Gypsum is a soft, plastic and lightweight material, and these qualities determine the popularity of finishing materials made from it. Decorative tiles, the raw material for which is gypsum, are very popular; there are a huge number of texture and format variations. How not to make a mistake when choosing a manufacturer? Is it possible to make gypsum tiles to look like stone or brick yourself? What is the laying and grouting technology? We will consider all these questions further.
Features of gypsum tile products
Gypsum is one of the widely used building materials. Used mainly in interior design, as surface materials for walls, ceilings, stucco. Decorative parts are made from it:
- sockets for a chandelier;
- internal cornices;
- ceiling frames;
- decorative columns and much more.
Gypsum tiles always look beautiful in the interior
Gypsum is also used to imitate plaster. It is also produced as prefabricated block, such as drywall.
Gypsum is a white to gray mineral found in the earth's crust. Chemically it is known as calcium sulfate hydrate (CaSO4.2H2O), which is obtained by extraction from large veins. For interior decoration, a translucent gypsum stone called alabaster is usually used; it is suitable for any sculptural forms. In its natural state it consists of about 30% bound water. This water is extracted through continuous heating to obtain a white powder.
Has many design advantages
For the manufacture of gypsum tiles and other gypsum materials, it is this naturally occurring gypsum that is used as a raw material . So-called synthetic gypsum is made from it. This is done using wet limestone, which is a combination of calcium and water, combined with sulfate to form calcium sulfate.
How is plaster different from other surfaces?
Among its qualities there are unique ones, in particular the following:
- has no foreign odors, completely safe;
- widely available in nature;
- comfortable, aesthetic material;
- easy to install;
- fire resistance;
- durability;
- sound insulation;
- heat resistance.
This material is fire resistant and durable
Nowadays, most interior and exterior design features are mainly controlled by gypsum construction or gypsum molding.
The demand for this material is due to another factor: less time, cost of work. Over time, gypsum products acquire more and more advanced properties, such as increased fire resistance, acoustic properties for sound insulation, etc.
Gypsum tiles - easy to install
Properties
Fire resistance
It is naturally fire resistant, stopping the spread of fire, which can be critical to safety and life. This property is due to the presence of water, which is present in gypsum products. Let's say a 15 mm thick gypsum tile contains almost 3 liters of crystallized water. As the fire approaches the water, the water undergoes evaporation, resulting in a protective layer that covers the gypsum product. This property will help stop the spread of fire from other materials.
Good sound insulation
Non-flammable
As explained, heating gypsum products causes the water crystals present in the gypsum material to heat up.
This dehydration of gypsum by heat is called calcination. Firing results in a coating that prevents it from burning, allowing the material next to it to maintain a lower, safer temperature. Even after the water crystals are completely calcined, the residue will act as an insulating layer until it is destroyed. Gypsum is considered a good fire retardant due to its ability to stop the spread of fire for several hours depending on the amount of gypsum products.
Has no foreign odors
Acoustics
Gypsum products are famous for their soundproofing properties, which are much more effective than brickwork, if we take the same thickness. Gypsum is specially formulated to reduce noise and prevent reverberation. The space between two plaster walls results in higher acoustic performance by limiting the passage of noise. For example, instead of a 110mm thick brick wall, we can install 75mm thick gypsum boards to achieve the same sound performance.
Can be matched to any style
Heat resistance
The thermal properties created by the gypsum structure will ensure a good balance of humidity and temperature in the room. Gypsum construction incorporating cavities such as plasterboard or formwork provides additional insulating properties.
Vapor barrier
The use of gypsum boards in interior design prevents humidity in the room.
Can be used in any room
The most common mistakes made when installing yourself
When installing decorative stone yourself, you can make a mistake. The most common mistakes made by experts:
- A lot of waste due to improper cutting of tiles;
- An incorrect primer or a violation of the technology for applying the primer;
- Excessively wide or sloppy seams;
- Violation of row levels.
Gypsum brick is a modern and very easy-to-work material that allows you to install it yourself.
