Walls as material for. What are the best walls to make for the house

By appointment walls are external and internal, and on the perception of loads - carriers and non-carriers.

Depending on the materials used shared by the following types of walls:

wooden from logs, beams, wooden frame;

brick made of solid and hollow clay, ceramic and silicate bricks and blocks;

stone from cobblestone, limestone, sandstone, shell rock, tuff, etc.;

lightweight concrete made of gas silicate, expanded clay concrete, polystyrene, slag concrete, wood concrete, sawdust concrete;

ground concrete from adobe, compacted pear.

By constructive decision walls are:

chopped from logs and assembled from wooden beams;

small-block made of bricks and small blocks weighing more than 50 kg;

panel or panel board made of ready-made elements of walls per floor;

frame made of racks and straps with sheathing with sheet or molded materials;

monolithic from concrete and soil;

composite or multilayer with different materials and designs used.

Materials for the construction of walls and their constructive solution are chosen taking into account local climatic conditions, economy, given strength and durability of the building, internal comfort and architectural expressiveness of facades.

Natural stones and solid bricks have the greatest strength and durability. At the same time, in terms of their heat-shielding qualities, they are significantly inferior to lightweight concrete, effective bricks and wood. Their use in "pure form" without a combination with other, less heat-conducting materials is justified only in the southern regions of the country.

When erecting brick walls, you should strive for lightweight masonry, using effective brick and arranging voids using a warm mortar. Solid brickwork of solid brick walls with a thickness of more than 38 cm is considered impractical.

Reliable in operation and 1.5 - 2 times cheaper than brick lightweight concrete walls based on slag, expanded clay or sawdust using cement. If you use prefabricated lightweight concrete blocks, you can significantly reduce the seasonal construction time.

Wood is a traditional material for the walls of low-rise buildings. Chopped and cobbled walls are the most comfortable for sanitary and hygienic requirements. Their disadvantages include low fire resistance and sedimentary deformation in the first 1.5 - 2 years.

In the presence of lumber and effective insulation, frame walls are quite justified. They, like chopped ones, do not require massive foundations, but unlike them, they do not have post-grouting deformations. When facing the frame walls with bricks, their fire resistance and capital are significantly increased.

In the southern regions with sharp changes in day and night temperatures of the outside air, walls made of soil concrete (adobe) behave well. Due to their high thermal inertia (they slowly heat up and cool down), they create an optimal thermal regime in such a climate.

You watched: Wall types

Bandaging bricks

a.
b.
Chain (double row):
a - section,
b - facade a.
b.
Spoon (multi-row):
a - section,
b - facade Laying schemes

With air spaces With internal insulation Well masonry brick walls

From staggered bonded bricks From bonded bricks located in the same plane With horizontal slurry diaphragms
Well masonry axonometry Brick wall with lightweight concrete infill

Vertical cut Examples of base / plinth designs

From concrete stones to undercut
Lined with stone blocks
Brick with ebb
Brick faced Curtain rods designs

Hemming On a portable filly Brick With precast concrete slab Vertical section of the outer wall with wood

Types of cobbled and chopped walls Wall connections and cutouts

Cutting log walls "in the paw"
Corner connection of cobbled walls "in oblo" Corner connection of cobbled walls on a key
Interfacing the inner and outer walls

So, dear reader, the outlines of your house are already visibly marked by the foundation, arranged under all supporting vertical structures (walls, columns, partitions). New worries and troubles arise. First of all, about the walls of the house. You already know from the project what material, constructive solution, dimensions they are supposed to be. But a lot seems to be fuzzy. So let's talk about the walls. The choice of materials and wall structures depends on the climatic conditions of the place, on the purpose and temperature and humidity conditions of the enclosed premises, the number of storeys of the building, the availability of local building materials and their technical and economic indicators, taking into account the distance of transportation, on the appearance and architectural design of the facades of the house.

In Russia, for a long time, for the construction of civil buildings, churches, monasteries and other structures, wooden, stone, and later brick structures were widely used. Beautiful mansions, tent-roofed and many-domed churches, beautiful and original, were created. Suffice it to mention the magnificent brick church of St. Basil the Blessed (the correct name is "Intercession Cathedral in the Moat", 1555-1560). No less wonderful and amazing achievement is the construction of the 22-head church (1714) of the Transfiguration of the Savior on the Kizhi churchyard.

Of course, in the old days, when there were no heat engineering calculations, the thickness of the walls was often excessively large. For modern low-rise cottage construction, in addition to traditional stone, brick and wooden wall solutions, more effective materials and design solutions are used: lightweight concrete, ceramic, lightweight, layered brickwork, wooden frame, panel board and others using lightweight insulation. These structures can significantly reduce the weight of the walls, improve their economic performance, and accelerate construction.

Let's get acquainted with the basic requirements for the walls. The selected wall structure must have the same durability as the house as a whole, and perform two main functions: protecting from the adverse effects of the external environment (rain, snow, wind, sun, overheating) and load-bearing - withstand the load (weight) transferred to them from overlying structures, equipment, furniture.

Depending on the location in the building, there are two types of walls: external and internal. The latter also serve as partitions.

External walls must have sufficient (according to the relevant standards) heat-shielding qualities: design resistance to heat transfer (frost resistance in winter, protection against overheating by the sun in summer), vapor permeability and air permeability, that is, they must provide the necessary temperature and humidity conditions in the premises at any time of the year. Depending on the required degree of fire resistance of the house, the walls must have a flammability group and a fire resistance limit not lower than those established by fire standards. Both external and internal walls must have sufficient (according to the relevant standards) soundproofing properties.

These and some other requirements, which must be taken into account when choosing a project and coordinating the designs of various elements of the house, are sometimes contradictory. It is necessary to select materials and structures that satisfy, if possible, all technical requirements and the most economical solutions. By design, walls can be divided into solid, consisting of a homogeneous material and solid, consisting of various materials. The former perform simultaneously both the enclosing and the bearing functions, and the latter - either the bearing or the enclosing function.

Let us first consider the structures of stone walls most often used in cottage construction - from brick, concrete, ceramics, as well as from sandstone, limestone, shell rock. In low-rise stone buildings, the own weight of the walls together with the foundations is 50-70% of the total weight of the building, and the cost of the walls is up to 30% (with simple architectural details) of the cost of the entire building. This shows how important it is to skillfully choose the type of walls, especially external ones.

Brick walls

They are laid out of artificial stones - with a nominal size of 250 120 65 mm, excluding 3-5 mm tolerances. Bricks are laid with the long side (25 mm) along the facade (along the wall) and are called spoons, or the short side - across the wall - and are called pokes. The gaps between the bricks filled with mortar are called seams. The normal thickness of the horizontal joint (between the rows) is 2 mm, of the vertical joint (between the bricks) - 10 mm. Often, builders use much thicker seams, which is highly undesirable, because this reduces the heat-shielding qualities and strength of the wall and violates the modularity of dimensions.

In cottage construction, ordinary or clay red solid brick is used, fired with a volumetric weight of 1700-1900 kg / m 3 and less expensive silicate or white (volumetric weight - 1800-2000 kg / m 3). For the convenience of work, the weight of one (solid) brick is from 3.2 to 4 kg. The thickness of homogeneous (solid) brick walls is always a multiple of half the brick and is erected by 1/2; 1; 1 1/2; 2; 2 1/2 bricks, etc. Taking into account the thickness of the vertical joints of 10 mm, brick walls have a thickness of 120, 250, 380, 510, 640 mm and more. This depends primarily on the design winter temperatures of the outside air.

The placement of bricks in the masonry of the walls is done with a certain alternation of spoon and butt rows in order to get the ligation of the vertical seams.

The most widespread are two-row (chain and Russian) and multi-row (spoon) masonry systems. In a double row, spoon rows alternate with butt rows, forming on the facade, as it were, two repeating chains of rows.

In a multi-row system, three to five spoon rows alternate with one butt row. The outer and inner parts of the walls are laid from a whole brick by a qualified bricklayer, and the middle of the backbone (backbone) is filled with broken brick and filled with grout. This method of masonry is simpler than chain masonry, therefore, labor productivity is higher, and a larger volume of backing reduces the cost. Before laying the brick, be sure to wet it, for example by dipping it in a bucket of water. Indeed, otherwise, especially on hot days, the water from the solution will be absorbed into the bricks, poorly binding them together, creating conditions for the destruction of the wall.

Some types of bricks, ceramic and lightweight concrete stones, small concrete blocks (solid or with vertical voids) are somewhat larger than ordinary bricks. For example, their heights can be 88, 140, 188 mm in order to tie the individual coincident horizontal rows and seams during masonry together with the cladding of ordinary red brick.

When laying a wall of stones with slotted voids, it is necessary to lay out the stones so that the slots are parallel to the wall, that is, perpendicular to the heat flow. Walls made of natural stone, which are given the correct, larger than brick, shape (by sawing or trimming) is carried out according to a chain system, mainly for unheated buildings in areas where this stone is a local building material.

Full-bodied bricks are strong, but in their heat-shielding qualities they are significantly inferior to effective multi-hole and scutching, more porous (volumetric weight - 1100-1300 kg / m 3). Brick grades 50-150 are used; mortar grades (binding agent) from 10 (lime) to 25 (cement) for different types of masonry and structural elements. Masonry is carried out on heavy bulk density more than 1500 kg / m 3), so-called cold (cement-lime, sand) or light (slag), warm mortars. Solid brickwork of walls made of solid bricks with a thickness of more than 380 mm is considered impractical, because such dimensions of a brick, its large volumetric weight (mass) make solid brickwork uneconomical. The thickness of the outer wall of the cottages, which is assigned according to heat engineering calculations, is excessive in terms of strength. It is sometimes used only for 15-20% of its bearing capacity. Therefore, in cottage houses, a lighter, more efficient brick is used, heterogeneous (layered or lightweight) wall masonry systems, as well as ceramic and lightweight concrete stones.

