External finish of the plinth. How to finish the basement at home: from exclusive to budget options with step-by-step instructions

Before deciding what the base should consist of, you need to know what it serves for.

The plinth is not just a protruding step, not a design element, it is a continuation of the foundation, therefore, first of all, it must be solid and protect the house from moisture, temperature extremes and possible groundwater. It is very important that not only cold and moisture do not penetrate into the room, but also steam is removed from the inside of the house.

If you do, then first. A common problem in the fight against humidity in the house is the neglect of the preparatory work. It is very important to carry out all work on the installation and finishing of the basement in dry, warm weather. So, drainage is our everything!

1. We dig a trench along the perimeter of the building, 50 cm wide, 20 cm deep.
2. We fill the trench with gravel, which provides drainage. If desired, you can strengthen the reinforcing mesh.
3. We clean the surface of the wall of the future basement - 50-70 cm from the ground from dirt, treat it with water-repellent primers, the so-called water repellents, and if necessary, level the bumps.
4. If you are a perfectionist, you can additionally clad the wall with carpet synthetic material with an air gap. This layer is formed near the wall and ensures the evaporation of part of the moisture.
5. We do insulation. It can be insulated with polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, extruded polystyrene foam and mineral wool. The latter option is not very good, since mineral wool loses its insulating properties over time.
6. Now we proceed directly to the lining of the basement.

Of course, before even proceeding with the preparatory work, it is necessary to choose the material of the cladding.

When choosing a material, a number of factors must be taken into account: price, durability, degree of protection, lightness, appearance. The base can be non-protruding and protruding. If you chose the second option, you must use ebbs. We will consider different types of plinth cladding with pros and cons.

Finishing the plinth with plaster

The easiest option is plastering followed by painting.

pros- economical and relatively easy to implement option. This work can be done independently, without resorting to the services of specialists. If you choose a good facade paint, you can give a very well-groomed look to the house.

Minuses- unstable to chips and cracks, short-lived.

Stages of work:

• clean the work surface from dirt and bumps.
• we process the wall of the future basement with a primer. It is necessary to carefully lubricate all the cracks, chips. It is important not to rush to the next step and let the primer dry completely. This may take more than two days.
• put plaster on the wall with a spatula. You can make a stone effect out of plaster, but still, for this you need to have modeling skills, but you can look quite impressive, especially after coating with paint. If you do not have such skills and work on your own, it is enough to smooth it with a spatula, let the composition dry, also for about two days, then sand and paint. The most commonly used acrylic paint. It is waterproof, and at the same time vapor-permeable and frost-resistant. Polyurethane, alkyd and silicone paints are also used. Enamel paints are not recommended because it is environmentally unsafe and does not allow air to pass through.

If you decide to make a plinth by plastering on a grid, you need to add an adhesive after applying a layer of plaster and press a polymer grid into it about a third, which should be smoothed over with a metal trowel.

After another two days, cover the resulting base with an acrylic primer.

But that's not all. If you are not a sculptor, but want to make the effect of natural stone with your own hands, rejoice, modern technologies have solved this problem as well.

So, on the pre-treated surface, we first apply a cement solution, then a decorative layer of plaster, level it with a spatula ... and make an impression with a special mold. The downside, of course, is that it must be purchased. But then everyone will take your plastered basement for a stone one.

Prices for popular types of plaster

Plaster

Finishing the plinth with concrete

This method of finishing the basement is more reliable than ordinary plaster. It is also suitable for subsequent finishing of bricks, PVC panels and tiles. But you can do it even easier. After concreting, paint the plinth with concrete paint.

Stages of work:

• we fix a metal mesh on the base. It is better to choose a grid with a cell size of no more than 1 cm with a three-dimensional structure. This will allow to achieve a larger area of ​​​​contact between the grid and the solution, which will improve the reliability of the base. We fasten the mesh with fast mounting dowels or nail dowels.

• we make formwork. When preparing the formwork, we put guide boards and fix them with pegs that are hammered into the ground. Next, we fix the shields in a vertical position, first on one side, then on the other. Every half a meter we fasten the shields with spacers and additional clamps, they will not allow the formwork to open when pouring concrete. Outside, you can fix with spacers or pegs.

• we pour the concrete, wait for it to dry, remove the formwork, paint it and voila - your basement is ready!

stone finish

Finishing with stone, of course, looks better, although the taste and color ... But still, a stone, natural or artificial, will last much longer, better protect it from external influences.

Consider options for finishing the basement with stone.

A natural stone

Natural stone, which is used in the decoration of the plinth, can be sandstone, limestone, granite and even marble.

Marble, of course, looks rich. But this very expensive material has a big minus - it absorbs moisture, dirt. It can be washed, but it is also very difficult. Therefore, marble is rarely used. But that's not all. There are options and more expensive than marble, generally with exorbitant prices. This is, for example, labradorite. It combines the unique color and strength of granite, creates multi-colored reflections under different lighting conditions. Your home will literally shine with colors at different times of the day. But you will have to pay a lot for this.

Pros: A house with a stone plinth looks much more solid and impressive. Longer service life, no need to repaint or finish anything, chip resistant.

Minuses: Natural facing stone will cost you more than plaster with painting and finishing with other materials. Another disadvantage is stone - the material is quite weighty not only externally, but also in its mass, and this gives an additional load on the foundation. In such cases, a reinforced connection of the drainage cushion with the foundation is mandatory. Often, stone requires complex installation and, therefore, entails an increase in the installation price. For example, granite blocks must be reinforced in addition to the mortar and special stops must be used.

Stages of work:

Since natural stone is very heavy, we need to strengthen the surface of the plinth:

• with the help of special fasteners we mount the grid to the wall.

• then we impose a solution of concrete or plaster for finishing work on the grid.

Applying the solution to the grid

• after the surface has completely dried, we treat the base with a primer using a roller or brush.