Gypsum brick is a modern and very easy-to-work material that allows you to install it yourself. If all requirements are met, you can count on excellent results and long-term operation.
Plaster walls
Gypsum walls are durable, paintable surfaces that are suitable for all types of interior spaces. The material does not contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Thanks to its structural diversity, it perfectly shapes the atmosphere, tone, and mood in a home or office.
Gypsum wall tiles are made to virtually any design, pattern or texture using a CNC manufacturing process. They can match any decor. The design can be calming for a casual living room or more dynamic for a business office environment. It can be subtle, lively, upscale or trendy.
The variety of materials will surprise you
Types of decorative finishing stone
Today there are three types of decorative artificial stone used for interior decoration:
- cement-based;
- gypsum based;
- agglomerate.
These products are very similar in appearance to natural stone, only they weigh much less (from 14 kg/m2 to 50 kg/m2). The cost is also much lower (compared to natural), especially if the manufacturer is Russian or Belarusian. The advantages include easier installation - only the front part is textured, the other three are more reminiscent of tiles or bricks.
Actually, there is another type of artificial finishing stone - clinker tiles, imitating brickwork of various types. It is made from clay using almost brick technology - fired in a kiln and glazed. The difference in thickness is 1-3 cm. This type of finishing is good in many modern interiors - from high-tech to loft.
Samples of clinker tiles to imitate brickwork
Gypsum based
Gypsum finishing stone is the most inexpensive of this type of materials. Its second advantage is that it is the lightest. This is what is used when installing on drywall, since it simply cannot withstand heavy loads. Disadvantages - it is quite fragile, hygroscopic, and can collapse if wet. Decorating a hallway with decorative stone based on gypsum is possible only if, after installation, it is treated with a special protective impregnation or acrylic-based varnish.
Cement based
A strong and durable finishing stone is obtained from a gypsum-sand mixture. It can be washed, even with a brush and liquid detergent. Its disadvantages:
- Hard to cut. You will need a grinder with a diamond blade to reduce dust, you can wet the tiles.
- Heavy weight. This is when compared with a gypsum analogue, and compared to natural, the weight is more than half as low.
- Higher price. In the production of cement decorative stone, high-quality cement is used, and it costs a decent amount. In addition, the production technology affects the price - cement takes longer to gain the required strength (28 days), and until this moment the molded tiles must be stored somewhere, and under certain conditions (at a temperature of about 20°C and sufficient humidity of 40-50%). This means that significant areas for storage space are required, and this means additional costs.
All these shortcomings are compensated by durability and ease of maintenance, so this is one of the most common decorative stones for interior and exterior decoration.
Artificial agglomerate stone
This type of decorative finishing stone has appeared recently. It consists of natural rocks crushed to crumbs - marble, granite, quartzite - to which polymer resins or cement are added. To obtain bright colors, a coloring pigment is added. This decorative stone looks great - interspersed with natural fragments, reflections on the edges of the crumbs... It looks really good, suitable for finishing work indoors.
Painting methods
When choosing a collection made from gypsum or cement, pay attention to the method of painting. Pigment can be added to the solution, and then the entire tile will be the same color
Tints are then applied to its front surface, which give the surface a more natural look. With this technology, even when chipped, the difference will be unnoticeable, since the shades are close.
In another embodiment, the pigment is applied only to the surface. Then, if it is chipped or needs to be cut, the color will be very different.
Accent 3D walls
This is not yet a hackneyed way of decorating houses and apartments, which fashion designers have already adopted. 3D wall panels can complement almost any indoor residential or commercial environment, helping to create a colorful living space. This is a modern, simple, economical finishing material that can be quickly installed and painted in any color to match the interior.
They can be used to create accent walls, TV background walls, bedrooms, children's rooms, offices, restaurants, entertainment centers.
3d panels on the wall
What do they represent?
These are relief composite tiles with a complex single pattern that provide a three-dimensional finish in the interior, sold by square meters. Each piece measures approximately 60/60 cm, but other formats are possible. The design principle is to give a smooth monolithic surface without joints or seams, so each part is made to fit into the neighboring one.
