How to decorate an arch with decorative stone. Decorating arches and doorways with decorative stone. Materials for creating the structure

Interior arches are very original way decorate your interior. An arched doorway always attracts, some have an association with a triumphal arch, for others it is the entrance to a grotto or a mysterious cave. Anyone who makes an arched opening in his apartment receives comfort and a visual expansion of the space. But it is very important to design such arches correctly.

Eat different ways arch finishing: , forging. But none of the mentioned methods will look as natural and unobtrusive as decorating an arch with decorative stone. Firstly, there is different types stone for every taste, and with the help of each of them you can create a beautiful, unique interior. Secondly, the stone has a number of advantages, and the first of them are reliability and durability.

In this publication, “Dream House” offers to see what interior arches made of stone look like in the interiors of apartments and houses, as well as how beautifully and originally they can be decorated, so that the result is an interesting design object.

Ways to decorate arches with stone

Decorating interior arches with decorative stone is used quite often in modern interiors. This type of decoration allows you to realize many design ideas. For example:

using granite-like stone in the shape of a brick, the arch is stylized as the entrance to a castle or cave;
an arch framed with blue-green, light stones looks like the entrance to a grotto or underwater world;
There is also a completely unusual solution - stylized as a dragon’s mouth, this option is suitable for a children’s room, especially if it lives there.

Arch made of decorative stone photo

Interior arches made of stone photo

And that's not all possible options finishing arches with decorative stone, but all these techniques often require additional decoration.

Lighting and flowers: additional decoration of stone arches

First of all, do not forget about such additional ways decorating, like the use of light and plants. You cannot do without vegetation when the arch is stylized as an entrance to the underwater world. It will not be superfluous in other cases.

The arched doorway is illuminated and gives mystery and solemnity. In soft light, the “green” arch will look like an aquarium. And you certainly can’t do without using light in the case of the “dragon’s head.”

Arch finishing artificial stone photo

How to decorate an arch with decorative stone

Arch made of decorative stone: only advantages

It is worth dwelling once again on the advantages of decorative stone and emphasizing that it has practically no disadvantages. The artificial material from which it consists is not subject to corrosion and rotting, and will not suffer from fungal diseases. In short, it is very reliable.

Lovers of natural materials need not worry, because decorative stone consists of cement, pumice, expanded clay and other environmentally friendly fillers. Pumice is a volcanic glass formed when flowing lava quickly cools. The gas released in this case leaves large depressions inside, making the pumice frost-resistant, giving it valuable properties as a heat insulator. Expanded clay is fired clay balls or slate. Perlite is again a material of volcanic origin.

A reasonable question may arise: why is real natural stone not used? The answer is simple: even if the customer has enough material resources to purchase natural stone, then it is not a fact that it is suitable for an arched opening. Not every foundation (wall) can withstand the weight of such cladding - natural stone is very heavy. For example, granite is 3 times heavier than decorative stone.

It is worth mentioning some more advantages of finishing an arch with decorative stone:

It is very easy to care for artificial stone: just washing it with any non-abrasive detergent is enough.
Manufacturers of decorative stone have mastered their production so well that it has become possible to create a stone that imitates any natural one. Moreover, similarity is achieved not only in color, but also in texture.
And the process of laying stone is so simple that, if desired, it is quite possible to handle the finishing of the arch yourself.

Decorating arches with decorative stone photo

How to lay an arch with decorative stone

Stone arch in the apartment

Decorating the arch with decorative stone photo

People who prefer finishing with decorative stone, as a rule, do not stop at just one arch for the simple reason that the result is stunning. To enhance the effect, you can use individual elements of the arch to decorate the interior of the room. The imagination of designers is limitless, because decorative stone is very convenient, and in skillful hands it becomes a multifunctional material for creating any interior. And if you really want originality, then decorating the arch with decorative stone will certainly help solve this problem!

Decorative stone is an excellent material for finishing both building facades and interiors. This material is easy to process, cut and drill.
He is easy to work with. However, to obtain an aesthetically good result, it is necessary to strictly follow the cladding technology.

Tools

First, let's prepare the tool.
You will need:

Construction mixer
Building level
Cutting machine or cutting machine
Putty knife
Bucket
Metal brush
Paint brushes
Rubber mallet
Trowel
Construction tape
Grout syringe
Household spray bottle
Wooden or plastic wedges of the same thickness

Consumables – making the right choice

You will also need consumables:

Adhesive for decorative stone

Our advice is when purchasing glue, carefully read what is written on its packaging. The instructions must accurately indicate its properties.
For gluing decorative stones of different weights, there are different types of glue. Therefore, first choose a decorative stone that suits you, then buy glue, and not vice versa.
Price plays a role in this case minor role, main quality.