• the next stage, again after drying, we apply a special glue of increased strength.
• we fix the stone on the glue in much the same way as the tile, it is possible without the use of cruciform beacons. Natural stone does not require the same distance between the seams, as the size of the stones can also differ from each other. Be sure to wipe up any escaping solution.

• after complete drying, apply grout.

Fake diamond

The material is made on the basis of cement-containing mixtures with the addition of expanded clay crushed stone. There is simply no limit to the imagination here. Such material is made in various sizes, profiles, color shades. That is, you can choose the design, color, size for the style of the whole house, ideally choose the basement cornice. Artificial stone can be with a rough or smooth surface. All of the above can be attributed to the advantages of this coverage. Minus - the high price of the material.

Stages of work:

It would seem, what is the difference? Both are stone. But in this case, the weight of the artificial stone is still lighter and we can go in two ways of installation. The first way, as in the case of natural stone cladding, we reinforce the basement surfaces, the second way does not provide for such a solution:

• alignment
• padding
• gluing the stone to the surface.
• grouting.

Finishing with clinker bricks

This material is made from chamotte - refractory clay, this is its plus and advantage over ceramic bricks and facade plaster. Water repellent and frost resistant. Manufacturers give a guarantee for a brick of 50 years. Cons - rather large weight and high price.

Stages of work:

The brick finishing technology is almost similar to the technology using artificial stone. Only cruciform beacons are used without fail.

Be sure to take into account the hardening and drying time of the adhesive mixtures used.

Important: start work from the corner and lay out brick and stone from right to left.

Clinker tiles

In terms of size and appearance, you will not distinguish tiles from bricks. But the biggest difference between tiles is their thinness and lightness. Tile thickness from 8 to 21 mm. It is also convenient that there are corner elements, which allows you to perfectly close the corners of the plinth. pros finishing with clinker tiles - it is frost-resistant, moisture does not penetrate into it, it is very durable and has a long service life.

When installing clinker tiles, as well as other similar finishing materials for external use, it is important to use frost-resistant adhesive solutions and joint mixtures.

Stages of work:

• prime the surface

• apply special frost-resistant glue. Here it is important to apply a layer of glue no more than 1 sq.m., because after 30 minutes the glue hardens, and you simply do not have time to glue the tiles. In this case, we use cross-shaped beacons to create equal distances between the tiles.

• after gluing the entire tile, fill the seams.

Plinth finished with clinker tiles

Prices for various types of clinker tiles

Clinker tiles

Basement siding or PVC panels

Finishing the PVC panel can be attributed to one of the cheapest options, which is its plus. Also, this material is convenient in that it is easy to install, convenient to wash, it is very light, frost and moisture resistant, and it does not burn well. Here, as in the case of clinker tiles, there are also corner elements, which is very convenient. Manufacturers offer many design solutions. You can install siding under brick, stone, mosaic tiles, wood. By the way, what is remarkable. With this material, you can finish not only the basement, but the whole house.

The method of fastening the panels to the plinth is completely different from the previous ones. There are no adhesive solutions here, a metal or wooden crate is used, which allows the house to "breathe".

Do not forget to purchase connecting elements with plugs and guides.

The disadvantage of such material is debatable. Someone believes that it contains substances harmful to human health, but manufacturers assure that this is not so.

Stages of work:

• The first step in this case will be the manufacture of the crate. Lathing materials usually use special profiles with wooden slats. Of course, all materials must have the main characteristic for the base - water-repellent. Therefore, we treat all wooden surfaces with moisture-proof impregnation. In the manufacture of crates, we use a water level and a plumb line. The material is large in area, so it is necessary to avoid distortions of the structure.

• waterproofing film can be used as waterproofing
• we mount the insulation using special clips or adhesive tape.

• using self-tapping screws, we attach plugs and joints around the perimeter of the entire structure, to which the panels will be attached.

Scheme of installation of siding panels

Siding prices

Basement thermal panels

Manufacturers do not stand still, they come up with more economical and ergonomic solutions. Plinth panels are clinker tiles or artificial stone tiles, reinforced on a thermally insulating polyurethane foam base in exact observance of the rows of "brick laying". plus is a more convenient fastening, since the panel consists of about 12-14 "bricks". Minus - artificial materials, as with PVC panels.

Socle thermal panels made of polystyrene are very short-lived. This is a temporary fix. The best material in terms of durability for thermal panels is polyurethane foam. Therefore, when choosing this material, be sure to ask about its basis.

The stages of installation of thermal panels are identical to the plinth siding made of PVC panels.

Prices for various types of basement thermal panels

Basement thermal panels

Mosaic plaster

This plaster in its properties is completely different from the usual one due to the binding element - resin. The resin gives a very important property to the plinth - it becomes waterproof and vapor-permeable. And this is just what you need! And also the advantages of this material include resistance to low temperatures and ease of application. The plaster contains small grains from 0.8 to 3 mm in diameter and looks like a multi-colored mosaic.

The downside is that it cannot be applied to calcareous, heat-saving surfaces, as well as to surfaces made of artificial stone. It may also require adjustments during its operation.

Stages of work:

• clean and prime the basement surface
• apply a layer of ordinary plaster. You can do without it, but it will serve as an additional leveling stage.
• using a stainless steel grater, we apply mosaic plaster. It can be applied to lime-sand, gypsum, cement plastered surfaces and concrete.

Porcelain tiles

This also includes quartz agglomerate - a slab of quartz or granite chips, again based on resin. The advantage of these materials is their high strength and resistance to external influences. It can even be called eternal, it would be ideal. If not for the minus - the high cost.

Stages of work:

• we install a metal stainless frame to the wall using self-tapping screws, starting from the bottom of the structure, then the guides and side strips. The distance between the wall and the frame is 2-5 mm. This is necessary for ventilation.
• on top of the frame between the guides we fix the waterproofing film.

• we fix the tile on the frame, having previously applied a thin layer of concrete mortar. The solution should be thick enough. We install the tile on the frame using fasteners on the tile.

Important: Be careful when working with porcelain tiles. Despite its strength, during installation, the edges of the tile may break off, which will lead to a loss of tightness between the seams.

