Since ancient times, people decorate their homes - some spend fabulous sums on this, others use scrap materials. In matters of decoration takes into account the ratio of price and quality, attractive appearance, durability, complexity of installation. The diverse decor of the foam has a low price, looks good, has a wide range of applications, and many of the elements of it is easy to do with your own hands.
Pros and cons of the material
The foam is a foamed plastic, because it has a rather low density. In modern times, it is a worthy alternative to gypsum.
Its positive properties are:
- high thermal insulation;
- fireproof;
- easy, convenient in installation, processing, transportation;
- not susceptible to damage by mold, parasites;
- maintainable;
- suitable for wet rooms;
- long does not lose appearance;
- good as a heater;
- suitable for decoration of facades, interior decoration;
- maintains the wide range of temperatures;
- does not spoil when washing;
- very cheap.
Material disadvantages:
- many species are toxic;
- easily destroyed by exposure to some paints, solvents, alcohol;
- often damaged, broken during transportation, installation;
- impossible to make overly complex elements.
The interior design of the foam is made all kinds of stucco, as well as a variety of crafts, souvenirs, decorations for the home, garden.
Stucco for the walls
Imitation of gypsum stucco is made from large-and fine-grained sheets of foam. Most often, such details are made white, unpainted, or imitating various materials - wood, stone, etc. The styling of expanded polystyrene is decorated with interiors of styles:
- Art Deco;
- classical;
- rococo;
- baroque;
- Empire;
- Renaissance;
- Greek;
- modern;
- romantic;
- modern.
For the decoration of polystyrene walls, the following decorative elements are produced:
- plinth - closes the junction of the walls with the floor, the plinths are made of different thickness, can hide the wires;
- cornice - covers the angle formed between the ceiling and the wall, it is of different widths, degree of decorativeness;
- socket - frames the place where the lamp is mounted;
- molding - a wide plank, decorated with three-dimensional pattern, is used as a frame;
- bas-relief - volume detail, protruding above the plane, full-fledged composition;
- bracket - mounted on the protruding parts as a supporting part, made out of curls;
- corner details - they make the corners of the walls;
- column - volume detail, mounted vertically on the wall;
- semi-column - less convex than the column, usually rounded;
- capital - the upper part of the column, semi-columns;
- niche - attached to the wall, various objects are placed on it;
- Fireplace element - a frame for a decorative or electric fireplace;
- sandrik - facade cornice above the window, inside is rarely used;
- framing elements of doors, windows, arches - have different sizes, shape;
- architrave - may have a complex pattern, but more often it is a narrow detail, under which the wiring hides;
- panels - have the form of tiles with convex patterns of various sizes, the design "under the brick" is popular.
Elements for exterior decoration are reinforced with acrylic glass mesh, which is applied special coating, the result is quite realistic imitation of real gypsum.
Foam molding stucco is desirable to use where it can not be damaged by people, domestic animals, as with a rough impact on it are dents, which greatly spoil the appearance.
Stucco for the ceiling
Polyfoam has a low weight, because it is used for finishing suspended, stretch, conventional ceilings. The following parts are used:
- decorative panels - square tiles, about 50 by 50 cm in size, with which the ceiling is completely covered, usually have convex parts;
- ceiling sockets - they make out the bases of the lamps mounted on the ceiling;
- caissons - produced in the form of textured rectangular, square tiles;
- domes - have the form of round concave tiles;
- ornaments, including angular ones — parts of different sizes in the form of flowers, curls, rhombuses, fasten both on the ceiling and on the walls;
- ceiling plinths - mounted between the ceiling and the wall, sometimes decorated with lighting.
Under the order, some companies make whole ceiling, wall panels, stylized under the Renaissance or with the image that the client wants.
When making interior stucco, the main thing is not to “overdo it” with the decor - its excessive amount looks tasteless.
Installation of products from polyfoam
Manufacturing parts from foam in industrial environments is a computerized process, but you can stick them on the wall yourself. It is very simple to assemble foam elements; special knowledge and skills are not needed for this.
How to do it:
- the wall or ceiling is cleared of paint, whitewash, dirt, wallpaper;
- if bumps are higher than one centimeter, the surface must be leveled;
- special glue is used for installation; anchors and hardware will be required for large parts;
- You can use polyurethane foam or foam, PVA glue, "liquid nails", dry adhesives;
- the element is coated with glue, applied to the surface, pressed tightly, but very carefully, it is important not to damage or deform small parts;
- if necessary, after the glue dries, the structure is reinforced with dowels;
- at the very end, the joints between the parts are filled with a sealant, the holes for the dowels, the excess is removed, the surface should be rubbed.
Installation is over, now it is primed with a special compound, covered with several layers of acrylic paints. Each new layer is applied only after complete drying of the previous one. Art painting, for example, in gold, is also acceptable. Local highlighting of individual stucco parts creates a unique atmosphere in the room.
Glue containing alcohol, aniline, ether, chlorine, nitrogen compounds is not suitable for gluing foam plastic - the above components destroy it.
Foam Crafts
What can be made from the foam house at home:
- voluminous letters for holidays;
- Easter eggs;
- Christmas balls, snowmen;
- Photo frame;
- snowflakes for the New Year;
- decorations on the door in the form of a wreath;
- bases for bouquets, Christmas trees;
- furniture decor;
- figurines of fairy characters;
- framing mirrors;
- scenery for home puppet theater;
- water lilies for the dacha pond;
- background for the aquarium;
- halloween pumpkin;
- mushrooms, animals, birds for a country garden.
How this is done: the elements are simply cut out with a stationery knife or special cutters according to the pattern they are designed for, pasted over with colored paper or painted with special paints. Large pieces can be glued together from several pieces. In the presence of certain artistic skills and a sufficient amount of material, foam panels decorate the whole wall. Plots are selected any - nature, space, pictures from books, still lifes, portraits, ancient bas-reliefs.
Conclusion
Polyfoam - cheap, practical material, if it comes to light decor, suitable for rooms with any microclimate. Foam plastic parts "live" for a long time, if you don’t touch them much, the finish looks good both inside and outside. For small apartments it is better to use small parts, for spacious ones use more voluminous ones. It is easy and simple to assemble elements from expanded polystyrene with your own hands, but for proper placement in "complex" interiors, it is better to turn to a specialist who will help to shape the conceived style, to recreate a certain era.
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