The use of natural stone such as marble and granite creates a rich, monumental look for buildings that are distinguished by their durability and aesthetics. Using natural stone to decorate buildings is an expensive and time-consuming pleasure. Therefore, imitation of natural stone surfaces is now used, which is created using marble plaster.
Marble plaster in the living room of a country house
Decor of small tiles on Venetian marble plaster
Decorative marble plaster in an oriental interior
Features of marble coating
Marbled plaster has been used by humans since the times of Ancient Egypt and Rome. It was made from durable, reliable materials, so the created coating had unique properties and aesthetic characteristics. Now the basis of plaster is acrylic or mineral polymers, which are supplemented with stone chips.
Bayramix marble plaster
Depending on your specific need, you can choose a material with the following properties:
- moisture resistance;
- antibacterial effect;
- plastic;
- increased resistance to mechanical damage.
The most popular decorative marble plaster is produced. It was this manufacturer who first introduced the material to the modern market, and therefore is considered the founder of the “stone fashion” in the interior. You can also find products on sale that produce only environmentally friendly, high-strength, elastic, breathable coatings for interior work and facades.
Recognition of contemporaries.
This plaster has gained popularity when creating a modern interior, all thanks to its original appearance and unusual texture. Surfaces very similar to natural marble become a bright accent in the design of apartments, offices, private houses, restaurants and other premises.
This is a winning option for decorating the facades of a wide variety of buildings and structures. Especially if you choose bright or dark colors. Or, for example, mosaic marble plaster of the Bayramix type.
Most often, such coating can be seen today in non-residential buildings. Due to its durability, it performs well in rooms where there are a lot of people. And, accordingly, it allows you to reduce finishing costs in the long term.
Invented thousands of years ago in Ancient Rome, marble plaster, which can be purchased freely, has gained recognition in different countries and on different continents due to its unique properties:
- practicality - this coating is very easy to care for; it is simply wiped with a damp sponge or vacuumed; there are no problems with operation;
- durability - it can last for decades;
- strength - does not suffer from small and medium mechanical impacts, unlike some other types of finishes;
- rich colors;
- vapor permeability - the walls “breathe”;
- invulnerability to precipitation;
- environmental friendliness of decorative plaster based on marble chips;
- original festive appearance.
Composition and characteristics
Products based on acrylic resins are transparent or translucent in appearance. Plaster, which is made on a mineral basis, has a matte appearance - white or colored. Most often, the filler for it is ground marble or granite of different grain sizes and rounded shapes.
Since the granules themselves are painted in a variety of shades, the finished plaster has a rich color palette. However, to increase the decorative effect, the products are tinted with pigments, glitter, mother-of-pearl and other impurities are introduced into them. The plaster may also contain:
- antiseptics and fungicides;
- water-repellent additives;
- plasticizers;
- modifiers;
- adhesion enhancers;
- substances for increasing color fastness;
- solvents;
- varnishes;
- waxes;
- preservatives.
It is thanks to the presence of stone chips in the plaster that the marble effect and a certain roughness are achieved. To reduce costs, part of the marble component is replaced with granite, while the quality of the plaster is practically not reduced. Moreover, it is possible to enhance the strength properties of the coating, because granite is stronger and more wear-resistant than marble.
Varieties
When choosing the right Bayramix plaster, you need to take into account the features of the various types of brand products and their properties.
stucco decoration of walls and ceiling crossword puzzle
Let's look at popular types of coatings.
Marble
The binder in Bayramix marble plaster compositions is a polymer binder, and not cement, gypsum or lime. This binder is acrylic.
Coatings based on this polymer are suitable for both interior and exterior decoration.
Acrylic is environmentally friendly and safe. Such plastering materials are filled with marble chips of various colors, shapes and sizes.
There are several popular marble plasters from Bayramix:
Bayramix marble plaster coatings are suitable for use in a wide range of conditions. To care for them, you can use a bleach solution.
Such plasters are sold in plastic buckets. The material is ready for use.
Venetian
Such plasters imitate natural untreated blocks of stone. They are able to reproduce a variety of textures: limestone, jasper, malachite, marble, sandstone, lapis lazuli, granite.
To make the imitation of natural material as accurate as possible, you can apply the plaster composition in two layers.
Such coatings can be painted with special glaze materials.
