Balcony
07/31/2017 08/14/2017 Olga Bilovitskaya
People living in city apartments dream of cozy balconies and loggias. The balcony space is very tiny, but it can be stylish - interesting design effects can be realized on the balcony. Now there are a lot of options available that allow you to create a beautiful brick balcony design. The simplest and most effective way to finish brickwork on a loggia is traditional painting. Naturally, it makes sense to carry out any finishing work if the balcony is glazed, or better, if it is insulated.
Brick masonry finishing options
When choosing a finishing option, it is necessary to take into account whether the balcony is glazed.
For open balconies, paint or varnish is usually used. Less commonly, ceramic tiles or decorative plaster are used.
The materials used to cover the walls of closed balconies are more varied. In addition to those listed above, you can use wallpaper or various wall panels. The most popular is painting on walls.
The use of decorative stone in the interior of the balcony
If you have no idea how beautiful and ergonomic it is to use decorative stone on the balcony, try one of the options described below. Ease of installation allows you to combine different options for the location of the material and even refresh the renovation with new cladding options.
Wall decoration
Completely decorate the wall with decorative stone - not a bad idea for any type of balcony... The difference will be only in the fact that an open balcony usually has a wall adjacent to the room, and a closed one has three closed walls and a space under the window.
It should be noted that in the case of a balcony or loggia, it is worth choosing the color palette of finishing more carefully... Small rooms decorated in dark colors (for example, red brick panels) will look even smaller and more uncomfortable.
But beige, white, gray shades will perfectly cope with the task of visually expanding the space.
Panoramic window and walls, fully decorated with brickwork... This solution looks very stylish, the elements of furniture made of untreated wood will emphasize the solution well. For these purposes, you can use plastic panels or clinker tiles. Wallpaper is also suitable, but keep in mind that a panoramic window does not always allow you to completely isolate the balcony from unfavorable climatic factors.
Highlight slopes and corners
Tile the slopes under the stone - a great way to add a finishing touch to the interior... This technique can be combined with a wall in front of the window that is completely finished with decorative stone.
The corners of the balcony laid out with such material will perform the same function.... Moreover, it does not matter whether they are external or internal - in combination with other finishing elements, they will look harmonious.
Arch cladding
If your the balcony is connected to the adjoining room, and in place of the balcony block there is an arch, stone trim is ideal.
Firstly, the arch can be covered with the same tiles as the walls of the balcony... This will create a successful transition from one zone to another, the interior designs will not clash. Especially if you add masonry elements to the slopes and corners of the room.
Secondly, most often, such arches are asymmetrical, which means that in order to harmonize the room, in no case should you add more clear and straight lines. Untreated artificial stone in this case will visually smooth out the feeling of irregular shapes.
Wall decoration
Partially finished wall with several randomly placed bricks, highlighted corners and slopes, asymmetrical lines can give the interior of the balcony ease and comfort.
Since stone is a natural material, and in nature, few things are strictly symmetrical and even, such a finish will give a huge plus to the perception of the room as a whole... And the cost of such a decor will be much less if you combine artificial stone with paint or other wall coverings.
Carrying out paint selection
Before figuring out how to paint a brick wall on a balcony, you need to choose a paint, taking into account the type of balcony and the quality of the wall to be painted.
When choosing a paint, you should study it:
- structure;
- price;
- wear resistance;
- durability;
- consumption;
- drying time;
- Ease of use;
- adhesive properties;
- resistance to ultraviolet radiation;
- frost resistance;
- water and vapor permeability.
Instruments
To paint brick walls, it is better to do with a brush, as it applies smoother strokes and better penetrates the cracks. If you take a roller, then the brick will absorb a lot of paint at once, so it will take a very long time to paint the wall with an even layer with a roller.
A very interesting structure can be obtained by painting with a foam sponge. This way you can achieve translucency and the effect of old masonry.
Closed balcony paint
Closed balconies are recommended to be painted with water-borne paints.
Binding components can be:
- Polyvinyl acetate. Not expensive, UV resistant and moisture tolerant.