Decorative stone suggests that in addition to laying stone on a vertical surface, you will also need to cover the vault. In this case, a pull-out force will constantly act on the glued stone.
Therefore, following all recommendations for choosing the right glue is especially important.

Important - when carrying out work on installing decorative stone at ambient temperatures below +5 degrees, it is necessary to use a certain brand of glue. Consider all this when choosing.

You will also need:

Grout of a suitable color
Primer

Our reference is a water repellent, a water-repellent composition for concrete.

Small addition. Many may have a question: what is the difference between hydrophobization and waterproofing?

The fact is that when waterproofing the walls are protected from moisture, but in turn they do not breathe. Hydrophobization not only protects walls from moisture, but also allows them to breathe.

Decorative stone finishing

Step one - surface preparation

The first and very important stage is competent and correct surface preparation.

Before laying decorative stone on the wall, it is necessary to carry out preliminary preparations:

Remove remnants of old whitewash, paint or wallpaper
The walls must be leveled using putty
Prime the wall and arch. The primer holds together small particles of the wall and on such a surface any finish holds stronger

Our information is that primers for all surfaces are currently on sale. Choose what you need based on the material of your walls.

Concrete walls, especially monolithic ones, must be treated with a special adhesive primer “Betonokontakt”. At elevated temperatures or high humidity of the surrounding air, it is recommended to moisten the back side of the decorative stone with water.

Drywall arch - rules for stone finishing

Someone might be interested in how to decorate a plasterboard arch with decorative stone:

When laying decorative stone on drywall, it is recommended to use light grades of stone.
In addition, decorative stone can only be laid on gypsum boards indoors.
If yours is under a canopy and outdoors, you cannot cover it with decorative stone.

The surface of moisture-resistant gypsum board must be treated with a primer, after which it is necessary to allow the sheet to dry. Only after this can you begin installation.
It is convenient to apply the primer using a roller. At the same time, do not forget to prime both the outer and inner surfaces of the arch.

Proper preparation of stone tiles for laying

Do not rush to lay decorative tiles right away:

Mix stone from different packages.
Next, lay the stone on the floor.
Select the position of individual stones so that its texture looks as advantageous as possible.

For example, distribute it according to the shades of the color difference or place short and long elements in the masonry so that the stonework looks more natural.

Checking the stone - what is important to know

Before laying, make sure that there is no thin foamy layer, the so-called cement laitance, on the back of the tile.
If you find it, you need to clean the back with a wire brush. Do it.

Our information is that the presence of cement laitance significantly impairs adhesion. Your tile will simply fall off.

In a bucket, strictly following the instructions on the package, dilute the glue. Using a mixer, mix it thoroughly.
The mixture should be homogeneous:

Using a spatula, apply a layer of adhesive to the wall where the tiles are installed.
Also apply a layer of adhesive mass on the back side of the stone with a spatula.
Each layer, whether on a wall or on a tile, should be 5 – 10 mm.

Our advice is not to apply too thick a layer of glue, as this may cause the decorative stone to slide off the wall.

Important - the glue must completely cover the back side of the tile without voids. This recommendation also applies to the wall, on which glue is also applied. Everything should be covered in an even layer.

Internal voids can lead to the formation of condensation inside the masonry.

We lay the stone ourselves - competently and efficiently

So:

Place the tile in the desired location and press lightly.
Next, use a building level and a rubber mallet to level the stone.
Move it from side to side until it fits well against the wall.

Our advice is that finishing arches with decorative stone requires high-quality masonry. Therefore, during installation, tap the surface of the stone with the handle of a screwdriver.
This way you can determine if there are voids inside. If they are found, the stone must be dismantled, the glue cleaned off and re-installed.

Additionally, tap the surface of the stone with a mallet. If any glue comes out around the edges, remove it with a spatula.

At the same time, if there is glue left on the ends of the stone, you should not remove it, this way you will achieve better adhesion of the stone not only to the wall, but also to each other. Finishing arches with decorative stone in an apartment (see) precisely presupposes high-quality adhesion of the tiles to each other.

Masonry with jointing

There are two types of laying artificial stone:

With jointing
No seams

Decorating the arch with decorative stone with jointing is one of interesting options design. If you need just such a laying, you need to use wooden or plastic wedges during the laying process.
Select wedges of the thickness you require. After the glue has dried, the wedges can be removed and the seams can begin.
Joining the seams of decorative stone is an equally important stage of work when finishing an arch or just a wall with decorative stone. The entire final result of such painstaking work depends on its competent and careful execution.