Prices for various types of porcelain stoneware

Porcelain stoneware

flat slate

Flat slate is made from a mixture of asbestos, water and Portland cement. Slate is pressed and unpressed. In our case, it is better to use pressed, it is more durable. This material has a lot of advantages. Due to the asbestos in the composition, it is very durable and fireproof, does not corrode, is flexible enough, is not subject to temperature changes, is durable, and does not heat up in the sun. It has good sound insulation and thermal insulation, resistant to aggressive environments. And most importantly, it has a low price. Cons - when sawing slate, harmful asbestos dust is formed, it is inconvenient to install it alone, helpers are needed.

Stages of work:

• we prepare the surface of the basement, primer, insulate.
• preparing a wooden crate.
• we fasten the flat slate to the wooden crate, as well as to the drywall using self-tapping screws. We start from the corner of the house.
• the slate attachment points at the corners must be closed with galvanized iron corners using screws.
• paint the slate, best of all with acrylic paint.

Important: before installation, it is necessary to treat the slate sheets with an antiseptic composition. If the thickness of the slate is more than 1 cm, the sheet should only be cut with an electric saw in order to avoid a large amount of asbestos dust.

So, when everything is ready, we proceed to the installation of low tides in order to prevent damage to our plinth by flowing water. Otherwise, all efforts will go down the drain.

Installation of ebbs

They can be metal, aluminum, plastic. A more beautiful, but expensive outflow can be installed from clinker curly bricks or clinker beveled tiles, but this is a rather complicated installation method, so a professional is indispensable.

Stages of work:

After facing the basement and before facing the walls of the house, it is necessary to strengthen the ebb.

• for better adhesion of the ebb to the surface of the base, we make slopes at an angle of 15 degrees, align the top line to horizontal, if necessary. The cement mortar must be thick.
• we wait a few days, the cement should dry thoroughly.
• we fix the ebbs directly to the wall on the dowel-nails.
• if the facade of the wall will be sheathed along the guides, then the ebbs must be attached to these guides with self-tapping screws.

Important: ebbs must protrude at least 50 mm above the plinth. Planks are fastened to each other with an overlap, with obligatory lubrication with frost-resistant sealant.

If you are using wide metal sills, you must additionally use brackets for fixing to the wall.

The process of finishing the basement is a rather laborious process, therefore it is important to use high-quality materials from the huge selection of building materials for its decoration, so as not to regret anything later, since the basement is a very important part of the house to keep the heat and strength of the building. And do not forget about the exterior of the building, everything should be harmonious.

Video - Beautiful do-it-yourself plinth

The basement floor gives the owner of a private house many advantages: a garage, a sauna, a workshop and even a living room can be placed here. Structurally, the basement is a semi-basement floor, partially located above ground level. Therefore, the decoration of the basement of the house is part of the exterior decoration of the entire building.

However, due to its architectural features, the materials for finishing the basement of the foundation differ from the finishing materials for the walls of the house. Therefore, facing the basement of the house has a number of technological features.

Features of the basement

Basement floors are gaining popularity in recent years.

Unlike the ground floors of private houses, the basement floor is partially buried in the ground. The base of the foundation in this case acts as walls for the basement. According to building codes, it can be considered an underground room, the upper floor of which is located at a height of less than two meters from the ground level.

The great popularity of this design in recent years is due to a significant increase in usable area to the total size of the interior: even for a relatively small building measuring 8 x 10 m, it will be 80 square meters. m.

By and large, the sheathing of a concrete basement can be made of the same materials with which the walls of the house are finished. You can veneer the basement of the house with ceramic tiles, plastic panels, siding, natural stone and porcelain stoneware.

Also, the cladding of the basement of buildings can be done by plastering the outer surface. However, the proximity of the floor to the ground makes its own adjustments to the technology of work and the choice of finishing material.

In this article we will try to take a closer look at all the options for finishing the basement and what material is best for facing the basement of the house.

Preparatory work

Before finishing the basement of the house, a number of preparatory work should be done.

Drainage device

Drainage keeps basement dry

Both the basement of a wooden house and the basement of a brick house need to be waterproofed. First of all, a drainage system should be created along the entire perimeter of the foundation.

Good and properly executed drainage allows you to remove excess moisture from the foundation, which is especially important when the site is located low or at a high level of groundwater.

Excessive moisture, penetrating through the pores and the smallest cracks into the thickness of the concrete, leads to its gradual destruction.

Drainage scheme around the building

In addition, dampness creates a favorable environment inside the basement for the reproduction of mold and fungus. A trench is laid around the foundation at least half a meter wide and about 20–30 cm deep. A drainage cushion of gravel, crushed stone or expanded clay is poured at the bottom of the trench, with the help of which melt and rain water will be drained from the foundation.

Foundation wall preparation

The wall needs to be cleared

It is cleaned of dirt, all seams and cracks are carefully sealed with putty.

If there is such a need, then finishing the basement at the preliminary stage should include leveling the walls with plaster solutions.

For plastering exterior walls, cement-based plasters intended for exterior decoration should be used. You can find the technical conditions of use on the packaging.

Stone cladding will require you to pre-plaster

However, the time-consuming option with plastering will be necessary only if you are going to use stone, porcelain stoneware, clinker for facing the basement of the house - that is, those materials that are attached with adhesives directly to the foundation wall.

If you finish the outer surface with materials mounted on the inner frame (siding, PVC panels, etc.), then it will be much more expedient to align directly with the frame elements.

Further, before sheathing the basement with decorative finishing materials, the wall surface will need to be treated with water-repellent compounds. Finishing the basement of a wooden house, if its above-ground part is made of timber or logs, should also include treatment with antiseptic and antifungal drugs. This helpful video will help you avoid mistakes when facing:

Clinker

Clinker brick is strong and durable

This material for lining the plinth has a number of positive qualities:

1. High quality and durability. Clinker tiles are made from special grades of clay, pressed into molds and fired at high temperatures.
2. Excellent decorative quality. Clinker is able to imitate high-quality facing bricks, stone tiles and other more expensive finishing materials.
3. Small mass. Clinker tiles have a much smaller mass than real brick or granite. Therefore, the plinth lined with it will not exert excessive pressure on the base of the building.