- Latex. It turns yellow in the sun and deteriorates when exposed to low temperatures.
- Acrylic. The highest quality option.
The paint should be white. If desired, it can be dyed in other colors using pigments. If the water-borne paint was painted in production, then its quality is very low.
Indoor rooms can be painted with water-based paint. Drying, they do not form harmful substances. There are a lot of shades of such paint. Dilute them with organic solvents.
Emulsion paints can also be used to paint closed balconies.
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An alternative to paint is the use of clear varnish.
Artificial stone installation tips
Decorative stone tiles have a decisive advantage over other materials - it can be placed on any surface (plasterboard, wood, foam block, brick or concrete, metal walls).
The installation process of this material consists of several stages.:
- Preparing the walls... Includes repairing cracks, gouges, plastering and leveling the surface. An obligatory item is a primer in two or three layers.
- Wall decoration with additional material, if it is supposed to be in the design project (paint or plaster, wood).
- Laying decorative tiles can be done in two different ways - seamless and with jointing. The first option is more difficult to execute, so the next paragraphs will focus on it.
- Along the perimeter of the balcony zero level is set, a support is placed (metal profile).
- Adhesive mixture (it is best to use the one based on white cement) using a spatula, apply a thin layer to the tile to be glued, then with a comb on the wall.
- The tile to be glued is pressed against the desired area on the wall, it should be kept for a few more seconds. Then the excess glue is removed along the edges.
- The following cladding fragments are laid according to the same principle., seam to seam. Experts recommend laying no more than 1.5 meters of tiles per day.
- The main thing in this matter is not to let the glue mixture get on the tile itself. and spread over the surface. You need to get used to putting so much cement in order to firmly fix the stone on the wall, while not spoiling any of the stages of the work.
Note! Before starting work, you can lay out all the available fragments of masonry on the floor and try to combine them in the most successful order. For example, you can play with shades, irregularities, shape. In order not to get confused during installation, each panel can be numbered.
Depending on the type of glue you used, the final fixation stone decorative panels will happen in 12-48 hours. Until that time, you should not check the surface for strength, and also try to displace individual bricks - the glue can fall off, leaving irregularities on the wall.
Paint for open balconies
A brick wall on an open balcony can be painted with an emulsion paint for facade work. Oil paints are not recommended as they dry for a long time and fade in the sun.
You can treat the brick with silicate solutions based on water glass. They will protect the walls from destruction. The presence of silicon and aluminum additives will give the coating anti-corrosion properties.
Selection of material
The quality of painting bricks on the balcony is largely determined by the correct selection of materials used for finishing. In addition to paint, you need to choose the right primer. It is a liquid designed to increase the adhesion of materials to each other. In addition, antifungal components are often added to it, which successfully fight against the appearance of mold. Another great property of the primer is to increase the water resistance of the brick, which leads to a decrease in paint consumption.
For brickwork, choose a deep penetration primer. If the wall is made of silicate bricks, then a mineral mixture should be purchased. It allows you to align the wall due to the cement used in the mortar. An acrylic primer is a good choice. It is a versatile liquid suitable for use on a variety of surfaces, including brick. When choosing a paint, you need to be guided by three criteria:
- Adhesion ability. This is the ability of the material to sink into the wall, forming a strong adhesion. The adhesion should not be superficial, therefore it is better if the packaging is labeled "Deep Penetration".
- Resistance to water penetration. The paint must be water-repellent, but at the same time allow moisture vapor to pass through. If it does not have vapor permeability, the brick will dry out and begin to gradually collapse.
- UV resistant. This property will allow you to keep the selected color for a long time and will allow you not to repaint the coating for a long time due to the need to update.
To make the right decision about which paint to buy, matte or glossy, you should know that the latter reflects the sun's rays, which means that in summer the heating of the wall will be less.