Masonry made of silicate bricks, which have a smoother surface than clay bricks, is usually carried out without external plastering and with jointing. The same solution can be recommended for red brick masonry using special facing clay bricks.

The combination of clay red and silicate white brickwork can give an interesting artistic solution for facades. However, sand-lime bricks should not be used in places subject to increased moisture, for example, cornice, basement. In rooms with wet processes (bathrooms, swimming pools), the masonry of walls and partitions should be continuous from solid clay bricks of plastic pressing.

A common and economical design of external walls is the so-called well masonry, in which the wall is laid out from two independent walls half a brick thick (outer, verst and inner), connected by vertical brick bridges at 0.6-1.2 m, forming closed wells ... During laying, the wells are filled with insulation: slag, expanded clay, lightweight concrete with a seal. To prevent the insulation from sagging over time, versts are connected with horizontal jumpers every 3-4 rows: with bonded rows, mortar diaphragms in height after 0.5 m, anchors made of strip (1.5 20 mm) or round (diameter 6-8 mm) steel coated with anti-corrosion compounds (cement milk, bitumen).

Masonry systems are more industrial and speed up the work, in which the wall insulation is replaced by less microscopic thermal depositors made of slag concrete, foam concrete, foam silicate. The width of the thermal inserts is 40-50 mm less than the distance between versts in order to form gaps that are filled with mortar.

Quite economical are solid brick masonry, consisting of two walls with closed air spaces 40-70 mm wide. At the same time, brick consumption is reduced by 10-15%; the outer wall consists of half-brick spoon rows, and the inner wall, depending on the required thermal protection, is 250 or 380 mm. The walls are connected in the above ways, the outside is plastered to reduce air infiltration. When filling air cavities with mineral felt, the thermal efficiency of the wall increases by 30-40%.

To improve the thermal insulation qualities of the walls, it is also possible to use thermal insulation boards (gypsum plasterboard, foam concrete, chipboard), installed on wooden (necessarily antiseptic) bars, mortar beacons and in another way from the inside. For thermal insulation and airtightness, it is recommended to glue the inner side of the slabs facing the masonry with aluminum foil, kraft paper, etc. In a similar way, the walls are clad with boards from the inside. Insulation with tiles can be attached to the wall directly on the mortar. The outer surfaces of the walls, insulated from the inside, also need to be plastered.

Important note, dear reader. Internal load-bearing walls and load-bearing partitions (on which beams or floor slabs rest) should be laid out of solid clay or silicate bricks, with a minimum quite sufficient (!) Wall thickness of 250 mm (sometimes 120 mm). The cross-section of the posts must be at least 380 380 mm. For heavy loads (to be specified locally), the supporting pillars and piers should be reinforced with a wire mesh with a diameter of 3-6 mm every 3-5 rows of masonry in height. Partitions are laid out with a thickness of 120 mm and 65 mm (brick "on the edge"). With the length of such partitions more than 1.5 m, they should also be reinforced after 3-5 rows.

Load-bearing partitions can be made (except for rooms with wet processes) from lightweight concrete, gypsum concrete and other slabs, usually 80 mm thick, from boards and other materials suitable for local conditions, using appropriate finishing.

For the facing of facades, which is carried out simultaneously with the laying of the walls, it is best to use facing ceramic bricks, which are somewhat more expensive than usual, but in appearance, texture, colors and permissible deviations in size, they are of the highest quality. This eliminates the need for painting for three to four years.

Exterior wall work should be started at the corners of the building. From the outer verst. For better observance of the straightness of the walls and evenness, horizontality of the rows of masonry, it is necessary to use a plumb line, a stretched cord-mooring and a vertical strip-ordering with a marking on it of each row of bricks and a seam in height.

Wall elements

Plinth- the lower part of the wall from ground level to floor level, at least 500 mm high, enclosing the underground space of the house. The basement is exposed to moisture from atmospheric and soil moisture, snow, mechanical stress, therefore, when installing it, you should use durable, water and frost-resistant materials (stone, concrete, red iron ore brick).

The outer surfaces of the base can have different textures and finishes; smooth and embossed, including from a thick layer of cement plaster with a cut into rusts, imitating masonry of stones, faced with natural stone, hard rocks, ceramic tiles on a cement mortar, the composition is one part of cement to three parts of sand. At a level of about 150 mm above the adjacent blind area, a layer of anti-capillary horizontal waterproofing should be arranged around the entire perimeter of the basement, consisting of two layers of roofing tar paper, roofing felt or cement screed.

Plinths of layered walls should be made of solid brickwork or other durable, frost and moisture resistant materials.

Zabirka- lightweight base. A thin wall between the pillars of the foundation, under the lower frequent walls of the veranda, insulating under the full space, protecting from moisture, snow, etc. It is made of the same materials as the main wall, for example, in one or half brick; buried in the ground by 300-500 mm. On clay, heaving soils, a sand cushion with a thickness of 150-300 mm is arranged under the filling.

The cornice finishes the top of the wall and is called crowning. It is designed to protect the wall from slanting rain, excessive heat from the sun, and to drain water flowing from the roof. In addition, the cornice usually decorates buildings, giving the composition a finished look. Therefore, its shape, height, overhang and color are largely determined by the overall architectural design of the facade.

Eaves stone walls of a simple form can be laid out by gradually overlapping each row by no more than 1/3 of the brick length (by 80 mm). The total offset should not exceed half the wall thickness. With a large extension of the eaves of a complex configuration, special prefabricated reinforced concrete slabs, beams, cantilevered into the wall and fixed with anchors should be used with brackets. Cornices are often used on the outlets of rafter legs or filly; they are open and hemmed.

Undoubtedly, various architectural details, belts, intermediate and crowning cornices introduced into the planar solution of the facades can improve the aesthetic appearance of the cottages. Lined with bricks or other, such as concrete elements, but simple in design.

Smoke and ventilation ducts for low-rise buildings, as a rule, they are arranged in internal walls with a thickness of 380 mm, lined with red smooth solid bricks. The cross-section of these vertical channels for ovens is taken as 140–270 mm, and for ventilation channels - from kitchens, toilets, and bathrooms - 140–140 mm.

Airing of living rooms - through the vents. Each stove (or fireplace) must have its own separate smoke duct. For better traction, the inner surfaces of the channels should be clean and smooth, rubbed (it is important not to forget about this) with clay (not cement) mortar. Alignment and grouting of the walls is carried out with a clean wet rag when laying channels through five to six rows of bricks.

Chimneys from different stoves in the attic are combined into chimneys that lead out above the roof level. If a combustible structure is adjacent to the wall at the location of the smoke channels, for example, wooden floor beams, then in this place the walls of the chimneys (120 mm) are thickened to the height (thickness) of the ceiling by fire regulations up to 380 mm.

Ventilation ducts (from each room its own duct) are also combined into ventilation pipes that lead out above the roof.

Other structural elements of walls, for example lintels - horizontal, arched, arched over door and window openings, we will consider later, together with the floors of buildings.

Wooden walls

Wooden walls are traditional in the construction of low-rise buildings in Russia, have excellent sanitary and hygienic properties, have low fire resistance and fragility, and are susceptible to decay.

A wooden blockhouse, which requires a large amount of first-class wood, after about 30-40 years, as a rule, becomes warped and becomes unusable. The construction of cottages with solid wooden walls is rare in modern practice. However, the arrangement of the second floor with wooden walls and the first - brick - gives good results.

Types of wooden walls: logs, chopped, cobbled, frame and panel, as well as frame-panel. Frame and panel walls are used in simple factory-made houses and garden houses. The chopped outer walls of residential buildings built in the middle climatic zone must be made of logs with a diameter of at least 220 mm, have a careful alignment (the width of the longitudinal oval groove of the upper log, into which the "hump" of the lower log is inserted - about 2/3 of the log diameter).

Cutting (assembly) of log walls is carried out "dry" without tow, then the logs are marked, the frame is disassembled and already on the prepared foundation they are assembled on tow. Caulking should be done twice: the first time when assembling. The second - 1-1.5 years after the cessation of shrinkage and shrinkage of the logs. A row of logs laid around the perimeter of the house is called a crown. The crowns are mated to each other using plug-in wooden spikes of rectangular or large section, located along the length of the log at a distance of 150-2000 mm in a checkerboard pattern. Due to the shrinkage of the logs by about 3-5%, the nests for the thorns should be made 20-30 mm deeper than the height of the thorns (120-150 mm).

The connection (pairing) of the longitudinal and transverse walls is done with the help of all sorts of cuts - "in the bowl", "in the scrap", "in the paw", "with a frying pan", etc., then warming some of them with boards nailed from the outside.

Walls made of wooden beams are erected with less labor costs, since all the cuts, dowels, pins have already been made at house-building factories and factories. Therefore, an individual developer can buy and build such walls on his own.

The thickness of the beams, depending on the climatic region, that is, on the design winter temperature, is taken for the outer walls 150 (t = -30 C) or 180 mm (t = -40 C), for the inner walls - 100 mm, with the height of the beams - the same for external and internal walls - 150 or 180 mm.

Between the crowns of the beams, a heat-insulating material is laid - a cauldron made of tow or felt. For better drainage of water from the horizontal seam between the beams, a 20-30 mm wide bevel is removed (shaved off) from the upper edge of each beam. The strips of felt should be cut 20 mm narrower than the width of the beams. To reduce the conductivity between the bars, you can arrange grooves, cords, fill in triangular slats. To fasten the crowns (beams) in height, pins and pins are inserted into the pre-drilled holes (similar to those discussed above for log walls). Connections (intersections) of outer walls in corners and with inner walls are designed in a similar way.