Usually, clinker tiling starts from the bottom of the foundation. Initially, this lowest level should be determined, from which work will begin. To do this, measure the height of the base and divide it by the width of the tile (plus the width of the seam).

Using these calculations, we determine the bottom line along which the first row of tiles will go so that the top row is flush with the upper edge of the foundation wall, or slightly higher than it.

After the bottom point is found, we draw a line from it along the entire perimeter of the basement wall. In this case, it is better to use a water or laser level.

Before gluing the tiles, the wall must be treated with primers. This will significantly increase the adhesion of the adhesive to the concrete or brick surface of the basement. For more information about the clinker plinth, see this video:

For sticking clinker tiles, specialized building adhesives on a polymer or cement basis should be used. When choosing an adhesive, you should pay attention to the area of ​​\u200b\u200bits application - it must withstand changes in humidity, temperature and other natural influences well.

Dry adhesive mixtures are diluted with water in accordance with the recommendations on the package, ready-made mixtures can be used immediately. The clinker is glued row after row, either around the entire perimeter, or only along one wall with the obligatory approach to adjacent walls with corner elements.

After completion of the work, the seams between the tiles are sealed with special aggregates based on acrylic or cement.

Plastering

Plaster is easy to apply and repair

With the help of plaster, you can finish the basement of a brick or wooden house if the walls of the basement are made of concrete or brick. Wall decoration with plaster has the following positive aspects:

• weather resistance. Plaster mortars designed for outdoor use have excellent resistance to temperature extremes and changes in air humidity;
• breathability. Plaster coating due to the presence of the smallest pores allows the interior to "breathe";
• high decorative qualities. A wide range of colors and textures of plaster solutions opens up wide possibilities for decorating foundation walls in any style;
• ease of application. Plaster solutions are quite easy to use - it is quite possible to plaster the surface of the wall with your own hands without involving a team of professional finishers.

The choice of plaster

The most budget option is to use a traditional cement-based plaster mortar. It is characterized by high strength and durability in operation. You can buy it in the form of a dry mix in a hardware store or cook it yourself. To do this, you need to mix 1 part of cement with 3 to 5 parts of fine sifted sand. Next, the mixture is diluted with lime water to the state of thick sour cream and applied to the wall.

Special shapes allow you to create a masonry effect on the plaster

A more expensive, but also more aesthetic option would be to finish the basement with decorative acrylic or silicone-based plaster mixtures with the addition of synthetic resins and mineral additives. Such compositions can differ in a wide variety of colors and textures.

The high plasticity of the solution allows you to create all kinds of volumetric patterns on its surface, as well as imitate the finish of a marble or granite slab.

On the market, decorative plaster is presented both in the form of a dry mix and in the form of ready-to-use formulations. The table shows the ratio of the components of various types of plaster solutions.

Surface plastering

For better adhesion to the surface, the solution is best applied to the metal mesh

Before starting work, the wall surface should be cleaned of old finishing materials, dirt and dust.

Then we cover the wall with primer solutions for better adhesion (adhesion) of the plaster to the wall.

When plastering the wooden wall of the plinth, in order to improve the coupling, it will be necessary to cover it with a metal or fiberglass chain-link mesh.

A similar mesh is also used when plastering basement floors, glued on the outside with heat-insulating materials: foam plastic, foam plastic, etc.

Plastering work should be carried out in the temperature range of +5 ... +25, preferably in calm weather. The fact is that low / high temperatures prevent the natural “setting” of the solution. In the same way, the wind contributes to the rapid dehydration of the mixture and, as a result, its cracking and flaking from the wall surface.

After applying decorative plaster, the surface is treated with a texture roller or grout. As a result, the plastered surface is covered with a three-dimensional decorative pattern. Surfaces plastered with a simple cement-based compound can be painted with exterior paints or whitewashed with lime mortars.

Stone cladding

Modern artificial stone is almost as good as natural

The stone is a magnificent decorative material that can serve for decades, if not hundreds of years. On the modern construction market, there are options for facing slabs made of artificial stone.

Such material (porcelain stoneware) is practically in no way inferior to natural stone: neither in terms of aesthetic qualities, nor in terms of long-term operation. The foundation lined with ceramic granite tiles is practically indistinguishable from a wall lined with natural stone.

Stone laying starts from the bottom of the basement wall. As in the case of clinker tiles, we determine the lower level from which the cladding will begin. The stone is attached to a concrete or brick surface using cement mortar or special adhesive building mixtures.

In order to qualitatively impose a basement with a stone, a number of technological nuances should be observed.

In particular, after laying each row of stones or tiles, you will have to wait for the mortar to completely harden before proceeding with the installation of the next row.

The seams between individual stones are also filled with grout or acrylic sealant.

The stone for finishing the basement of the house must comply with building codes, be hard enough, not delaminate and not have cracks. Its quality largely determines the longevity of its service, resistance to changes in temperature and humidity.

Siding

Recently, building siding has become increasingly popular. This is due to the high decorative properties of this material, affordability, as well as the relative simplicity of its installation. Also, siding is a fairly durable material - its service life, according to the statements of manufacturing companies, is 50 years or more. As a material for the manufacture of siding, polyvinyl chloride, acrylic or galvanized sheet steel is used. For more information on installing siding, see this video:

Siding is mounted quite simply - it is quite possible for any owner to install it on their own. First of all, a frame made of wooden bars or a metal profile should be mounted around the entire perimeter of the basement wall. Siding panels are located in a horizontal direction, so the crate must be installed vertically.

Siding mounted on a metal or wooden profile

Its installation begins with the installation of frame bars at the corners of the building; a twine or fishing line is stretched between them, along which the rest of the vertical bars of the frame are mounted in increments of 0.5 - 0.8 m.