The use of paints based on organic solvents leads to the formation of a waterproof film on the surface, which serves as a prerequisite for the formation of condensation on the surface. Although by its properties this is a pretty good paint that allows you to decorate a brick for any style, it is not recommended to use it on internal surfaces.Water-based formulations do not have pungent odors and lend themselves well to tinting. If you want to improve the loft-style wall, then the best choice would be an acrylic-silicone paint composition.
Preparing the walls
Before you paint a brick balcony, you should prepare the walls:
- Remove old coating.
- Inspect the wall and eliminate defects, chips and cracks.
- Sand the seams, renewing them if necessary.
- Clean the surface from dirt, stains, mildew and so on.
- Let the surface dry completely.
- Apply a coat of primer.
- Paint the walls.
Decorating ideas and work order
When combining decorative stone with other finishing materials, there will be no problems - it goes well with wallpaper, plaster, wood and even plastic. Most often, only part of the surface is decorated with a stone, and not all. These can be corners or inserts on the wall, a corner with green plants.
Styling corners
You can decorate not only the corners, but also the window and doorway, completely lay out one of the walls, and so on. The resulting finish may resemble a medieval castle, a spectacular natural grotto or a respectable study - it all depends on what style of decoration you choose for your balcony.
How to veneer walls
Before starting the installation of decorative stone on the walls, you need to decide on the type of artificial covering. So, if you have chosen a light material, then you will not need to additionally strengthen the walls.
Important. If you have chosen a material where the filler is not expanded clay, but sand, then the walls will need to be additionally reinforced with a metal mesh before installation.
As for the type of base, the decorative stone can be mounted on any type of coating:
- plaster;
- wood;
- foam blocks;
- metal;
- brick;
- concrete.
For alternative ways of decorating the walls of the balcony, see a separate review.
The material does not impose increased requirements for evenness, but large differences in height, as well as cracks and potholes, must be sealed with plaster. If metal surfaces are being prepared for installation, then they must be thoroughly cleaned, and then laid on top of the plaster mesh.
The wood is prepared as follows: the wood should be insulated from moisture, then leveled with a plaster mixture (if necessary), after which the plaster mesh should also be installed.
Advice. All previous cladding must be removed with particular care. If under it you find an even but porous coating, then you can not putty it, but it is imperative to treat it with a primer, which will improve the adhesion to the coating.
Decorating one wall with decorative stone
The decorative stone is glued to the prepared surfaces, for which a cement-sand mortar or special adhesives can be used. It is preferable to use glue - it can be applied either on the back flat surface of the stone, or directly on the wall - this will not affect the final strength of the coating.
Atypical stone laying in vertical lines
Artificial stone, which is produced in the format of tiles, can be laid using one of 2 technologies:
- Seamless method. All tiles are mounted close to each other so that there are no seams left between them.
- With jointing. In this case, a certain distance is maintained between the fragments of the cladding in the range of 15-25 mm. This is the most common installation method, easy to implement, regardless of what type of tile is chosen. In addition, it allows the creation of sealed surfaces.
Rules for installing decorative stone with jointing
In this case, the following features of the work are distinguished:
- Installation begins with fixing the corner elements.
- After that, tiles are attached, which should be near windows and doors.
- The top row is attached last.
How to properly lay a decorative stone
Professionals recommend laying from top to bottom, since this way the solution does not get on the already mounted elements. If there is a need to cut the tiles, then they are installed where the cut points will not be visible. In the event that any defects arise during the masonry process, they can be easily masked with a jointing mass.
Laying stones of different sizes with jointing
As for the joining itself, it is carried out only after the mounting glue solution is completely dry. Use the appropriate formulations recommended by the manufacturer of the finishing material. They can be produced either in the form of a powder for further dilution with water, or in special containers with dispensers, ready for application (as a rule, these are silicone joints). Choose contrasting or neutral colors to create even more attractive masonry.
After joining work, you need to thoroughly clean the tiles - this is the end of the installation.
In the next article, options for finishing the hallway and corridor with decorative stone.
