Stone it and love it!

Reconstituted or handmade tiles made of genuine or simulated stone can give your walls an exciting new look with a bit of effort and a few dabs of mortar.

Once in place, they are attractive to look at and extremely hard-wearing.

Traditional stone wall surfaces have for quite some time been enjoying a revival of interest. Despite increasingly sophisticated interior designs, few modern methods of wall cladding can match the texture and appearance of a well-constructed stone surface. Unfortunately though, few people are skilled enough to be able to construct stone walls of a high enough standard to serve as decorative features. Furthermore, the cost of solid stone walls can also be exorbitant.

To get around the problem of cost, instead of building a wall entirely of natural stone, you can merely opt for a thin cladding of natural stone that lies on top of the bricks-and-mortar wall instead. Alternatively, for an even less expensive option, you can select simulated stone cladding – it is extremely attractive to look at, they are easily installed on existing surfaces and they are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing – they even mature in the same way.

Stone cladding products are designed to simulate the appearance and natural colouring of authentic, solid stone walls, without the weight, cost or time needed to install the original material. Instead, it is reproduced in tile form by a variety of processes, which include conventional "dressing" of naturally quarried stone, industrial processes to reproduce the properties of local stone, and the manufacturing of different types of artificial material.

All the available products can be applied directly to most existing wall surfaces using purpose-made adhesive, and finished off by conventional mortar coursing or custom-made grouting. Needless to say, some are more effective than others, so you should study your options before finally making a decision. Products and information are readily available from the manufacturers or from most builders' merchants.

Mortar and pointing compounds

You should choose the colour of the pointing compound as carefully as you choose the shade of the stone or brick tiles.

Best results are normally achieved by using sand that gives the mortar a colour close to that of the tiles. Use cement, lime and sand in a 1:2:8 ratio to make up a fairly stiff mixture. As an alternative, mortar colouring compounds are available at most builders' merchants. But in this case, experiment beforehand wherever possible, to establish the most suitable combination and bear in mind that the mortar changes colour slightly when it dries and sets. When manufacturers supply special pointing compounds, order your choice of colour after deciding on the shade of stone you most prefer.

Planning and preparation

Like any household job, make sure that you have all the tools you need before beginning the work. These will include a trowel, a tape measure or ruler, a marking pencil, spirit level, wiping rags or sponges, bolster and hammer (or a power tool with a stone-cutting attachment), an old hacksaw, dust sheets or old newspapers, and a supply of 10mm wooden spacers.

Spacers are thin pieces of timber that are placed between the tiles as they are laid to the surface. They ensure that the spacing of the tiles and the thickness of the mortar joints remain constant, and also support the tiles themselves until the adhesive has set. Make spacers out of a waste timber, as long as the width is about 10mm. Alternatively, buy enough 10mm dowelling or quartering to ensure each tile can be supported by a small off-cut. Bear in mind that vertical joints must match the widths of the horizontal joints and that additional spacers, placed in the vertical gaps between tiles, will prevent unnecessary miscalculations.

Your first step is to calculate the area you wish to cover, taking into account recesses, seats, lights, heating appliances and decorative features, so that you can order the correct amount of material. Carefully study the information given by each manufacturer concerning the size of the stone tiles, as well as the colour. Bear in mind that some manufacturers include the size of a 10mm joint into their dimensions, while others do not.

Give special consideration to corners – for a more attractive appearance, you should make sure that the joints show at the side of external corners rather than at the front. Consequently, the front surface will be approximately 35mm wider than the existing wall surface (2 x 16mm width of tile, with allowance for adhesive). Remember that manufacturers reserve the right to vary designs and specifications without notice, so it is possible that your tiles can be discontinued. For this reason, and in order to replace damaged tiles or to extend and area at a later date, it is a good idea to order a few more than you actually need.

Preparing the surface

Clear a large enough area to allow you to lay the tiles out before fixing them to the wall. Cover furniture and floor with dust sheets or newspaper to protect them. Ensure the surface in question is smooth and flat, clean and free from any loose dust or grease. Prime timber and plaster surfaces with PVA bonding agent. If the plaster is newly laid, it is advisable to wait for a minimum of four weeks to ensure that the surfaces are properly dried before you fix any tiles to it. Do not tile over wallpaper, and if the surface is painted, make sure that you scrape off any flaking paintwork and use a bonding agent to secure what's left. Roughen gloss paint using sandpaper and a block to provide an adequate key for the wall cladding adhesive.

Planning features

With the surfaces prepared, the room cleared and the materials ordered, begin the task of planning the layout of the tiles. A good idea is to lay newspaper on the floor over areas that correspond to the surfaces to be tiled. A good idea is to lay newspaper on the floor over areas which correspond to the surfaces to be tiled. Measure out the dimensions of every flat surface and tape separate sheets of newspaper together to correspond to each area. Make sure that all the dimensions are reproduced accurately, bearing in mind that front surfaces of three-dimensional features will have their widths increased by the thickness of two tiles, plus the adhesive layer.

Lay out the tiles on the sheets of newspaper to establish the most pleasing pattern. When doing so, avoid creating unsightly cross-joints – such as when four tiles meet at their corners. Also, try to avoid the necessity of cutting too many tiles, as this is time-consuming and wasteful. Where tiles must be cut, simply mark them clearly to fit the appropriate space. Avoid using cut tiles at the edges of the tiled area because this would look unauthentic and untidy. Instead, lay out the pattern, beginning at the edges, then fill in the centre. Carefully mark each tile for cutting, making sure that you keep the lines as square as possible.

Finishing up

All that is left to do now is to fix the tiles to the wall, and grout them in place. Working from the bottom up, apply adhesive in dabs on the corners and in the centre of the tile, and then gently slide the tile in place. Lay the stones one course at a time, checking the horizontal and vertical lines with a square edge and spirit level, and being sure to use the spacers between all the tiles to maintain equal and neat spacing. Only remove the spacers after waiting 24 hours, once the adhesive has fully dried, and then you can grout and point to finish off the project neatly. If the tiles are stacked without spaces between them, then the spacers or the pointing of the grouting will not be necessary. – Antonella Dési

Pictures

Images courtesy of:
- Heatwave
- Jack's Paint and Hardware
- Morso
- Natural Stone Warehouse

For more information click here to visit the Heatwave website.
For more information click here to visit the Jack's Paint and Hardware website.
For more information click here to visit the Morso website.
For more information click here to visit the Natural Stone Warehouse website.


Get up-to-date property news
Get up-to-date news and information on property trends, finance, lifestyle and DIY in your mailbox every Friday with Property24's Click here to register and sign up for Property24's Week in Review. Sign up now for the free weekly eNewsletter that keeps you informed.

Property News
Click here for more property news articles.

Need a blog?
Start your own blog with a free blog from 24.com.