Materials for finishing the plinth must have a long service life, be durable and resistant to moisture. The most popular materials are clinker tiles, natural and artificial stone, PVC panels and decorative plaster.
Regardless of what material you choose, it will be possible to cladding the basement of a house or foundation with high quality only if the surface is prepared for work. It should be smooth and durable. It is also important that the base is clean and has no visible defects. If defects are observed on the surface, they must be covered with coating agents. building materials. A primer emulsion is very suitable for eliminating unevenness (it will also act as a waterproofing coating).
The foundation of the building is always made of high-strength concrete or metal. However, the basement of the house can be made of porous materials. One way or another, structures should be treated with water-repellent agents.
Surface cladding options are usually chosen by the owner of the house independently. These works are carried out only after the construction of a brick or wooden house will be completed.
Clinker tiles
Clinker tiles are considered one of the highest quality and most reliable materials for finishing a basement or foundation. It is quite possible to tile the base using such tiles with your own hands. Upon completion of the work, the base will look as if it were made of massive clinker bricks.
Installation of clinker tiles.
Clinker tiles have significantly less weight than bricks, so when used, the load on the foundation and other building structures will be minimal. The thickness of clinker tiles is also small (usually no more than two cm). The length and width of the tiles is similar to traditional brick. To simplify the implementation, you need to additionally purchase corner elements.
Before starting work, you need to determine the level from which the installation of the first row of clinker tiles will begin. The level should be determined by dividing the part of the building by the width of the tile. At the same time, the seam width is added to the resulting number. If the building has a basement height of 40 cm, and the tiles are 65 mm wide (with a joint width of 6-7 mm), then a space 5-6 mm wide will be formed above the last row, which is usually filled polyurethane composition or acrylic.
To glue the tiles with your own hands, use a special solution that is resistant to temperature changes, frost, moisture and other influences. It is very important to glue the tiles immediately after the mortar has been applied to the surface of the plinth. The solution will harden within 10 minutes after application, so you need to work quickly.
Basement finished with clinker tiles.
The seams that will be visible between the clinker tiles are filled with clinker jointing mortar. It is sold at any hardware store. The tile will not absorb moisture, so additional treatment with moisture-proofing compounds is not required. When installing such cladding, the base receives high-quality protection from moisture, and the creation of an additional waterproofing layer is not required.
When the foundation and base of a building are made of brick, stone tiles are often chosen for cladding the base part. Stone tiles will give any plinth an interesting and impressive appearance. The tiles are made from sandstone (less often from limestone). In addition, granite and marble varieties can be found on sale. The shape of the tiles can also vary greatly: traditional sizes, oversized elements, massive slabs, intricate shapes. If you cover it with stone tiles, the appearance of the building will take on a finished look that will fully meet all the requirements for the exterior style.
Natural stone.
The principle of gluing stone tiles to a plinth is in many ways similar to that described above. The tiles are glued to the surface of the base using special adhesive solutions designed for attaching stone tiles. If standard glue is used, then after a while the tile will begin to peel off, so you will have to do everything again.
If you want to get the effect of a monolithic surface, then you should choose small-format tiles, and when installing between them, leave seams of minimal thickness. All seams that will be formed between the tiles must be filled with an elastic mortar having high level resistance to low temperatures. If the tile is sandstone or limestone, then it must be treated with waterproofing compounds.
Artificial stone
When choosing materials for finishing the base and above-ground part of the foundation, homeowners often opt for artificial stone. This material has an attractive appearance, excellent performance and performance characteristics. Due to fillers, as well as special additives, artificial stone has a high level of resistance to frost, moisture, ultraviolet radiation and other natural influences. During operation, such material practically does not collapse, so it will last you exactly as long as the foundation of a wooden or brick house.
Cladding with artificial stone.
Artificial stone successfully imitates natural materials (river stones, rocks and rocks). Products, as a rule, have different sizes, so you will not see a repeat of the pattern on your base. The options for decorating the basement of a building with your own hands using artificial stone are very diverse.
PVC panels as materials for finishing the base and foundation in recent years are being used more and more often. This is a completely suitable facing material, which is designed for use in various climatic conditions. This type of panel is easy to work with and is well suited to the foundation of a building (the foundation, if visible, is completely covered). Such panels are easy to install yourself. The material is resistant to weather influences and mechanical stress.
PVC panels are mounted on the sheathing. Panel installation work is usually carried out using a starting strip, corner elements and dowels. The sheathing can be made of wood or metal. The preferable option is one with a metal sheathing, which, however, is not difficult to do with your own hands.
Usage basement siding.
Using PVC panels, you can cover all defects in the basement of the building, as well as cladding other areas of the building and outbuildings.
Decorative plaster
Despite its low prevalence on the market, this material is excellent for covering the base. Mosaic plaster has excellent performance characteristics, it does not allow moisture to pass through, and it contains resin as the main binder. In addition, this plaster is resistant to temperature changes and mechanical stress, so the material can be safely used to cover the basement of a country house.
Application of decorative plaster.
Mosaic plaster is applied to the surface using a special metal trowel.
Many owners use mosaic plaster, which is easy to apply and has an attractive appearance, to cover the protruding part of the foundation (if the foundation is visible from underground). The material can be applied without significant labor costs to any part of the base or foundation with your own hands.
Basement covered with plaster.
Material selection
You can veneer the base in various ways. You can cover the lower part of the building with your own hands with a layer of plaster, cover it with stone or sheathe it with siding, that is, finish it in any way that you like. All this can be done without the involvement of professional builders.
The choice of one or another method of cladding the basement of a building will depend, first of all, on the owner’s budget, the possibility of installing a specific material, the need to mask unevenness and other defects of the basement, as well as many other specific factors.
The entire base can be covered with any finishing material. The main thing is that the selected material is resistant to various weather influences. In addition, if necessary, it should be provided on the site drainage system, which will effectively divert excess moisture from the building.
For all questions related to the choice of finishing material for the plinth and foundation, you can contact specialists at a hardware store or employees of the company that built the house.
Good day. Not long ago I bought a 20-acre dacha plot with two buildings - brick house and a small wooden building for guests. In general, both houses are in decent condition, without serious damage to building and finishing materials. The only negative is . In both cases it was partially missing or damaged. At the moment I am interested in how to inexpensively decorate the basement of a brick and wooden house? I wouldn’t want to spend a lot of money, since the buildings are quite large and will require enough material. If it’s not too much trouble, you could also tell us the nuances of installing these materials.
Hello. As far as I understand from your description, both buildings have a strip foundation type.
For a brick house, it would be necessary to remove the loose areas of plaster or knock off all the old finishing completely. In the case of a wooden structure, it is better to make complete dismantling cladding, since according to your criteria, it is cheapest to perform cladding or imitation of natural covering.
It is not clear how you did this, but I think that the quality of the surface has become much better. Additionally, before describing the cladding technology, I will talk in more detail about preparing the surface for further finishing work.
Although in your case the important criterion is the availability and cheapness of the material, I strongly recommend not making a choice of coating only on the basis of these factors.
