Production of artificial stone - manufacturing technology. How to make artificial stone with your own hands What to make a facade decorative stone from

Artificial stone is a material that is obtained by hardening a mixture of special components, which can be different.

It has been used for a very long time: the familiar brick or hardened lime mortar also belong to this type of building materials.

A material such as artificial stone can be produced even outside of industrial conditions. Modern materials and technologies make it possible to successfully carry out such work even at home.

Today, artificial stone is very active in creating and decorating landscape design.

If we compare stone made by nature and made by human hands, then it is the latter that is distinguished by many remarkable working qualities.

The artificial analogue is not inferior to it in its hardness and mechanical stability, and in some cases even surpasses it.

Advantages of artificially made stone:

Thus, purely visually, these two varieties are not too different. At the same time, artificial stone acquires new useful qualities, being devoid of the disadvantages of natural stone.

Which artificial stone is better to buy?

Types and types of material

Artificial stone used for wall decoration can be made using different methods and from different components. Depending on the manufacturing method and constituent elements, all types of material are divided into five main groups.

Ceramic stone

The combination of strength and viscosity makes it possible to actually make “stone wallpaper” out of it. For use at the production site, it is produced in the form of individual sheets 3-4 mm thick.

If there is a special injection mold, it can be made immediately to the entire height of the wall being finished. Industrially produced acrylic boards are somewhat thicker (6, 9 and 12 mm), but this need is due to the difficulties of transportation.

How to make artificial stone?

The production process includes several mandatory stages.

These include:

making a model of the future stone and a mold for casting,
mixing components, pouring and molding,
adding pigment
final polymerization of the composition.

Equipment and materials

Artificial stone: what is needed for production?

To obtain high-quality and usable material, you will have to acquire special equipment and the necessary materials. What can't you do without?

Vibration stand
The quality of the products depends on this unit and the correctness of its operation. It is necessary to ensure uniformity and homogeneity of the composition during its polymerization. The principle of operation of the device is to uniformly oscillate the platform horizontally. It can be made with your own hands, or you can buy it industrially.

Model casting molds
They are required if there are no ready-made molding products.

Foundry molds
In them, the composition hardens during the polymerization process.

Special release agent
When making a mold, it is used to coat the model inside the mold before it is poured. The use of this composition prevents materials from sticking together and sticking to the mold.

Foundry mixtures
There are different types: it can be either elementary gypsum or a rather complex composition of polymers.

Pigments
Essential for a natural-looking color.

Pillow pallet made of sand
This is required in order to eliminate possible deformations of silicone molds that sometimes occur during the stone manufacturing process.

Thermal gun
A small construction hair dryer that produces a thin and elastic stream of hot air. The tool is necessary for welding individual acrylic parts and pieces.

Model for decorative artificial stone

What can serve as a model for the production of casting molds themselves? First of all, these are, of course, industrially produced stones, or natural stones of suitable shape.

In both cases, the range of shapes, sizes and reliefs of manufactured products will be quite limited. But a convenient and functional model can be made from a cheap and accessible natural material - ordinary clay.

To make the models, a special grid made of smooth and thin plastic is used. For gypsum and concrete stone it should have a height of 6-12 mm, for clay with stucco 20-40, and more than 3 mm for acrylic products.

How does the process work?

A PVC film is spread over a flat shield, after which a grid is placed, the cells of which are filled with clay. The drying process is carried out in the shade, since the rays of the sun may cause drying products to crack. The degree of drying can be controlled by placing a small lump of clay nearby.

Drying the models takes from two to five days - this depends on the size of the products and weather conditions.

Using an infrared lamp, you can speed up the process: a product with a power of 100-200 W is suspended above the drying models at a height of at least two meters.

How to make your own mold for artificial stone

At home, it is convenient to make such forms from silicone.

A model or several are placed on a flat, level surface, on which a film has been laid in advance, and surrounded by a side, the height of which should exceed the level of the model by one or two centimeters. The surface of the models and the inner surface of the fence are covered with a fatty substance - shahthol, tsiatim or solid oil.

The resulting structure is installed in a strictly horizontal position, providing the silicone with a flat surface.

It is recommended to use the cheapest silicone with a noticeable vinegar smell. It is squeezed out of the container, evenly distributing and filling the cells. To avoid bubbles, use a flute brush - it must be dipped in a foamed solution of any detergent composition (but not soap) for dishes.

The surface of the composition in the filled cell is smoothed by also regularly wetting it in detergent.

The form is dried in the same way as in the previous description of the clay model.

However, in this case it is not recommended to use an infrared lamp!

In this case, drying will be accelerated by high-quality ventilation. A control sample, a ring with silicone, is placed near the mold. The drying speed of silicone is approximately 2 mm in 24 hours.