Unlike log walls, cobbled walls are assembled into a log house immediately on prepared foundations of the usual type. To improve the protection of cobbled walls from biological destruction of wood and from weathering, the walls can be sheathed from the outside with boards (diameter 25-40 mm) or facing bricks (diameter 88.12 mm). This will make the walls warmer, and with brick cladding, more fire resistant. It is better to make the plank sheathing horizontal, which makes it easier to lay the insulation. Fastening with wooden beams and metal clamps.

Sheathing and facing of cobbled and log walls should be done after their complete settlement - not earlier than 1-1.5 years after their construction.

The variety of architectural elements and details of country houses has always been characteristic of buildings built at the beginning of the 20th century.

So, dear reader, you are now more familiar with some of the basic provisions on the constructive solutions of the walls.

Now you can professionally conduct conversations with builders, choosing one or another option for wall structures, watching the progress of construction.

There is still no definite answer to the question of what material is better to make the walls of a residential building. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Builders and designers cannot come to the same opinion regarding the choice of the most optimal product for making walls. The thing is that in each specific case, the best material must be selected based on the purpose of the building, its configuration, climatic conditions of the area and the financial capabilities of the owner. In our article, we will consider the most common wall materials, describe their properties, pros and cons, and you yourself can choose the best one based on the construction conditions.

Factors influencing the choice

A quarter of all construction costs go towards building walls. Since the incorrectly selected material for the construction of walls in the future can lead to even greater expenses, when choosing it, the following factors should be taken into account:

1. If you want to save on the arrangement of the foundation by making a shallow lightweight version, then choose lightweight material for the walls. Additional savings in the case of using light elements for the walls of the house will be during transportation and installation, because it can be done by hand without using expensive lifting equipment.
2. Choose building materials with good thermal insulation characteristics. Otherwise, cold walls in winter will cost you dearly due to heating costs.

Advice: it is best to perform a heat engineering calculation taking into account the climatic conditions of the construction region. This is the only way to be sure that you have chosen the right material and wall structure. So, in the northern regions of our country, even walls made of materials with high thermal insulation properties need to be insulated.

1. If you use piece materials, for example, brick, to build the walls of a house, then a considerable share of the costs will be the cost of wages for bricklayers. Even if you do all the work yourself, then consider the time and physical costs. It is much more profitable and faster to build from large-sized elements. The highest rate of wall erection is near houses built using frame-panel and frame-panel technology.
2. When choosing building materials for walls, it is worth considering how easy they are to finish and whether they need it at all. For example, the walls of a frame house made of OSB may not be finished at all, but simply painted, and a house made of logs needs a thorough finishing outside and inside.

To understand what to build your house from, you need to understand the characteristics of building materials, so further we will describe the properties of each of them, list the advantages and disadvantages.

Brick

A house built of bricks can last a century or even a century and a half. There are many types of bricks that differ in important operational and technical characteristics.

So, for the construction of walls, silicate and ceramic types of bricks are used. Let's consider their features:

• Ceramic brick made from burnt red clay. It is a durable, moisture resistant, environmentally friendly material. There are solid and hollow bricks on sale. The more voids in the brick, the higher its thermal insulation performance.
• Silicate brick made on the basis of lime, sand and some additives. It also comes in corpulent and hollow forms. The latter option is lightweight and has improved thermal insulation properties. Silicate solid products are distinguished by good sound insulation properties, but high thermal conductivity.

Also, this wall material is divided into front and ordinary:

• It is better to build the walls of the house from ordinary brick... Products may have small defects in the form of cracks and chips, but due to this, their price is more acceptable. In addition, the appearance of the product is not so important for the internal masonry of the walls as for the front masonry.
• Facing brick (front)- this is the wall material with which the facade is made out. All products must have the correct geometric shape, smooth or embossed surface, be free from flaws and defects. The price of a facing brick is higher than that of its ordinary counterpart.

The strength of this wall material is directly related to its brand, which can be from M 75 to M 300. The number indicates the load that one square centimeter of the product can withstand. The higher the brand, the greater the specific gravity of the product. To build a 2 or 3-storey house, a brick of grade 100-125 is enough. To complete the foundation and basement, products with the brand 150-175 are used.

Also, when choosing a brick, it is important to take into account its frost resistance, that is, the number of freezing and thawing cycles that the product can withstand without damage and reducing strength by no more than 20%. This indicator is marked with the letter F and a number from 15 and above. For warm regions, products with frost resistance grade 15 can be used; in colder latitudes, bricks of the F25 grade are used. For facing work, a brick with a frost resistance of at least 50 is suitable.

Advantages and disadvantages of bricks

Among the advantages of this wall material, it is worth listing the following:

• Impressive service life.
• Aesthetic appeal.
• Unlimited possibilities in terms of design and implementation of the most complex projects.
• The material is not susceptible to corrosion, damage by fungi and microorganisms.
• The product does not burn.
• High sound and heat insulation characteristics.

The disadvantages include the following:

• Due to the small size and high specific gravity, laying brick walls takes a long time and costs a lot.
• Under the brick walls, it is necessary to equip a solid buried foundation, and this entails increased costs for materials and earthworks.
• In most cases, brick walls need to be additionally insulated.

Ceramic blocks

A ceramic block is a material made from a mixture of clay and sawdust, after which the element is fired in a kiln. This is a fairly durable product that allows you to quickly build walls at home. The strength of the ceramic block is so high that it can be used to make a multi-storey building. Inside, the material has a porous structure, and the outer surface is corrugated. For a tight connection, the ends of the material have grooves and ridges.

The height of the ceramic block is a multiple of the rows of brickwork, and other dimensions may be different. Thus, it is possible to build from a ceramic block according to projects that are designed for brick. But the construction speed is much higher, since one ceramic block measuring 238x248x500 mm, which weighs 25 kg, is equal to 15 bricks, each of which weighs 3.3 kg. In addition to increasing the speed of construction, the cost of mortar is reduced, because it will be needed less.

Important: the width of the ceramic block can be 230, 240 and 250 mm, and the length can be in the range of 250-510 mm. On the long side of the product there is a tongue-and-groove lock.

Walls with a thickness of 380 mm or more made of this material do not need insulation, since the thermal conductivity of the product is only 0.14-0.29 W / m²x ° C. Marking of wide blocks M 100. If you need to make thin but strong walls, then you can take elements with marking 150. Frost resistance of ceramic blocks is at least 50 cycles.

Pros and cons of ceramic blocks

The advantages include:

• Low specific gravity and high strength significantly expand the scope of this material.
• Installation of large-sized products is carried out quickly and without unnecessary labor costs.
• Saving mortar due to the size of the elements and the absence of the need to make vertical seams.
• Frost resistance of a conventional ceramic block is higher than that of an ordinary brick.
• Good fire resistance. The product is able to resist burning for 4 hours.
• An optimal microclimate is created in a room made of ceramic blocks, since the walls can "breathe" and regulate the air humidity.
• The house can last a century and a half without losing its thermal insulation characteristics.

This material has its drawbacks, among which the following should be mentioned:

• The price of ceramic blocks is quite high.
• Since these products are relatively new in our market, it is difficult to find a good bricklayer for masonry.
• This fragile material must be stored and transported very carefully.

Gas blocks

This material has excellent thermal insulation properties. In terms of thermal conductivity, a wall made of an aerated block with a width of 300-400 mm is not inferior to a multilayer brick structure. Aerated block walls maintain optimal temperature and humidity conditions inside the room. The material is not subject to rot and has an impressive service life. The thermal insulation qualities of the gas block are 3 times higher than that of a brick wall.

Aerated concrete is quite lightweight, so it is easy to transport and lay. It can be easily cut with a regular hacksaw to the desired size. The elements are laid with mortar or special glue, which requires little. The smooth flat surface of the gas blocks is easy to finish. Aerated concrete is considered environmentally friendly and non-combustible. It has a fairly high frost resistance.

Attention: for aerated concrete, the density characteristic is important. This indicator can be in the range of 350-1200 kg / m³. For an ordinary residential building, it is enough to take elements marked 500-900.

Advantages and disadvantages of gas blocks

This wall product has a lot of advantages:

• Aerated concrete walls are laid 9 times faster than brick walls.
• The low thermal conductivity of the product is a big plus in its favor.
• Aerated concrete has a high fire resistance, it does not emit harmful substances even when burning.
• The porous structure of the material contributes to high frost resistance.
• In terms of steam permeability, aerated concrete is comparable only to wood.

Cons of aerated concrete:

• Low flexural strength.
• The material is prone to cracking.
• Hygroscopicity. After absorbing moisture, the thermal insulation performance of aerated concrete decreases, so the facade needs a protective finish.
• Floor slabs and beams cannot be laid directly on the gas blocks, therefore, before laying them, you will have to make a monolithic armopoyas. This entails additional expense and time.

Wood

Many people who decide to build a house opt for a tree. This natural material is environmentally friendly. It creates a favorable microclimate in the house, maintains optimal humidity and saturates the air with healing phytoncides. A wooden house is warm in winter and not hot in summer, since wood has good thermal insulation characteristics.

A wooden house can be built from the following items:

1. The log can be natural or rounded. In the latter case, the material has the correct shape and smooth surface, but it needs additional protective treatment, since the natural protective resin layer, which is under the bark, is removed during the cylindering process.
2. You can use glued (profiled) and sawn or planed timber. Better houses are obtained from laminated veneer lumber, which has special grooves and ridges for a snug fit of the elements. Sawn timber is more often used for frame houses.
3. Frame-panel houses are made of OSB, chipboard, moisture-resistant plywood, which are attached to the frame. Insulation is laid inside the wall.

The main advantages of wooden houses are their environmental friendliness, comfort and reasonable price. A lightweight foundation can be made for such a house. Disadvantages - fire hazard, shrinkage.

The decoration of the walls in the apartment, the options of which must be selected for each of the rooms individually, must take into account their functional purpose. When making a choice in favor of this or that material, it is imperative to pay attention not only to the appearance, but also to other important characteristics. In addition, I want to make the interior of each of the rooms special, unlike the others, but at the same time it should be remembered that their design should overlap with each other and create general harmony in the entire apartment.