The protruding type of structure is most susceptible to precipitation and environment
Finishing the base is not just a decorative cladding of the outer surface. IN in this case the material plays the role of more than just cladding and performs a number of tasks:
- Structural protection - ensuring protection of the basement of the building from external influences in the form of precipitation, humidity, temperature differences and direct sun rays;
- Protection from various substances and microorganisms - the use of modern materials reduces the impact of harmful and aggressive substances that can cause destruction concrete base. Finishing antiseptic and protective compounds prevent the formation of mold and the development of fungus;
- Protection from cold - the use of combined finishing materials and insulation allows you to neutralize the risk of complete freezing of the supporting base and the development of erosion processes in concrete. If necessary, complete insulation can be carried out using a sufficient layer of polystyrene foam materials.
Taking into account and taking into account this information It is possible to significantly extend the service life of the load-bearing base, avoid the formation of “cold bridges”, and reduce the costs of seasonal surface repairs and heating of the building.
Materials for finishing and covering the base
The most popular materials for finishing the basement of buildings
The materials used for cladding and cladding the basement of the house can be roughly classified into two groups. The first one is facing coverings, the installation of which is carried out on liquid foundation in the form of plaster, cement-sand mixture, etc. The second is facing coverings, which are installed on a pre-assembled frame or sheathing.
This is a conditional division, since the use of various materials, first of all, depends on the cost and requirements that are placed on it.
In your case, taking into account that cladding the basement of the house should be inexpensive and accessible, you can use the following materials:
- plaster is the most affordable and easiest way to finish and improve the base. The plaster has good vapor permeability, the ability to be applied over insulation, wide choice color schemes and decorative layer;
- imitation of stone - performed using plaster or cement-sand mortar. It is easy to implement with the ability to create an absolutely exclusive surface. Application is possible both on “bare” concrete and on thermal insulation;
- basement siding – polyvinyl chloride panels with the ability to imitate almost any finishing coating. Mounted on a supporting frame. At the installation stage, it is possible to perform heat and waterproofing work;
- brick - allows you to create high-quality and reliable protection with the possibility of installing a full-fledged thermal insulation layer and a ventilated gap. Requires high-quality support and adherence to masonry technology. Can be replaced with facing slabs that imitate natural brick and are mounted with a special adhesive composition;
- base thermal panel - visually resembles base siding attached to polystyrene foam board. It is advisable to use it when both a heat-insulating layer and finishing work are required.
These are not all the coatings that can be used in work, but they are quite sufficient for cladding the base of both a brick and a wooden structure. If we also take into account the time costs, then it makes sense to collect and prepare a sufficient amount of natural stone.
This approach is not simple, but can be used in areas where you can independently obtain stone such as limestone, shell rock or sandstone.
Below is a table taking into account average cost material for cladding. For the calculation, 1 sq/m2 was taken as a more convenient value for assessment.
Preparation and sequence of work with plaster
The technology for performing work using starting and decorative plaster is the easiest to implement. As plaster composition You can use regular plaster for exterior use, bark beetle plaster, plaster with marble chips, etc.
With due diligence, you can imitate natural stone, clinker or masonry bricks.
To carry out finishing work, you will need to prepare the necessary plaster composition. For normal leveling, you will need to purchase a cement-sand mixture M300-500, a dry composition for starting plastering works, facade paint for exterior work, antiseptic composition, reinforcing mesh with cells 10×10 mm and wire thickness up to 1 mm.
When creating a decorative layer, you will need special decorative mixtures which are already sold finished form. This could be the “bark beetle” from various manufacturers, finishing putty, etc.
Application of the solution is carried out with any convenient spatula. A rule is used for alignment. The creation of texture is done using a wooden trowel.
Cleaning and treating the working surface with a penetrating primer solution
Sequentially, the work on covering the base with a plaster composition will be carried out in several stages:
- The work site and working surface are being prepared. For an old base, where the damage area is quite large, it will be necessary to dismantle the entire old decoration. For a surface with small flaws, only peeling and falling off areas can be eliminated;
- Small cracks and imperfections on the surface are eliminated. For this, a cement-sand mortar or plaster composition is used. Before grouting, the damaged area and the flaw itself are treated with a deeply penetrating primer;
- If insulation is necessary, after the grout has dried, the polystyrene foam is fixed to the surface of the base. For this purpose, construction dowels with a wide plastic cap are used. Expanded polystyrene is installed using the “joint to joint” method. After installation, the entire area of the base is treated with a primer;
- A reinforcing mesh is installed over the repaired base or heat-insulating layer. For this, steel strips of the required length are used. To strengthen the corners you can use steel angle. After installing the reinforcement, the base is once again treated with a primer;
- Plaster beacons are being installed. The basic plaster composition is used for installation. When installed over insulation, beacons can be installed in the locations of steel strips;
- The plaster composition is being prepared. To do this, use a power tool with a mixer attachment. The solution is applied using slap-like movements to a certain mass on the plane. Next is taken metal rule and the plaster mixture is leveled with light zigzag movements. Afterwards, the excess mixture is removed and the process is repeated over the entire area of the base;
- After 4-6 hours, provided that applying a decorative layer is not planned, the plaster is grouted using a wooden float. When applying a decorative layer over a leveled surface, you should wait until the starting base has completely dried. At 18-20 °C this is approximately 5-7 days;
- The decorative layer is applied using a regular spatula. The thickness of the layer varies depending on the composition and is indicated on the packaging. After stretching the mixture over the surface, you should wait for it to set. Next, using a grater, the composition is mashed;
- At the final stage of finishing, the plaster layer is painted and primed. These actions can be carried out after 24-48 hours after applying the composition. Full set of strength of the plastered surface – 25-28 days.
The plaster solution is mixed in two steps, after which it is completely ready for application.
Aligning linear guides and applying plaster mixture
The final stage is moistening and grouting the plastered surface
Finishing and imitation of brick or natural stone is carried out at the stage of leveling the composition. So, on a still fresh surface, they go over it as a rule. Next, the seams are unstitched with a small object 1-1.5 cm wide.
After forming the required number of seams, they go over the surface with a rough brush. This will give the necessary texture. The process is repeated over the entire area of the base. Facade paint is used as finishing.
The formation and imitation of masonry is carried out at a similar stage. For this plaster mixture is superimposed. Next, an arbitrary semicircular or flat shape of the stone is formed from it and the joints are made. As finishing coating, to give certain shades, you can use paint for exterior use.
Finishing the basement, on the one hand, is simpler than the facade: there are no special aesthetic and architectural subtleties here. The base can harmonize or contrast with the overall design of the building in tone, texture, and type of material used, see fig. Corrosive pedants just need to point to the Erechtheion, the Roman Baths or any of Gothic cathedrals- and let them say what they want.
Examples of finishing the basement of private houses
For small individual construction Of particular interest is also the version of the false base (photo below right in the figure): the strip protruding foundation is finished without any complaints, as long as it lasts for a long time, and the wall belt above it imitates a high base. This allows you to fully concentrate technically on the correct arrangement of a very critical place in the entire structure of the house - the junction of the wall with the plinth (foundation protrusion); in particular, on the ebb tide device, see below, without compromising the appearance of the house.