Designers love this new, unconventional material and suggest decorating an accent wall with it to make it stand out as the central focal point of the room. But some people use tiles to cover all the walls or ceilings.
You can sheathe not only the walls, but also the ceiling
Coating texture
You can choose any repeating geometric pattern or make a sketch yourself - for this there are already quite advanced technologies that allow you to implement personal projects of volumetric walls based on gypsum.
The most common patterns chosen are waves, honeycombs, circles, pits, moons, and ripples. You can get a very realistic imitation of a brick wall and other surfaces.
The material can be painted in any color. That is, you choose not only the shape for your wall, but its color range to the desired shade. You can also repaint such walls, even several times. They can also be artificially aged, for example, using the craquelure or patina technique.
Has a wide variety of patterns
You can install such panels yourself . The joints are made with micron precision, so that all parts come together in one stunning pattern, without any visible tile boundaries. To create one large seamless textured wall, adhesive is applied to the back of the tiles using a trowel and then installed.
There is a thin layer of putty on the end of the tile. When joining sheets, an additional fastening element appears, which is used to seal the seams between the panels. Subsequently, the seams are rubbed down and a monolithic surface is obtained.
You can install such panels yourself
So, step by step, the three-dimensional gypsum panels are glued to the entire wall. If you need to cut a sheet, this can be easily done with a regular saw. Since the material is quite fragile, you need to be careful when working with it, protect it from falling.
Thus, you can get a designer wall in your interior without the participation of a professional decorator. Add a sculptural panel to the wall to add decoration and texture. Paint your 3D wall any color you want, using household paint, tone on tone, or to contrast with your existing decor.
Waves are a very popular pattern
Tip To make the most of the sculptural effect, try lighting the wall from above or below to highlight the 3D effect and textured surface.
Installation technology
Gypsum tiles are best glued to bases made of concrete, gypsum, brick, plasterboard, and also covered with plaster.
The lining is carried out at temperatures above +10 degrees. If you are gluing gypsum tiles onto some non-standard surface, for example, onto old tiles, it makes sense to make a layer of material that adheres well to both the cladding and the base. For a tile base, this can be high-quality strong tile adhesive.
To decorate a wall with gypsum stone, the tools you will need are:
- level - water or laser;
- drill with mixer attachment,
- hacksaw or grinder for sawing,
- miter box,
- foam sponges,
- grout spatula,
- straight and notched spatula,
- tassels,
- sandpaper or whetstone,
- construction gun or regular plastic bag.
The following materials will also be useful:
- glue - if it came with the stone, you need to use it; Tile adhesive or gypsum compounds (Knauf Perflix, Volma Montazh) are also suitable.
- wall primer,
- grout for seams,
- if necessary - paints for the seams and the tiles themselves,
- varnish (water-based).
Silicone sealant, cement glue, gypsum plaster, PVA glue, and mastic can be used as glue.
To stick tiles, you first need to mark the wall. This way the lining will be smooth. To do this, you need to mark a horizontal and vertical line, relative to which the stone will be laid. Usually they start installing it from the corner, so the markings are tied to it.
Gypsum stone tiles can be of different shapes, so when marking, select elements so that they do not repeat. Gypsum brick tiles are simpler in this regard; they are the same in shape. To accurately apply markings, you need a water or laser level. The latter is easier to use, including alone, but it is more expensive.
Next we start gluing. Before this, the base is primed. The glue is mixed with a drill with a mixer attachment according to the instructions; the consistency should be close to thick sour cream. Apply glue to the base with a smooth trowel in a layer of about 5 mm, remove excess with a notched trowel. Apply an area for 3-5 elements at a time. The stone is pressed tightly to the base, adjusting its position.
If the gypsum tiles are made to resemble bricks, then the joints must be grouted. To do this, use special “crosses” or any suitable material at hand. For multi-format artificial stone, seams are not required.
Advice! Gypsum tiles under the brick are laid offset so that the vertical seams are not located on top of each other.