Today the market is literally "flooded" with building materials, and it is quite difficult to stop at one thing. Therefore, it is worth figuring out which one is better to choose for a particular room.

Selection criteria for wall finishes

So, when creating a room decoration project and choosing wall decoration, the following factors must be taken into account:

• Environmental safety of the material. It should not release toxic substances into the environment during its operation.
• The decoration should not become an allergen for people living in the apartment, especially if one of them has a predisposition to such reactions.
• Installation technology (application) of finishing material. This is especially important to take into account when the repair costs are limited, since the work of the craftsmen may even cost more than the cost of the material itself. Therefore, in such circumstances, it is advisable to choose a finish that you can handle yourself.
• One of the most important criteria is the technical and operational characteristics of the cladding, such as hygroscopicity, abrasion, resistance to temperature changes, available methods of care for the finish, and others. Each of the rooms requires a different approach:

- For example, when choosing a wall cladding for a bathroom, toilet or combined bathroom, as well as a kitchen, you should pay attention to its resistance to moisture, the appearance of mold colonies, and the possibility of regular wet cleaning.

- For an adult bedroom and a children's room, you need to choose environmentally friendly breathable wall coverings that do not attract dust.

- The walls of the hallway, corridor and living room require finishing with a more durable wear-resistant material, since they are walk-through or most often visited rooms.

• And, of course, the aesthetic side of the issue. It is recommended to think over the design of the rooms in such a way that they complement each other and are united by one interior style.

The color scheme is also important. For example, for a bedroom it is better to choose calm pastel colors, and for rooms where there is no natural light, a light color finish.

Despite the large assortment of finishing materials on the construction markets, the most demanded finishes remain such as traditional wallpaper, plaster and paint, lining and ceramic tiles. Of the claddings that have recently come into fashion, one can name laminated or plastic lining, as well as artificial stone.

Wallpaper - traditional decoration of the walls of the apartment

Wallpaper can be called the most used option for wall decoration, as they are suitable for almost all rooms and have an affordable price. Therefore, we can safely say that in 85 ÷ 90% of cases, the walls of modern apartments are pasted over with them.

The advantages of this material over other finishes include the following:

• A large assortment of types of wallpaper allows you to choose them for any of the rooms, in terms of aesthetic design, material of manufacture, as well as cost. For example, paper or liquid wallpaper is the most affordable option. Other types, such as vinyl, non-woven, textile, as well as canvases made from natural materials, are more expensive finishes. True, in some cases, despite the high price, wallpaper can have not only positive, but also negative qualities.
• The ease of gluing canvases on the walls allows you to do the work yourself and save a fairly decent amount.

Wallpaper classification

Wallpaper is classified according to different qualities, which will determine which option to choose for a particular room. These criteria include moisture resistance, surface and pattern structure, and material density.

By performance

Resistant to moisture and regular cleaning

According to this quality, wallpaper is divided into ordinary, moisture-resistant, moisture-resistant and moisture-resistant (washable) wallpapers.

• Regular wallpaper... These include paper options that do not tolerate moisture and, when it rises in the room, begin to warp. You can remove dust from them only with a vacuum cleaner. They are glued only in dry rooms, where any strong vapors are unlikely.
• Moisture resistant wallpaper. It can be paper wallpaper with a moisture-resistant coating. They can be wiped clean with a soft, damp cloth, but they cannot be washed. Such material is also not used for finishing the kitchen or in the bathroom, since it will not withstand high humidity and numerous cleanings.
• Washable wallpaper well tolerate wet cleaning with a sponge and detergents, so they can be used to decorate a kitchen or toilet. It is not recommended to use them in the bathroom.
• Waterproof wallpaper when properly glued to the wall, they are able to withstand increased moisture and wet cleaning, since they have a coating that does not allow water to pass to the base on which it is applied.

Surface texture and wallpaper colors

Wallpapers differ in the texture of the top layer. They are smooth, with a pattern applied to the surface, with a deep or shallow relief obtained as a result of embossing the coating of the canvases.

Wallpaper is produced in a monochromatic version, with a chaotic pattern that does not require adjustment of the sheets, as well as with a clear ornament located with a certain step (rapport). When purchasing the latter, you need to know that the drawing of neighboring canvases will have to be adjusted, so they must be bought with a margin.

Table of types of wallpaper according to different criteria:

Wallpaper type	Surface structure	Number of layers	Strength	Moisture resistance
Paper	Smooth and embossed	Single layer and double layer	Fragile	Non-moisture resistant
Vinyl	Embossed	Double layer	Durable	Waterproof (washable)
Non-woven	Smooth or embossed	Double layer	Durable	Moisture resistant (washable)
Textile	Embossed, embossed	Multilayer	Durable	Non-moisture resistant
Metallic	Embossed	Multilayer	Durable	Moisture resistant

Non-woven wallpaper prices

non-woven wallpaper

Density of material

According to this quality, wallpapers are divided into light and heavy. The light ones include paper and non-woven options, the heavy ones - vinyl, fabric, as well as canvases made from natural materials. Those that have a density of 110 g / m² or more are considered heavy, and it is quite difficult to work with them, especially in cases where there are irregularities on the surface of the wall. Thin paper wallpapers are no less difficult to glue, as they quickly get wet and can tear when smoothing them on the wall. Therefore, the best option for a master with no work experience is to choose wallpaper of medium thickness.

Durability of wallpaper

Depending on the type of wallpaper, they can last from 4 to 10 years, but subject to certain conditions:

• The correct technology for sticking canvases on the wall, for which the surface should be well prepared by leveling it and carefully priming it.

• When purchasing wallpaper, you should pay attention to the pictogram icons located on the packaging, which will indicate how this type of material is glued correctly, and what characteristics it has.

• After gluing the wallpaper, it must be properly dried. This process is carried out with closed doors and windows, without drafts, the room should have a temperature of about +25 degrees. Heating devices or fans should not be used to speed up drying, as the work may be ruined, and it will have to be done from the very beginning. A properly dried finish will last a long time without being repaired.
• It is very important to choose the right adhesive composition for a certain type of wallpaper - this is also one of the factors that ensure the reliability and long-term operation of the wall cladding.

Now that the general information about this material has been received, it is worth considering each of the types of wallpaper in more detail.

By material of manufacture

Paper wallpaper

Although manufacturers have developed and produced completely new types of wallpaper, paper ones are still in demand. Apparently, this is explained by the fact that it is an environmentally friendly, "breathable" material and is excellent for finishing living quarters with normal humidity levels. Modern versions of paper wallpaper are quite diverse in color and ornamental design, so some high-quality samples cannot be distinguished from more expensive material. The service life of this type of finish is from 4 to 10 years, depending on the production technology and their stickers on the wall. Imported wallpapers are considered more durable - they are less sensitive to ultraviolet rays, so they retain their original appearance longer.

The main disadvantages of this type of finish are low strength, a rather complicated process of sticking to the wall, as well as the impossibility of applying wet cleaning to them. Therefore, it is not recommended to use them in hallways and corridors, as well as on the lower part of the walls in children's rooms, since they will not last long in these areas of the apartment.

It should be noted that the paper version of the canvases can consist of one or two layers. Some wallpapers are intended for coloring and can withstand up to 15 layers of paint, while others are impregnated with a moisture-repellent composition. True, wallpapers with similar qualities have a higher price.

This photo shows paper wallpapers in light, delicate colors that can be used to decorate the walls of a bedroom, a nursery or even a living room, if they fit the chosen interior style. It is clearly seen here that wallpapers of such colors are able to add light to the room, increasing it visually, as well as giving it neatness. Such decoration will have a positive effect on the mood of the tenants of the apartment, creating a favorable microclimate.

Another option for using paper wallpaper with a deeper color was perfect for decorating the walls of a room in the "English" style. This material is more restrained in shades and has become a good background for pieces of furniture with light upholstery, and also successfully harmonizes with the color of natural wood. Such wallpapers give the room a coziness, but at the same time, they seem to compress the space, so it is better to use them in rooms with windows facing south, which is why there is too much sunlight in them.

Non-woven wallpaper

Non-woven fabric is made from cellulose, which makes up 70% of the total volume of the material, and the remaining 30% is occupied by binders. This material is highly durable and durable, and is breathable.

Non-woven wallpaper can be divided into three types:

- those that are completely made of non-woven fabric;

- non-woven fabrics;

- a non-woven top layer applied to a paper base.

The first type consists of several layers, and all of them, except for the outer one, are even and smooth. The top coat is most often embossed and monochromatic. As a rule, it is designed for repeated staining.

The second version of wallpaper on a non-woven basis can have an outer layer of paper, textiles or vinyl.

The third type of canvases is covered with a foamed or regular non-woven layer. Such wallpapers are decorated with embossed reliefs, they look aesthetically pleasing on the wall, lend themselves to wet cleaning and have a long service life.

Purely non-woven wallpaper or made in combination with paper can be called an environmentally friendly, "breathable" finishing material, so it can be used for any of the rooms.

In addition, non-woven wallpaper is able to hide small defects formed on the wall, and due to its elasticity, the material will not tear at the corners, as well as when cracks on the surfaces expand.

Non-woven canvases are perfect for decorating a kitchen, so quite often they have a drawing of kitchen utensils, picturesque vegetables, fruits or plants. In the interior shown in the photo, wallpapers are used with the image of decorative plates, which were previously used as decoration for walls and kitchen shelves. The wallpaper goes well with the chosen color and style of the curtains, as well as with the furniture installed in the dining area of ​​the kitchen.

In this case, the wallpaper is used to decorate the walls of a study or living room. If you look closely at this interior, you can make sure that every detail is important in the design of the room, and together they create the intended style. Furniture items, window frames, houseplant - everything is in perfect harmony with the color scheme, as well as the ornamental pattern of the selected wallpaper. Calm shades of all elements of the composition contribute to the balance of mood and create a favorable atmosphere for both relaxation and work.