DIY mixtures for artificial stone

Each type of artificial material requires its own composition of the molding mixture.

This filler is washed with a detergent composition, calcined and rinsed; then a coloring pigment is added to it.

Next, the acrylic resin is combined with a hardener, pigment and filler are introduced into it, and mixed evenly. Such a mixture can remain liquid for no more than twenty minutes; after about forty minutes it already sets.

The final readiness of the product occurs in a day.

Casting method for the production of artificial stone

The process of casting artificial stone can be divided into the starting and basic stages of work.

Therefore, it is necessary to produce two types of mixture – base and starting.

If you need to fill a smaller form without reliefs, it is permissible to use facial mixtures that are well enveloping and contain a coloring pigment and filler. They are applied with a special brush.

For starting mixture sand, gypsum and diluted to a certain consistency (liquid). In the starting acrylic composition, the proportion of coloring pigment with filler is reduced to 60 percent, while simultaneously increasing the content of resin and hardener.

Basic composition added to the mold when the starting mixture hardens. Microcalcite usually serves as a filler for acrylic: it provides a background, thanks to which the decorative qualities of the facial mixture are remarkably manifested.

Before you start making artificial stone yourself, you should decide on the desired type of wall decoration:

for interior walls It is recommended to use acrylic or gypsum stone,
for outdoor a more moisture-resistant material will be required. It can be an artificial concrete stone.

The cost of different materials can be arranged as follows:

acrylic products are the most expensive,
next comes a concrete stone,
and then plaster.

The use of artificial stone for finishing facade walls allows you to create original design solutions at low cost. Due to its high performance characteristics, the material is widely used among many developers; it is used both for finishing expensive exclusive facades and budget houses. Moreover, the cost of finishing is almost the same.

DIY artificial stone

You can make artificial stone from gypsum and cement with your own hands. Each material has its own strengths and weaknesses.

The stone can be painted to improve its appearance. This is done in two ways.

The dye is added to the entire composition at once. Powder dyes that are resistant to sunlight are used. The method is most often used when producing large quantities of material or at the request of designers. Advantages of this method:

uniform color of the entire volume of the stone;
mechanical damage is invisible;
uniform color of all stones;
The manufacturing process is accelerated.

Dye was added when mixing the mixture

Surfaces are painted after removal from the mold. Types of paints that are resistant to solar radiation are used; painting is done with brushes, sponges or pneumatic sprayers. Advantages of separate painting:

the ability to give each stone an original appearance;
reduction in production costs;
the ability, if desired, to change the appearance of the façade walls after installation.

Stone coloring

A variation of this method is powder coating the internal surfaces of the molds. A small amount of different shades is applied with a brush to the inner surface of the mold; the places of painting do not matter, it all depends on the “artistic” abilities of the manufacturers.

Paint can be applied to the inner surface of the molds

It is advisable to buy ready-made molds in specialized stores, but if for some reason you cannot purchase a ready-made silicone mold, then you can make it yourself.

Stone molds

Silicone forms

Prepare your tool in advance

For manufacturing, you need to prepare even slats with smooth surfaces; for example, we took sections of sandwich panels, they are even, smooth, not afraid of moisture, and silicone does not stick to them. You will need quite a lot of two-component silicone with a hardener. The quantity depends on the size of the molds; you can buy it in online stores or large construction supermarkets. Sold in containers larger than one liter. Forms can be made to match commercially available facing materials or you can choose the topography of the front surface yourself. We will indicate all other accessories and tools along the step-by-step instructions. The technology for using ready-made stones or self-made templates is not much different; we will focus on the second option. It allows you to create any reliefs on the surface.

Step 1. Cut out stone patterns from the planks. The thickness is 8–10 mm, the length and width are at your discretion. Standard dimensions are 20x5 cm. But this is not necessary, it all depends on what kind of stele you plan to decorate the walls with and where exactly to place the artificial stone. There is no need to make it thicker; it is strong enough, and due to its small thickness, material is saved and weight is reduced.

Step 2. Glue corresponding pieces of embossed wallpaper or other elements onto the surface of the templates to create a hill. If it’s difficult for you to come up with something on your own, then buy several ready-made artificial stones in the store and fill the mold using them.

Step 3. Use self-tapping screws to strengthen the walls of the box for filling the mold; if there are gaps, cover them with liquid glue or seal them with single-sided tape. The dimensions of the box are arbitrary and selected taking into account the workpieces.

Formwork assembly

Sealing joints

The distance between individual workpieces is 5 mm. Before installation, check the gaps, they should all be exactly the same. We do not recommend making a mold for halves. Firstly, their required quantity is difficult to predict, and it is not recommended to use extra halves instead of whole ones. Secondly, it is much easier to cut a piece of the required length with a grinder during installation.