Textured
The company presents several types of textured plaster coatings:
Composition of marble plaster
In order to create the appearance of a natural material, marble plaster contains marble chips and stone dust. To ensure that they are firmly bonded to each other, manufacturers use special preservatives that will dissolve the agents and repel additives. Marble chips allow you to make walls not only beautiful, but also a little rough to the touch. In some cases, granite chips are used instead of marble. Pebble modern decorative plaster involves the simultaneous use of granite and marble chips.
This does not negatively affect the quality of the material, but the finishing will have completely different characteristics. For example, marble has a good adhesion rate, but it is not strong enough. Granite is characterized by high mechanical resistance.
The resulting material will have both characteristics. Some other components can also be used to enhance properties and improve performance.
Scope of application
Marble plaster is perfect for covering bases that need increased protection from water - plinths, facades, foundations. It is also used to decorate bathrooms, swimming pools, saunas, and baths. The material is plastic and is easily applied to products and surfaces with curves, therefore it is suitable for niches, columns, bay windows, ledges, as well as arches, openings, and any architectural forms.
Plaster with stone chips is widely used indoors. This type of coating is especially popular in cottages and houses with a classic, antique style. However, marble plasters also fit into modern style trends, allowing you to create fashionable details, patterns, and highlight walls or individual stripes or areas. As for base materials, plaster with marble chips ideally fits on surfaces that are not prone to shrinkage:
- brickwork;
- concrete, cement;
- foam blocks;
- cinder blocks;
- OSB, chipboard;
- drywall;
- plastered walls.
What color does it come in?
Most often you can see the use of white marble in the interior. A light base, gray veins - this is exactly what comes to mind when you hear the word “marble”.
- The second most popular is beige. It looks more gentle in comparison with the first option, creates a warmer atmosphere. The fact is that the high temperature of the shade extinguishes the coldness of the stone.
- Black marble closes the TOP 3. The dark shade helps in creating interesting compositions: it goes well with both light stone and other textures.
Less popular, but therefore more exclusive, are color solutions. Green is associated with malachite, as well as classic-style cabinets. Brown is a warm black that goes well with beige. Blue, pink, burgundy, lilac are used to highlight accents.
Types of material
Marble plaster is conventionally divided into two large groups:
- Marble. Includes natural stone chips.
- Venetian. Its basis is marble or granite flour with the addition of special pigments that imitate crumbs.
Most often, the plaster filler has a spherical shape, less often - faceted. Depending on the base, the material can be lime, acrylic or sand-cement. Based on the size of the granules, marble plaster is classified as follows:
- Fine-grained. The grain size is 0.5 mm or less.
- Medium grain. The grain diameter is 1–3 mm.
- Coarse grain. Includes fractions up to 3–5 mm.
Typically, marble material with fine and medium grains is purchased for interior work, and coarse grains for facades.
Required Tools
Marble plaster in the interior
To apply the marble mixture you do not need special knowledge. This type of material is easy to work with. The following tools will be needed:
- Container for diluting the mixture.
- Trowel and float for plastering.
- The brush is flat.
- Construction electrical equipment (drill, mixer).
- Roller for applying primer.
How to properly apply marble plaster (video)
Color range of marble mixture
There is a wide range of marble plaster on the market. Until recently, its colors were limited to the natural color of the stone, but now they are determined by a variety of synthetic pigments. So, the catalog contains 48 basic shades that can be mixed with each other and get new tones. High-quality plaster retains 100% natural paint for 15 years on facades and about 25 years when used internally.
Advantages and disadvantages
Marble plaster has many advantages:
- withstands even severe mechanical stress, is not damaged, and is considered very wear-resistant;
- has a long service life due to excellent strength characteristics;
- resistant to ultraviolet radiation, atmospheric factors, temperature changes;
- does not disturb the microclimate in the house due to vapor permeability;
- does not allow moisture to accumulate on the walls;
- environmentally friendly, does not contain toxic components, has no odor, does not emit harmful substances even at elevated temperatures;
- easy to mount on surfaces, including complex ones;
- universal: can be used indoors and outdoors;
- has increased moisture resistance;
- differs in fire safety, does not support combustion or smoke;
- after drying, it is easy to care for, it can be washed with any household products;
- does not allow mold and fungi to multiply.