Vinyl wallpapers

Vinyl wallpapers, which have recently appeared on the construction market, are very popular. The canvases consist of two layers - the lower one (paper, non-woven or textile) and the upper one, consisting of polyvinyl chloride, which is embossed with a certain pattern with a corresponding color scheme.

Most of all, users fell in love with one of the types of these wallpapers, called "silk-screen printing", since the top layer imitates silk threads, not only with its structure, but also with its characteristic shine.

Vinyl wall-paper has an amazing decorative effect, resistance to ultraviolet rays, mechanical stress and pronounced moisture resistance.

The disadvantages of the finishing material include the difficulty of gluing it. One can also note a peculiar smell that comes from the canvases during their installation and at the beginning of operation, but some time later it completely disappears. Be that as it may, vinyl wallpapers cannot be called environmentally friendly, in addition, they do not allow air to pass through well, therefore it is not recommended to glue them in rooms with high humidity, otherwise mold may form under them. They are well suited for decorating living rooms, hallways and corridors, where surfaces must have strong protection.

Silk-screen printing is suitable for the decoration of halls in the palace style. With high-quality gluing of canvases on the walls, it will be difficult to distinguish them from natural silk. It is this effect that creates a rich decoration of surfaces, and all that remains is to choose furniture made in the same style, as well as the necessary accessories - and the room will acquire an unrecognizable look, striking in its magnificence and gloss.

There are several more styles that this type of wallpaper will fit well. These include such as "Provence" or "country", since the floral patterns used in the design of paintings - this is exactly what is characteristic of these design trends. If you wish, you can choose wallpaper made in calm or, conversely, light bright colors - this factor will depend on what mood you plan to create in the room.

Textile wallpaper

Textile fabrics consist of two layers - a base consisting of paper or non-woven fabric, and an outer layer of fibers intertwined in a pattern or a finished natural fabric - this can be cotton, linen and silk, as well as a mixture of different materials.

Textile wallpaper has a number of advantages over other finishes, but it also has its drawbacks. Their positive qualities can be safely attributed to the ability to absorb extraneous noise and keep warm inside the room. The fibers are treated with special compounds that make them inert to ultraviolet rays. Since natural raw materials are used for the manufacture of canvases, the finishing is an environmentally friendly material, and flax also has bactericidal properties.

Velor wallpapers with a velvet surface are especially decorative, which creates a special chic in the room, since their color looks deeper and more saturated.

This finish is also made from synthetic threads, which are fixed on foam rubber - this material is used in those rooms where it is necessary to create good sound insulation. But it is still not recommended for use in residential premises.

The process of making textile wallpaper is quite complicated, which is why, as well as due to the use of natural raw materials, they have a fairly high price.

This type of finish cannot be called popular both because of its high cost and due to the property of accumulating dust, which is detrimental for people with a predisposition to allergic reactions.

Do not use textile cladding in the kitchen, as traces of vapors and odors from this room will inevitably remain on it. It is also not suitable for a bedroom or a children's room - extra dust is not needed here. Wallpaper can be used in the living room if you want to create a rich exclusive interior with deep shades.

Which wallpaper is more suitable for the bedroom?

For this room, the finishing should be selected taking into account its specific features - it should be conducive to good rest and be completely harmless. Nuances - in a special publication of our portal

In addition to these, the most popular types of wallpaper, I would like to mention others, which in some cases are irreplaceable.

Wallpaper

Wall murals can be made from any of the materials mentioned above and are used often enough to create a certain accent in the room. This type of decoration is able to visually expand the space of the room, since almost all images applied to them have a 3D effect. It can be a landscape of a city, a natural corner, or floral romantic motives. Each of the options is able to transform the interior and set the desired style direction.

The liquid wallpaper

"Liquid wallpaper" is suitable for those who like to be creative, and also want to save money on work that can be done by any, even an inexperienced master. It is impossible to spoil this material, because if it was not possible to reproduce the conceived drawing the first time, the process of applying the mass to the surface can be easily repeated by removing the superimposed layer of the composition from the wall and adding a little water to it.

Lincrust

Lincrust is a paper-based wallpaper on which a relief is applied from vinyl chloride or lonoxine mastic mixed with wood flour or other filler. This finish looks like a stucco molding and is able to mask shallow flaws on the wall surface. Thanks to the outer coating, the finish is easy to maintain by wiping it down with a damp cloth.

Jute wallpaper

Jute wallpapers are made on a paper or fabric basis - this is a natural material that can significantly improve the microclimate in the premises of an apartment. This finish is perfect for a bedroom, nursery and living room, it is durable and durable, and also quite aesthetic, but not suitable for all styles. Therefore, if it is decided to use a similar material to decorate the walls, then it is worthwhile to think over the rest of the room design and select the appropriate pieces of furniture for it. Wallpapers are made from natural raw materials, so the price for them is quite high.

Glass fiber

Fiberglass wallpaper is made from natural, environmentally friendly raw materials such as lime, quartz sand, dolomite and soda. Fiberglass cloths are not a favorable environment for the formation of mold and other microorganisms, they are vapor permeable and do not cause allergic reactions, and in addition, the material has dielectric properties. Due to all these qualities, these wallpapers can be used to decorate any of the rooms, including those with high humidity. Very often this type of wallpaper is designed for further painting.

Cork wallpaper

Cork is a unique finish that can insulate and soundproof a room, as well as create a favorable microclimate for apartment residents, as it is an environmentally friendly material with antibacterial properties. Cork wallpaper is resistant to mechanical stress. They have soft ocher shades, which "rests the eye", so wall cladding with them will be an ideal option for a bedroom and a children's room, as well as a hallway or living room. The price of a cork finish is quite high, but its durability and unique properties fully justify it.

How to glue the wallpaper correctly?

If this style of wall decoration is chosen, then you need to decide on the number of wallpaper for pasting. There is a special one for this on our portal. Well, the nuances of practical work with such a finish are highlighted in the publication.

Original finish - decorative plaster

If the decoration of the walls of the apartment is planned to be exclusive, then decorative plaster, which can take on a wide variety of forms, is suitable for this purpose. The work of applying this finish to the surface is a creative process and requires from the master the skills not only of a plasterer, but also of an artist.

Plaster is literally translated from Italian as "alabaster" or "gypsum", since it is from these materials that it is most convenient to create reliefs of different depths. In addition, when solidified, these materials can be corrected with incisors. Today, different solutions are used to reproduce volumetric drawings on the wall, basically the same ones that are used for the usual leveling of surfaces. Mixes are made from cement, lime and sand, sometimes fillers in the form of granulates of different fractions are added to them - stone chips, quartz sand or fibers of different origins (cellulose, fiberglass, etc.)

Plastering compounds are sold ready-made or compiled independently, they can already be mixed and packed in plastic buckets or they need to be closed before starting work. Each master chooses for himself the option with which it is convenient for him to work.

Decorative plaster - types

Plaster mixes are used to level walls, which is the traditional way to prepare surfaces for painting or wallpapering. In addition, there are types that are designed to create a decorative topcoat on surfaces.

Plastering compounds are finely dispersed powder or ready-made mass, completely homogeneous or interspersed. Plaster is divided among themselves according to two criteria - on the basis on which it is made, and on the relief.

According to the binder, the mixtures can be of the following types:

• Mineral composition, the binder for which is cement or gypsum. This type of finish is made in a dry mix, mixed before work. Cement-based mineral finish is suitable for a bathroom or even facade work, as it resists exposure to ultraviolet rays, high humidity and is an environmentally friendly material. Gypsum, as a rule, is intended for interior work, for rooms with normal humidity levels.
• Acrylic the plaster mixture is made on the basis of acrylic resin, which provides it with elasticity, so it is comfortable to work with. The plaster is sold packaged in plastic buckets and does not need to be kneaded or thinned.

This material has low vapor permeability and resistance to ultraviolet light, therefore the composition is limited in use - it is undesirable for them to finish rooms with high humidity, as well as the facade of the building.

• Silicone the mixture is made on the basis of synthetic resins and can be used for both internal and external finishing works. The material is highly resistant to ultraviolet light, is moisture-repellent and does not attract dust.

This mixture is sold ready-made in plastic buckets.

• Silicate plaster is made on the basis of liquid glass and therefore has high strength, resistance to external influences and the appearance of mold. The material can be used in rooms with any humidity conditions, and is one of the most reliable and durable coatings, the operational life of which reaches 50 years or more.

Also, plaster can be divided according to external aesthetic data, or rather, according to the depth of the relief, which can protrude above the wall surface from two to 10 millimeters or more.

Prices for decorative plaster

decorative plaster

• Embossed textured the plaster is applied to the wall in different ways, depending on the desired result. A volumetric drawing can differ significantly, be evenly distributed over the entire surface, stand out in single fragments or consist of several elements, and also represent whole pictures with different themes.

The most common homogeneous textured patterns are such as "fur coat", "lamb" and "bark beetle", which are used for interior and exterior wall cladding.

Such types of mixtures uniformly distributed along the wall as roller ones, which contain fillers of mineral origin of different fractions of 1 ÷ 2.5 mm, look quite aesthetically pleasing on the wall. With the help of these granules, the desired relief pattern appears on the surface.

• Venetian plaster. This type of finish consists of several layers, and at the completion of work does not have a pronounced relief, since it has an almost uniform texture. Visually, a wall finished using this technique resembles a surface faced with marble. The work of applying the cladding requires special skills, since the process consists of several laborious stages, each of which is important for reproducing the desired pattern. Such plaster is used in interiors decorated in classical, antique or baroque styles.

Depending on the purpose, the wall surface can be made glossy or matte. A coloring pigment of the desired shade is added to the composition, which emphasizes the relief of thin, numerous layers, imitating the cut surface of a stone.