Grouting joints

The gaps between decorative stones should be filled with a special grout using a syringe.

So:

Fill the syringe with grout solution
Squeeze it out slowly and carefully fill all the seams.
It is recommended to fill the joints with grout so that it goes 3 - 4 mm inside the outer edge of the stone. This way you will achieve a pronounced relief of the masonry.
If you need to get a smoothed texture of the masonry, you can fill the joint with grout at the same level as the face of the stone.

After the solution begins to set, this is about 30 minutes, it must be smoothed out with a spatula or a special shaped spatula for jointing.

Our reference is that the time range we indicated is 30 minutes.
It all depends on the specific grout you purchased. Read the instructions carefully and carry out all work according to the manufacturer's instructions.

There is a large selection of grouts on sale that imitate the color and texture of real mortar. You can choose the grout different color and shade, according to your taste and the requirements of the intended design.

We cover the arch - “correct” chips

In an apartment, using decorative stone means that the stone will need to be cut to the required size. Many may have a question: how to decorate an arch with decorative stone without finishing the walls with stone?
It is necessary to understand that a cut, smooth edge of a stone at the junction of masonry and a smooth, unlined wall will not look entirely natural and beautiful.

A more acceptable result would be when the stone laid along the edges will have various chips. This will create the impression of naturalness and the effect will be more natural.

Decorative chips are quite easy to make using sawing and cutting tools.
To perform the correct chipping you must proceed as follows:

Using a knife, outline the main outlines of the future chip
All excess is bit off using pliers

Our advice is that you shouldn’t try to bite off the mark right away. You need to start from the edge, biting off a small piece.
Thus, everything unnecessary is removed according to the mark made. Otherwise, the stone may break in a completely inappropriate place.

Chip areas are corrected using a knife or file
Subsequently, to give the chips a smoother shape, they are processed using sandpaper
If desired or required by the design, chips may not be smoothed out. Everything is at your discretion

Decor – the finish line

Upon completion of the masonry, small defects may remain, chips in unnecessary places, abrasions, end cuts and not entirely correct color matches.
All this can be easily fixed with an airbrush. In this case, it will take you less than an hour for your masonry to take on its finished shape.

The airbrush mixture is:

Tinting paste
Water
Acrylic lacquer

To give the stone the greatest relief and expressiveness, a finishing spray is applied to its surface with an airbrush. In this case, it is necessary to apply spraying in such a way that the airbrush is at an oblique angle relative to the surface to be finished.

The color of the coating should be slightly darker than the color of the stone itself. If you want to get an unusual effect, you can add special metallic pigments, gold or bronze, to the mixture.
But you need to understand that this coating must be used in limited quantities, preferably at the ends of the stone.
Under normal conditions, this shine will be practically invisible. But when direct rays of the sun or directed light hit it, your decorative stone will “come to life” and begin to sparkle. different colors just as it happens in nature.

Our advice is that after completing the decorative finishing and applying the finishing spray, we recommend that you coat the masonry with acrylic varnish.
This recommendation is relevant in active zones. Arches are just one of these zones. This will protect the coating from scuffs.

Use clear, matte or semi-matte water-based varnish. It can be applied using an airbrush or spray gun.

Finishing the arches with decorative stone will add a unique and truly memorable look to your interior.
On our resource there is quite a variety of video and photo material on design and ways to implement it. With us you can learn a lot of new things and get acquainted with expert advice that will be useful to you when performing certain types of finishing work.
Good luck to you!

Decorative stone today acts as one of the most suitable materials for finishing surfaces both inside and outside buildings. This material is quite easy to process; it can not only be drilled, but also cut. But to get a good result, you should be guided by the installation technology, which will be presented below. You can use decorative stone to decorate the interior, one of the elements of which is an arch.

Preparing tools

Decorative stone begins with the preparation of tools, among which are:

construction mixer;
cutting machine;
bucket for mixing adhesive solution;
paint brushes;
trowel;
grout syringe;
wedges of the same thickness.

Among other things, you will need a building level and a spatula. It is important to ensure that you have a metal brush, and with the help of the latter you will be able to adjust the elements on the surface after installation. To measure and cut the material you will need a construction tape. You can’t do without a household spray bottle while working. Wedges can be made of wood or plastic, they will allow you to form seams. You can replace the cutting machine with a cutting machine.

Preparation of materials

Decorative stone is carried out after preparing all the necessary consumables, among them the following should be highlighted:

glue;
primer;
grout;
water repellent.

