If you have decided to make facing with stone a wall, staircase, columns, fireplaces or other parts of the interior or the exterior of your home, your best choice would be cut stone from Ivaylovgrad – due to its excellent physical and mechanical properties of strength and durability, which are the biggest advantages of Ivaylovgrad’s gneiss.
The first reason to do this is that its proper forms allow easier mounting. You do not waste time for arrangement, so everything happens quickly and easily.
Another reason to choose cut stones is the fact that you can use all quantity without losing material in cutting and clippings.
Quality, strength and beauty of cut stones are in fact one of the main reasons why they are so wanted and preferred these days for facing of homes and public buildings.
What is needed if you decid to use cut stone:
Most suitable for this purpose are cut stones from Ivaylovgrad’s gneiss, matching the desired size and color. Cut stones are sold in sizes from 10 to 30 mm in width and free length. You could buy either narrower or wider stones in order to rotate and arrange them in different figural compositions according to your preferences. Their length can be easily adjusted in order to use the clipping.
For bonding of stone cladding you need cement glue, which is sold in powder form dissolved to the desired consistency with water, ensuring there are no lumps. Select glue which can withstand higher loads. Consider density by placing glue on the stone – it should not leak, but at the same time be flexible and not rigid like lumps.
You need two trowels – one about 30 mm wide for applying the glue on the cut stones and other – 8 mm wide for applying the grout.
For cleaning the remnants of glue or grout on the surface of the cut stones you’ll need a wet rag and brush with stiff hairs or metal brush.
You have to buy grout or mortar for grouting after you have glued the cut stones. Since joints are usually small, the use of grouts is an expensive option. If you want something cheaper you could make grout solution by mixing fine sand and cement. You should know that in this case the color of the joint is grey and if you want to change the color in the beginning so not to paint it later, you could add paint to the mixture in order to obtain the desired color.
To give greater luster and brightness characteristic color of the stone from Ivaylovgrad and also to protect gneiss from harmful external influences and wear, it should be polished after loading. In shops you can buy special stone polish which is colorless and water-based. It’s not as shiny as the usual one but truly after polishing the stones stand better without unpleasant impose with fake glamour.
Installing of stone cladding is not difficult and everyone can try, especially if the first placement is not at important and very visible place in the home. With time and practice you will find yourself the ins and outs and will improve.
So if you have a good idea and inspiration don’t be afraid to experiment. The result will surely satisfy and inspire your further decisions on finishes with cut stone.