On the other hand, the cladding of the base is subjected to intense exposure to chemical (atmospheric moisture, dirt, organic matter from the soil), physical (temperature and humidity changes) and mechanical abrasive agents (wind-blown grains of sand). The concentration in the air of dust, dirt and splashes of solutions of soil components depend on the height above the ground according to the power law and within 50 cm from the ground they fall relative to the zero height of the building by 10 times or more. Therefore, both the materials for finishing the base and the methods of working with them require a more careful approach than for finishing the facade.
Thirdly, finishing the base with stone or other durable, resistant and heavy material almost always does not cause any technical difficulties, because the height of the base usually does not exceed 80 cm; in extreme cases - up to 2 m, for a house with a basement, and the basement itself is made of durable materials, otherwise it simply will not bear the weight, climatic and operational loads. So the material for cladding the base can be chosen, limited only by financial considerations.
Work order
The basement of a residential building is clad in the order of work at the final stage of construction - exterior finishing. In general, the finishing of the basement of the house is carried out in stages in the following order:
- A trench is dug under the blind area with a depth of approx. 30 cm (on the bayonet of a shovel) or 15-20 cm deeper under the blind area with insulation;
- Placed in the trench sand and gravel bed, optionally – also insulation;
- Produced rough finish base in order to level its surface;
- A blind area is being built;
- Decorative finishing of the base is carried out;
- Only after this does all other work begin on exterior decoration buildings, incl. façade cladding.
It is not recommended to break this sequence, especially for inexperienced amateur builders, but in in some cases discussed below, this is possible, for example. if the basement of an existing building is being clad or repaired. In this case, the design of the base plays a decisive role in the complexity of the work and the possibility of using one or another finishing material.
Base and low tide
Finishing the base of a private house with regard to the choice of material and method of its installation largely depends on the design of the base itself and its cast. The junction of the load-bearing wall with the plinth is the most likely place for moisture to penetrate into the gap between them, causing the walls to become damp. The waterproofing doesn't let it in from below, that's why they put it there. But the water flowing into the walls can also leak under the wall along the same waterproofing, this is the so-called. capillary damming. To prevent this, a low tide is installed above the base.
Base design options with low tide
Possible design options for a base with low tide are shown in Fig. If the base sinks (pos. 1), you are in luck. A simple single flashing is installed between layers of insulation; if there is a teardrop groove (dropper) knocked out at the bottom of the wall extension, pos. 1a, then capillary damming of the walls is excluded. But then either the wall should be 2.5 bricks thick, or the basement floor should be slab, pos. 1b. Budget developers avoid the last option - it’s a bit expensive - but in vain: then, during the operation of the house, the slab floor more than pays for itself. Moreover, on, in fact, the second foundation of the house, you can build a lighter and cheaper box. Also in this case, you can build from foam/gas blocks, then lining the house with brick, which looks solid and is inexpensive.
More often, however, there are houses on a protruding plinth, pos. 2. The technology for preventing capillary damming in this case is known, this is a double ebb, pos. 2a. Its outer tray (extension) is installed upon completion decorative finishing base and facade, so that they can be replaced as they wear out. For reliability, silicone is applied to the surface of the rim (upper bend, fold) of the tray adjacent to the wall before installation.
Now on sale there are “eternal” ebbs made of propylene or stainless steel; their durability exceeds the estimated service life residential buildings conventional design. With an “eternal” ebb, the task of keeping the wall dry is simplified: the base is completely finished, and the ebb is placed on the wall before facing it with a moisture-proof material, for example. waterproof plaster, clinker or thermal panels with glue. The rim of the ebb turns out to be walled up in the façade cladding, pos. 2b, and water will no longer flow under the wall.
Note: The same methods for installing a low tide are applicable for houses on a base flush with the wall, although in general a “flat” base is bad in all respects.
Sometimes, for decorative purposes, the ebb as such is abandoned, replacing it with a brick cornice. This is possible, but the facing brick on the cornice must be taken so-called. hyperpressed (hyperformed), the eaves-drip seams should be rubbed flush, and the masonry mortar and grout should be waterproof and moisture-proof with polymer additives. In amateur conditions, you can prepare them with your own hands by adding 1-3 cups of PVA or polymer tile adhesive such as bustylate to a cement-sand mortar from M200 and grout for external use. You can also use glue for porcelain tiles or clinker (terracotta) tiles.
Hyperpressed brick is often falsified. The real one can be recognized by its uniform structure, the absence of visible inclusions and the even dark color of the matte or semi-matte surface, the so-called. “chocolate” bricks, pos. 3. On ordinary (quite suitable for their purpose) facing bricks that form a cast, after a winter or two the core will appear and efflorescence will begin to appear, pos. 3a, which means break the basement cladding and redo the ebb while the wall is frozen.
Finally, wooden houses are built almost exclusively on protruding plinths: the minimum permissible width of the foundation strip here turns out to be greater than the thickness of the wall, and placing a log house or frame on concrete slab for a number of reasons this is not possible. In this case, the ebb can only be double; its options for log or timber and frame house shown in pos. 4 and 5. In a log/timber house, the fastening of the rim of the outer tray is sealed with silicone; V frame house this is not required, because The wall cladding also serves as a teardrop.
Note: in all cases of using double ebb, the distance between the eaves of the inner and outer trays must be at least 10-12 mm at any place.
Preparation for cladding
The most difficult and time-consuming part of the work on finishing the base is leveling its surface for cladding; the base can be made of rubble stone, concrete blocks (possibly old, crumbling at the edges) or the above-ground part of the concrete foundation. In this case, the easiest way to prepare it for cladding with your own hands is to plaster it with cement-sand or cement-lime starting (rough) plaster for exterior work. You can make your own knead using the hydrophobic method described above (PVA, bustilate, etc.).
Leveling the surface of the plinth for lining with starting plaster using a reinforcing mesh.
To level with plaster, the base is treated with a deep penetration primer on the appropriate material (stone, brick, concrete), large protrusions are roughly knocked down, patching is done as needed with cement-sand mortar and a steel reinforcing mesh with a thickness of approx. 4 mm, see fig. I use a plaster solution that is thick and does not float; The layer is 1.5-2 mesh thickness. Rub it smoothly with a polisher immediately, without waiting for it to set. After setting, check the evenness with a lath (the norm is 3 mm/m), rub and re-coat as necessary. It is advisable to first make a separate plot of 1-1.5 square meters. m, after that the “teapot” with its hands from where it is necessary will at least put the start quite level under the cladding.
Materials and technologies
Materials for cladding the base, as stated above, must be resistant to thermal, chemical, mechanical influences and abrasion. Modern materials for finishing the plinth, depending on the price and complexity of the work, are generally divided into the following classes:
- Painted waterproof plaster is the simplest and cheap option. It is best suited for a low, up to 40 cm, base, the finishing of which is still not really visible. Maintainability is limited, because It is difficult to choose paint for a patch that exactly matches the existing one.
- Artificial stone - in terms of complexity and cost, covering the base with it is comparable to plaster. The appearance is 3+ or 4–, but tracing the corners is much simpler, see below. Maintainability is complete.