When choosing an adhesive, you need to pay attention to its purpose. For certain types of finishes, different grades of adhesives are available, usually they are designed to hold the calculated weight of the material. Therefore, first you need to choose finishing materials, and only then start purchasing glue. If work is supposed to be carried out at low temperatures, then the choice of adhesive composition should be taken more seriously; it must have the appropriate properties.

Surface preparation

Finishing with stone necessarily involves preparing the walls. To do this, you need to rid the base of old whitewash, wallpaper or paint. The master will have to carry out the leveling using putty. The surface of the arch must be primed; this composition will bind small particles together, so any finish will be held as firmly as possible.

On sale you can find primers for any surface. If you have to work with a concrete wall, you should treat it with Betonkontakt primer. When room conditions are characterized by high humidity or temperature, the back side of the decorative stone should be wetted before installation.

Decorating arches with decorative stone is carried out using a slightly different technology, if we're talking about about plasterboard construction. It is necessary to prepare a light stone for such work. Such manipulations should be carried out exclusively indoors. If an arch made of gypsum plasterboard is located outdoors or under a canopy, then it cannot be decorated with stone.

The surface of the drywall is treated with a primer, which should be left until it dries, only then can you begin installing the products. The primer is applied with a roller, and not only the external, but also the internal surfaces are treated with the composition.

Preparing stone for laying

If you will be decorating the arches with decorative stone (photos of design options are presented in the review for your reference), it is recommended that you first mix all the products from different packages. At the next stage, the stone must be laid out on the floor. The position of individual elements is chosen in such a way that the texture looks most advantageous. For example, you can distribute elements by shade or shape, as well as size.

Rules for applying glue

Before starting work, you must read the instructions and dilute the glue in the bucket according to it.

The composition is mixed using a construction mixer until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Using a spatula, the mixture is applied to the wall only in the place where the product is supposed to be installed. The reverse side of the stone must also be treated with glue, which is applied with a spatula. The thickness of the layer should not appear to be more than 1 cm. If this parameter is exceeded, the product will slide down the wall.

The glue is applied to the entire surface of the stone, while avoiding voids that can cause condensation to appear inside the masonry during operation. This recommendation also applies to walls; glue should be applied to their surface in an even layer.

Methodology for installing decorative stone

When decorating an arch with decorative stone in an apartment, you must follow certain instructions. The stone is applied to the area treated with glue and pressed against the surface. In this case, it is important to use a building level, and with the help of a mallet the products are aligned vertically. The stone can be moved from side to side to achieve a tight fit to the surface.

In order to check the quality of the masonry, during installation it is necessary to tap the products with a screwdriver handle. This will allow you to understand whether voids have formed inside. If there are any, then the stone is removed, cleaned of glue, and the work is repeated again. When finishing an arch with decorative stone in an apartment, you should definitely look at the photo. They will allow you to understand which material is better to prefer. As soon as the finish is on the wall, you need to gently tap it on its surface, and remove any excess glue using a spatula. If the mixture appears on the ends, there is no need to remove it; it will improve the quality of adhesion of the material to the wall. Work can be carried out using one of two technologies:

no seams;
with jointing.

Laying stone with seams

When finishing an arch with decorative stone with your own hands, you can form seams between the products. Their grouting is carried out using a syringe filled with grout. The solution should be applied in such a way that it deepens 4 mm from the outer edge of the product. This will create a clearly defined relief. To obtain a smoothed texture, it is necessary to fill the seam at the same level as the front surface of the stone. 30 minutes after applying the grout, it is necessary to smooth out the seams using a special spatula or spatula. When choosing grout, you should know that the compositions can imitate the color and texture of real mortar. The grout may have different colors.

Chip processing

When finishing a door arch with decorative stone, it may be necessary to process chips. The stone is cut to size, but if its edge remains smooth at the joint, the wall will not look natural. You can make a chip by outlining its outline with a knife. At the next stage, the excess part is bitten off with pliers. There is no need to bite off the product along the edge of the mark; you need to start with small pieces, otherwise the product may break in the wrong place. You can correct errors with a file; with its help you will make the chip smooth. Additionally, the surface is treated with sandpaper. However, sometimes the chips are not smoothed out.

Final decoration

Finishing an interior arch with decorative stone can be completed by applying varnish or a tinting mixture. The latter allows you to hide defects and cracks that formed during the work process. It is better to use an airbrush to apply the composition, but some artists make do with paint brushes. The airbrush allows you to apply the mixture from a long distance, while holding the tool at an angle to the surface to be painted. You should not cover the entire area completely; it will be enough to tint the main protrusions and depressions, this will help to obtain a deep texture.