Plaster is quite easy to saw with both a regular hacksaw and a grinder. The latter is easier to give elements the required shape, but this tool produces a lot of noise and dust. It is best to cut along the relief line, but if you use a grinder, you can cut the tiles along any desired contour.
It is important to carefully design the junctions of switches, sockets, floors, and adjacent walls. To make external corners, gypsum tiles are cut with a grinder at an angle of 45 degrees.
The seams are rubbed with gypsum glue or a special mixture. To do this, use a spatula or a construction gun; you can also make something like a pastry syringe out of a plastic bag (as thick as milk) and squeeze out the glue in a strip 4-5 mm thick. Fill the grout halfway into the gun or bag.
Advice! You should not squeeze out a large amount of grout at once, otherwise it will set before you have time to distribute it. Make sure that the composition does not get on the tiles - porous gypsum is difficult to wash off traces of putty.
Some design solutions involve contrast between the gypsum tiles and the seams. If the color of the tiles differs from the color of the grout, and this is not included in your project, then the seams are painted over with dyes after the fugue has set. You can also use dyes to disguise chipped tiles. After the glue has dried, the stone-look tiles are coated with water-based varnish.
Dropped ceilings
The modern suspended ceiling system has not changed much since the 1960s and is still the most common type of ceiling used in the design of commercial and residential buildings. It has many strengths, which include low price, flexibility, quick installation, acoustic properties, adaptability for lighting and mechanical systems, and easy access to the plenum.
Typically, they were used to conceal mechanical systems such as ducts and pipes, giving the overhead space a clean, monolithic appearance. Today, the open ceiling trend is more popular, especially in commercial interiors, despite the benefits of gypsum ceiling systems.
Looks good on the ceiling
Research has shown that adding design elements to the ceiling plane can have a significant impact on the overall ambiance of a space, and can create a feeling of openness, privacy, intimacy or even energy. Additionally, a life cycle analysis study of ceilings versus open styles found that while initial installation costs are higher for suspended ceiling systems, energy and maintenance costs are lower than with exposed designs.
Suspended ceiling systems using gypsum ceiling tiles present a huge opportunity for designers and architects to create impact and visual interest in interior decoration, as well as solve a number of performance, safety, and overall appearance issues.
Main characteristics
Gypsum ceilings are a ceiling structure made of tiles, panels or blocks that can be adjusted in height for easy installation of all types of pipes, insulation materials, heating and lighting devices. They are also easily adaptable to special construction requirements such as:
- round ceilings;
- domes;
- sloping ceiling;
- recessed lighting, etc.
Stucco decor in the interior
They are a secondary structure that is attached to the main ceiling. It is a compatible independent structure, ready to paint, lightweight, excellent sound absorption, fireproof, economical. In addition, gypsum ceiling tiles with plastic coating on the front side and aluminum coating on the back side are durable and wear-resistant. It can also be washed with regular household detergents. Offers good sound insulation, water repellency and paint that will not fade when exposed to direct sunlight.
Gypsum ceiling design
Repeating modules (panels, slabs, blocks) are suitable for any shape and can be trimmed if necessary. Such a ceiling will improve indoor air quality and will be easy to use and install.
Installation principles
The suspended ceiling is slightly lower than the main one, this allows you to hide all the wires from the chandeliers and effectively place spot, recessed lighting. Installation takes place according to the principle of a frame system. After installing the frame, work with electrical wiring and connecting future lighting with the output of the corresponding wires follows.
Installation takes place according to the principle of a frame system
The frame may consist of square or rectangular divisions, depending on what type of architecture and design is needed . Sometimes ceiling tiles are cut to accommodate irregular or round light fixtures. In other cases, it may not be necessary to use tiles in place of the lighting fixture. In the third case, they buy a special ceiling rosette made of plaster, used for chandeliers. When choosing ways to place lamps, most designers are guided by specific needs.
One of the many advantages of this material is the ease with which it is installed in new or existing premises. Installation on the frame occurs in a very short period of time without loss of acoustic or insulating characteristics.