- Natural (wild) stone and facing brick - cladding the base with them can be inexpensive and does not require a lot of work, but if the base and blind area are insulated, the complexity of the work increases many times, also see below. Maintainability is very limited: remove the damaged fragment(s) without disturbing the lining sufficiently large area, very difficult.
- Flexible stone – in terms of the combination of parameters price/quality/appearance/technical capabilities, it has no equal. Finishing the base with flexible stone is also possible in a budget option. Maintainability is complete.
- Basement siding - depending on the region, it can be cheaper than plaster, and in appearance it is superior to artificial stone (not natural!). Correct installation is not difficult, but requires certain knowledge and skills. Maintainability is complete, but repairs are quite labor-intensive.
- Basement cladding panels (not façade!) are somewhat more expensive than base siding with the same decorative qualities, but do not have its weak points (see below). Maintainability is limited for the same reasons as with wild stone and brick.
- Clinker (terracotta) and porcelain tiles are the most expensive and labor-intensive, but the most resistant and durable option. If you need a plinth surface to look like a noble polished stone, then porcelain stoneware is practically the only option at a reasonable price.
Plaster
There is no point in finishing the base with a beautiful, but not very durable finishing decorative plaster in this place. Best rough basis just paint for finishing alkyd enamels for outdoor work. Yacht enamels will cost a little more, but will last much longer. The option is still a little more expensive, but even more durable and completely waterproof - the so-called. latex acrylic paints or acrylic emulsions; When dry, they give a layer similar to thick rubber, only colored.
The plastered plinth can be immediately finished to look like stone using silicone stamps. A set of stamps costs about 500 rubles, but you can make them yourself. In general, plastering a plinth under a stone is carried out as follows:
- Select samples (models) of natural stone of any breed suitable size and more or less matching along the contour, without overlap, up to 12-15 mm thick.
- For each model, a plywood or plank box is made - flask - with sides 2-3 cm higher than the stone.
- The models are generously soaked in mineral oil (you can use engine oil) and dried for 2-3 days.
- Next, the models are lubricated with Vaseline (lanolin), each is placed in its own mold and filled with silicone. Before doing this, the inside of the investment rings also needs to be coated with Vaseline.
- After the silicone has hardened, the flasks are disassembled, the models are pulled out from the stamp blanks (don’t be afraid to pull, silicone is stretchable and durable) and the stamps are cut with a knife along the contour with an allowance for the width of the seam.
- A layer of thick mortar up to 16 mm thick is applied to the base prepared as described above and stamped immediately until it sets.
- Once the coating has completely hardened, it is painted.
Artificial stone
Finishing the basement of the house with artificial stone.
Cladding the base of a house with artificial stone, despite all its mediocre advantages, is good for budget developers in that the forms for the corner elements (see figure) can be made independently. Corners are the weakest points of the cladding; this is where masonry seams begin to crack and moisture under the cladding creeps exactly where it shouldn’t. They mount artificial stone on a plinth or similarly to natural stone without insulation, or on tile adhesive like tiles (see both below),
Methods for making artificial stone with your own hands are described in other materials; Any type suitable for paving paths will be suitable for the plinth. You can also make homemade artificial stone for cladding the base from the same plaster mortar. The working process differs from the production of stamps for stone in that it is not necessary to select models so strictly by thickness and that the casting mass is tinted in advance, which makes the color more durable; see video below. The technology for making artificial stone from plaster with your own hands is not strict; different options are possible here.
Wild stone and brick
The natural stone for cladding the base should be chosen to be heavy, with low moisture absorption, i.e. not susceptible to frost. Shales, sandstones, limestone, dolomite, travertine and tuffs are definitely not suitable. The best are granite, diorite, diabase, basalt, gabbro and other rocks that can withstand at least 1000 cycles of complete freezing/thawing. With current climate changes, this is not so much, in Central Russia in the off-season there can be a full cycle every day.
Base cladding technology natural stone significantly depends on whether it is insulated or not. Without insulation, the matter is simpler; you just need to fulfill the following conditions (see figure on the right):
![](https://i2.wp.com/remstroysam.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/3e98aa5f061c440cdf2874f11cf6197a.jpg)
Note: Don't be afraid of moss and lichen on a stone plinth. They will not spoil the stone at all, they will only add chic to the house. Mold and efflorescence (salt stains on soaked and then dried out areas) are the bad things. But on the stones of the above-mentioned species, both do not happen.
Base finishing facing bricks differs from cladding with wild stone, firstly, in that the masonry joints make the thickness of 10-13 mm normal for brickwork. Secondly, the masonry mortar must be waterproof with a plasticizer (see above), because Moisture likes to linger in the seams of brickwork and dirt accumulates. Thirdly, it is very, very advisable to use hyper-pressed brick, as for brick casting, see above.
Facing the base with natural stone and brick becomes seriously more complicated if the walls, foundation and base are insulated. Then not only does the heavy cladding have nothing to hold on to, but there is also a danger of capillary moisture penetrating into the insulation. What type of work is required to avoid both can be imagined by looking at the diagram of stone cladding of an insulated base in Fig.:
Scheme of stone cladding of the base with insulation
And the matter will become even more complicated if the basement of an existing house is covered, because... the retaining wall will shrink. In this case, it is better to cover the stone base with siding, panels, and, if you want the high cost to immediately catch your eye, with tiles. But first, let's finish with stone materials.
Flexible stone
Flexible stone in some sources is presented as a kind of “flexible tile on polymer resins.” Apparently, those authors remember the old Soviet flexible facing tiles, which, as they say, have been around for a long time. That's where she goes: polymer tiles dried out, tightened, cracked, quickly wore out even in heated rooms.
Flexible stone for finishing and cladding
The binder of the flexible stone is indeed synthetic resins, but not the mythical “polymer” ones, but polyester and urea, but the essence of this material is a textile base sprinkled with stone chips. Advantages of flexible stone as an external material facing material truly magnificent (see picture):
- Safe, environmentally friendly, chemically and mechanically resistant, chemically neutral.
- Estimated service life is over 150 years.
- Easy to process, can be cut with scissors.
- It shines through, you can hide the illuminators behind the cladding or even make a street lamp from flexible stone, which during the day, when turned off, will be a sculpture to match the decoration of the house.
- Available in an innumerable variety of unique textures and colors that fully correspond to natural ones, both solid and torn, with intervals to imitate masonry joints.
- The flexible stone can be used to trace curved surfaces and corners without any problems.
- There is no façade, plinth, external or internal flexible stone; it is suitable for all types of finishing work. The same material can be used to decorate the base, window and door frames, balcony, cornice, etc.
- Finishing the base of a house with flexible stone on a difficult terrain (uneven slope, etc.) costs 7-20 times less than comparable decorative qualities and durability of cladding with any other material.
- Careful preparation of the surface for flexible stone is not required. If the unevenness does not exceed 10-12 mm, the flexible stone is simply laid with tile adhesive ( minimum layer above the protrusions of the base 2 mm). Otherwise, the potholes are roughly covered with cement-sand mortar. Which in any case won’t hurt to save expensive glue.