After the crate is ready, we attach sheets of siding to it, starting from the lowest.

The design of the panels provides for their joining into grooves and attaching to the frame using self-tapping screws.

Panel joints at the corners are covered with decorative corners, and slopes and platbands are installed around the basement windows.

The plinth is a part of the foundation, which is located above ground level and prevents moisture and cold from entering the structure, protects the facade from various damage and pollution. Also, the basement is the supporting structure of the building of the entire structure, so it is under strong pressure.

Why is it necessary to finish the basement of the house

To protect the plinth from the negative influence of natural phenomena and various mechanical damage, it is necessary to pay attention to its decoration. Without finishing, it will not fulfill its main protective function. Since the plinth is integral with the facade of the building, it performs not only a protective, but also a decorative function.

Plinth cladding is an excellent decorative material. A building with an open basement looks unkempt and unfinished. Finishing will give the entire facade of the building a finished and attractive look. The whole appearance of the house will depend on how the basement is finished.

Thanks to modern finishing materials and building technologies, it is possible to ensure that the basement of the house will be protected and will not require major repairs for a long time.

Cladding materials

There are a lot of design options for the basement. They differ from each other in texture and in the properties of the materials used. Each material has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.

Plastering and painting

This finish is one of the inexpensive and affordable option for most consumers. The main ingredients of the plaster mixture are cement and sand, thanks to which the plaster acquires strength and chemical inertness. The composition of the plaster may contain various dyes and additives, thanks to which the plaster acquires a decorative color and texture.

Therefore, a wide selection of colors of decorative plaster is on sale for every taste. Various modern technologies for applying plaster make it possible to create various relief and textured surfaces.

The advantages of this type of plinth finish include the affordable cost of the material, since the ingredients are not expensive materials. The reliability and strength of the plaster is the advantage of this material. At the same time, any scratches or chips can be easily reconstructed.

Plaster is also good because it can hide all the irregularities of the basement. In addition, the plastered plinth is well tolerated by increased moisture, overdrying and other environmental influences. All these factors will not affect the structure of the coating. The disadvantages of plastering include an unattractive appearance and the need for additional coverage.

Also, a clear disadvantage of plaster is that it does not have any thermal insulation characteristics and does not insulate the surface in any way. In addition, the plaster is short-lived. Crack patching and painting required.

A natural stone

One of the practical and durable finishing materials. The most commonly used sandstone, small cobblestone, granite or marble. If the laying process was carried out in compliance with the technology, then this finish can last forever.

In addition, it is an environmentally friendly natural material. The unique structure of the stone, the variety of colors and natural shades allows you to choose a finishing material for any color scheme at home. For cladding of this type, specially prepared stone slabs are used, which can have a different shape.

The disadvantages of such material include a rather high cost and a rather difficult installation process.

A plinth of this type will look impressive and expensive.

Fake diamond

It is an alternative replacement for natural, but less durable type of material. It has the same beautiful appearance, strength and reliability. Resistant to negative environmental phenomena and mechanical damage. However, it is much cheaper and facing works are carried out easier. In addition, thanks to fillers and special additives, artificial material can be of any shade.

Porcelain stoneware

This is an environmentally friendly material, which consists of clay, sand and mineral components. The material has wear resistance, high density and strength, and also has a pleasant appearance.

Using it as a plinth cladding will ensure a high level of fire safety of the building, since refractory clay is included in this material. In addition, porcelain stoneware has good thermal insulation properties.

Another important advantage of porcelain stoneware is its high resistance to moisture. The material is not afraid of continuous wetting and perfectly protects the building from the effects of water. This type of finish will not only protect, but also decorate the entire structure.

Clinker tiles

The raw material for clinker tiles is slate clay.

The plinth lined with clinker tiles will look expensive and beautiful. It will look like a brick wall. However, clinker tiles are lighter and thinner than bricks. Finishing the plinth with tiles will not only give an attractive look to the whole house, but will help protect against the effects of nature.

Laying tiles is quite simple. Tiled material is attached to the facade with a special moisture-resistant adhesive mortar, cement glue.

Available in various colors, it can be both smooth and textured. Fairly reasonable price. The disadvantages include a short service life. The winter period is especially negative, defects on the tiles can appear as a result of severe frosts.

Siding

Siding is a fairly inexpensive material, besides a quick and easy option for finishing exterior work. It has durability and high quality. The moisture resistance of the material also belongs to the advantages. Modern technologies make it possible to create facade siding panels of various shapes and colors. The disadvantage of this finish is flammability and deformation in size with temperature changes.

What type of plinth finish to choose?

All finishing materials for lining the basement have their advantages and disadvantages. When choosing a facing material, remember that when interacting with atmospheric precipitation, it must retain its durable and aesthetic qualities.

First of all, the material must be reliable in order to serve a long service life. In addition, frost-resistant - withstand the processes of freezing and thawing and at the same time not be covered with cracks. Water absorption is also an important indicator.

Do not forget that the texture of the basement of the building should be combined with the walls and the entire structure as a whole. The choice depends, first of all, on the design features of the building, on personal preferences and financial capabilities.

Since a large selection of materials is available, this allows you to create exactly the right home decor that meets the personal preferences and intentions of the designer.

Plinth finishing technology

The technology for finishing the base will depend on the chosen finishing material. As a rule, finishing technology takes place in three stages: installation of the frame, laying insulation, fixing the finishing material.

Of course, one of the simplest finishing options is plastering. It is required to apply a layer of durable plaster to the surface of the plinth. You can do this work yourself.

The most difficult. For finishing works made of natural stone, you will have to invite specialists. You need to have certain knowledge and skills. In addition, additional reinforcement of the frame will be required due to the large weight of the material, and the stone processing itself requires special equipment.

Facing with artificial stone is easier, since the material is light in weight and additional reinforcement of the base of the structure is not required. Therefore, the cladding process is greatly simplified, and the time for preparation and execution of work is reduced.

Properly executed basement cladding using good materials will provide the right microclimate inside the house and extend the life of the building.