Natural stone is a material that has been used in construction for thousands of years. Unfortunately, it has two main drawbacks that limit its use (at least for balcony cladding): high weight and high cost. Can it be replaced with an artificial analogue? Yes. And this is often a sound and practical decision. Decorating a balcony with decorative stone is easier, cheaper and has several more significant advantages. What is an artificial stone? Does it have any disadvantages?
Paint application process
High-quality painting will work if you use a primer and paint from the same manufacturer. It is recommended to apply two coats of paint. The first is made thicker. The second is applied only after the first is completely dry.
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The paint is applied with a brush or roller. If the area to be painted is very large, a spray gun can be used.
The surfaces adjacent to the painted area are sealed with masking tape, and the floor is covered with oilcloth. The paint is applied starting from the corners, brushing or rolling from top to bottom.
Application of stencils
Using the stencil technique, you can paint only a part of the wall in a certain color.
The correct selection of shades will allow you to mask defects, while highlighting more advantageous areas.
Brick colors in the interior
Today, color solutions for finishing balconies and loggias with bricks can be very diverse. Wherein the desired tone is selected based on different nuances... For example, white is appropriate in neutral interiors where white, gray and black are used.
On a note! You can also decorate a wall in white where there is not sufficient lighting of the balcony space.
Someone more like natural tones, which is why the brick can be reddish, terracotta, gray. Often it is made in the so-called woody tones. Moreover, the texture of veneers or tiles can be different. For instance, shades can be mixed, which gives the interior a special look, depth and aesthetic appeal... Tones of the beige group of a cool scale are popular. This is a sandy, cold beige, gray-beige color.
Artificial aging of bricks
The old masonry is characterized by chips, cracks and the absence of some bricks.
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For artificial aging, each brick must be processed. Chipped chaotically. All bricks are wiped with sandpaper.
If desired, the seams are rubbed with moss or earth. To fix the result, cover the wall with a couple of layers of acrylic varnish.
Preparatory stage
Contains very careful work with a spatula and a metal brush in order to delete all the dirt and bumps.
Cracks and holes that may be in the wall must be filled with putty.
Then choose emery coarse sandpaper and very thoroughly process surface, subsequently grinding her. Seams between bricks can be puttyif you want a flat surface.
Pay your attention to quality the brick from which the wall is laid and the quality of the masonry.
Thoroughly inspect it for surface damage. If the surface of the wall is good condition, in the event that the masonry is made of bricks flatwell done then it's not worth it plaster, and it will be more interesting to use it as a specific structure that will look interesting and decorate your balcony.
Priming the prepared surface
In the event that in some places on the masonry there is mold these places need to be processed alkaline solution, which will not take you much time and will not bother you, then use for a primer acrylic a primer with antibacterial ingredients.
What would to protect a surface from various fungi and mold, it is better to choose a primer for such outdoor work antibacterial acrylic. Using a roller and a brush from the tools, it is necessary to carefully prime the wall, including all the joints between the bricks.
In the event that you want to restore the paintwork. The wall must be very thoroughly cleaned of old paint.
Imitation brickwork
You can simulate brickwork using:
- Wallpaper with a convex pattern. They are fixed to the wall with liquid nails and painted. This type of finish is considered the cheapest.
- Plastic panels. They can be of different sizes.
- Decorative bricks. They are fixed to the wall in the same way as tiles.
- Sandwich panels. They are quick to install and are suitable for balconies with any glazing.
How to prepare walls for DIY decoration
The process of preparing a wall for painting is one of the most important stages. The service life of the paintwork and the appearance of the surface depend on this. The work takes place in several stages:
- Removal of old paintwork, plaster.
- Visual inspection of the load-bearing partition.
- Repair of brickwork in case of detection of elements that have crumbled, do not hold well in their place.
- Elimination of various defects, sealing chips, cracks using cement mortar.
- Cleaning the seams, renewing them if necessary.
- Cleaning each brick from the remnants of dirt, dust.
- Washing off efflorescence.
- Fighting mold and mildew. If microorganisms are found, antiseptic treatment should be performed.
- Cleaning of greasy stains.
- Complete drying of the surface before applying the primer.