The disadvantages include the high cost of the material, so not everyone can afford to decorate a facade or room with marble plaster. Over time (after 15–25 years), the finish will lose its brightness, although it can be painted in any suitable color. Plaster is vulnerable to aggressive chemicals (for example, hydrochloric acid), although such contact in everyday life is difficult to imagine.
Preparing the walls
In this case, it is not necessary to perfectly level the wall surfaces. They can be removed or puttied. The main thing is that the walls are dry and primed; if there are metal parts, they need to be cleaned of rust. For the best effect, paint the walls in the same tone as the composition. If there was already a solution of drying oil or copper sulfate on the wall, it must be opened with enamel-PF 115.
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There are also temperature restrictions. You can plaster from five to thirty degrees Celsius. If finishing work is carried out outside the premises, do not expose it to the baking sun or precipitation.
Technology of applying marble plaster
In order not to be distracted while searching for the necessary tools while working, it is better to prepare in advance what you may need:
- two stainless steel spatulas - narrow and wide;
- trowel - a steel spatula for masonry and grinding;
- a grater for leveling the solution, a grater for mashing;
- containers for mixing or applying plaster;
- a drill with a mixer attachment (needed only for preparing the dry mixture, but not needed for ready-made plaster);
- level - will help determine the evenness of the applied layer.
Preparatory stage
The base that will be plastered must be carefully prepared. It is cleaned of dirt, dust, and carefully inspected. All swelling, peeling, and crumbling areas are cleaned to a hard surface using a spatula. In difficult cases, a grinder, a metal brush, or a grinding machine may be required.
If areas affected by mold are identified, moisten them well with antiseptic compounds 2-3 times. Efflorescence from the wall is removed with special cleaners, which are sold in hardware stores.
All cracks, chips, and holes are sealed with a standard solution of 1 part cement and 3 parts sand. Before covering them, they are slightly embroidered and cleaned of dust. Large holes are filled with preliminary laying of reinforcing fiberglass mesh. After this, check the condition of the surface with a level and, if necessary, plaster the entire base, leveling it.
Useful tips for the master at the preparation stage:
- It is better to apply coarse-grained mixtures to the rough leveling layer, and fine-grained mixtures only to the finishing layer after preliminary sanding.
- As the walls are leveled, be sure to prime them with covering primers, tinted, if necessary, to match the color of the marble plaster.
- You need to let the primer dry for 12 hours or more.
It is necessary to purchase marble material with a reserve of 7–10%, since some of it crumbles during application and remains on the tools. It is important that all the plaster is from the same batch, since even from the same manufacturer, different deliveries may differ in color.
Manual plastering
First, dilute the dry mixture according to the instructions or mix the finished composition well. If it is too viscous or thick, add a little water, 50–100 ml each (too much liquid can ruin the material).
Then they work like this:
- Take a small amount of product onto a small spatula and apply it to a large spatula or trowel.
- Apply the solution to the surface, holding the tool at an angle of 60 degrees.
- Distribute the mass in an even layer, moving in one direction and applying a certain force (you can use a grater).
- If you have to interrupt work, stick a strip of masking tape along the border of the future joint, and after the start of a new stage, the tape is removed.
After 30 minutes, when the marble plaster has already begun to set, begin rubbing. Take a stainless steel grater, lean it firmly against the wall, and smooth the coating with circular movements. There is no need to press hard or treat the same area for a long time. After complete drying (after 24 hours), the wall is irrigated with a water repellent or acrylic varnish from a spray bottle and left to dry for another 12 hours.
Applying plaster using a mechanized method
To complete all the work faster, use a different method of applying plaster. It is used by professionals, especially when it comes to processing a large area. You need to buy or rent a pneumatic crumb thrower - a container with a nozzle (hole diameter 4–6 mm) connected to a compressor.
After preparing the base, pour the solution into the crumb thrower, turn on the compressor with a pressure of 6–7 atmospheres, and pump in air. When applying the composition, the nozzle is kept at a distance of 50 cm from the base, moving it from top to bottom. Make sure that the product evenly covers the wall without the appearance of bare areas. After 30 minutes, the plaster is rubbed down in the same way, and a day later it is treated with a protective compound.
Creating a drawing
To make the wall or facade more decorative, you can use marble plaster in several tones to create designs, patterns, and ornaments. First, draw a sketch on paper, then make markings on the wall. Masking tape is glued along the perimeter of individual areas, then plaster of the selected color is applied. After rubbing, the tape is removed and new stripes are glued on the following areas. This way you can make any drawings, inserts of the desired size and shade.