Flexible stone has only two disadvantages: it is rough; There are no glossy or semi-gloss (polished) finishes. Then, the base for the flexible stone needs to be strong, so you can’t glue it directly onto the insulation or SMP (see below), you first need to prepare the plaster base, as described above.
Siding
Basement siding panel
The basement of the house is lined with special basement siding, which is more wear-resistant and durable than façade siding. Basement siding is available in PVC and propylene. The former is cheaper, brighter and can be glossy; the second one is more stable. Externally, basement siding differs from facade siding in that it is made not of boards, but of slabs with tongue-and-groove joints with snaps, see fig. Therefore, it is possible to file the basement siding to size only at the corners, and the seam must be covered with a standard additional element. The basement siding is mounted on a horizontal sheathing made of wood or steel profile on hardware (screws).
Siding cladding is the least labor-intensive way to finish the base with stone at an acceptable cost; it also makes no difference whether the house is old or new. But the “law of free cheese” is adamant here too: serious problems with covering the base with siding are, firstly, damage to the sheathing, secondly, the accumulation of moisture in the cavities under the sheathing, and thirdly, the settlement of insects and rodents there. As a result, the cladding is not so cheap and simple due to the difficulties with the blind area.
The general installation diagram for basement siding is shown in Fig. below; drainage is highly desirable in fairly dry areas. Installation of basement siding is carried out after the blind area has been completely arranged. Deformation gaps of 10-15 mm are left at the bottom and top, which are foamed, sealed with plastic glue recommended by the manufacturer (for example, CM14) and covered with additional elements (plinth, cornice).
Basement siding installation diagram
However, each manufacturer of plinth siding struggles with the problems of its product in its own way, which, by the way, indicates that optimal solution Not yet. Therefore, if you choose siding for the plinth, then:
- Ask the supplier or search the manufacturer’s website for the material specification and make sure it suits your conditions (temperature range, annual precipitation, soil properties, plinth design and material, building design).
- Use extensions, sheathing material, fasteners and sealant of the recommended types.
- Follow the manufacturer's installation instructions exactly.
- In no case do not skimp on the starting and finishing bars: moisture, dirt, mice and spiders with their relatives are just waiting for that.
Panels and slabs
Finishing the base with panels is somewhat more complicated and more expensive than siding, but does not have its disadvantages, because There is no sheathing with its pockets; the panels are installed with glue. Metal composite panels, however, are mounted on the sheathing, but they are rarely used for finishing private houses because of their utilitarian appearance. Most often, the base is finished with facade thermal panels with clinker stone overlays and polyurethane insulation; they are quite suitable for this purpose. The paneled base looks no worse than under the siding. Thermal panels are mounted on the base in the same way as on the facade; surface leveling to an unevenness of 3 mm/m is required. Insulation is obtained automatically.
You can also find recommendations to finish the base with glass-magnesite plates (GMP), but this is far from the best option: GMP are fragile and have little resistance to abrasion and soil chemicals. On the outside at resorts, the facades of houses for rent are sometimes finished in a half-timbered style with high-quality SMP (on the right in the figure), but such cladding lasts for 10-15 years, and during this time it is necessary to make 2-3 cosmetic repairs.
Glass-magnesite panels (GMP)
In private construction, SMPs are sometimes used as permanent formwork towering strip foundation, which, in general, is good in all respects except the price. In this case, the SMP above the ground can be prepared for finishing, as described above, only the mesh fasteners need to be taken longer so that the screws sit in the base. And then natural stone and brick as finishing for the base disappear: under the weight, the cladding will peel off along with the plaster and mesh.
Tile
Tiling the base is a poor man's solution left over from Soviet times. The porous material absorbs moisture, and the glaze loses its appearance due to the appearance of microcracks and the impact of grains of sand. The plinth is finished with either clinker (terracotta) or porcelain tiles. Covering the basement of an existing house with tiles is technologically no different from that during the construction process, which is a definite advantage. But in both cases, the work is very labor-intensive and requires fairly high qualifications: base surface it is leveled and patched. Then the base is primed with a deep penetration primer. The tiles are placed on glue (layer - 2-3 mm) in sections 1-1.5 m long. Immediately, before the glue has set, the tiles are fixed with crosses or other dividers (see figure), otherwise the cladding will slip. Separators are also placed at the bottom; a gap of 10-12 mm is needed there, which is subsequently sealed with the same glue. The next section is coated after the glue on the previous one has hardened.
Tiling the plinth
Note: It is impossible to prepare the surface for tiles using the method described above (mesh + plaster), otherwise the lining will peel off.
If you still want to decorate your base with tiles (it looks rich, nothing can be said), then it is better to cover it with porcelain stoneware. Firstly, the hardness of porcelain stoneware is comparable to the hardness of sapphire and corundum; it doesn’t care about sand. Secondly, strong inorganic acids, except hydrofluoric and fluorine-antimony, do not affect porcelain stoneware. Thirdly, porcelain stoneware is produced in slabs up to 30x60 cm, so the work won’t be such a hassle. Fourthly, it is possible to split porcelain stoneware on a solid base and with a sufficiently elastic layer under the tile only with a shot from a rifled weapon; Buckshot fired from a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun from a distance of 15 m flattens and bounces. Fifthly, porcelain stoneware slabs are also available with a glossy surface, almost indistinguishable from polished stone. Sixth, due to the low TCR (thermal expansion coefficient), porcelain tiles on the plinth can be laid “without a seam”, i.e. with a seam 1-2 mm thick, which enhances the decorative effect.
And more about the stone
Let's look again at what types of stone are suitable for cladding the base. Yes, this is... a heavy boot! Fractionated broken stone is not cheap, but if you order a dump truck of solid rubble and sort through it yourself, you will find enough pieces to build a stone plinth, and, smaller ones, to later fill the recesses between large fragments. So, while building, as they say, tightly on a budget, also consider the option of a stone base. There is no need for cladding/finishing as such, but with 100% natural stone any house will look solid.
Base represents top part foundation and is done to protect the walls from soil moisture and precipitation, and insulate the entire house. You can protect the space under the floor in different ways, depending on the selected material. I offer several examples of how to decorate the basement of a house with your own hands and give it a unique look.
My friend is a scientist and loves free time learn new professions. He's building country house and helps me as a helper. The turn came to finishing the basement of his house. Among the rich selection of materials, Vadik could not give preference to one and asked to be an assistant. My team is small. During the season, I leave the office and put on work gloves. Now I have a helper who wants to do everything himself.
Purpose of finishing the base and basic technologies
The floor of the first floor is located at the border between the upper part of the foundation and the walls. The plinth partially protects the walls from moisture and the underground space from cold and dampness. This is not enough. For a comfortable atmosphere at home, it is necessary to provide additional protection to external surfaces. This type of finishing is especially important in the presence of a basement and basement rooms.
The basic operations to protect the foundation are the same for all types of finishing materials:
- Preparation of the base surface.
- Installation of finishing and additions.
- External processing: decoration and protection.
Preparation consists of cleaning the surface from dirt and leveling it. Places where the solution crumbles are removed. The finishing is installed directly on the surface or on the sheathing. External treatment with special compounds additionally protects the finish from moisture and frost.
