Granite facade

The facade of any building is a component that creates the first impression of the owner or those who live or work in it. Sometimes it happens that an expensive cottage does not look as prestigious as a small house with elite finishing.

Materials for facade cladding are presented in a huge variety these days. This makes it possible to implement virtually any facade solution. But the best in terms of quality and external aesthetics is considered to be natural stone, namely granite. In any project, it gives the building elegance and style, and the exterior finish itself will serve for decades.

Types of granite for facades

The classification of this type of material implies differences in color, weight, grain size and processing features. In terms of color selection, architectural granite of white, gray, brown, beige, red, green and black colors is noted. A characteristic feature of the stone is grain size, which includes fine, coarse and medium-grained inclusions.

Taking into account the processing methods, granite facade panels can be:

• polished - have a pleasant glossy shine, allowing you to see the smallest details of the pattern on the surface;
• ground - are characterized by roughness, such granite grinding is ideal for the external design of the basement;
• chipped - externally resembles unprocessed stone, giving the effect of naturalness.

A correctly selected type of stone makes it possible to implement any design solution for the exterior of the house.

Granite facade installation technology

Decorating a stone facade with granite requires a certain order of actions and the availability of specialized tools and equipment. Since construction work requires a lot of physical effort and high qualifications, it is better to entrust this process to specialists. The algorithm of their actions in this case will be as follows:

• Calculation of the fastening system - each element of the facing material must be firmly fixed in the designated place.
• Marking of fastening points in accordance with the plan.
• Installation of brackets on facade anchors.
• Installation of insulation elements - the material is fixed on top of the brackets, covered with a layer of windproof membrane with subsequent fastening to plate dowels.
• Installation of the ventilated facade subsystem - is made of durable metal according to load calculations.
• Installation of facade tiles. It is carried out using a special pin connection or with the help of a supporting profile, which is pre-mounted in the end cuts of granite slabs.

When facing a facade with granite, fastening can be done both on visible fixing elements and by methods with or without a seam. The technology for installing granite in this case depends on the type of stone used, its weight and the design solution.

Advantages of granite facade

The main property of the material is the creation of a durable cladding. Monumental granite buildings, created in ancient times and surviving to this day, are indisputable proof of this fact. Such a format can be considered virtually indefinite in operation. In addition, the popularity of granite stone in construction is explained by other reasons:

• the service life of the building cladding is more than a century - up to 120 years;
• excellent weather resistance: the facade easily tolerates temperature fluctuations, high humidity, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, rain, snow;
• preservation of external aesthetics throughout the entire period of operation;
• easy care for granite - if necessary, the surface just needs to be wiped with a damp cloth;
• environmental friendliness - decorative stone mined from natural depths is completely safe for human health and for the environment;
• low level of moisture absorption;
• prestige - a granite facade looks solid and solid under any circumstances.

However, it should also be noted that finishing the facade with granite is an expensive project that fits perfectly into any architectural direction. When choosing a suitable material, it is imperative to take into account its weight and structural features. If necessary, preparatory work before installing the stone in this case will include a stage of strengthening or expanding the base.