Application to the façade
Street decoration is regularly exposed to unfavorable factors: temperature changes, precipitation, sunlight. For cladding facades, special plaster with increased strength characteristics and coarse grain is used. Work with it only in dry, warm weather, taking into account the following recommendations:
- The brickwork is pre-prepared: the mortar protruding from the joints is cleaned off, the wall is plastered, and dried well.
- Apply penetrating acrylic primer in 2-3 layers, waiting for each of them to dry, using a roller or brush.
- If possible, two people work together to apply the plaster to the entire wall at once and rub it in in one pass.
- For wall cladding, you can use a pneumatic crumb thrower, holding the nozzle tip at a distance of 50 cm from the surface.
- After the plaster has dried, it is rubbed clean with a steel float and a protective varnish coating is applied.
Application of decorative material indoors
In a house or apartment, you should use a fine-grained or medium-grained mixture. The decorative layer should be thin - no more than 1–1.5 times the diameter of the stone chips. Provide normal humidity in the room (up to 65%). All electrical appliances built into the walls are turned off in advance. After rubbing, not varnish is used, but wax, which is more suitable for interior decoration due to its environmental friendliness.
Calculation of material quantity
On each package of plaster, the manufacturer indicates the consumption per square meter. This indicator is approximate and in practice may vary depending on the quality of preparation of the base, the skill of the performer, etc. Mixtures with round grains have a slightly lower consumption than those containing grains with edges.
Also, consumption varies depending on the grain size itself:
- large fractions - up to 8 kg/sq.m. m;
- medium fractions - 4–5 kg/sq. m;
- small fractions - 2–3 kg/sq. m.
On average, the thickness of the plaster layer is 5–30 mm (for street work it needs to be thicker). Using the specified data, you can calculate the material consumption and purchase the required quantity with a small margin.
DIY marble plaster
To save on finishing costs, you can make marble plaster yourself. To do this, you need to get a binding component, filler (marble or granite chips), as well as pigments. White cement M500 and acrylic putty can be used as a binder. Using a mixer, combine 1 part binder, 3 parts filler and add dye, as well as 1 part water. The finished plaster should have the texture of very thick sour cream.
For another recipe for preparing plaster you need to combine:
- 1100 ml slaked lime;
- 1100 ml marble chips;
- 30 g liquid soap;
- 360 ml linseed oil;
- 180 ml water;
- pigment.
After mixing the components, the resulting plaster is almost no different in quality from store-bought. Depending on the grain size, it can be used for external or internal work. Marble plaster is a beautiful and elegant material, durable and practical. It is not difficult to apply it yourself using the tips above.
What can be trimmed?
Marble on the floor in the interior is a sign of good taste and high income. It looks stylish, goes well with any materials, and never goes out of style. In the kitchen, bathroom, and hallway, it is better to lay natural stone, tiles, and porcelain stoneware. There is enough laminate and linoleum in living rooms, bedrooms, and corridors.
- Walls decorated with marble are good not only in bathrooms: a marble TV section in the living room is appropriate not only in the Baroque style, but also in a modern interior.
- When zoning the space, it is not necessary to make tall static screens invisible (made of glass) or to match the finishing of the remaining walls. Highlight it with marble if you want to draw attention to the partition.
- Column - such an architectural element also does not have to be hidden: put it in the foreground by covering it with marble tiles and additionally highlighting it.
- Another architectural detail - a niche requires special attention: to complement the recess in the interior, take imitation marble as a basis: install lighting inside or install shelves.
- In private homes, the fireplace is considered the central element of the living room, so it should be not only functional, but also beautiful. Order a marble structure or cover an already finished one with stone.
- Arches, thresholds, boxes do not have to be wooden: in some styles, marble will be more appropriate for doorways.
- Marble finishing will help you turn ordinary window or door slopes into an interior highlight: MDF panels, tiles, and flexible stone are best suited for this.
- An expensive marble window sill does not require additional decoration: you can even refuse curtains so as not to block this luxurious element of the interior.
- A marble apron will provide protection from splashes of water and grease, as well as a stylish appearance of the kitchen set. To implement the idea, tiles, porcelain stoneware, and MDF panels are suitable.