When we have to choose a cladding material, we must comply with several factors. Of course, the first is the price. But in addition to it, we must take into account the strength and durability of the cladding material, especially when lining a wall plinth. Also it is important how easy it is to clean.
Strength and resilience are paramount
When choosing a cladding material, the savings from buying a cheaper material can be very expensive in the long run. The strength of the cladding is important because it is constantly exposed to external conditions. And the plinth is closest to the ground and therefore exposed to atmospheric conditions to the greatest extent.
The-temperature changes adversely reflect unstable materials and as a result, cracks and breakage occur.
Cleaning the plinth
Because it is located at the base of the walls, the plinth gets dirty most easily and quickly. Cheaper materials are easily soiled, absorb splashes , drops, which are easy to clean and require the use of detergents. And the preparations damage the material of the plinth.
When calculating the required material, you must also take into account the required height of the plinth
If you are going to line a house located in a settlement on a lower level, the height of the plinth should be about 30-40 cm,. If you need to provide a material for lining the plinth for a home located in a mountainous area, where snowfall is frequent and abundant, you must provide a height of the plinth of at least 1 meter.
Gneiss – the best choice for plinth cladding
The plinth is part of the overall cladding and should be attractive. The strength of the cladding material is also important. The strength of the gneiss from Ivaylovgrad is very high, as everyone who has already used this material for cladding knows.
- Strength
This is one of the main advantages of gneiss . The strength of Ivaylovgrad stone in both dry and water-soaked condition is exceptional: for dry condition it is 129.3, for the upper limit 130, and for the water-soaked condition – 136.1 at the upper limit 150.
- Resistance to temperature changes and chemical influences
Resistance to sudden temperature changes and chemical influences, as well as easy cleaning, is also criteria that gneiss meets. The samples taken from gneiss from Valmarg Stone for freezing and checking its frost resistance were performed according to BDS 11485-73. After freezing, the appearance of the gneiss material does not change, which shows its excellent strength. In practice, its service life is unlimited.
- Water resistance
The plinth is constantly exposed to the action of mud pollution formed during precipitation, as well as to pollution. Gneiss does not absorb water due to its low porosity – 0.032, and this is another advantage that makes it suitable for exterior plinth cladding.
- Natural beauty
Last but not least, we must emphasize that gneiss is a natural material, which makes the plinth with which it is lined more attractive. It is no coincidence that natural materials are increasingly being preferred for cladding, flooring and furniture.
Both color variants of Ivaylovgrad gneiss – golden beige and silver gray, are beautiful and universal. They are suitable for plinth cladding in combination with other colors of cladding materials.