Main stages

The whole process of lining the basement can be divided into the preparatory stage and the actual laying of the finish:

• Preparatory stage. Before installation, the plinth surface must be prepared for further finishing. To do this, the base must be cleaned of accumulated dust and dirt, the cracks and flaws that have appeared must be puttied, and the surface must be leveled.
• A waterproofing layer and the installation of a heat-insulating layer are required.
• Then you need to prime the surface of the base.
• When all the preparatory work is completed, you can proceed to the procedure for finishing the basement with facing materials. In most cases, an additional frame will be required to support the structure and give it strength.

• After completion of the finish, it should be coated with water-repellent protective impregnations to extend the service life.
• Finishing the basement of the house is desirable to carry out in the warm season, when the weather is dry and sunny.

The main part of the foundation of any house is hidden in the thickness of the earth, but its part, called the basement, is in the visibility zone. The basement floor is the upper part of the foundation and the lower part of the load-bearing walls of the building. In addition to decorative tasks, the plinth serves as the basis for the entire structure, protects the premises of the house from excessive humidity and sub-zero temperatures. Do-it-yourself facing work on finishing the foundation of the house is designed to protect it from the negative effects of the environment. Therefore, the choice of finishing material for the foundation should be based not on appearance, but on its functional properties.

Finishing the basement of a private house

Plinth finish and its meaning

When building a private house or other building, it must be borne in mind that the height of its base must be at least forty centimeters. Otherwise, it will be problematic to provide reliable protection of the walls from moisture.
For the construction of basement floors, stone blocks, brick, monolith are used, there are also combinations of some materials. Of all the above materials, only stone elements of the structure do not need additional processing. The ground floor, made of stone, easily takes on the weight of the walls and roof of the building. In addition, the appearance of the stone base itself is quite stylish and beautiful.
The upper part of the foundation, made of other materials, is usually finished with different materials. However, do not think that facing work is carried out only for decorative purposes. Facing the foundation of a private house also serves to further protect it. Therefore, for the role of facing materials for the basement of the house, it is necessary to select options that have a sufficient margin of safety and wear resistance.

Stone plinth - durable and spectacular

In other words, the cladding for the foundation of the house should easily withstand sudden temperature changes, the effects of precipitation and the climatic features of the region. For example, in coastal cities such lining should have increased resistance to moisture, and in Siberia and the Arctic, resistance to low temperatures.

Ground floor and its varieties

The options for the device of the base do not differ in variety. There are only a few designs of the basement. The most common type of private houses, where the basement is built on the same plane with the load-bearing walls or protrudes beyond them. Although it is much easier and more convenient to insulate this part of the house if it is slightly recessed relative to wall surfaces. In a building where the basement is not provided for by the project, the foundation cladding performs support tasks and reduces soil pressure on the basement.
To some extent, the work performed on facing the foundation of the house contributes to its overall safety. If there is a cellar or basement in the building, the correct finishing of the basement allows you to increase the thermal insulation characteristics of the basement.

Ground floor - decor and finishes

A building equipped with a basement or where the thickness of the walls does not provide the proper level of comfort is equipped with a protruding basement. It is needed to minimize heat loss in the building. Negative options include houses with relatively thin walls, where the basement is on the same level with them. In this case, the appearance of condensation and moisture in the premises of the house is guaranteed.

Basement cladding materials

Basement cladding materials

The material for lining the basement, based on the requirements for it, must have the following qualities:

• Reliable fixation of the facing material to the main structure, resistance to mechanical stress and increased wear resistance.
• Ensure minimal heat loss, i.e. have low thermal conductivity.
• The cladding material must absorb water vapor from the environment. This quality (hygroscopicity) will prevent the penetration of moisture into the material of the foundation and walls.
• Vapor permeability. Steam should leave the room without difficulty.

The following finishing materials meet the specified requirements:

• Fake diamond.
• Basement siding.
• Clinker tiles for the facade.
• Plaster.

The choice of finishing elements should also be based on their combination with the material from which the plinth itself is made. For example, paint intended for a brick basement floor will not work for a concrete structure.

Basement cladding with stucco

Plastering a plinth is perhaps one of the cheapest and easiest ways to ennoble it with your own hands. However, such material has a number of disadvantages: fragility, appearance leaves much to be desired, and is subject to mechanical damage. In addition, plaster is not able to provide sufficient protection of the basement from the effects of precipitation.
However, mosaic plaster for the plinth allows you to bring its appearance to a decent level. Decorative plaster made on the basis of resins will be especially appropriate. Such material will have some resistance to moisture. The plinth, covered with plaster, can later be revetted with a more durable material. The affordable and simple technology of applying plaster to the plinth has made this type of foundation finish quite popular and widespread.

Plinth plaster - an easy and effective finish

basement siding

Such facing material as siding panels enjoys special trust among the owners who decide to protect the basement of the house with their own hands. Despite the fact that stores and manufacturers offer an extensive range of finishing panels, stone-like plinth siding is in greatest demand. A similar material used for finishing the foundation differs from wall panels not only in its special composition, but also in its production technology.
As a result, siding panels that can withstand low temperatures and mechanical damage are used for plinth cladding. In addition, siding panels are easy to install with your own hands, protect the basement from moisture and are resistant to sun and fire.

Clinker tiles as a facing material for the plinth

The basement floor of a residential building is often protected with clinker tiles, because in addition to purely practical functions, it also has a rather attractive appearance.

Clinker tiles - do-it-yourself laying

This type of cladding imitates a wall made of clinker bricks. A distinctive feature of clinker tiles from ordinary wall tiles is their thickness. As a rule, experts opt for samples with a thickness of not 1.5 centimeters. Such clinker panels provide reliable protection of the foundation of the house from potential impacts. In addition, some samples of clinker tiles are able to withstand not only the environment, but also some chemical elements. You can lay such a tile, after a short workout, with your own hands. However, the total cost of finishing will still require significant cash costs, since high-quality tiles are not cheap.
The plinth, equipped with natural stone, in the future practically does not require additional care. However, its price scares away many potential buyers. Artificial stone, which has almost the same properties, is several times cheaper. Therefore, when finishing foundations, this facing material is used more and more often. Despite some difficulties, it is possible to veneer the base with such material with your own hands. The main problems are related to the fact that the artificial stone is quite heavy.

