What is construction sandstone and where is it most often used, its pros and cons, the main varieties, the technology of laying stone on the floor. Sandstone is a natural stone that is the product of the destruction of gneiss and granite. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that each chip, cut has a fancy individual pattern. Recently, it has become actively used by builders not only for finishing external surfaces, but also for laying inside residential premises on the floor.
Features of the use of sandstone in construction
Sandstone is a natural stone of the silica group. It contains minerals of quartz, mica, spar, and carbonate, hydromica, and kaolinite act as cementitious substances. Due to the content of quartz crystals, sandstone shades can be varied - from pinkish to green. The most common material is gray. Sandstone is not among the hardest natural stones. On the Mohs scale, it is 2 times weaker than a diamond. However, due to this structure, it is easy to process. The densest are considered sandstone rocks, which are dominated by quartz, quartzite, dolomite, opal and chalcedony. They have a low coefficient of water absorption and a low degree of porosity, as well as high refractoriness. This material is most often used by builders. The stone is mined everywhere, therefore it is widely used in construction around the world. It is used for paving roads, in landscape design, for facing facades, indoor surfaces (walls, floors). Depending on the natural conditions in which the stone was formed, its structure can be porous, layered, smooth. After extraction, the sandstone is specially processed for construction purposes. As a result, the material has broken, torn, flaky or sawn edges. Natural sandstone can be in the form of lumps, crushed stone, wall and sawn blocks. Tiles made from this stone are excellent for laying on floors in residential areas. It goes especially well with natural wood and artistic forging. For interior work, a specially burnt gray-green stone is often used. The "roasted" sandstone takes on a reddish brown hue and becomes more durable. This allows it to be laid on the floor where the level of mechanical stress is high. But it is not advisable to use a yellow-colored stone for installation on the floor, since it is not dense enough and may begin to exfoliate over time. The material can be made matte, shiny, deliberately aged. Recently, it is fashionable to use stone with a rough edge, as well as combinations of sandstone of different sizes. In residential buildings, sandstone floors are most often found in kitchens, bathrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, hallways, billiard rooms.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Sandstone
Thanks to its excellent technical characteristics and varied appearance, sandstone is a worthy choice as a flooring material.
Its indisputable advantages are:
- High enough strength … In comparison with limestone rocks, this stone is denser, which makes it possible to lay it on the floor in rooms. The service life is quite long - up to 20 years.
- Good heat and sound insulation … Sandstone has a layered and porous structure that provides these qualities.
- Relatively light weight … The stone is much lighter than granite, marble. This reduces the stress on the foundations and slabs if sandstone is laid on the floor on upper floors.
- Moisture resistance … The material practically does not absorb water and does not deteriorate under its influence.
- UV resistance … Does not fade and does not lose its appearance under the influence of direct sunlight.
- Environmental friendliness … The stone does not emit absolutely no harmful substances into the atmosphere.
- Withstands temperature fluctuations … It can be laid on top of underfloor heating without fear of cracking in winter.
- Budget price … Compared to many other natural stones that are used for surface finishing, sandstone is inexpensive.
- A wealth of shades and textures … This quality allows it to be used to bring creative design ideas to life.
It is worth noting that over time, sandstone can develop a natural gray patina. This feature gives the interior even greater uniqueness and naturalness. Among the disadvantages of this stone are the following:
- Rough surface. You cannot completely polish the sandstone.
- Difficult cleaning procedure. This disadvantage is directly related to the fact that the stone has roughness on the surface. Therefore, to remove dirt efficiently from the pores, chemical cleaners and brushes should be used.
- Cold stone surface. In winter, sandstone will freeze bare feet, so it is recommended to lay it in combination with the "warm floor" system.
- Low shock absorbing qualities.
Varieties of sandstone tiles
For laying on the floor, sandstone is used in the form of tiles, which are of two types:
- Modular … Has standard sizes and shapes - rectangular, square.
- Non-standard … Material with non-standard dimensions, shape.
The front surface of any natural stone, including sandstone, undergoes additional processing after cutting. The latter determines the appearance of the material and its performance characteristics.
The most common types of sandstone processing:
- Grinding … The stone is processed with a grinding tool until a smooth matte surface is achieved.
- Polishing … Sandstone after such a procedure becomes even smoother than after grinding, but it does not shine. Polishing as the last step in the grinding process is not used in the case of sandstone, since the stone has a flaky and porous structure that cannot be completely polished.