The photo shows a fastened box and stones placed in it for the template.

Master model is ready to work

Step 4. Draw a horizontal line along the inner perimeter of the walls; it should be approximately 1–1.5 cm above the surface of the templates. This parameter is optimal for saving polyurethane and is sufficient to maintain shape stability.

Step 5. Carefully coat all surfaces that will come into contact with polyurethane with an intermediate layer.

Lubricate the surfaces with Vaseline or grease

You can take petroleum jelly or grease, buy special liquids in stores, etc. We recommend dissolving laundry soap in water and spraying the surfaces with a spray bottle. Simple, cheap, fast and reliable. The same solution can also be used during the manufacture of artificial stones. Soap has another undeniable advantage - it does not leave marks on facial surfaces and, if necessary, can be easily washed off with ordinary water.

Step 6. Prepare polyurethane according to the instructions.

Polyurethane

Mix the ingredients very thoroughly; it is better to use an electric mixer. It is difficult to ensure uniform mixing manually, and the quality of the polyurethane largely depends on this. It is better to do the filling in two stages; prepare the material in this way.

Preparing the mixture

Step 7 Align the box strictly horizontally, use a level for this.

Step 8 Slowly and very carefully pour the polyurethane into the box.

Pouring and spreading the mixture

Pouring the solution into the mold

Pouring polyurethane

Keep track of how much material is needed, this will give you the opportunity to navigate the size of the second portion. When filling, pay special attention to the space between individual templates, do not allow gaps. After the first stage of pouring polyurethane is completed, lightly tap the edges of the box with a rubber mallet or other non-metallic object to remove air.

Bubbles can be removed with a hair dryer

Step 9 Prepare the second part of polyurethane and pour it into the box. Pay attention to the horizontal line along the perimeter of the walls. If there is a little polymer left, pour it all out, you will still have to throw it away, and the thickened bottom will not harm during the actual production of stones.

Polyurethane should cure in approximately 4-8 hours, but the exact time depends on the brand.

Poured form

Practical advice. To prepare large quantities of polyurethane, you need to use accurate electronic scales. The proportions of the components must be controlled down to the gram; the physical characteristics of the finished form depend on this.

If possible, make several forms in the same way. After each excavation has hardened, all surfaces should be covered with an intermediate layer. The forms are ready, you can start making artificial stone.

How to remove the mold

After the polyurethane has hardened, disassemble the walls of the box and begin removing the mold.

Dismantling the formwork

Disassemble the walls

If you carefully followed our recommendations, there will be no problems. The form is removed with great effort - try cutting off the polyurethane a little in the gluing areas with a sharp mounting knife. If you find shells and mechanical damage to the front surfaces, do not be discouraged. Problems can be easily fixed with silicone; buy one tube and repair any holes or damage.

Mold for making stones

Homemade form

Algorithm for manufacturing artificial stone

We have already mentioned that gypsum stones are recommended for interior work. It is better to finish facades with cement-based materials. To make the mixture, use only clean sifted sand, increase the amount of cement by about 30% compared to ordinary masonry mortar. As for consistency, the decision should be made individually. If you have a vibrator, you can make the solution thicker. It is easier to work with a vibrator, and the stone grasps faster. But preparing a special vibrating table for producing stone in small quantities is not economically feasible. In such cases, the solution must be made thinner; the consistency should resemble rich sour cream. You will have to remove air from the stones manually, but the quality will not suffer from this. Of course, if all the work is done responsibly and not in a hurry.

Practice shows that to ensure uninterrupted production of artificial stone from a cement-sand mixture, it is necessary to have molds for approximately one square meter of product.

Step 1. Before pouring, lubricate the inner surfaces of the mold with soapy water. Prepare a solution at the rate of 1:10. The concentration of soap can be increased, but cannot be decreased. To do the job, use an ordinary household spray bottle.

Step 2. Prepare the solution, determine the amount yourself.

Preparation of the solution (with the addition of dye and a pinch of citric acid)

Practical advice. To increase the strength of artificial stone, it is recommended to add polypropylene fiber to the solution; one or two small pinches per bucket of solution is enough. Fiber not only increases the strength of the stone, but also minimizes the risk of the formation of air pockets, makes the solution more plastic, and makes it easier to work with such material. It costs a penny and does not have any noticeable effect on the final price of the product.

As we said above, the consistency of the mixture depends on the presence of an electric vibrator.

Step 3. Pour the thoroughly mixed mass into molds. There is a vibrator - turn it on. No device - tap lightly with a hammer from the bottom of the workbench. Do not forget to level the position of the molds horizontally before pouring the solution. We recommend making a special table for pouring and installing it in the desired position.