Lightweight and easy to care for
Most tiles do not require special cutting tools and are compatible with a variety of adhesives and installation methods. Additionally, many products come with a removable layer for added protection during installation.
The ceiling can radically change any interior
Finish options
Today, gypsum tiles can often be found in a variety of interiors. It looks stylish and original, and by decorating certain areas in an apartment or house with it, you can emphasize the chosen style of the room, placing emphasis on specific surfaces and details. The use of such finishing can transform a room.
The peculiarities of gypsum stone are that it is interesting in the design of certain elements and is simply irreplaceable for creating an original interior. If you cover the entire room with it, it will most likely get lost, although this option is also appropriate with proper design and choice of decor. It’s just that a room completely decorated with stone can become boring over time, and renovations take more than one year.
Gypsum tiles are actively used in combination with other materials. You can use it very beautifully to decorate a fireplace, as well as the area near it. And it will look very harmonious, especially if you choose suitable decorative elements.
- Columns, arches, and accent walls are decorated in this way. There is a place for this stone in every room, you just need to skillfully use its unlimited possibilities. Your own intuition, taste, and sense of style will tell you where to use it.
- In the kitchen, you can use it to decorate a bar counter and even a work area. Properly selected furniture will highlight the overall style.
- The hallway, decorated with gypsum tiles, immerses those who enter the house into a mysterious atmosphere. It immediately becomes interesting: what else will surprise the owner?
- This stone surface is also suitable for a bathroom. Using different stone textures and shades, you can create a very interesting design. But at the same time, you must not forget to perform additional surface treatment.
- Due to different colors you can visually change the space. Darker colors will help make the room more mysterious and cozy, conducive to relaxation. And light ones will expand the space and make the room more solemn and elegant.
In a word, there are a lot of options for using this finishing material. You can show your imagination or use ready-made design solutions.
To learn how to lay gypsum stone, see the following video.
Wall plates
Any base is suitable for laying decorative tiles. Combine a series of panels or tiles into a continuous pattern. The seamless pattern can be positioned vertically or horizontally, this is reflected in the instructions. When installation is complete, the gap between the panels will not be noticeable. What to consider when installing wall slabs:
- If necessary, use the tile as a separate insert or decoration. Fill a certain space with it, not necessarily the entire wall. The size of the installation is limited only by your imagination and the room's capabilities.
- Painting the surface maximizes the tile's capabilities, as its fine-grained structure absorbs and transmits color well.
- Carefully unpack each panel for installation, allow it to acclimate to ambient temperature and humidity, and prepare it for painting to achieve the desired effect.
- Or order pre-painted wall panels. Factories and companies will professionally paint the product in any color, including beautiful metallic shades of water-based paints. However, pre-painting is not suitable in cases where a seamless installation is required. Choose this method only when it is essential to save time and effort. Painted panels perfectly reflect mood and atmosphere and are especially suitable for high traffic areas.
Wall plate option
With the right texture and color, the stimulating effect increases if you need to get some action from those present:
- decide to purchase or cooperate in commercial establishments;
- eat a lot or little in the kitchen (for a good appetite, choose red paint, and for those who are losing weight, blue is suitable);
- increase creativity and productivity.
At home, you can make rooms more energetic and lively, less busy, or casual and relaxed.
White color makes the room more spacious
Color is important to any design scheme. Bright colors like red and yellow add energy, while blue, green and other cooler colors create a calming effect . The versatility of grey, white, black and brown provides the flexibility to create effects when complementing other colours.
Materials
Gypsum boards are composed of medium-density fiberboard (made from recycled wood) and porcelain gypsum. Sulphate mineral (gypsum) is often used for plaster and wall coverings. The grade of gypsum used in panels and slabs for home interiors is usually alabaster, a fine-grained white/lightly tinted gypsum material. It is a flexible material used for sculptures and can be processed into any type of paint or texture.
Options for using gypsum tiles
Laying technology
https://youtube.com/watch?v=aWyx6CM4Fis
Tool
- Spatulas: regular and serrated;
- Level;
- Hacksaw or grinder;
- Miter box;
- Drill mixer;
- Foam sponges;
- Grouting spatula;
- A construction gun or a milk carton;
- A pair of brushes;
- Sandpaper and whetstone;
Materials
Installation with gypsum glue.