An interesting effect can be achieved if bronze or gold coloring pigments are used as the basis for the mixture. In this case, only the ends of the tiles need to be tinted. With this finishing technique, the metal does not catch the eye, but with certain lighting at the ends, the masonry begins to play with golden highlights.

Conclusion

The arch is a rather small element of the interior, but its design sometimes takes several days. However, you should find time and energy for this work, because decorating this part of the room will allow you to decorate the house, making it more comfortable and the interior more refined.

Decorating a wall niche, window or interior opening with an arch allows you to transform any interior. However, the arch acquires decorative significance only if the finishing material is correctly selected and the installation work is carried out correctly.

A huge variety of materials are used for decorative finishing of arches, each of which has a number of advantages and disadvantages.

Natural wood

Arches trimmed with natural wood give the room a certain amount of solidity, style and nobility, harmoniously combining with any interior design, be it classic, hi-tech or modern.

The undoubted advantages of wooden structures are:

environmental friendliness;
unique pattern formed by annual rings;
high strength characteristics characteristic of hardwood varieties, including mahogany, oak, walnut, ash;
maintaining a presentable appearance for many years.

However, solid wood construction also has a number of disadvantages:

low moisture resistance;
tendency to deformation in conditions of high humidity, sudden temperature changes and other similar factors;
the large weight of individual structural elements makes it difficult to carry out installation on your own;
high price.

As a rule, finishing of arches with wood from valuable species is carried out by manufacturing a finished structure to order, followed by installation by the company’s specialists.

MDF panels

An almost equivalent alternative to natural wood are MDF panels, the production of which is based on the compression of wood chips. Depending on the top coating, MDF panels are distinguished:

laminated. The resulting slabs are covered with polyvinyl chloride film, which imitates the texture of wood and increases the strength characteristics of the product;

veneered. The finished slabs are pressed with a thin layer of wood, after which the front side of the product is coated with a protective varnish.

Veneered panels differ from laminated materials in higher cost and better performance characteristics.

Advantages of MDF panels relative to structures made of natural wood:

environmental friendliness due to the absence of harmful substances and compounds in the product;
resistance to temperature changes, moisture;
ease of installation due to the light weight of the panels;
low cost.

Despite the mass positive aspects, MDF panels are inferior to arches decorated with real wood:

ease of damage through a targeted blow;
under the influence of sunlight they gradually lose their original shade;
short operational period, rarely exceeding 5-7 years.

Decorating interior arches with low-traffic MDF panels increases the service life for several years, while maintaining the original appearance of the structure.

Cork for finishing

Interior arches look original, the finishing of which is made using cork material, presented:

Panels. The basis of the products is pressed cork, on top of which a thin veneer impregnated with wax is placed. The minimum thickness of cork panels is 3 mm.

Rolled products, the structure of which is similar to cork panels, with the only difference being that not all product series are wax impregnated. In this case, the rolled material can have a varied range of colors by coloring the front and/or back layers.

Wallpaper consisting of a paper base and a thin sheet of veneer glued to the base. Quite often, cork wallpaper has a self-adhesive layer, greatly simplifying installation work.

resistance to pinpoint impacts;
prevent the accumulation of dust;
do not lose their original shade over a long period;
have antibacterial characteristics, preventing the formation of mold;
service life is 10-20 years.

coatings not treated with wax quickly deform in conditions of high humidity;
ability to absorb odors;
high price.

When choosing cork material, you should give preference to a wax-treated coating.

Wallpaper for the arch

Decorating arches with wallpaper is one of the most popular and, at the same time, budget option due to a number of advantageous features relative to other finishing materials, including:

variety of colors, textures, ornaments;
ease of gluing;
the possibility of wet cleaning using non-aggressive detergents;
affordable price.

Flaws:

ease of damage both during gluing and during operation;
fading over a short period of time;
fragility.

When choosing canvases, you should give preference to plain non-woven, vinyl, bamboo or glass wallpaper. It is possible to have a small or abstract design that does not require combination with the ornament on the wallpaper that covers the walls adjacent to the arch.

Arch tiles

Tiling an arch is a less common, but still in demand method.

wide range of colors;
high resistance to moisture;
maintaining original characteristics for many years;
ease of care;
duration of operation.

the considerable weight of the tiles requires a strong arched structure;
labor-intensive work that requires certain skills or the involvement of specialists;
high price.

The optimal choice is narrow tiles of small size, allowing to minimize waste during tiling work.