- "Rock" … Sandstone floor tiles in this case have a rough relief surface, since they are chipped on the face and perimeter and are not processed with any grinding tools. These types of stones are mainly used as decorative elements on floor coverings.
- Tumbling … Sandstone tiles are processed in a special drum, all sharp edges are smoothed, but the surface relief is preserved.
- Burchading … Recesses are carved on the surface of the stone with special needle nozzles. This gives additional roughness to the sandstone.
- Heat treatment … Sandstone is fired with special burners. In this case, the particles are exfoliated from the surface under the influence of temperature. And the stone itself becomes reddish.
Sandstone tiles are also different in the end finish. It can be a slope (a cut at different angles), a quarter (a cut at an angle of 90 degrees), a chip (chipped off along the perimeter), a quarter with a chip (chipped-sawn).
Sandstone floor installation technology
Much attention must be paid to compliance with the rules for laying sandstone, since this is a guarantee of long-term operation of this so far. You should also carefully prepare the stone itself.
Stone washing procedure
At the preparatory stage, it is necessary, first of all, to clean the stone for better adhesion. If you are using "fried" sandstone, then it can be simply cleaned of dust by rinsing under running water. If the stone has not been exposed to heat, then it should initially be soaked in water for several hours.
After that, the tiles must be cleaned with a plastic or metal brush. With their help, you get rid of dust, grains of sand, residues of silt, clay and other impurities present on the surface of the material. In addition, after soaking, excess salt will leave the stone, which will exclude the appearance of "efflorescence" on the surface of the sandstone after laying.
If you have a mini high pressure washer, it is recommended to use it for washing the stone. After washing, lay out the material on a clean film and select the edges in order to have an idea of how the tile will be located on the floor. This only applies to irregular shaped sandstone. If you have modular tiles, then this procedure is not necessary. Keep in mind that the dusty base of natural sandstone tiles is a guarantee that the stone will come off the floor in the future.
Preparation of the base for laying sandstone
The recommended base surface for laying sandstone is a concrete screed. Remember that on wooden sub-floors the material will not stick. The reason is that this stone and wood have different coefficients of expansion. When the temperature drops, the plates will move away from such a coating. The floor must be cleaned of dirt and thoroughly dust-free. For this, it is recommended to use a construction vacuum cleaner. Examine the surface carefully for irregularities and defects. If any, they need to be sealed with mortar.
The floor should then be treated with a deep penetration primer and left to dry.
Instructions for laying sandstone on the floor
The installation of the stone on the floor can be carried out both on the adhesive mixture, which is used for ordinary ceramic tiles, and on the cement mortar of the M150 brand. All installation work should be carried out at temperatures from +5 to +38 degrees. We lay sandstone on the floor using the following technology:
- We start installation from the far corner of the room.
- Spread the finished mortar or adhesive mixture with a comb-type trowel over the floor surface with a thickness of about 2-3 centimeters. We apply the composition in small portions to lay the tiles on the uncured mortar.
- Immediately, without waiting for the mixture to harden and a film appears on it, we begin to lay the stone. We do this with a slight indentation into the layer of solution. We make sure that there are no voids left in the mixture.
- We adjust the tiles to each other so that there is a distance of no more than 10 millimeters between them. If there is a need to cut the product, then we use a grinder.
- We tap the laid row of tiles with a mallet to better fit and press into the solution.
- If drops of adhesive mixture or solution get on the front surface of the stone, they should not be removed with a damp cloth. Otherwise, you will rub the substance into the sandstone structure, and it will be very difficult to wash such stains after drying. It is recommended to leave the solution to dry, and then remove the residue with a spatula and wipe the surface with a dry cloth.
- After the solution is dry, you can start grouting. We do this with a spatula with a regular trowel mixture. Designers advise using a composition several shades darker than the sandstone itself.
- After the grout has completely solidified, thoroughly sweep the coating and, if possible, rinse with running water.
- If you want to give a glossy shine to such a floor, it can be varnished.
How to make a sandstone floor - watch the video:
Sandstone flooring is an excellent solution for houses, summer cottages, apartments, decorated in eco-style, country. Natural stone will bring naturalness and special comfort to the interior. The main thing is to observe the technology of preparation and laying of the material so that it will serve for many years.