Finishing with natural and artificial stone
Base lined with natural stone
Finishing the foundation with natural stone looks great on any building, with the exception of a wooden house. The luxury of the bottom and the simple walls of logs are incompatible in style and cost. Stone is a durable material with a unique pattern. It is difficult to do the work yourself without experience. So my friend helped me and watched.
Stone is the most expensive finishing material. It's difficult to attach. You cannot go on the surface of the base of a wooden house. The foundation is designed for low weight of the structure, and such weighting can destroy it. On other buildings, stone has advantages:
- beautiful view;
- strength;
- resistance to mechanical damage;
- moisture and frost resistance.
First, we cleaned the surface of the plinth from dirt. Then we walked wire brush, removing everything that fell freely. After that, Vadik walked around the perimeter of the house with a vacuum cleaner. You can simply sweep away small particles with a brush. On concrete surfaces it is necessary to make notches for good retention of the solution.
A high-quality artificial stone, made from natural ingredients, with proper care, can last 45-50 years.
Using a level and a cord, we cut out a horizontal line indicating the top of the trim. The lower edge can be left uneven; it will be covered with a blind area.
Natural and artificial stone are attached in the same way, using cement glue. You can use a regular solution and make a complex one protective coating. It does not have additional components that make it resistant to moisture and frost. For better adhesion, the base of the house can be sprayed with water shortly before applying the solution.
Vadik diluted the prepared adhesive mixture with water. He helped me apply it to the surface of the foundation. I laid the stone starting from the top line. When finishing with smooth slabs of artificial and natural stone, you can lay them out from below, marking each row. The base looks good with a flat top. It is also easier to protect it from rain by low tides.
After 3 days we came to this house again. The finish was dry and we needed to finish the job. Now Vadik applied colored sealant to the seams with his own hands. Covered the entire surface of the stone with a water-repellent compound. Now moisture and frost are not dangerous for the foundation of the house. The ebb tides were fixed on top along the perimeter.
Laying clinker tiles
Clinker tiles create the appearance of brickwork. Foundation finishing looks good when the rows are straight. After preparing the surface, we marked horizontal lines for each row. They did not wet it. Glue is applied to back side tiles And sticks to the base. To create the appearance of overlap, we started the rows with corner elements alternately with the short and long sides.
When doing the finishing yourself, remember that you need to dilute the glue a little. It hardens quickly, 20 - 30 minutes. For myself, I do it immediately based on 2 square meters. Vadik made the first portion 4 times smaller. Then, as he acquired skills, he increased it. I immediately remove any excess mortar protruding between the tiles. The next day we arrived and cleaned up the seams on the foundation and covered them with contrasting paint. The clinker tiles themselves do not absorb moisture and are resistant to frost. IN additional protection only needs glue.
Polymer sand panels are easy to attach
After finishing the base with stone and clinker tiles, my friend and I installed the polymer sand panels on the foundation in a day.
- The base was covered with a protective compound.
- Done wooden sheathing, placing the slats vertically.
- We filled the space between the slats with mineral wool.
- The panels were mounted on the frame.
- The joints were sealed.
- Covered with a water-repellent composition.
We were finishing the foundation of a wooden house. The surface must be protected from destruction by bark beetles and other insects. There are special formulations for this. Polymer sand panels are durable and flexible at the same time. Their cost is significantly lower than that of artificial stone and clinker. For the owners, solving the problem, how to decorate the base inexpensively, this is a convenient option. Especially if you do it yourself.
If insulation is not done, then polymer sand panels can be glued directly to the surface of the foundation. They are fixed to each other using protrusions and lowerings under them, and snap into place like buttons. The material is easily cut with an abrasive disc. They are attached to the surface of the base and walls of the house with glue and self-tapping screws.
Siding with insulation
To protect and insulate the house, siding with insulation is used. For a wooden house, it is good to finish the foundation and walls at the same time. A correctly selected combination of panels will change the appearance of the building, turning it into luxury house. Siding will protect it from destruction.
We started by treating the surface of the facade. Everything was cleaned and coated with a protective compound. Then they made the sheathing. Using a level, we drew a horizon line from the top point of the soil near the foundation. Then, parallel to it, the dividing line between the base and the walls. Checked the level. We marked vertical lines for racks less than a meter wide. The work is simple and requires attention. Anyone can do everything with their own hands.
Attached to the walls according to the markings wooden slats. The space between them was filled with insulation. A film was stretched over the top to allow moisture to drain when dew formed. The starting profile for finishing the foundation was screwed to the bottom rail with self-tapping screws. A J-profile was installed at the corners.
We started installing the panels from the lower left corner. The bottom part was inserted into the groove and the top was screwed to the sheathing posts. Last, on the plinth, were installed the corner elements. The edges were hidden under the extensions.
Any homeowner sooner or later is faced with the fact that it is time to repair or simply improve the building of their home or office. When choosing materials for the facade and roof, we must not forget about such an important element of the structure as the base. Its finishing needs to be taken care of separately, but naturally, it should be combined with the overall appearance, style and materials. There can be several options for installing a plinth: flush with the wall of the building, protruding and recessed - the choice of finishing material and application technology will also depend on its original structure.
Base finishing options
To date, construction companies, who carry out turnkey repairs, offer several options for finishing the base:
- plaster,
- mosaic plaster,
- brick,
- clinker tiles,
- natural stone
- artificial stone,
- professional sheet
Now let’s figure out how to choose the cladding for the plinth and what each of the materials is.
Naturally, such a ubiquitous material as plaster cannot but be used in finishing the basement sections of the facade. A plastered plinth will look beautiful and stylish if you choose the right type of material that successfully complements the style of the building, and, of course, its application is done well.
This material is strong enough to provide external protection to the building. But, it is clear that it will not be able to compete with stone or siding trim in terms of durability. However, it is worth noting that in conditions of high atmospheric humidity, exposure ultraviolet rays And chemical corrosion, plaster, as a finishing material, has shown itself to be quite worthy. And as for the breadth of assortment, plaster will probably be the first among all other finishes.
The variety of types, textures and shades suitable for finishing the base is simply amazing. In any hardware store, there are at least the most common ones on the shelves:
- structural,
You can use classic textures, or you can add a little bit of your imagination to the finishing and get a unique, original design. As for shades, in addition to the available dyes - there is also a huge selection of them, you can order professional tinting in exactly the shade you dream of.
IN lately plastering the base “like a stone” is gaining popularity. This is natural - the craze for finishing with stone, natural or artificial, has led to all sorts of ways to reduce the cost and simplify finishing work.
It goes without saying that imitating stone with plaster is much more economical and faster than laying natural stone.
The most common types of stone design plaster are imitation marble, granite or sandstone. Latex-based plasters can additionally provide an “antique” effect - cracked stone. In the same way, you can create visual analogues of other materials - wood, timber, pebbles and many others.
The advantages of plaster as a finishing material for cladding the base are obvious:
- Easy to apply. Even textured decorative plasters can be applied independently without any special skills in construction work.
- There is no need to use special construction tools or equipment. Plasters are sold both in dry form, where you just need to add water and stir the solution, and in the form of a ready-to-use mixture.