- Glue. You can use any tile or gypsum material, for example “Knauf Perlfix” or “VOLMA MONTAGE”. Can also be laid on liquid nails. Some have glue included.
- Water based varnish.
- Dyes for grout and tiles;
- Primer.
- Grout for seams.
Step 1: Marking
The technology for laying gypsum tiles, including markings, is similar to the technology for laying ceramic tiles
It is important to find the starting points, horizontal and vertical, based on considerations of smooth, accurate cladding and geometric aesthetics. Typically, decorative tiles begin to be laid from the corners, so the markings are tied to them
Decorative stone-look tiles are often of different formats, so take this point into account so that there are no duplicates one after another. Gypsum brick tiles are simpler in this regard; if necessary, you can immediately mark the location of any element.
Mark each row to avoid cutting at the top and bottom. At the bottom of the wall, a groove was made in the plaster so that the laminate would go there for a beautiful connection.
Step 2: Styling
To mix the glue, use a drill with a mixing attachment. The consistency of the composition should resemble thick sour cream. Apply the mixture with a spatula to a base that has been previously primed to enhance the surface and adhesion. To level the layer of glue, the residues are removed with a notched spatula - a comb. Next, lay the tiles, pressing them tightly to the base.
Applying glue with a spatula-comb.
Step 3: Trimming
Since gypsum is a soft material, it can be cut with a hacksaw. For convenience, they use an angle grinder, but it produces too much noise and dust.
It is important to join the outer corners correctly. To make them look beautiful, the tiles are cut at an angle of 45 degrees.
This is where a miter box comes in handy. Some areas may require additional treatment. In this case, the tiles are ground with a block and brought to condition with sandpaper.
Arches and similar places require figure cutting. In the case of tiles with torn edges, it is easiest to cut along the textured line. If you use an angle grinder, you can ignore this.
The junction of tiles and switches, as well as the junction of walls and floors.
Step 4: Grouting
As a putty for joints, either a special grout mixture is used, which is used in a semi-dry form, or gypsum glue. Apply it into the gaps between the slabs using a special narrow spatula. It is also used to level the fugu. An alternative is a pistol or a milk carton. One side of it is cut in width, and a hole of 4–5 mm is made on the other. Fill the bag with a “sour cream” type mixture and squeeze it through the hole into the seams.
First, the mixture is applied from a gun or bag with a cut corner. When it becomes elastic, it needs to be smoothed with jointing.
If the color of the tile differs from the tone of the putty, and this is not included in the design plan, after grouting, after waiting for it to set, you need to paint the grouted spaces with dyes. A good manufacturer of slabs comes complete with facing material. Coloring is done using a narrow brush. Not only the seams are painted, but also possible chips that could have formed during the installation process or during production.
After completing the work, it is recommended to treat the tiles with water-based varnish to protect them from moisture that may enter accidentally or during wet cleaning. Since gypsum tiles are used for interior decoration, such treatment completely solves the “water-repellent” problem.
Benefits of gypsum
To summarize, here are some of the strengths:
- provides a smooth surface without cracks and chips, which are easily masked with plaster in the same way as seams;
- using lighting you can increase the volumetric effect;
- air circulation in the room. The natural origin of the material provides a natural ability to regulate the climate and humidity in the room;
- provides good aesthetic and functional features;
- due to the low price, you can even make a professional project with a designer at an affordable price;
- many amazing design options;
- ease of installation;
- Gypsum plaster can be used as a final finish without the use of paint. The white finish gives a clean look.
interior of the apartment, interior design.
VIDEO: How to lay and paint gypsum stone?
Gypsum tiles in the interior
Imitation of unpainted tiles
Results
Yes, decorative tiles have a wide range of applications. But do not forget about the disadvantages when choosing material for cladding. You should take into account not only how appropriate gypsum will be in the interior idea, but also the quality of the purchased material.
