Facing gypsum tiles yourself

Gusevsky Andrey Anatolyevich

Plaster panels in decoration

Gone are the days when the picture on the wall covered a hole in the wallpaper, and the walls were deliberately pushed by furniture, for which the decoration had not changed for years. Today's room decoration trends and plaster decorative cladding tiles make the wall the central figure of the interior, which draws its main attention.
Decorative facing gypsum tile is a universal tool for wall decoration.

Quality and properties of raw materials

To understand the differences in gypsum tiles and blocks, to solve the issue of acquisition for home use, it is worth scrolling through photos and watching video albums, it is important to find out what they are made from, what raw materials and what quality is used.

Key Features and Classification

Gypsum refers to a finely divided, powdery substance of potassium sulfate, which forms crystals when interacting with water:

• Coarse gypsum fractions are used in construction, and fine grinding is used in modeling small decorative elements.
• In finishing mixtures, where the speed of solidification plays an important role, and the actual expression “slow down, you will continue”, standard gypsum is used, which slowly hardens and allows you to work for a long time.
• In the production of gypsum panels, setting gypsum is used faster than usual.
• Gypsum is classified by density, that is, the dependence of the ratios of the volumes of dry suspensions to a certain volume of water is determined.
• Light suspension 1.25: 1.
• Normal 1.75: 1.
• Dense 2.25: 1.
• Instructions for the use of gypsum mixtures do not recommend preparing the solution “with a margin”, because it is not suitable for use later.
• The average hardening time of the gypsum mixture was determined and it is very short, from 6 to 10 minutes, from this calculation, the solution should be diluted.
• The output of the gypsum mixture is approximately equal to the sum of the volume of dry powder from gypsum and water.

Attention: The ready, hardening mixture does not need to be adjusted and perfected by the addition of water or dry gypsum. It turns out a defective solution called “dead gypsum” with low astringent and strength properties.

• Sometimes, the conditions of use imply an extension of the "setting" process, then additives are added to the gypsum.
• Solutions of wallpaper, wood glue, PVA, keratin retarder, borax or boric acid, industrial lignosulfonate, distilled distillery sulfate or table salt in small quantities can serve as such additives.
• The number of additives depends on each specific case and is determined empirically.
• Gypsum cladding tiles are quite popular materials and are available in 600x600 mm and 300x300 mm modules.
• They are mounted on even plastered or plastered surfaces.

Decorative tiles for stone and brick

Gypsum tile for decorative stone

Those who have encountered gypsum products are familiar with their fragile property. Facing gypsum tile is produced by molecular densification, which increases the strength of the material.
This technology makes gypsum tiles comparable in reliability to ceramics.
Sensitivity to water is removed by treatment with water repellents and compounds:

• Facing tile gypsum is suitable for decorating street structures - fences, arbors, facades.
• Gypsum tiles are suitable for walls, ceilings, arched openings, fireplaces and stoves.
• Perhaps the design of the entire surface or a combination of wallpaper, plaster, decorative or natural stone.
• Facing gypsum tile adopted the qualities and properties of gypsum itself. Environmentally friendly natural product, a well-known building material from the ancient times of the Egyptian pyramids.
• Non-combustible, fire-resistant products that maintain an optimal microclimate in housing.
• The unsurpassed properties of heat and sound insulation, with all its advantages, it is odorless.
• Gypsum cladding tiles meet aesthetic requirements, although they are inferior to ceramic and glass products in some technical indicators.
• Tiles are prepared with a smooth front side or with a relief pattern.
• The side faces are made with protrusions or grooves, and can be straight, which determines the method of attachment. To reduce weight on the back side, through holes are provided.
• Tiles are painted or their natural color is preserved.
• The plasticity properties allow for a different kind of treatment.
• Popular in design facing gypsum brick and stone tiles.
• Having the advantages of natural stone, it surpasses it in a number of parameters, and therefore has several advantages. The weight of the tile is lighter, there is no need to fence reinforcement for laying, such decorations are cheaper, gypsum products are much warmer, and cut with a hacksaw for metal or wood.

Attention: The tile is put with glue or dry on bolts, screws.

• Decorative facing plaster tiles made of stone in color and texture can be varied, and it is possible to choose them for any interior.
• Gypsum tile under a brick also has advantages over a facing brick, but its price is much cheaper. It is installed on liquid nails or glue, it is also easy to process.

Facing Methods

So:

• Preparatory work on preparing the surface for tiling begin with the elimination of irregularities.
• The space from dust is cleaned in a wet way with the obligatory drying.
• Tiles are prepared by sorting whole and culling products with chips, whole tiles, if necessary, are cut into incomplete.
• Do-it-yourself processing and cutting of tiles is done with a hacksaw for metal, the edges are removed with a planer, and the holes for the pipes are drilled with an electric or manual drill.

Wet cladding

So:

• Laying tiles with gypsum in a wet manner is carried out in horizontal rows.
• Rows start from bottom to top, mastic is applied with a spatula on the back of the tile and on the base. After some time, the tile is pressed firmly to the base.
• The work process is controlled by a plumb line, a mooring line (vertical and horizontal laying), the quality is checked by a two-meter rail.
• After drying the underlying layer of mastic, the seams are closed with a cement-sand composition, grout for seams or polymer-cement mastic.

Attention: When laying tiles, the joints are half filled with mortar, which reduces the time and mortar layer to evenly dry, and then decorate the seams.

Dry cladding

So:

• Lining gypsum boards with protrusions on opposite two sides are used here.
• Laying is carried out in vertical rows from the corner of the room.
• The first decorative lath rail is mounted vertically on the wall.
• Noting the width of the tile from it, the second rail is attached.
• In the received, parallel stops from top to bottom are strung with beads of tiles, placing protrusions in the space between the wall and the slats.
• Reiki here not only hold tiles, but also hide vertical joints.

Seamless decorative panels

Custom gypsum panel

• Volumetric gypsum tiles allow a standard, dull wall to make the hallmark of the room and a work of art.
• A variety of gypsum cladding tiles allows you to create unique, modern, elegant, custom-made design projects made by panels according to sketches.

List of panel options

It:

• Smooth surface of large geometric models.
• Modules that allow you to get a repeating pattern during installation.
• Plaster facing tile, folding in a vertical or horizontal ornament or pattern.
• Imitation of stone, wood, brick, that is, natural textures.
• Bas-reliefs, elements, during assembly, composing into an art picture.
• Combined panels - a panel with a pattern connected to single elements.
• Mosaic designs and custom designs.
• There was an opportunity to perform exclusive decorative gypsum panels according to author's sketches on a milling machine with software.

As noted, gypsum tile is inferior to other facing products in some operational characteristics. However, gypsum tiles, in addition to aesthetic appeal, have other advantages, and their choice as elements of interior decor refers to modern and practical ideas.