Stone floorings differ in shape and complexity. They can vary from wide and elegant to simplistic trodden paths. Multiple can be found in one and the same area. The most impressive ones are the well-arranged slabs of natural stone, with shaped and regular joints.
Preparation for Stone Flooring
Before you install the stone flooring, please, be clear about the area which the plates will cover, the exact length and width of those areas/paths. The easiest way for you would be to prepare a draft beforehand, even if quite simple. Then you should choose the right kind of stone.
Choice of Stone for Flooring
There are many types of natural stones available on the market and suitable for floorings – granite, limestone, gneiss, sandstone. The best choice is the gneiss from Ivaylovgrad. It is the most resistant to change and adds to the beauty of the pavers.
In addition to its appearance, its thickness is also important. For maximum quality, please, choose a medium thick stone; this is the type of gneiss most suited for floorings. The thinnest gneiss is suitable for facings, and the thickest– for masonry.
Please, comply in advance with the recommendations when choosing the stone for floorings. First, calculate how many square meters you need to cover with gneiss from Ivaylovgrad; then, please, buy additional quantity to make sure that even if somewhere you make a mistake, you can enough gneiss to correct it. It is best to buy it all at once, not at several times, because if the stone pallets turn out to be out of stock, for example, you will have to wait or buy similar ones; at the end, this will either lengthen the process, or the final result will not be exactly what you imagined.
Preparation for Arranging the Gneiss’ Slabs
Before you start arranging the slabs, please, prepare the area. In addition to the stones, you will need sand and felt. The drainage is extremely important, and for excellent leveling, you should use sand.
Another option is to pour the concrete, and to line the tile-stones above. This further increases the strength of the rocks.
Installation
After transferring the dimensions from the plan to the actual working area, please determine the incline and afterwards, place the first plate. Cover the corners of the area first; to ensure their strength of the stones, please, use cement.
Then, using a long, thin and tight rope, please, calculate the angle of the slope (if there is one). To tilt the plates to the left, for example, every right plate must be placed higher than its corresponding left one. Also, determine the horizontal plane using a spirit level. With the help of hammer, then, please, strengthen and stabilize the plates.
Lining of the Gneiss
If you want strong and beautiful flooring, it is good to line the Ivaylovgrad gneiss’ slabs at equal distance and maximally close. Each plate must be smeared, glued and permanently stabilized with the aid of a hammer. While arranging them, it is better to regularly check the slope with the aid of a spirit level.
Lining with the proper joint ensures a final satisfactory appearance. Please, don’t be in a hurry; take caution to enjoy the desired result at the end.
Completion of the Work
After the gneiss is arranged completely, enclose the place with some signs, such as wooden boards on top, so that no one walks on the gneiss’ slabs at least one day. The next day, please sweep and wash the area and you already have a beautiful natural-stone flooring for your garden or yard.