When planning your work fireplace surround, take your time when choosing a good material manufacturer. Otherwise, you could end up spending a lot of money on low-quality material that will peel or crack when heated. It would be a good idea to apply a double layer of glue to the surface and to the slab. This will increase the level of adhesion and guarantee the durability of the cladding.
Romance
The idea of brickwork as an uncomfortable, brutalist environment, giving the impression of an unlined street wall, is erroneous. With proper selection of the shade and texture of the brick and a beautiful layout of the rows, you can create an unusual and original interior.
Dark gray brick loft style hallway Source dizajninfo.ru
A peculiar analogy of untreated brickworkSource yellowhome.ru
It is important to understand that to fill the space with a romantic atmosphere, you should use only soft, delicate shades, combined in the interior with textiles and flooring. For example, the romantic style is characterized by a beige, milky tone and rich lighting that can provide a play of color on the surface of the walls
As an advantageous addition, small figurines, a vase with fresh flowers, and openwork curtains are used.
Progress and order of work
Another important point and my personal advice
DO NOT MIX A LOT OF GLUE AT ONCE!!!
Don't be greedy. If this is your first time doing something like this, then know that the glue has a certain “lifespan”!!! First, dilute a small amount of glue, work it out completely and see how it turns out. Again, if you glue one on one (without seams), then it is advisable to add more glue, since you will not have to be distracted by undoing the seams, but do not overdo it. We'll definitely talk about this later.
I diluted two packs of Casavaga glue, each two kilograms (gypsum glue), but you can use any other tile adhesive or, as I wrote above, you can use “liquid nails”. You can find out for yourself how much glue it will be convenient for you to work with, only experimentally. But still, don’t chase volume. More doesn't mean better.
Corners take a lot of time to work with! Be sure to take this fact into account when mixing glue!!! The glue should not be liquid or excessively thick. Optimal consistency like thick sour cream
One more nuance and it is related to the level. On the surface you are going to work with, use a level and a marker (pencil) to mark horizontal and vertical lines, only so that they are clearly visible. And if you have a laser level, then that’s totally cool. I turned it on and everything is immediately visible. I recommend purchasing it. Alternatively, for clarity, you can stretch and secure a thin “lace” (rope) at the ends.
When starting to glue a gypsum board tile under a brick, and it is better to start gluing it from the corner, adhere to the horizontal and vertical markings made. After several glued rows, check the level again; if something is not level, correct it before it’s too late. In the future, periodically check the level.
It is also possible that it will be easier and more convenient for you if you draw several horizontal lines and glue the tiles, adhering to them.
Characteristics
If we compare natural stone and gypsum, we can note a number of advantageous characteristics. Externally, it is almost impossible to distinguish a natural version from an artificial one; the latter looks very decent. But for interior decoration of an apartment, decorative material is also convenient because it is much lighter than its natural counterpart. This means that installation is much easier. The load on the wall is small, and accordingly, the material will hold better.
You can make the facing stone yourself. To reduce the cost of processing the material, you can initially produce a stone with a smooth surface.
Gypsum stone is more resistant to negative influences than its natural counterpart. The artificial material is easy to clean and is resistant to stains. A varied color palette allows you to choose the best option for finishing.
In order to create such a finishing material with your own hands, you need to use anhydride, gypsum, water and the necessary form. It is best to use a silicone base for these purposes; it is more pliable and plastic, and therefore the finished stone looks more natural. But along with silicone molds, metal, wooden, and plastic containers are used. However, this process is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Therefore, it is more familiar and convenient to use a ready-made stone.
Tip two: practical plinth
The baseboard is a narrow strip of material that covers the junction of the wall and the floor. This is an integral part of the classic style interior, but is also quite popular in more modern design options. The material for this decorative element can be wood or any artificial material, but gypsum against their background has one very significant advantage - it can be easily corrected if chips or distortions occur.
If desired, it is very easy to paint it, making it the same tone as the walls or matching the tone to the color of the floor. Due to the non-flammability of gypsum, it is a safe frame for sockets.