Do-it-yourself stone plinth decoration

There are several types of artificial stone used for facing the foundation of a building:

• An artificial stone made of concrete. Such material is resistant to weather and climatic conditions, mechanical damage, long service life and neat, respectable appearance. The negative sides of this variant of the finishing material include a lot of weight and, accordingly, the difficulty in selecting glue.

• Stone made from sand and polymers. Such an artificial stone imitates natural stone as reliably as possible, and at the same time does not lose to it in quality and functionality. Panels of this type are much lighter than artificial concrete slabs, but at the same time they also retain all its positive qualities.

Manufacturers supply panels of such material to store shelves, which are assembled together like a mosaic (puzzles). This feature makes the installation of the cladding with your own hands quite simple and intuitive.
If an artificial stone is used for facing the basement of a brick building, there is a possibility of efflorescence appearing on the wall or, in other words, these are white salt stains. The reason for their occurrence lies in the violation of the rules of storage, the technology of mounting the material, or the use of an improperly prepared solution.

Artificial stone for the plinth - a wide range of varieties

They must be eliminated without fail, otherwise poor-quality fixation of the facing stone is possible. The cleaning of the wall section takes place in two stages, initially a metal brush is used, and then solutions based on chemical elements or alcohol.

Summarizing

Against the general background of materials intended for finishing the outer side of the basement of the house, in terms of price-quality ratio, artificial stone looks most advantageous. However, even this finishing option requires careful preparation. Within the framework of one article, it is difficult to consider all possible options for finishing materials. Therefore, when buying material for lining the basement, you should carefully study the technical characteristics of the product, the methods and place of its application. It will be useful to study the special literature and turn to the advice of specialists.
When using any finishing material for finishing the basement, the wall surface requires processing, to a greater or lesser extent. If necessary, the plinth lining can be protected with water-repellent solutions. Such a liquid is colorless and is applied to the surface to be treated by means of a roller or brush.

The basement of the house performs not so much a decorative function as a practical one. In many cases, it serves to reduce heat loss (it is specially insulated), and also prevents the spread of atmospheric and underground moisture to the walls of the house. It also transfers the load from the walls to the foundation - if the foundation is tape or slab. Therefore, the lining of the basement of the house should be not only beautiful, but also functional. In accordance with this task, the finishing material is also selected.

When to start finishing the basement

It is best to finish the base after it is done. In this case, the finishing material will hang over the track. As a result, even the most oblique rain or streams of water flowing down the walls will not be able to get between the wall and the blind area - water enters the path at a distance of several centimeters from the junction. Namely, through this joint, water penetrates to the foundation, bringing dampness and other problems.

You need to start facing the basement of the house after the blind area around the house is made

One more moment. Many people think about whether to insulate the basement or not. If you want to save on heating, the answer is to insulate it, as well as the blind area. The knot of insulation and lining of the basement - one of the options - is shown in the photo below.

When using the basement as a residential floor, there are no issues with insulation, since the answer is unambiguous - of course, to insulate. But even if you do not have a subfloor, heating costs will be much lower, and the floor in the house will become much warmer.

How to veneer the basement of the house

There are a lot of materials for finishing the basement. The main requirements: moisture resistance, frost resistance, strength. These requirements are met by the following materials:

• Natural stones sawn into plates (flagstone) or chipped, the so-called "torn stone":
  • sandstone (layer);
  • granite;
  • marble;
  • slate;
  • dolomite;
  • shug.
• Small cobblestone.
• Large river pebble.
• Clinker tiles (clinker brick).
• Paving slabs.
• Porcelain tile.
• Finishing brick.
• Facade panels, plinth siding, PVC panels (these are all names of the same material).
• Plaster (decorative and "under a fur coat").
• Decking.

Some of them cost a lot, some are negligible, but they can all be used. The material is chosen based on financial capabilities and previously used finishing materials - the aesthetic component also plays an important role. The technologies for finishing the socles with different materials will be discussed.

Preparation and warming

First of all, if the existing plinth is uneven, its surface is leveled with plaster. A cement-sand mortar is used for plastering the basement: for 1 part of cement (Portland cement M 400), 4 parts of pure building sand, preferably river sand, are taken. For greater plasticity, you can add a little lime or liquid soap (50-80 g per bucket of solution). The solution should be of medium density: so as not to crawl from the wall. There is another option - to use a special composition. For example, such as in the video.

If the laying of tiles, stone or other similar material then follows, after leveling the mortar on its surface, notches are made with the tip of a trowel (trowel). They are applied in the form of a grid over the entire surface. These shallow grooves will give the necessary support for the finish.

If the base is insulated, notches are not needed. EPS (extruded polystyrene foam) or foam boards are glued directly onto the plastered surface. They are lightweight and adhere well to glue. Their surface is smeared with diluted tile adhesive and pressed against the plaster. Finishing materials are then attached to the surface prepared in this way.

Painting, plastering and "fur coat"

In principle, if the plaster is well leveled, after the mortar has dried, the surface can be painted and stop there. This is an inexpensive but viable option. If you took the facade paint, which is intended for outdoor use, the basement will look good for a couple of years. Then you have to remove the old paint and paint again - to maintain the appearance.

The next way is to apply a layer of decorative plaster on top of ordinary plaster. And again, choose those formulations that are intended for external use. They can be tinted in the desired color or take colored ones. The only negative is that plasters are often porous and it is necessary to clean off splashes of dirt that fall on the walls during bad weather with a brush, and sometimes with detergent.