In addition to the visual effect of "stone finishing", with the correct selection of the necessary shades, Venetian plaster can look like cladding with precious metals. Most often, this option is used as a background for volumetric thematic panels.

There are several more techniques related to the "Venetian" one:

- The “wet silk” technique is somewhat reminiscent of the “Venetian” one, but it has an absolutely smooth surface, and the relief is imitated by strokes and the difference in color shades.

- Another option for plastering, which will become a real decoration of the walls of the room - "sea breeze".

Any of the above-mentioned wall designs will last much longer than the wallpaper, although it will have a look that resembles vinyl silk-screen printing.

Decorative plaster has a lot of advantages, which include the following:

• The ability to use this finish in rooms with different conditions. The main thing is to choose the right type of plaster composition.
• The solution can be applied to any material - to a cleaned and prepared surface.
• Plaster is able to mask wall defects.
• It is possible to create a variety of relief designs - it all depends on the imagination of the customers and the level of skill of the performer.
• Resistance to mechanical stress.
• Environmental safety, durability and practicality of the coating.

This decor option is good to use in a small room that I would like to visually expand. Using the effect of the horizon seen through the simulated open door of the balcony, it is possible not only to give the wall an exotic design, but also to create the impression of an increase in space.

Decorations made in the technique of Venetian plaster or "wet silk" look richly on the walls. Many apartment owners are trying to find wallpapers with a similar texture, but do not forget that the canvases glued to the walls have joints that will inevitably negatively affect the overall picture. In addition, even the highest quality wallpaper will last a much shorter period than masterfully applied plaster. Correctly selected color scheme of walls and furniture accessories can turn a room in an ordinary apartment into a “castle or palace apartment”.

Decorative plaster - can you do it yourself?

It is possible, but, of course, if the owners have an "artistic streak". If you have a desire to apply your creative abilities and independently decorate the walls of the apartment in one of the techniques, then you should familiarize yourself with the corresponding article of our portal.

Decorative rock

Decorating walls with decorative stone is quite an expensive pleasure, both for the price of the material itself and for the performance of surface cladding. This factor can be called the only drawback of such a finish, since its high performance characteristics allow it to be used in any room of the apartment.

Probably, you should not use this material in small rooms, as the stone is able to visually narrow and "weight" the room. If, nevertheless, it is planned to decorate the walls of a small apartment with a stone, then it is best to perform "torn" masonry in combination with a plastered wall.

For decoration, natural or artificial stone is used, which, if desired, can be made at home on the basis of gypsum or cement mortar.

You don't have to buy artificial stone!

Study the instructions, prepare the necessary materials, tools and accessories, even if you make a couple of unsuccessful first attempts - and it will go! How the process is carried out, which allows you to significantly save money - is described in detail in a special publication of our portal.

Natural stone has a very high price due to the laboriousness of its processing. An artificial version of the finishing material is more available. Moreover, if the solution from which it is made is colored in bulk, then the "stone" is not afraid of abrasion, and laid on the wall is practically indistinguishable from natural cladding.

Artificial stone has a more diverse range of colors than real natural material, which expands the possibilities of interior decoration. In construction markets, you can find artificial stone imitating rocks, limestone, round sea boulders, bricks of different colors and others.

Artificial finish is easier to paint than natural stone, so if you want to change the "mood" of the interior, you can simply take water-based paint and change the color of the masonry.

Stone decorative wall cladding has its advantages, which also need to be appreciated:

• The finish is highly resistant to temperature extremes.
• Both natural and artificial stone are non-flammable, so it is almost always used for facing fireplaces or imitating them.
• The material is resistant to abrasion, so it is well suited for wall decoration in the hallway and corridor.

• Due to the environmental friendliness of such a finish, it is also used for cladding the walls of bedrooms and living rooms.

Having decided to revet the walls in an apartment with any kind of stone, you need to remember that they should not be abused, otherwise the interior will be "heavy", and the room will turn into a "cave", which is unfavorable for the human psyche. Therefore, in the application of this material, it is necessary to observe the measure, and it would be better to combine it with one of the types of plaster.

Ceramic tile

Ceramic tiles are used to decorate rooms with high humidity and high traffic intensity. In an apartment, such rooms include a kitchen, a bathroom, an entrance hall and a corridor.

It must be said that it is rare to find a hallway, the walls of which are tiled with ceramic tiles, although it will be very useful there, especially in cases where pets - a dog or a cat - live in the apartment.

Today on the construction market there are many varieties of ceramic tiles designed for wall decoration - these are glazed, unglazed, clinker and porcelain stoneware.

• Glazed tiles- the most popular option for wall decoration, as it has a smooth, glossy surface on which dust practically does not accumulate, which greatly simplifies its cleaning. Such a coating has tiles made by the method of double firing, which include cottoforte, majolica and earthenware, as well as single fired material - monocottura and monoporosis.

• Unglazed tiles has a matte surface and most often - deep reds, browns, pastel purple or terracotta shades without additional pattern. However, some options are especially luxurious, due to the ornaments applied to them, which have a coating, usually imitating precious metals - gold or silver.

The most popular unglazed tile claddings are style collections such as cotto, porcellanato gress, red gress and others.

• Clinker tiles It is used for both interior and exterior decoration, since due to the high temperatures during its manufacture, it has excellent strength and resistance to any external influences.

In apartments, this facing material can be used to decorate the walls of balconies, loggias, hallways, as well as areas around real or imitation fireplaces. Clinker tiles can be unglazed or have a glossy finish, but the second finish is most often used for walls.

• Porcelain stoneware It is made from components such as quartz, spar and dye pigments, for which clay is a binder. The material is processed in special furnaces at very high temperatures and under high pressure. The result is a non-porous monolith with a high density and a beautiful pattern. The surface of porcelain stoneware can be polished, matte, smooth or embossed.

All types of ceramic tiles have a different moisture absorption coefficient, and are subdivided into groups according to it. So, the first of them includes products that absorb up to 3%, the second - up to 6%, and the third - up to 10% moisture in 24 hours. Therefore, when purchasing a finish for a specific room, it is necessary to pay special attention to this characteristic - the data about it are indicated on the packaging of the material.

For example, if you are thinking of renovating a bathroom or a combined bathroom, you will need a tile that has the first moisture absorption group, and any of the groups is suitable for the hallway.

By design, ceramic tiles can be monochromatic or have a certain pattern on the surface. In addition, flexible mosaic products are produced or made in the form of decorative panels.

Alkyd paint prices

alkyd paint

A set of ceramic finishes, assembled into a single composition, will become a real decoration of any room. Moreover, the color or ornamental solutions of this design option are very diverse, so you can choose for any chosen interior style.

Ceramic tiles are one of the most popular finishing materials

If the reader chooses this finishing option, then we can help with something. Special, and detailed instructions for the cladding - in a special article on the portal

Painting the walls

Today, it is not so common to find walls decorated with painting in apartments, since a large number of new materials have appeared that do not require such laborious surface preparation, which is necessary for painting. Still, some designers prefer this particular type of finish, because it provides great opportunities for creativity.

Any paint will look good if the wall is perfectly aligned and smoothed out. To do this, you need to do a lot of filling or plastering the surface with plasterboard.

In building stores, colorful compositions made on different bases are presented - these are oil, enamel, silicate and water-soluble.

Water based paints

For wall decoration in residential premises, aqueous solutions are most often used, which may already have the desired color or require the addition of pigment to form the selected shade.

White paint is purchased if you plan to use several colors for painting. Then it is easier to buy several colors for one package of the coloring solution, which will be useful for painting.

Water-based paints can have different binders, but their uniting qualities are the environmental friendliness of the solution, quick drying and almost complete absence of odor.

• Water-based paints can be called the most popular of all in this series because of their affordable prices. They are made using polyvinyl acetate (PVA glue). The mortar has good hiding power and adhesion to primed walls, therefore it is sufficient to apply two coats to obtain an evenly painted surface. This paint can be easily tinted, acquiring the desired shade.

Water-based paints have an affordable price, and this has also become an important factor in their popularity.

However, you should also be aware of the disadvantages so that they do not turn out to be a surprise already during operation:

- Not resistant to mechanical stress, so they are best used for painting the upper part of the wall;

- The paint will not hide the flaws of the wall, therefore, the surface should be well leveled before painting;

- The paint does not like moisture, which means that it should not be used in "wet" rooms and often subjected to wet cleaning.

• Water-dispersive silicone the compositions have higher strength characteristics, so they are not damaged by moisture, do not lose their original color and are able to mask cracks on the wall surface up to 1.5 ÷ 2 mm wide. After applying the paint to the wall, it forms a smooth vapor-permeable film on which dust does not accumulate. This compound can be used to paint walls in rooms with high humidity, such as bathrooms and kitchens.

The main disadvantage of silicone paint is its high price, but the service life of such a finish is much higher than other coatings.

• Acrylic water-dispersion paints also have good characteristics. They are easily applied to prepared surfaces and are capable of masking cracks with a width of 0.5 to 1 mm, resistant to ultraviolet light, vapor permeable and moisture resistant. Surfaces painted with these compounds are difficult to damage, and they also lend themselves to wet cleaning with detergents. Among the disadvantages can be called a lower hiding power in comparison with silicone solutions.

The paint has an affordable price, so decorating the walls with it will not be too expensive.

• Decorative textured paints make it possible to make the surface embossed. They are made on an acrylic water dispersion with the addition of coloring pigments, as well as fillers with different fractions. From the latter, it will depend on what kind of drawing you get on the wall. Mineral additives and quartz sand are used as fillers.

A distinctive feature of these paints is their thick consistency, so they can be applied with a spatula, roller or brush. The textured drawing on the wall will also depend on which tool the composition is applied to the wall. For better adhesion of the paint to the surface material, the latter must be well primed and then dried.

Compositions with additives are produced that imitate the texture of suede or fabric on the wall, as well as mother-of-pearl stains. In order for the work to be successful, before starting it, you should carefully study the instructions for use attached to the package.

