The floors are made ​​of granite with his own hands

For floor coverings and some units are presented special requirements.In these cases the big role plays the interior beauty, and qualities such as service life, durability and ease of use.Thus, a material which has all the above characteristics is natural granite.It is characterized by high durability, practicality, durability.

material characteristics

granite does not lose its appearance under the influence of time, sunlight and moisture.He is able to make sharp and frequent temperature fluctuations.Unlike granite, ceramic tile has a shorter lifetime.Therefore, it is granite can be considered one of the best materials for the flooring.

However, not everywhere it is appropriate to lay.So, it is best suited for the kitchen floor, living room, bathroom in big houses, terraces, porch, garage, garden and park gazebo or swimming pool.Today, one can often find granite floors in the subway and shopping centers.

Features granite:

1. reliability and durability.
2. Price per square meter granite today is from 35 to 200 dollars, and the cost of the same number of tiles 8-60 dollars.
3. One square meter of granite 20 mm thick weighs 53 kilograms, and the same amount of ceramic tiles - only 15 kg.
4. Granite - a natural stone, and its pattern, color and grain may be different, which is achieved naturally.A ceramic tile is a facing material created artificially.
5. granite floor tile can be of different length, thickness and width.This should be considered when laying.High-quality ceramic tile is always the same size.Therefore, it is easier to work with.
6. Since granite tile is a natural material, its range of shades and colors is limited.Ceramic tiles, created by artificial means, by contrast, has an abundance of patterns and colors.In
7. porcelain practically unlimited life, unlike ceramic tiles, which is not more than 60 years.
8. Granite has a high strength and a small percentage of wear - a year is used up only about 0.1 millimeters.And this on the floor for the year must be at least one million people.Under the same conditions, ceramic tiles for the year isteraetsya from 0.15 to 0.40 millimeters.
9. strength of granite tiles is 552,7-604,6 kg / cm2, and ceramic tile - 280-435 kg / cm2.

How to choose a ceramic granite floor

Granite is a rock that is mined at a depth of several kilometers in underground mines.Raw material looks like a huge splinters, which later are cut huge blocks of rectangular shape.Then the blocks are cut into granite slabs length of 1.5 meters, a width of 0,35-1,25 meters and a thickness of 20-35 mm.They are laid out on display in stores.

Often mistakenly called on granite and gabbro labradotir.These natural stones are similar in properties and appearance, with granite.But labradotir because of some minerals in its composition, it does not tolerate the environment.For this reason it is not used for exterior finishes.Gabbro is monochrome black and polished surface.Therefore, it is used for interior decoration and construction sites.

Granite should be able to choose.To do this, be sure to consider some points.Here are the most important ones:

1. In different places of production of granite has a unique natural color.Therefore, two different shades of one material quarries extract impossible.
2. Granite tiles are usually cut to order in a special workshop.Most often bought tile size of 600 to 600 and 300 to 600 of thickness 20-30 mm.For cutting granite slyabiny require special tools.Therefore, the material cut out on their own will not work.
3. important point: the larger the tile, the more beautiful the result will look the floor, but this in turn complicates its installation.There are two reasons:

• a lot of weight, because of which it can easily be broken in half;
• difficult to maintain the level.

worth more to know that the thickness of the granite tiles selected should depend on the load on the floor and from the room characteristics.

When choosing the granite also worth remembering that there are three kinds of stone processing:

1. Polished.
2. glazed.
3. Heat-treated.

Features:

• Polished tile has a smooth surface.This type of treatment is the most beautiful and at the same time very slippery.In this case it is the easiest to scratch.
• polished granite tile has a surface on which the image is seen natural, but unlike polished does not shine.
• Heat-treated tiles were exposed to the processing of high temperature gas stream.Thereafter, it becomes rough and no luster.

All the parameters that have been listed above, in varying degrees, affect the cost of the tiles.When you select should ask about mine liked to sample and whether it is sufficient stock available in the store.It will cost more rare varieties of granite floor.The price per square meter of slab still depends on its thickness and area.The thicker the tile, the more expensive it will be.

Average prices for granite tiles range from 35 to 200 dollars per square meter.Dear samples can cost up to $ 500.Care and caution when choosing to help you not to fall for the deception unscrupulous sellers.After all, sometimes it gives a simple granite, mined in quarries Russia, for the rare and expensive Italian.Polished material typically has a higher price than the heat-treated.

course, granite tile is better suited for floors, rather than ceramic.Floor of granite will last much longer and be able to withstand heavy loads.However, when facing granite floor it is necessary to take into account the size, weight and color of the material.If all this is taken into account, then your sure the effort will succeed.Granite tile calls for a completely different approach when working with it, but it's worth it.