Until now, in some areas, the method of finishing the base "under a fur coat" is popular. This is when the solution is applied not in an even layer, but in small fragments. Previously, this was done with a broom of twigs. They dipped it into a liquid solution, hit the stick with the handle so that the spray flew onto the wall. This is how they made a “fur coat” - a finish with a torn surface. Today there are special devices for applying plaster, powered by a compressor. With their help, such a finish is easier to do.

Finishing the basement of a house using materials in the form of slabs or tiles is technologically more difficult. So that it does not fall off, you need to know some subtleties.

How to fix porcelain stoneware or clinker tiles

If heavy materials such as porcelain stoneware or clinker bricks are simply put on glue, on a plastered surface with grooves, they will probably hold up normally. And they can even stay for a while. Even a few years. But then they will begin to fall off along with the solution. Especially in those places where there are no grooves or they have insufficient depth. To improve adhesion, you can apply an impregnation layer that improves adhesion (adhesion), but this is not a guarantee, especially if the material is heavy.

The same picture will be if you glue the materials directly on the insulation. Surface is smooth and easy to apply. But after a while, the finish will fall off. Faster than with a plastered surface. About this video.

To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to fix a metal painting grid, preferably galvanized. It is fastened with dowels, putting on a dowel-nail a piece of galvanized steel, the size of which is larger than the size of the cell. Fasten at the top, bottom and in a checkerboard pattern in the middle. It turns out a reliable basis for material of any severity.

Glue is applied to the plinth and to the tile. On the tile, they remove it with a notched trowel, put it in place, tapping the trowel with the handle, put it in place, leveling the plane. The distance between the tiles is maintained with the help of crosses, only their thickness is taken to be significant 3-5 mm.

In general, the laying technology is similar to. The only difference is that the glue must be special for outdoor use. The second difference: finishing materials for the base begin to be laid from below: they are heavy and they need support. You lean on the blind area the bottom row, on it - the second, etc.

Finishing the basement of the house with natural stone (shell rock, granite, dolomite, slate)

No matter how attractive artificial shiny surfaces seem, for some reason a rough stone causes great sympathy. But laying a foundation from rubble is difficult and not everyone can do it so well that a house can stand on it. But anyone can finish a finished monolithic or natural stone with their own hands, especially if at least some of the work on building a house is done personally.

It is clear that no one will fix the whole stones: the finish will be too heavy, and very voluminous. Therefore, they came up with a stone to slab or chop. Depending on the technology, either an even “flake stone” is obtained - with almost even surfaces, or a “torn stone” with an uneven front part. Sometimes these materials are cut into identical rectangles, sometimes they are left in the form of uneven plates, but in any case, this is a natural stone and the decoration of the basement of the house from it turns out to be beautiful and waterproof.

There is this material from expensive stones, for example - marble, there is cheaper - slate, dolomite, shugnite, lemezite, granite, etc. They look very impressive. Especially if it is a torn stone, although flagstone sometimes looks no worse.

Surface preparation will be exactly the same: it is best to stuff a paint grid on a plastered plinth, and lay stone plates on it with glue. If they are even - natural stone with finished edges - the laying technology will repeat one to one described above.

If the stone has torn edges, finishing the basement of the house becomes more difficult: it is necessary to select plates of such a shape that the seams are not too large. When using this option of finishing stone, you will need a grinder with a stone disk: most likely you will have to file the plates of the lower and upper rows. Correction will also be required when making corners. See the video for an example of this technology.

There is a second way. The plastered surface of the base is first smeared with a composition to improve adhesion (adhesion), then fragments of the finish are installed on it with glue. They are fixed in a predetermined position with the help of scraps of the same stone or pieces of materials of the desired size. The seams are left unfilled. After the glue has “grabbed”, the seams are filled with a thin solution from a construction syringe, rubbing and leveling as necessary.

In any case, the glue that has got on the finish must be removed in a timely manner. It will be very difficult to do this with a frozen one, and the look of the glue is far from attractive.

Sometimes, for a clearer pattern, the seams between the stone plates are drawn with dark paint. Then the surface is coated with a protective impregnation. It gives the stone a slight sheen, and often increases water repellency.

An example of facing the basement with natural stone using the second technology, see the following video.

Facing with boulder or small cobblestone

Boulder or cobblestone is not necessary to buy. It can be dialed on a river or on a pebble beach on the sea. Run-in stones are chosen flatter - round ones are more difficult to "mount". The order of work and all other subtleties are almost the same as in the case of natural stone trim. The only difference is that these stones must be washed in water with detergent before use. Firstly, the water in our ponds may have oils that need to be removed, and secondly, they may be in clay or algae, which can cause the finish to fall off.

To make everything look organic, you can first lay out a “picture” of cobblestone cladding on the path next to the place where you will veneer the basement. They have different shades and their random combinations are far from always attractive. Having laid out everything side by side, you will have an idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat will happen as a result.

Watch the video about the features of finishing the plinth with cobblestone.

How to install plastic (PVC) plinth panels

This type of finish is called differently: basement or facade panels, basement siding. They have a varied appearance: for different types of stone, tile, brick.

To install PVC panels on the plinth, it is necessary to assemble the frame. It is made from a wooden beam 50 * 50 mm. Since the finish will be outdoors, the wood must be protected with impregnations that prevent decay and protect against pests.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

Assembly is easy. Only after fixing, it will be necessary to make ebbs from above: the crate and panels have a fairly decent volume and a gap remains on top. You can close it with roofing iron, as in this video. Immediately look at the technology for finishing the basement with plastic panels.

In the same way, the plinth can be finished with corrugated board. There is only one remark: it is desirable to lay insulation in the voids between the crate. Much warmer in the house will be.

Finishing the base of the pile foundation

As you know, there is no plinth. But if you do not block the space, drafts walk under the house, the floor will always be cold, and all living creatures like to settle under the house. Therefore, the base, although decorative, is necessary. It can be done in two ways.

There is one subtlety if the house is installed on screw piles or. Such foundations are often placed on highly heaving soils. So that when the soil is raised, the finish does not collapse, it is not brought to a certain distance from the ground. To prevent animals from climbing into the gap, a metal mesh is fixed at the bottom.