Decorative rock

Particularly popular in last years I purchased the decoration of the arch with decorative stone, which goes well with other building materials. Artificial stone is made from expanded clay, pumice, cement with the addition of mineral pigments, the combination of which allows you to achieve a complete imitation of any natural stone.

Advantages:

wide selection of shades, textures;
high resistance to damage;
moisture resistance;
ease of maintenance during operation;
durability.

Flaws:

heavy weight;
complexity of installation;
high price.

Along with tiles, it is preferable to clad the arch with small stones, which will greatly facilitate installation in the vaulted part of the structure.

Mosaic for arch

Finishing an arch with mosaics is a rather painstaking process, which upon completion results in a mesmerizing spectacle.

Advantages of mosaic:

variety of sizes, shapes and colors;
moisture resistance;
high strength;
wear resistance;
durability.

Flaws:

duration and complexity of work;
high price.

Currently, metal, ceramic, glass and other types of mosaics are produced, so choosing an option that matches the style of the interior will not be so difficult.

Decorative plaster

Almost the only material that allows you to create a unique masterpiece, showing a little imagination and creativity. Decorative plaster is sold in the form of a dry and ready-mixed product. In this case, the dry mixture is diluted with ordinary water in the proportion indicated on the instructions supplied with the composition.

the ability to create any expressive or smoothed relief;
ease of application;
possibility of repeated painting with special paints;
there is no need to carefully level the surface before applying plaster;
low cost.

ease of mechanical damage;
impossibility of wet cleaning;
repairs to the damaged area will remain visible;
relatively short operational period.

Finishing arches in an apartment with decorative plaster is a universal method that requires a small amount of time and a minimum of skills.

Regardless of the material chosen, before starting finishing work it is necessary to carefully prepare the working surface so as not to spoil the final result by the decor falling off along with the plaster or protruding unevenness.

Preparing the surface for finishing

The reliability of fixing the finishing material largely depends on the conscientiousness of the preparation of the working surface, during which it is necessary:

remove areas protruding by more than 1 cm, as well as poorly adhering putty and paint;
cover the joining seams, if the arch is made of plasterboard sheets;
prime the surface;
level the working base using putty;
prime.

After the primer mixture has completely dried, you can proceed to installation work.

Arch finishing technology

The process of finishing an arched opening with panels, wallpaper, stone and other materials is somewhat different.

Paneling

Finishing an arch in an apartment using panels made of MDF, plastic, or cork is possible in the absence of strongly rounded structural elements. Installation of the selected materials is carried out using glue or with a sheathing device.

Installation with glue is carried out as follows:

carry out thorough surface preparation;
mark and cut off excess parts of the panels before using the adhesive;
liquid nails or glue specially selected for the material used are applied to the underside of the panel in a zigzag stripe;
apply the panels to the surface and level them;
5-10 minutes after the glue has polymerized, tap the surface of the panel with a rubber hammer, controlling the horizontality with a building level.

Installation on the lathing does not require leveling the surface and looks like this:

in the arch opening, a sheathing is constructed from wooden blocks or metal guides, which is fixed to the surface using dowels;
At the top and bottom of the sheathing, start guides for mounting the panels are screwed with self-tapping screws;
panels cut to size are installed in the starting guides and fixed to the sheathing with self-tapping screws.

Upon completion of finishing, the ends of the arch must be refined by gluing special corners from the same finishing material.

Wallpaper finishing

Wallpapering technology depends on the type of wallpaper.

For thin wallpaper without using plastic corners:

a strip of wallpaper is glued to the wall adjacent to the arch so that the edges of the canvas protrude beyond the boundaries of the arch by 2-3 cm;
on the protruding allowance, zigzag cuts are made every 2 cm and the resulting tongues of the fabric are folded onto the inner surface of the arch, carefully rolled with a roller;
The walls on the other side of the arch are covered in the same way;
cut out a strip of wallpaper, the dimensions of which correspond to the width and length of the inner arch of the arch;
Pasting the inner surface of the arch is done from the bottom up, rolling thoroughly with a roller to get rid of air bubbles.

If the length of one strip of wallpaper is not enough, then the junction of the two strips is located in the center of the arch. If it is necessary to use 3 strips of wallpaper, the joining points are determined at the level of the connection of the arc of the arch with the vertical planes.

When using textile or vinyl wallpaper with framing:

pasted wallpaper on the walls adjacent to the arch is cut along the boundaries of the arch;
cut out a strip of wallpaper according to the dimensions of the inner surface of the arch and paste it on;
if necessary, trim the excess with a stationery knife;
after 2-3 days, when the glue has dried, fix the selected type of corner along the protruding elements of the arch.