Tools required for working with granite

In order to make the floor of granite, will need a special building tool.After all, this material is very durable.Therefore, it is cut by a Tile will not work.For example, we need to be Bulgarian or angle grinders.It must be powerful enough.To it will also need the disk for cutting stone.With the help of the Bulgarian will be performed on some sections of the granite tile.However, good quality is difficult to achieve when cutting angle grinders.

addition grinder to work need the following tools:

1. Building level.
2. Trowel.
3. rubber spatula.
4. rubber mallet.
5. Mixer for construction works.
6. majachnye thread.
7. bucket.
8. pieces tiles beacons.
9. To calculate laying granite slabs will need a long ruler, measuring tape and a large square.

nuances of working with granite

1. Granite tile is placed not as ceramic.Therefore, before embarking on the floor pavement, you need to know a few rules to work with this material.
2. Granite laid end to end, not with seams as ceramic tile.
3. Before starting work on the laying of the floor should be leveled, it is necessary to make it tie.
4. We must not forget that granite tiles can be of different thickness.To be able to push the protruding parts, use a thick layer of adhesive or mortar.
5. This material can be of different sizes.Therefore it is impossible to put a tile on a diagonal or seam in a seam.It is best to carry out laying in extensibility and at the same time comply with the drawing.
6. Tiles can be cut from different slabs.Therefore, it is different in shade.To solve this problem, note the following:

• in any case does not stack a tile of a tile from the same packaging;
• need even before you begin to lay out all the material of all the packages to reveal the tiles of different colors or a possible marriage;
• if some tiles have defects, they are best put in an inconspicuous area.Material free of defects need to put in a chaotic manner to distribute the tiles of different colors on the floor.So they will be less evident.

Surface preparation

Granite tiles are much thicker than the ceramic.Therefore, before laying necessarily measure the height threshold.To granite requires a minimum of 40-50 millimeters.Also, be sure to remove the debris from the floor and dust.You can cover it with primer.

calculations for laying and cutting

Tile granite typically is lined on one of the end walls, from left to right.It is important to know which start tile, either to the whole or a half or one third.It all depends on the area of ​​the room and the size of the material.In any case, use method "in extensibility."

floor level calculation

1. When the screed and the installation of doors is necessary to leave the level of 40 millimeters.To determine the level of the floor should be installed at the corners of beacons.As these levels can be used over long distances.
2. from each beacon is necessary to pull the perimeter and diagonal thread premises.
3. Often you can see that some of the corners are the desired level.In the event premises angle no more than 60 millimeters, you can add to these places even more solution.If the level at some portion, conversely, is higher than necessary, then it is possible to put the adhesive on the granite, rather than a solution.
4. Also corners should also carry out quality checks along the floor all threads beacons.

granite laying on the floor

In total there are three types of laying granite tiles:

1. On solution.
2. glue.
3. On equipped with a metal frame.

On this floor material is generally laid on the first or second method.On vertical surfaces lined with tiles on a metal frame.Different solutions have different price.The cheapest option - Portland, diluted with water and slaked lime and sand (mainly river).Clay will cost more than the solution.At the same time it will be more consumption.

of work Technology:

1. It is important to put the first row of tiles.Because that's attached to it will be the rest of the material.For the first and last row beacons themselves will directly tiles.For this thread with the left and right corner ligated into two tiles which were laid at the beginning and end without mortar.
2. solution should be applied to the floor with a trowel.Then it laid tile and then rattles a rubber mallet, carefully observing the thread beacons.
3. It is important that under the tile was left void.For this you need to closely monitor.Likewise, the rest of the material is laid.Will sit on the solution of only the first and last in a series of tiles, which, so far, played the role of beacons.Untie them and put then thread them into the solution.
4. When you install the next row, and you must first install the lighthouse plate and tie the thread to them.To bring down the figure, it is important to remember how you started the previous plate number.Some are little beacons to check the evenness of masonry.Therefore it is necessary to control it using a level.
5. same way should perform the remaining rows of masonry tiles.If the tile is a defect, or there must be some mistake, then get it and replace it with another can only be for a day.In the future it will be impossible to do.
6. Every time transition to the new series, it is necessary to wash the tiles from the solution with a damp cloth.Do not be afraid to pour too much water between the tiles.Masonry is the only benefit.
7. no restrictions When laying horizontal.If desired, you can put the entire surface of the floor immediately.Only after the work will have to wait about two days before on it will be possible to walk.
8. Almost always when dry cracks are formed between the plates, which should wipe the grout in the color of the stone.Choose it to be, depending on the characteristics of the premises.It is water-resistant, cold-resistant and highly durable.

The final finishing

In order to give a granite after laying an attractive appearance, you can use with silicone paste or liquid wax.This can be done by using a polishing machine or manually by means of felt or felt.

Granite in its strength is not inferior to any building material.It is so practical that if the need arises, you can put a new one in place of the old easily.Over time, this tile does not lose its appearance, its qualitative characteristics are not affected.The weak point in the masonry - a solution that can be destroyed with time.So often granite plates removed and cleaned of the old solution and put the new one.In it, he fully pays all costs for its purchase and installation.

floors of granite - photo