- The widest range of colors, textures, application options– all the types of plasters and designs that can be obtained with their help are even difficult to describe in one article.
- Plaster is easy to adjust or fix. Perhaps this is one of the easiest materials to repair. Moreover, you can do this, again, with your own hands.
- Well, and undoubtedly, the advantage is price of this material.
In addition to its advantages, plaster also has understandable disadvantages. Among them it is worth noting:
- Not particularly high coating strength. Yes, this material can protect from external influences, however, it is significantly inferior to others possible options finishes that are much more reliable.
- Not durable. No matter how competently the plaster is done, even if the application technology is strictly followed, the plastered surface will not last as long as marble, and this should not be expected.
Plaster, despite its significant shortcomings, has been used for a long time to finish the basement of buildings; it looks beautiful and harmoniously combines with other finishing materials. And given its low cost, it can be updated as it wears out.
The material itself, mosaic plaster, is, roughly speaking, a mixture of crumbs and resin. Modern plasters produced at acrylic resin, which has wonderful plastic and strength characteristics. This makes mosaic plaster not only beautiful, but also durable material for finishing the basement of a house.
The crumb can be of different sizes. There are three types of fraction sizes: small, medium and large. Which one to choose is determined by the buyer at his own discretion and based on the overall design of the building’s decoration.
Before finishing, the base is also prepared in the standard way: cleaning from dust, priming. If there are no too noticeable irregularities, then there is no need to level them - plaster will do this.
Mosaic plaster is sold in a ready-to-use form. It is usually packaged in plastic buckets of various sizes. The mixture has the desired consistency and shade. When purchasing material, always try to calculate it as accurately as possible. required quantity and provide a small reserve. Pay attention to the batch number and production date - different batches may have different colors, which will be very noticeable on the finished base.
There is nothing complicated in applying plaster; even people who do not have finishing skills can cope with this task. Plaster is usually applied with a metal trowel; it is important to maintain the thickness of the layer and apply the material in one direction so that strokes are not noticeable.
If you decide to entrust the finishing to professionals, they will most likely prefer an automated application method - by spraying. Application this way is much faster and easier, but, naturally, not everyone has a sprayer.
Mosaic plaster can last for a long time without changing its appearance. This is a beautiful, durable and comfortable finish for a plinth. It does not require any maintenance and retains its appearance throughout the entire period of use.
Without unnecessary exaggeration, this is the most common type of basement finishing for residential buildings.
- Firstly, brick plinth- it is durable, beautiful and goes well with other materials.
- Secondly, which is important for home craftsmen, it is quite possible to do it with your own hands.
- Well, and thirdly, brick is probably one of the most low-maintenance building materials, therefore, having completed high-quality finishing just once, you can confidently expect it to last for many years.
As a last resort, if some part of the masonry becomes unusable, it can be partially replaced and general view will not suffer from this.
The brick base is frost-resistant and at the same time, it is not afraid of the scorching rays of the sun. This is also an undoubted advantage of the material and makes it accessible to any region of our country.
Also, due to the growing demand for environmentally friendly materials, it should be noted that brick is just one of them - it is completely harmless to human health and the environment. Modern manufacturers bricks boast decent equipment and quality materials. On the shelves of construction hypermarkets you can find many varieties of bricks - for every taste and imagination of the buyer.
The last priority advantage brick finishing plinth, you can call its low cost - compared to other materials, this one is perhaps the most budget-friendly, but at the same time its appearance is not inferior to others.
Finishing the base with clinker tiles is visually no different from finishing with brick. But, of course, much cheaper and easier to implement.
Before finishing work begins, the base of the plinth must be thoroughly cleaned of dust and dirt; if this is not done, the adhesive mixture will be unevenly applied, which may cause the tiles to fall off. The base on which the clinker tiles will be laid must be smooth and strong - if there are cracks or damage on it, they must be repaired in advance, the same applies to uneven surfaces - they must be leveled, otherwise the tiles simply cannot be laid in an even layer. Immediately before starting installation, it is advisable to prime the base well special solution– primer. This will reduce glue consumption and improve its adhesive properties.
The tiles must be laid strictly according to the level, otherwise the rows may not be even, which will be visually very noticeable and will require labor-intensive rework. They always start from the bottom row, and only after laying it along the entire perimeter of the building do they begin the next one - and so on.
A steel float is perfect for gluing tiles. Apply glue to the base with its smooth side, and then run the side with the teeth over the solution - this way you get required thickness for gluing tiles, and the relief surface will allow the tile to be more firmly fixed to the wall.
The last stage is grouting the joints between the tiles. The grout must be selected in accordance with the parameters of use, namely: resistant to moisture and temperature changes. Such a product will not be cheap, however, its effectiveness will pay off in the very first winter.
Clinker tiles are often used to finish the basement precisely because of their great similarity to brickwork. It can also be used either fully or partially - to finish only the base, the corners of the building, or to highlight any elements of the building.
Cladding the base with natural stone
Of course: beautiful, expensive, natural. It is impossible to argue with the statement that a plinth made of natural stone looks very elegant and can complement, or even decorate, the overall appearance of the facade.
When planning stone finishing, be sure to pay attention to its quality - the durability and strength of the base will depend on this.
In this case, several types of stone can be used:
- River stone. Not only does it have a beautiful appearance, but it will also perform well when interacting with atmospheric phenomena. River and sea natural stone contains a large amount of mineral salts, which makes it practically invulnerable to precipitation, snow or ice.
- Limestone. The stone is quite durable and at the same time, not particularly expensive.
- Marble. Naturally, this is a very expensive pleasure, but if you consider how durable and resistant the material is to any type of impact - both mechanical and atmospheric - then its wave quality justifies its cost. Moreover, you won’t need much of it to finish the base.
Whatever type of stone you use, you can immediately highlight the advantages of this finish:
- Naturalness. Accordingly, it is completely environmentally friendly pure material, safe for health.
- Durability. Stone finishes can maintain their appearance for centuries. This is especially true for marble, river or sea stone.
- Unique design– nature itself did its best by painting the stones; their unique texture and coloring are certainly capable of decorating any construction project. By finishing the base with natural stone, you will provide the building with a spectacular appearance.
The advantages of natural stone are obvious even to an amateur in construction work, however, it also has disadvantages, which you also need to be aware of when planning the finishing of the base.
- Finishing the base with natural stone must be done after the house has completely settled. Since, as already mentioned, stone is one of the most durable materials, it is not able to undergo virtually any surface tension. Hence the simple conclusion - finishing the base with natural stone will be done correctly only after the building has completely settled. Naturally, this is impossible for a new building - since shrinkage can occur over a long period of time - here everything will depend on the type of soil and the building itself. Otherwise, as it settles, the base, finished with natural stone, will develop unattractive cracks, and the material may spontaneously fall off.
- The second important drawback also follows smoothly from the advantage of the stone - its weight. Anyone can understand that a plinth made of natural stone is not only beautiful and durable, but also very heavy. And not every facade can safely withstand such weight. Professional construction companies, when planning the installation of a stone plinth, always calculate the strength characteristics of the building and its ability to withstand such loads.