Cork wallpaper is glued in the same way as non-woven wallpaper, with the only difference being that ready-made acrylic or contact adhesive is used, which is applied both to the roll wallpaper and to the surface to be pasted.

Decorative stone or tiles

As a rule, stone cladding is carried out not only in relation to the arched opening, but also part of the walls adjacent to the opening through symmetrical or asymmetrical placement.

The order of preparatory activities:

notches are made on the previously puttied and primed surface to improve the adhesion of the material to the surface;
The stones intended for installation are laid out on the floor and the most advantageous combination of relief, pattern, and overflow is selected;
Using a metal brush, clean the underside of the material from foamy irregularities.

The opening is finished using cement mortar or liquid nails from the bottom up. In this case, the walls adjacent to the arch are initially lined:

glue is applied to the wall and stone, not exceeding a layer of 1 cm, otherwise the tile will slide down;
the first stone is laid at the junction of the arched opening and the wall;
a second stone is laid on top of the first, shifting it toward the opening by the thickness of the stone;
the alternation of masonry is repeated to the intended level, which avoids sloppy corners and the use of framing elements in the form of corners, plinths and other elements;
finishing inside the arched opening is also done with an overlap.

To finish the top of the vault:

dry tiles/stones are applied to the intended place of gluing; Mark a line of excess with a pencil, along which you draw several times with a construction knife;
the unnecessary part is broken off using pliers;
burrs and irregularities are removed with a file and sandpaper.

1-2 days after finishing the facing work, they begin to join the seams:

a construction syringe is filled with grout;
to obtain a pronounced relief, the seams are filled, not reaching the upper edge of the stone by 3-4 mm;
to obtain a smoothed relief, the seam is filled at the same level as the upper border of the stone;
after 30-40 minutes, the filled seams are smoothed using a special spatula or spatula, getting rid of unevenness.

Tiling is done in a similar way to decorative stone.

Mosaic finishing

It’s easier and faster to cover an arch with mosaics assembled in small matrices. Fixation of individual modules into matrices is carried out using paper, on which the mosaic is laid face down, and a fine mesh, which serves as the basis for gluing the modules with the wrong side down. Since mosaics are made from various materials, a transparent adhesive is used for installing transparent modules, and white adhesive is used for opaque ones.

The process of finishing an arch with mosaics boils down to the following:

When applying the matrix, mark the working surface area into separate segments according to the matrix dimensions.
Using a notched trowel, glue is applied to the wall to place a single matrix.
Carefully insert the set of modules into the adhesive composition, preventing the glue from getting on the front surface of the mosaic and adjusting the horizontal placement of the matrix using a building level.
Laying out all the necessary elements is repeated in the same way.
After the adhesive solution has set, the protective layer of the mosaic is removed.
Grouting of joints is carried out in vertical and horizontal directions using a rubber spatula.
An hour after applying the grout, remove excess mortar by moving the spatula in diagonal directions.

At the end of the work, the mosaic must be wiped with a damp sponge to remove traces of grout, without making much effort to avoid washing it out of the seams.

In the process of finishing an arch with your own hands, it is necessary to control the horizontality of all modules of the matrix, so a person who is unsure of his abilities is better off entrusting the work to a professional specialist.

Finishing with decorative plaster

Using decorative plaster, finishing the arch, the photo of which is presented below, is carried out in quite a short term in the following way:

A small layer of plaster is applied to the previously prepared surface.
Using a grater, sponge and other available means, the pattern and relief of the future surface are formed.
If the relief is not sufficiently pronounced, plaster is added in the right places only after the first layer has dried. To achieve a decorative effect, it is often necessary to apply several layers of plaster.

Upon completion of the work and the surface has thoroughly dried (1-2 days), the arch is painted, varnish or other protective coating is applied.

You can see the finishing of the arch more clearly in the video:

Application of corners

Regardless of the strength of the material chosen for finishing the arch and the adjacent walls, the protruding parts of the structure after a fairly short period begin to wear out, fade, and peel, because the corners of the arch are subjected to heavy loads. The use of baseboards and corners made of MDF, plastic, wood and other materials as additional framing will help to extend the life of decorative finishing, allowing not only to protect the finishing material, but also to hide cracks, chips, and unevenness formed during the installation process.

Installation of corners is carried out using glue or liquid nails, which are applied to the inside of the material after finishing. In this case, finishing the arch with a corner begins with the sides and ends with the vaulted part.