Alkyd paints

Alkyd paints are made on the basis of alkyd resins and resemble oil paints in consistency, but differ somewhat in their characteristics. This type of formulation is resistant to moisture, high temperatures and ultraviolet light. Alkyd-based paint can be semi-matte, matte or glossy, so before buying it you need to decide what effect you want to get as a result. This type of formulation has an affordable price, but it has a number of serious disadvantages:

- Low vapor permeability, that is, they cannot be called "breathable".

- Paints are used mainly for metal and wood surfaces - due to their components, they provide protection to these materials from external influences.

- Alkyd paints are diluted with turpentine, gasoline or white spirit, which have a specific smell, therefore staining should be carried out in a ventilated area.

- The painted surface loses its color brightness over time, but not due to fading, but due to the properties of the paint to acquire a yellowish tint.

Judging by the presented characteristics, it can be concluded that these paints are not suitable for the walls of residential premises. They are more often used to put in order pipes and heating radiators, but for this purpose it is necessary to purchase heat-resistant alkyd compounds.

Silicate paints

Silicate paints are produced on the basis of "liquid glass", so they have high technical characteristics that allow them to be used in rooms with high humidity. Silicate solutions have excellent vapor permeability, strength and resistance to any mechanical stress, therefore, the walls painted with them can be cleaned using detergents. In addition, the paints successfully resist the formation of mold and mildew, and thanks to all the above qualities, they are perfect for kitchens and bathrooms.

It is necessary to identify the "disadvantages" of these formulations in order to avoid unpleasant consequences when using them:

- During the dyeing process, paints emit fumes that are harmful to human health, so work must be carried out in a ventilated room, that is, with open doors and windows, and the respiratory tract must be protected by a respirator. After drying, the paint is absolutely harmless.

- Silicate paints have poor adhesion to surfaces previously painted with paints on other substrates. In addition, the composition on a different basis will not form on the silicate layer in the future. Therefore, the surface in both cases will have to be deeply cleaned before painting.

- Tinting can only be done with mineral pigments, and their color range is not too wide.

Oil paint

Oil paints are made on the basis of natural and artificial varnish. They are considered the most durable, since after drying, the layer acquires excellent strength characteristics. Thick-grated and ready-to-use formulations are produced. Densely grated paints are a kind of concentrate, which is diluted to the desired consistency before being applied to the wall. Oil formulations can be produced on hemp, linseed or sunflower oil - the latter provides the paint faster drying compared to other bases. However, any of them dries much longer than other types of dyes.

With the advent of modern paints, the oil version is practically not used for wall decoration - it is more often used either for outdoor household work, or for coating pipes and radiators, since it is quite durable and heat-resistant.

Enamel paint

Enamel paints are made on the basis of varnishes. They can be polyurethane, alkyd, perchlorovinyl, melamine, nitroenamels and others. Such compositions differ in their fast drying and the formation of a sufficiently strong and smooth layer on the wall, therefore they are suitable for the walls of different rooms.

When staining, the enamel emits a characteristic unpleasant odor, so the room where the work is carried out must be well ventilated. Perhaps this was the main reason that such paints are rarely used for interior wall decoration.

So, the paint is still in the "top" finishing materials for the walls in the apartment. For painting the walls of corridors, hallways and kitchens, water-based silicone and acrylic paints are well suited. The surfaces painted with them can be washed, as they are sufficiently resistant to abrasion and moisture. You should not use in these rooms compounds that create a relief on surfaces - it will be difficult to clean such a surface from plaque and dirt.

Difficult with the choice of paint?

The nuances are described in great detail in a separate article on our portal. A special one will help you plan your purchase.

Decorative lining

The lining, made of various materials, has been a popular finishing material for many decades, since it has a large number of advantages common to all types of this series - it is ease of installation and the ability to mask wall irregularities.

The traditional material for the manufacture of lining is wood. But today, in addition, it is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and MDF, which are more affordable. All types of lining are suitable for decorating the walls of an apartment, the main thing is to choose the right ones for environmental friendliness and water resistance for different rooms.

• Wooden lining is a kind of grooved profiled perfectly processed board. It can be made from different types of wood and has a number of significant advantages:

- environmental friendliness of finishing;

- aesthetic appearance;

- creation of a favorable microclimate in residential premises;

- durability;

- low thermal conductivity;

- additional soundproofing of walls:

- the material is easily painted or varnished;

- it is easy to level the walls with a wooden clapboard;

- the assembly of the material is clean - no dust and dirt formation.

For interior decoration of an apartment, a lining made of pine, larch, linden, alder, cedar, ash and other species is well suited.

The lining is suitable for any of the rooms, including the bathroom. Remembering that wood is hygroscopic, when using it in damp rooms, it is necessary to carry out high-quality treatment with water-repellent compounds, both from the outside and from the back of the boards.

Wooden lining is subdivided by grade as follows: the highest grade - "extra", the first grade - class "A", the second grade - class "B", the third grade - class "C".

The cost of finishing made of natural wood is quite high, but it will also serve a lot. If the wall has significant distortions, and you have to choose how to level it, then the wooden lining can be called one of the easiest ways to cope with this task.

• Panels (lining) PVC can be called a modern material, since, in comparison with wood trim, it has become widely used relatively recently, but has already gained quite a lot of popularity.

Plastic panels can be fixed directly on the wall, provided it is even, or on the frame lathing, with which the wall surface is leveled.

PVC panels are excellent for decorating the walls of the bathroom and toilet, as they have the necessary qualities for the specific conditions of these premises. This includes the following:

- moisture resistance;

- ease of installation;

- availability of an assortment of fittings that make the finish neat;

- aesthetic appearance;

- ease of maintenance, including the possibility of wet cleaning;

- the strength of the panels;

- a wide range of colors and a variety of patterns, including imitation of textures of various natural materials.

The disadvantages of plastic finishing include low resistance to accentuated mechanical stress.

Based on these data, we can conclude that PVC panels are used to decorate hallways, kitchens, balconies, corridors. Although manufacturers present plastic panels as completely harmless material, nevertheless, plastic cannot be called absolutely environmentally friendly, therefore it is not recommended to use it for finishing living quarters, especially bedrooms and children's rooms.

• Lining MDF It is no less popular than PVC panels, since it has an affordable price and can be used in heated rooms of balconies and loggias, and is also perfect for decorating the walls of hallways and corridors.

On sale you can find several varieties of this finishing material, which differ from each other in the outer coating.

- Laminated option with a glossy smooth surface without roughness. Most often, such lining is used to decorate the walls of balconies and kitchens, sometimes for corridors and hallways, sheathing the entire wall with it or only its panel part.

- Veneered lining , that is, MDF is covered with the thinnest cut of natural wood. For this, rocks with beautiful natural shades and textured patterns are used - veneer of fruit trees (cherry and pear) is often chosen. In addition to them, veneer is also made from maple, oak, pine, as well as more valuable and exotic species.

In the form mounted on the walls, such a finish is indistinguishable from the lining made of natural wood, and sometimes it looks even more advantageous.

- Painted wood - a kind of lining, which is very popular, as it is able to create the desired style direction in the interior.

However, a big "minus" can be called a rough surface, which makes the finish unprotected from dust and moisture. Therefore, wall cladding with such a clapboard is recommended to be carried out only in dry heated rooms.

The advantages of any type of MDF lining include:

- material strength;

- ease of installation work;

- low thermal conductivity.

The negative qualities of the finish are the following points:

- instability to moisture, so it cannot be used in rooms with high humidity;

- frequent wet cleaning cannot be applied to this material, which means that it is not recommended to cover the walls with it, not only in the bathroom, but also in the kitchen.

Having considered all the materials presented above, we can come to the conclusion that the construction market is so rich in various finishes that, given their characteristic features, you can easily choose the right cladding option for the walls of any room in an apartment, both in terms of decorative qualities and in price. But before you go to the store for materials, you should really evaluate the quality of the surface of the walls and think carefully about which of the options will look better in the intended interior.

As a bonus, the reader is offered an interesting video selection with various options for wall decoration in the apartment. Perhaps this will push someone to choose one or another solution.

Video: Interesting options for wall decoration in the apartment

20392 0 1

How to solve a problem: decorating walls in an apartment - 5 ideas for your peace of mind

Modern wall decoration in an apartment is one of the most important stages of any renovation. A well-chosen type of decoration will not only help to make the interior of your dreams come true, but also save money and time.

And so that in the process of choosing a finish you are not based only on the feeling “oh, it looks nothing”, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the most popular and proven materials with their advantages and disadvantages.

Where to choose

During the repair process, many may face the problem of choosing the right options. It is not surprising, there are a lot of materials now, each of them has its own advantages, it is not clear what to buy. I hope my article will greatly facilitate your task, and you will not regret the money spent.

Idea 1. Wallpaper

For many years, wallpaper still does not want to give the palm in the competition for the most popular finishing material. The assortment is more than impressive: here you can find relatively inexpensive paper, more expensive and durable vinyl and even wallpaper with a 3D effect.

When buying wallpaper, you should consider what room it is intended for:

1. So, what is the best way to decorate the kitchen? Of course, washable vinyl wallpaper, which is not afraid of drops of grease and soot.

1. For a nursery, you can stay on light paper or vinyl wallpaper. The latter are good because it will be possible to remove all the artistic "masterpieces" of your child from them. The first option captivates with its cheapness and the ability to simply replace them with others after a certain time as it gets dirty.

1. If you nevertheless decide to decorate the bathroom with wallpaper (as for me, not the best solution), then it is better to buy a moisture-resistant material. Otherwise, do not be surprised by the appearance of fungus in the places where water droplets accumulate.

1. For the assortment is not much limited. Depending on the interior, you can opt for non-woven, liquid, fabric, photo and 3D wallpapers.