- The third disadvantage will simply be the cost of this natural material , especially with regard to marble, river or sea stone - these varieties, unfortunately, are expensive, and not every homeowner can afford them.
Natural stone is not only a strong and durable finish, it is beautiful, elegant and expensive - both in the literal, financial sense, and in the figurative - visual sense. Of course, it makes no sense to combine such material with frankly cheap wall decoration - stone is quite demanding in terms of general concept finishing.
Finishing the basement of a house with artificial stone
Naturally, given the high cost of natural stone, the construction market has found a way out for more economical buyers. In this case, it is an artificial stone. In appearance, it is almost completely identical to natural stone - it can repeat the texture of the stone, even taking into account its variety - river, sea, marble, and so on.
Thanks to the progress that has made great strides in the construction industry, artificial stone made from concrete, with the help of special dyes, acquires a color similar to natural stone.
Artificial stone is sold in various sizes– you can choose large or small stones, depending on the design project of the building and your taste. You can choose regularly shaped or shapeless stones. In any case, when choosing an artificial stone, you need to pay attention to its quality - the material must be made carefully and be as similar as possible to its natural counterpart.
The artificial stone is laid on a regular or special adhesive solution, having previously cleaned the base from dirt. The seams are filled with mortar and jointed, like brickwork.
The main advantage of artificial stone is that its cost is several times lower than that of natural stone. Externally, it looks impressive, given the large assortment of colors, textures and shapes, but the price is at least three times lower.
However, this material also has a significant drawback - its low durability compared to natural stone. In order to somehow increase the resource of finishing with artificial stone and extend its presentation, after it has been laid and fully secured, the finished base is treated with special strengthening solutions - this event allows you to extend the life of the finish by four to five years.
Currently, perhaps, one of the most common finishes is both for the walls of the house and its base. This popularity is ensured by the availability of the material, its the widest range- V construction hypermarkets siding panels are presented in huge quantities, their color and texture can satisfy the most demanding customers.
Siding has long been widely used in European countries for finishing buildings, and in recent years it has flooded our market. The demand for this material in the coming decades is due to its clear advantages over others:
- Siding is the easiest material to repair. That is, if suddenly there is a need to replace some part of the area finished with siding, then doing this is not problematic - the main thing is to have the same material - from the same batch as the one being replaced. The best solution here is to simply buy a little more of it, so that you then have something to replace it with.
- The material is very light weight. When planning its installation, you do not need to calculate the load on the foundation, since it is completely insignificant. Siding can be used for finishing without thinking about the strength of the walls of the building as a whole.
- To install siding, a simple design is required– it’s easy to do, and the most interesting thing is that, using such a frame, you can lay insulation inside, significantly reducing the heat loss of the building. A device of this design allows the use of various types of insulation - from elementary to the most modern, and in such a way that it will not be visually noticeable in its finished form.
- Siding has excellent performance properties : it can easily withstand any atmospheric conditions - precipitation, wind, frost and high temperature without changing its properties or appearance. Some sellers of construction hypermarkets dissuade buyers from siding, citing the fact that, when exposed to direct sunlight, the colored types of this material can fade. Actually this is not true. Only material can fade in the sun low quality or not intended for use in such conditions.
- A variety of textures and shades of siding. Of course, one cannot fail to note the variety of textures and shades of siding presented on the shelves of modern stores. Manufacturers produce siding that imitates stone, board, or any natural materials, its shade can be very diverse. This is exactly the type of material that can be easily matched to absolutely any façade style.
- Easy care. Elementarily simple care finished finishing is also an important advantage. No special means or measures are needed - the siding is easily cleaned of dust and dirt with ordinary water.
- Ease of installation. Finally, for handymen, the most important advantage of this material will be ease of installation. It is quite possible to install siding yourself, having only superficial knowledge of construction or finishing work.
For all its undeniable advantages, siding, like any other material, cannot but have disadvantages. They are:
- Weak strength against mechanical damage. Unfortunately, such a convenient material in every sense can be easily damaged even without hitting it particularly hard. This is especially true in the case of finishing the base - since it is precisely in the area of the most frequent mechanical damage.
- When installing siding panels, it is necessary to take into account that the seams between them are rubbed with a special compound– this will make them invisible.
- By itself, siding is a thin and cold material. That is, if you do not plan to use it for it, think carefully about whether it is enough warm building you will receive after the repair.
Despite its shortcomings, siding continues to be a popular finishing material today. It is used in a variety of cases, including for finishing the base - this option goes well with siding finishing the entire facade, as well as with other types.
Convenient and practical material for finishing many construction projects, including the basement of a house. As you know, the base must be protected as reliably as possible from moisture, precipitation, sunlight, and the like. natural influences. - metal shaped sheet, thickness from 0.5 to 0.9 mm - excellent for installing such protection.
Profiled sheets can be offered for sale in various options in width, the height is usually two meters. To finish the base, as a rule, an ordinary wall corrugated sheet is used; it is designated PS-8, PS-10, S-8 and S-10. You should also pay attention to the color options; this material is presented in about fifty shades.
But it is worth considering that different manufacturers They paint their products differently, therefore, you need to buy this material at a time, from one batch - otherwise, there may be problems with the different colors of the finished finish.
The corrugated appearance of the corrugated sheet can be used as a design move by placing the sheet both vertically and horizontally and even diagonally to the main facade of the building.
Since the corrugated sheet is attached to a specially constructed frame made of a U-shaped profile, it is usually used in some form to increase the thermal insulation characteristics of the building.
Among the obvious advantages of profiled sheets, the following should be noted:
- Good strength characteristics. Metal sheet is reliable and dignified, you don’t have to worry about atmospheric phenomena.
- Quite an interesting look– the main thing is to successfully select the rest finishing materials, harmoniously combining the corrugated sheet with the appearance of the entire building as a whole.
- Resistant to corrosion– does not rust, since the corrugated sheet is sold painted or galvanized.
- Fairly affordable price.
The disadvantages of the profiled sheet are:
- Low heat resistance. The corrugated sheet itself is cold and without a special insulation system, it is not advisable to use it.
- Not suitable for every building style. Profiled sheet is, one might say, a minimalist design that needs to be carefully combined with other materials.
Profiled sheet – modern and original way There are not many types of finishing for the base, but still, from the range of colors available, you can choose exactly what you need. As for durability and strength, its properties are excellent.
The finish for the plinth must first of all be durable, so it is worth choosing a material that will be reliable and durable, while taking into account the current climatic condition operation. Secondly, the basement decoration decides a lot in the overall appearance of the building; an incorrectly selected color or texture can visually ruin the rest of the façade.
Therefore, it is important to take into account the compatibility of the material for finishing the basement with the overall house. Both shades and relief are important here - they should harmonize or be contrasting. A small but significant factor is also the style of the building. If this is a classic, then there is no need to decorate the base with colored corrugated sheets, and if we are talking about asceticism, then natural granite would be inappropriate here. These are, of course, more subtle nuances, but it is also advisable to pay attention to them, showing a sense of taste and proportion properly.
Currently, the construction market is so diverse that there is plenty to choose from. The most available various materials, and in your own way appearance, both in terms of characteristics and cost. The choice is yours!