Additional elements in the form of corners and skirting boards should be chosen several tones darker or lighter than the main finish in order to more clearly emphasize the shape of the arch.

Decorative finishing of arches takes a lot of time and requires special care. Compliance with all stages of finishing with one or another material and leisurely execution of installation work will result, upon completion of the finishing of the arch, into a wonderful element of the interior that will delight the owners of the house and their guests for a long time.

There are many options on how to make the interior original and attractive. One solution is to create a beautiful arch from the doorway. But such a design by itself may not be enough. In some cases, you can’t do without a spectacular finish. And for this, artificial stone is very often used.

Beautiful arch decoration

About arches

An arch is an architectural element that plays the role of an opening in the interior. It is known that there are references to the first arches from the times of the Ancient East.

Arch in the apartment

Given such a long history, it is not possible to know the reasons for the creation of arched structures. For a very long time the structure was built from stone and brick. Nowadays, plasterboard, wood, plywood, as well as OSB, chipboard or fiberboard have been added to this list.

About decorative stone

This material is not just in a wonderful way interior decoration, it perfectly performs a protective function. That's why designers loved him so much. Of course, if artificial stone is used indoors, then its protective functions are limited to resisting only accidental mechanical damage. And this material is used in the interior in a targeted manner, the maximum that can be finished in one room is a wall. But most often the material is used as an addition to existing elements.

Advantages of a stone arch

This design option has almost no disadvantages. After all, the material does not rot, is not subject to corrosion and fungus. Decorative artificial stone consists of environmentally friendly components and is therefore safe for health.

Why can't you use natural material? The fact is that, firstly, it is very expensive, and secondly, not all structures can withstand the weight natural stone. The same granite is three times heavier than its artificial counterpart.

There are a number of other advantages of this approach:

no special care required - any detergent, does not contain abrasives;
you can use an artificial analogue of any natural stone - manufacturers began to make very high-quality imitation;
Decorating arches with stone with your own hands does not require any special skills, so the procedure is easy.

Materials for creating the structure

Creating a stone arch in an apartment requires the use of a certain list of materials that need to be prepared in advance:

the decorative stone itself;
pencil;
sandpaper;
primer;
mortar or glue;
grout for seams.

Instructions

Finishing an arch with decorative stone starts with the traditional stage of surface preparation. You need to smooth out the unevenness using sandpaper, and then putty them using a pre-primer.

Preparation of adhesive solution

Decorative stone can be laid using special glue, cement-sand mortar, or liquid nails.

The quality of adhesion of the finishing material to the base depends on the roughness of the back side of the tile and the quality of the adhesive mixture. If you need to prepare the solution yourself, you need to do this in small portions, since it sets quickly enough, losing its properties. You need to mix the powder and water in a convenient, capacious container using a mixer (this can be a drill with a special attachment). You need to mix until you get the consistency of thick sour cream.

Laying

Laying is done from bottom to top. You need to start from the corner of the opening-wall. The seam should be left approximately 4-5 mm. If corner stones are used, they must be glued from below. If flat ones are used, the installation should be done with an overlap.

During the procedure, you should not forget to check the horizontal positioning. Elements on the arc can be trimmed to maintain the required radius. This can be done with wire cutters or a grinder with a special attachment.

The edges must be sanded using a file. When the finishing is completed, you need to wait for the solution or glue to dry. After this, you need to start refining the seams. For these purposes, we use grout of the appropriate color. To perform the procedure, it is better to use a construction syringe. Otherwise, you can use a rubber spatula. You can make the tool yourself. To do this, cut a square piece of polyethylene, roll it into a cone, and secure it with tape. The tip of this element must be cut so that the resulting size corresponds to the size of the seams between the stones.

Next, use one of these tools to press the grout into the seams to completely fill them. In this case, you need to do everything carefully so that the material does not get on the front part of the products. All you have to do is wait until the grout dries - the decorative stone arch is ready.

Seamless installation

In this case, the tiles are laid tightly together, so finishing the arch with artificial stone requires painstaking work. The glue or solution is applied to the stone. If the installation is done from top to bottom, you can get a smooth border with clear lines.

Since the edges of the finishing material are well prepared, no time is required for selection during installation, so the procedure is carried out quickly. At the end, the surface can be opened with impregnation, which will repel water and protect it from the effects of chemicals.

A stone arch is inexpensive, but looks great

Decorating an arch with stone allows you to give this element of the interior more expressiveness and style. The room takes on a more sophisticated and attractive look. This option looks especially good in hallways and living rooms. In a word, the effect of this finish is amazing, as you can see by looking at the photos of the options.