be required to restore the marriage (at least visually).

Piling

The whole process of laying artificial stone is divided into the following steps:

First dismantle the old coating. If you plan to decorate the entire wall or ceiling, then the coating is removed completely. Otherwise, only a part is removed.
Then align the walls, as it is necessary to lay the stone on a smooth surface. Cracks shpaklyuyut, and large differences and slopes sand.
After sanding, the priming stage begins. Before this, the surface should be cleaned from dust and other dirt. Only after that the site is treated with a primer (preferably acrylic).
The tile has uneven edges, so it must be assembled as a puzzle on the floor with the help of a meter. Identical fragments should come into contact with larger and smaller ones.
Then glue should be prepared (it should be thick and homogeneous without lumps) and proceed with the installation itself, paying particular attention to the corner joints.
After laying the tiles should wait from 3 to 10 days depending on the type of glue and features of the room. Only after this period the tiled glue will finally dry out, and the construction itself will become durable.

How to care?

Caring for decorative tiles is a timely rubbing of dust. To avoid problems with an excess of moisture, the lining is treated with hydrophobic sprays. Thanks to this coating, the tile can be washed in the future. But it is better to use not a regular, but a special rag with microfiber for its processing. Also suitable spray for spraying flowers. Effective will be cleaning with a vacuum cleaner (preferably detergent). For some surfaces, a static broom is shown, but it is necessary only for dry cleaning. To clean the kitchen apron fit the usual porous sponge. As a detergent, it is better to choose special products for processing artificial stone. Sometimes they use fabric softener, but it is not necessary to abuse this method, since the surface of the tile can deteriorate. The frequency of cleaning the decorative stone depends on the humidity of the room, as well as the location of dust-collecting objects in the apartment (house, office).

Conclusion

Tile - the perfect interior solution for the premises for any purpose. Just for each design development uses a certain type of material. Artificial stone helps to focus attention on important details in the interior and dilutes the monotonous finish. Due to the ease of installation, it can be put even with your own hands, without resorting to the help of tiled specialists, which reduces the cost of repair. If necessary, a person will choose tiles of any price category and quality. And the disadvantages of strength, which are inherent in artificial stone, practically do not manifest themselves with proper installation and further operation. The key advantage of the artificial tile is that it is mounted after the completion of the overhaul and is in perfect harmony with any building materials.