Restoration of old masonry is one of the most difficult types of work. It is very difficult to choose a brick block corresponding in color and texture, to determine the type of solution used.
Wall priming
Primers are used to improve the adhesion (adhesion) of paints and varnishes to the painted wall.The solution is applied before painting. It performs a protective function, levels the surface, reduces paint consumption, and increases its service life. The primer reduces the absorbency of the wall, and thanks to the antiseptic additives included in the composition, it prevents the development of microorganisms and the appearance of mold.
Having decided to refine the loggia or balcony correctly, you should not neglect the priming process. For processing brickwork, it is best to use a silicate primer, which is characterized by resistance to natural influences. You can also consider using a versatile acrylic blend or mineral based materials for outdoor use.
The guarantee of a high-quality painting result lies in the use of primers and coloring agents from one manufacturer.
It is necessary to apply the composition in two layers, no more than 2 mm thick. The first one should be thicker. Before laying the next one, you need to wait a certain amount of time. Drying times are usually indicated on the packaging. You can process the wall with the composition with a roller or brush. The first tool allows you to reduce the consumption of soil, the second one can work with uneven surfaces.
Painting process - the better the paint is applied
The decoration of the brickwork of the balcony must be carried out with special facade compounds. Such paints have a special texture, they hide surface imperfections well. They do not leave streaks or streaks. The application method has its own characteristics. It is better to use a wide brush as a tool. This will allow the seams to be processed most efficiently.
Areas adjacent to the surfaces to be painted are pasted over with masking tape, the floor is covered with foil. Apply the composition from the corners, drawing vertical stripes from top to bottom. A roller can be used to paint the central part of the wall. The paint is applied in several layers, taking breaks to dry.
If it is necessary to treat a large area, use a spray gun. The method allows you to increase the speed of surface finishing. It is also necessary to carry out air, airless spraying in several layers in stages. The staining process is usually delayed for several days.
Using stencils when painting
Stencil technique allows painting not the entire wall in one color, but only some areas. By carefully choosing the color scheme, you can hide various masonry defects, highlight the winning spots. With the help of special layouts, you can decorate a brick surface with original natural lines.
A realistic brick simulation can be done in several ways. There are many types of paintable finishing materials that can exactly repeat the texture. More often they resort to the following options:
- Wallpaper with a convex pattern. Some types of canvases completely repeat the texture of the brick. The material is attached to the wall with liquid nails and painted.
- Decorative bricks. Individual elements are made from gypsum mixtures, cement. They are mounted to the surface according to the tile principle.
- Plastic panels. Elongated sheets are available in different sizes, mounted on prepared walls.
Joining method
They resort to this finishing method after the brick has been completely laid, if the seams stand out strongly and an undesirable structure is visible. A metal arc with a concave end is used to refine surfaces. The tool is leaned against the seam and moved with force in one direction. Thus, you can make a convex or concave relief. In the process of work, excess concrete is removed, and clear edges of the pattern are formed. Joining is also possible on already painted surfaces.
In some cases, according to a certain design idea, it is necessary to highlight each brick. For this, they resort to contrasting staining of the seams. You can start working only after the concrete has completely solidified.The seams are pre-cleaned and primed.
Decorative plaster
For finishing a brick balcony that is not heated, use a special facade plaster. A huge selection of types and colors of plaster allows you to get surfaces of various colors and textures.
Lime plaster is often used to imitate brickwork.
The plastered wall is painted in any color.
Resistant plaster improves the sound and thermal insulation characteristics of the surface. The disadvantage of this coating is the increased static. Because of this, dirt and dust are clogged in uneven surfaces.
Brick wall for painting
If the wall on your balcony was originally brickwork, it can be painted in any color, depending on the intended design.
For interior work on the loggia, it is better to purchase paint that does not emit harmful substances. In addition, it is desirable that the walls can be easily cleaned after processing. Water-soluble and emulsion dyes possess such properties. They apply well and dry quickly. The walls of the balcony, covered with polymer, latex, silicone, acrylic products, look good.
There are so-called acrylate pigments. They stay on the walls for a long time, they are easy to work with. Despite the high cost of such a dye, it will more than reimburse you for all your expenses later. In general, you can buy any paint you like on the glassed-in balcony for painting brick-styled walls.
The use of brick decoration on the loggia can make this part of your apartment original and unique. This type of cladding allows you to embody a trendy vintage style in your interior. At the same time, you can create any boring images from different historical times. Imitation of brick walls is diverse. It is enough to come up with an interesting idea for decorating a balcony, and then choose the most suitable one for its implementation from the facing materials available on the market.
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For many people, the balcony is a favorite place in the apartment: a secluded space with a beautiful view allows you to relax your body and soul. Decorating the balcony with decorative bricks will make this place unique, cozy and let your imagination run wild, because decorative bricks can be used in a wide variety of styles. In modern stores, there is a huge selection of materials that differ in their physical and visual characteristics.
If you decide to use decorative brick or its imitation in your balcony design, this article will answer many of your questions.
Types and benefits
Arriving at a hardware store, you will be surprised how many different building finishing materials look like brickwork. It is worth noting that the decoration of the inner walls of the balcony with real brick is not available to everyone: this material weighs a lot and not every balcony ceiling will withstand such a load. For the implementation of the "brick" design, it is better to resort to the use of decorative bricks, which have many types.
Photo:
Wallpaper
One of the easiest ways to imitate brickwork can be wallpaper with the image of the latter.
You can find high-quality material that is almost indistinguishable from natural brick.
The use of wallpaper in the interior decoration of the balcony has a number of advantages: ease of installation - most people know how to glue wallpaper from childhood, a minimum of auxiliary materials is needed, gluing wallpaper is not the dirtiest thing. And in modern stores there is an assortment of wallpapers with images of any size, color and texture of bricks. The cost of this finishing option is relatively low.
Read more about decorating the balcony with wallpaper here.
Plastic panels
Even plastic has learned to decorate under a stone.With the help of a set of special decorative panels, the balcony will not visually differ from a relative lined with natural brick.
The panels are presented in the form of separate parts, which are attached to the walls using screws or self-tapping screws.
Among the advantages, lightness is distinguished, which will serve a good service if the balcony is on not the strongest ceilings; long-term preservation of aesthetic properties - unlike wallpaper, this plastic is weakly susceptible to temperature changes, moisture, rust, and has greater wear resistance. It is also an inexpensive material. Composing a composition from separate parts will allow, if necessary, to replace any of them.
Painting the walls after plastering
Application of plaster before painting allows you to mask unwanted irregularities and surface defects.
The mills are processed with a mixture of sand and cement. The surface of the glazed balcony can be strengthened using a layer of gypsum without cement.
After drying, a layer of primer is applied to the walls, and after that it is painted. Before applying a new layer, the previous one must dry completely.
Clinker tiles
Clinker tiles are ideal for decorating open balconies. It can be laid not only on walls but also on the floor. The material has high wear resistance and is well tolerated in winter frosts.
The disadvantage of tiles is their low thermal conductivity. It cools down quickly, so in the cold season it is not comfortable to touch it.
From the photo of brick balconies, it is obvious that various materials can be used for their decoration. In this case, the most popular option is to paint the walls with paint.
It improves the appearance of the surface and protects the surface from mechanical damage and adverse weather conditions.
Features of brick veneers
At first glance, the so-called brick veneers differ little from clinker tiles. However, these are separate cladding parts, the material for which can be plastic, glass, leather, wood, clay or paper. They can be cut by yourself or purchased individually from the store. Brick veneers are intended for decorating one part of the balcony wall or a separate area in the room.
These tiles are glued to the wall, like other materials, the joints are sealed with mortar and smoothed.
Laying brick veneers
Places of fixation of veneers on the surface are preliminary indicated by marking. During work, each of the artificial bricks can be additionally "aged" by creating erased spots or cracks.
Photo of a brick balcony