Sticking

When all the options for decorating the walls in the apartment have been revised, and the choice fell on the wallpaper, it's time to figure out how to glue them. This must be done according to the following scheme:

1. Remove the old wallpaper, also clean the walls from the glue on which they were adhered.
2. Remove all previous layers of plaster, whitewash or paint with a spatula or special brush.

1. Smooth the surface with a putty to give it perfect (or so) smoothness, prime it.

1. After the primer has dried completely, you can start the gluing process.
2. If you purchased wallpaper without a pattern, then they should be cut into strips of the same size, while leaving gaps of 2-2.5 cm on both sides. If a pattern is applied to the coating, then the wallpaper will have to be combined according to the pattern. In this case, the consumption of materials will be higher.

1. Next, the wallpaper must be coated with glue and applied to the wall.

1. When the material is attached to the wall, it must be properly smoothed from top to bottom and air bubbles removed.

Here is a small instruction that may be useful to you during the repair process.

Idea 2. Paint

Previously, paint was most often used for cladding the outside of the house, but over time it has moved to apartments. I can attribute to its main advantages:

• a huge assortment of colors;
• variety of textures;
• the ability to decorate walls with any pattern using special curly rollers and special tools.

The most popular options include the following types of paint:

• alkyd;
• glue;
• water emulsion.

I will analyze each of them in more detail.

1. Oil and enamel paints, which are classified as alkyd. This finishing material is excellent for both exterior and interior decoration. Additional benefits include UV and moisture resistance.

Of the minuses, I can single out helplessness against acid and a not very attractive indicator of fire safety.

1. Glue paint, or rather its composition, is much more gentle for the body in the process of decorating walls. In addition, it perfectly allows air to pass through, which is important for children's rooms and bedrooms.

1. Water-based paints are easily soluble in water, which makes them easy to use with your own hands. They fit perfectly in an even, dense layer and look great on matte surfaces.

Just keep in mind that on the walls, previously opened with varnish or glue paint, the water emulsion will not stick.

Application features

The walls are painted as follows:

1. First, the joints with the floor and ceiling are glued with masking tape to protect them from contamination.

1. This is followed by the process of cleaning from the remnants of the previous coating, sealing cracks and covering the wall with a primer.
2. If necessary, you will need to walk in some places with sandpaper for the surface.

1. Next, you should dilute the paint to the required consistency and proceed directly to the application.

You can wield the brush in any direction: from top to bottom, from left to right, or crosswise. The main thing is not to combine these methods with each other.

Idea 3. Plaster

For many, plaster can be associated with preliminary leveling of the wall before major repairs. Only now, decorative plaster is breaking through to the top of the list under the name "modern materials for decorating walls in an apartment" and is beginning to be in great demand.

Depending on the appearance and characteristics, the plaster is divided into:

• mineral;
• acrylic;
• silicate.

Why is decorative plaster so good? At least in that it allows you to create a beautiful imitation of almost any material on the walls. Even a couple of simple strokes with a spatula can beneficially update the interior of the room.

Decorative finishes have at least several advantages:

1. The ability to create an imitation of a more expensive material (granite, textured wallpaper, metal).

1. A wide range of textures and colors.

1. Possibility to carry out wet cleaning of the coating after its application.
2. The ability to hide all kinds of irregularities and imperfections on the walls.
3. No need to level the walls to perfect condition before decorating.

1. Long service life. With proper handling, plaster can last 35 to 60 years (impressive numbers, right?)

1. Such finishing methods will ideally fit into almost any interior.

But, as you know, in a barrel of honey you can't do without a fly in the ointment. Despite all the advantages of plaster, it also has its disadvantages. Among them, the following stand out:

• The price of plaster most often exceeds the average cost of wallpaper by at least one and a half times .
• Incorrect application of the material significantly reduces its service life. Therefore, in the absence of certain skills and experience, it is worth paying extra for the work of specialists.
• Plaster is not easy to remove if necessary.

Idea 4. Plastic panels

Decorative wall decoration is a real testing ground for all kinds of experiments with colors and textures. So why not think about a rather unusual, but no less striking version of the cladding? To him I can include decorative plastic panels, which every year more and more often appear in modern interiors.

• When installing the panels, it becomes possible to insulate the walls, which is definitely important in the cold season.
• With the presence of plastic panels, you will no longer need to think about how to decorate the corners in the bathroom, because the material perfectly transfers moisture and prevents the appearance of fungus.
• On sale you can find panels with various parameters, texture and appearance.

• This finish is very easy to install and does not require any special skills.
• Installation of panels does not require preliminary cleaning and leveling of the walls.
• The material creates good sound insulation due to the small distance between the panel and the wall itself.

• The cost of the panels will suit even the most modest budget.
• Plastic panels look very much like standard plywood sheets. Moreover, if there is a flat wall, they can be fixed simply with ordinary liquid nails.

Among the main disadvantages of such a coating, three important factors can be distinguished:

1. The panels are not made of natural materials, and accordingly, in small doses, they can emit toxic substances.
2. Such a coating is difficult to classify as durable, since it does not tolerate mechanical stress rather well.

1. For fans of original solutions, special 3D panels have been created. In terms of their characteristics, they are similar to ordinary ones, but they outperform them due to their unusual convex shape.

Despite the visual appeal of 3D panels, I would not recommend covering all walls of the room with them. But to make one of them accent is a very sensible decision.

Idea 5. Drywall

The finishing materials for cladding uneven walls actually do not have a wide range. Not every coating will look perfect with a bumpy base. But this nuance does not apply to drywall.

Among its distinctive features are:

• In any condition of the walls, you will end up with a perfectly smooth finish. Even if you decide to change the interior, you will have at least 4 smooth surfaces at hand.
• Drywall makes it possible to additionally insulate the room, while the thickness of the insulation will depend solely on your capabilities and desires. Using the same scheme, you can install waterproofing, thereby solving problems with sound insulation.

• The process of installing sheets is not so difficult, and it is quite possible to do it yourself.

Agree, the benefits are quite significant. But I can't just praise, it's time to move on to the tangible shortcomings:

• Such a design would be inappropriate in a room with high humidity.
• If you install drywall sheets relatively far from the wall, you won't be able to mount heavy objects on them.

Alternative solutions

Above, I have described not all options for finishing. The list includes only the most demanded and popular ones. But my article would be incomplete without mentioning, albeit not so common, but from this no less spectacular ways of decorating walls.

Tiled disgrace

Until recently, I (I think, like many of you) considered tiles to be the material for the bathroom and kitchen. The latest fashion trends point to the opposite. Tile, with proper handling, can be successfully applied in the interior of the hallway, or what the hell is not kidding - the living room.

Why should you at least think about using tiles outside the kitchen? There are several reasons:

• The material is very durable and easy to clean.
• The tiles are characterized by quite good sound insulation, which will come in handy with the thin Khrushchev walls.
• This material is refractory, so in terms of fire safety it has practically no equal.
• The range of colors allows you to decorate any decor.

With the pros, everything is clear, are there any disadvantages to this coating? And, alas, there are drawbacks. Among them:

• complete lack of the ability to lay tiles with high quality without the help of professionals;
• ceramics can hardly be called one of the most budgetary options, but it is hard to deny that high-quality tiles look luxurious and fully deserve their considerable price.

By the way, here's some more useful information that may come in handy during the repair process. Ceramic tiles are divided into 5 types, depending on the scope of its application:

1. Tiles exclusively for wall decoration.
2. Floor covering material (excluding walking on it in street shoes).

1. For office and residential premises, in which there is not particularly a large crowd of people.
2. Tile for use in areas with heavy traffic.
3. A versatile material suitable for styling anywhere.

Why not a stone?

Decorative stone, despite all its showiness and beauty, is not included in the TOP-3 of the most popular materials. The point is its high cost, which is not available to everyone. But apart from this, decorative stone (or brick) has a lot of advantages, which I have no right not to mention.

• This material is very durable, its service life is approximately 50 years..
• Not possessing special skills, but having studied a good instruction, even a simple layman can cope with installing the coating.
• All kinds of additives that are now part of the decorative stone allow you to create a coating with all kinds of textures.
• This material is completely environmentally friendly.
• The stone brings originality and unusual notes to the interior.

Of course, artificial brick or stone cannot avoid comparison with a natural analogue. Against this background, it has only three drawbacks:

1. Its shelf life is still less than natural counterparts.
2. It is inferior to them in strength.
3. In large quantities, decorative stone cannot be used, as it makes the interior heavier.

What is Linkrust?

I confess that I learned about such a magical material with a strange name relatively recently. For those who are unenlightened like me, I will explain: linkrust is a material in the process of making which a thin layer of gel based on linseed oil or alkyd resin with a filler (cork or wood flour) is applied to a dense paper or fabric base.

One of the main features of the coating is that it mixes equally well with both water-based and oil paints.

If at first linkrust was positioned as a more affordable alternative to expensive stucco molding, now it is used to implement the most unusual and original ideas.

What does the use of the material give us?

• Unusual and original appearance of the walls.
• Sustainability based on the use of natural resins and additives.
• Plasticity that allows the linkrust to adapt successfully even to uneven surfaces.
• Resistant to high temperatures.
• High strength index.
• Durability.

And according to tradition, after describing the advantages, I will point out the obvious disadvantages, which, of course, are:

• Linkrust installation can hardly be called simple, and it requires special skill.
• Low temperatures are destructive for such a material.
• After installing the coating, it becomes necessary to constantly maintain its original appearance. Accordingly, from time to time you will have to finish it with paint or varnish.

Finally

I cannot show you the only correct way to cover the walls in your apartment, it is simply impossible. But I can (and tried to do it) objectively tell about the options available, you just need to choose the most suitable for yourself. If you are still in doubt, then perhaps the video in this article will facilitate your choice.

In case you are still undecided or you have any questions, write to me in the comments. I will gladly answer everyone and try my best to facilitate the process of your repair.

October 28, 2016

If you want to express gratitude, add clarification or objection, ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!