Shape tinting with pigment

Filling the mold with solution

Leveling the mortar with a spatula

Leave the form until the solution hardens

Practical advice. Don't get carried away by vibration. If the mass is liquid, then during this operation the sand falls down, and this is an extremely undesirable phenomenon.

Step 4. Place the poured forms on prepared racks to allow the solution to mature. The number and size of racks depend on the “capacity” of your production.

Step 5. After the mass has set, begin to release the molds.

Freeing the stones from the mold

Taking out the stones

Gradually move it to the edge of the tabletop, bend the polypropylene down and take out the artificial stone one by one. If the stone is long, then place the mold on the table in a vertical position, bend the edges and release the stone.

Complete drying can be done outdoors or in any utility room, it all depends on the time of year and weather conditions. Remember that stones made from this material cannot be dried in direct sunlight; concrete must have time to complete chemical processes in a favorable manner.

Finished stones

How to paint artificial stone

There are two ways: adding powder dyes to the composition or applying paint to the surface of finished stones. Use iron oxide paints to paint surfaces.

In the photo - powder paint

Red iron oxide pigments

In terms of quality and price, they satisfy users. If you are making a small number of stones, then you can use multi-colored acrylic pigments; they are diluted in any primer. The paint adheres well to the surface and has good performance characteristics. It is better to paint with a pneumatic spray gun; if you don’t have one, use a brush. Follow three rules:

the base should be the lightest of all the colors used;
make the seams the darkest;
When dyeing, use no more than three colors or shades thereof.

First paint the base of the stones, then the seams, the surface decoration is done last. That's all, the material is ready, you can start laying it on the surface of the facade walls. Always remember one rule: without theory there is no practice, and without practice there is never a quality product.

How to paint artificial stone

Color options

Practical advice. While the paint is not completely dry, wipe the surface of the stones with a slightly damp hoe. Due to this, the front side will take on a more natural appearance, minor mechanical damage will become less noticeable.

Installing artificial stone on walls

To complete the work, you will need a level, a mixer, a grinder with a diamond blade, a rubber mallet, a metal brush, a spatula, a trowel, a tape measure, a container for glue and primer, a syringe for grouting joints, wedges for maintaining the same width of the joints and a tool for jointing them. Consumables you need to buy are glue, primer and grout. The stone is fixed to the plastered facade walls.

Step 1. Clean the surfaces and level them if necessary. There is no need to level it too much; unevenness of a few millimeters will be eliminated using glue directly during laying of the artificial stone.

Cleaning the wall

Step 2. Prime surfaces thoroughly. You should not skip this operation; a correctly selected primer significantly increases the adhesion of the adhesive to the plaster. And for heavy artificial stone made of cement-sand mortar, this is very important.

Applying primer to a brick wall

Step 3. Place the stones on a flat surface in the order in which you plan to fix them. During laying, do not allow sharp transitions in color; select stones taking into account the color and shades. Take the dimensions and transfer them to the wall surface.

Lay out the stones before installation

Step 4. Mark the location of the stone on the wall. Use a level and carefully check that the lines are horizontal.

Make the markings

Step 5. Check for the presence of cement laitance on the back of the stones; if it is found, remove it with a wire brush. Cement laitance causes poor adhesion.

Step 6. Prepare the glue according to the manufacturer's instructions and mix it thoroughly with a mixer. After stirring, let it sit for 5 minutes and stir a little again.

Mix the glue

Step 7 Start laying stone from the corners. Apply the glue with a comb spatula. If the surfaces have large unevenness, then increase the thickness of the glue and apply it with a spatula along the entire perimeter of the stone.

Applying glue to the wall

Applying glue

Formation of grooves

Start laying stone from the corners

Practical advice. If the walls are being finished in very hot weather, then moisten the back side of the artificial stone with water. Use an ordinary wide brush.

Step 8 Mark the position of each row on the wall, use a rope with blue. The lines make it possible to control the stone laying process. Place planks under the bottom row or nail them to the wall. The first stones must lie on them, otherwise they will gradually fall down under their own weight. Try to apply glue to the entire surface of the stone. This is necessary to prevent the appearance of condensation in the voids or the ingress of atmospheric moisture. In winter, the water will freeze, which will cause individual stones to fall out.

Step 9 Check the position of the tile with a level and press it firmly into the mass.

Gluing the stone

Laying artificial stone

Do-it-yourself artificial stone installation

Practical advice. It is very easy to check the quality of stone laying. Tap it with a wooden hammer or the handle of a screwdriver; a “drum” sound indicates the presence of voids. And this is marriage.

Step 10 Remove any mortar that appears in the seams using any available device. If it gets on the front surface, immediately remove it with a damp cloth. The stone is laid with jointing - do not forget to use linings to control the width of the joints. