What is flexible stone?
To understand how to do the finishing, you should understand what the material is and how it is produced.
From the name it is clear that the stone is soft. It can bend, is suitable for facing irregularly shaped surfaces, and is relatively easy to work with (in comparison with other natural materials). But how did manufacturers manage to achieve this effect?
Flexible stone photo of colors
To obtain the material in the form in which it is delivered to the end consumer, a very thin slice of sandstone (sedimentary rock, no more than 2 mm thick) is glued to a layer of fiberglass. There is another, simpler production technology: epoxy resin or acrylic glue is applied to the same durable base and the smallest stone chips are sprayed on.
In the first case, the texture depends on the appearance of the cut, and in the second, it is set automatically on the machine that does the spraying. The second application method opens up more design possibilities and allows you to get an imitation of any rock: from ordinary marble to quartz or beautiful agate.
Important! Both options have a maximum thickness of 5-6 mm.
Types
Flexible stone for walls is available in 3 main formats.
Wallpaper
The largest option. The sheets are 1-1.2 m wide and 2-2.8 m long. It is used as a flexible stone for interior decoration when working with large surfaces. The wallpaper has the thinnest coating, the layer barely reaches 3 mm.
Tile
Compact-sized stone pieces (20*30, 30*60, 40*80 cm) are suitable for decorating the same small areas. For example, a kitchen apron, a shower cabin, etc. Decorative coating of 2-3 mm indicates that it can only be used indoors.
The photo shows soft stone tile
Panels
Sheets, about a meter by 2.5 meters in size, replace both tiles and wallpaper. The main difference between slabs and both is the thickness of the coating, which reaches 6 mm. Suitable for finishing facades with flexible stone, and for outdoor use.
Important! The average weight of a square meter is 3.5 kilograms. This fact opens up new possibilities in finishing walls with flexible stone — for example, it can be used on weak structures, such as plasterboard.
The photo shows an example of sandstone tile
Pros and cons
Advantages of flexible stone in the interior:
- Durability. Being a natural stone material, it has a virtually unlimited service life: responsible manufacturers give a 30-35 year warranty on their goods.
- Safety. The adhesives used in production are absolutely harmless: the material does not emit phenols or other substances into the air.
- Easy to work with. You won’t need any special tools: you can cut with regular scissors. At the same time, you can cover not only straight surfaces, but also round ones: for example, columns.
- Water resistance. It is not afraid of moisture, suitable for use in the bathroom.
- Fire resistance. The stone does not burn, it can be used to frame a fireplace or stove in the living room.
- Frost resistance. Flexible stone can be used to decorate the inside and outside of your own home. It can withstand temperatures from -45C to +600C.
- Easy to care for. It does not require any special means or actions to maintain its appearance.
- Lightweight. In interior design, the weight of the finishing material sometimes plays a key role: here, stone wallpaper has no equal.
Disadvantages:
- Small thickness. This is both a plus and a minus: due to the thinness of the material, flexible stone is installed only on perfectly prepared surfaces.
- High cost. The average price is 1,200-1,500 rubles per square, which is much more expensive than tiles.
- Limited choice of designs. If we are talking about the natural variety, when a layer of sandstone is cut off, the color and pattern are limited by the appearance of the original stone. In most cases, these are light beige sheets with red veins.
Application options in the interior
It is most often used in wall decoration at facilities. Moreover, unlike tiles or porcelain stoneware, stone is appropriate not only in bathrooms, kitchens, hallways. Its original appearance can fit perfectly into the living room and even the bedroom.
Although it is best suited for damp rooms: the breathable surface does not allow condensation to accumulate, protects against the formation of fungus and mold, and helps maintain a favorable microclimate.
Flexible stone in the interior of the study photo
The use of flexible stone in the interior is not limited to vertical surfaces. It is also used for:
- Replacing flooring. Flexible stone flooring can be used in bedrooms or living rooms, as well as in more actively used rooms: hallways, bathrooms, kitchens. It can withstand heavy loads and lasts for many years.
- Decorating the fireplace area. Unlike artificial stone, natural stone can easily withstand high temperatures up to 600-650C. Therefore, it will not melt or deteriorate from the heat of a stove or fireplace.
- Ennobling columns, rounded ledges, arches. Each apartment and house has its own architectural features: if a reinforcing column has formed in one of the rooms, the easiest way to give it a decorative look is with flexible stone.
- Decorating stairs. Stone steps are a symbol of luxury. But they do not have to be made entirely of expensive stone. You can save a lot by simply facing a concrete staircase with decorative plates.
- Manufacturing of lightboxes. Yes, this unique material is used not only in finishing. Due to the fact that the material transmits light, it can be used to create nightlights or original lamps.
- Production of countertops, furniture fronts. The ability to take any shape and high performance properties open up new possibilities for using flexible stone in the kitchen. Not only for decorating an apron, but also as a countertop (you can cut food, put hot food on it), processing a bar counter, and decorating the outside of doors. Due to the size of the panels or wallpaper, the work can be done with virtually no seams.
How does it look in different rooms?
In bathrooms, if the budget allows, flexible stone is used for the complete finishing of the walls and floor. If you don’t want a stone room, combine flexible stone with paint, mosaic or wallpaper (in dry areas).
In the kitchen, stone is most often used apron: it is not afraid of high temperatures, is easy to clean from grease, looks impressive. To prevent the area above the work surface from looking too gaudy, highlight the dining area with flexible stone.
In living rooms, entire figured compositions are made: you can depict mountains or any abstract figure. They are mainly used as a background for a TV or as a decoration for the surface behind the sofa.
The photo shows stone walls in the living room
Stone on the walls is no less impressive looks good in a study: it adds solidity and seriousness to the owner of the room, emphasizes good taste.
You can cover niches or partitions. For example, you can play up a niche for video equipment mounted to hide wires.
Installation recommendations
- Since the material is quite thin in any form, the surface should be carefully prepared. Remove the remains of old coatings, level, prime.
- To make the seams invisible, glue the material end to end or overlap, then heat with a building hair dryer and smooth.
- Use special acrylic or tile adhesive – both options do an excellent job and will hold the stone in place for a long time.
- When working with several elements, first lay them out in the right order on the floor, then transfer them to the desired surface – this way you will get the desired pattern.
Were you looking for an easy-to-use, but high-quality and durable material? Here it is! Having discovered this material, you understand: it is not for nothing that soft stone is loved by designers all over the world.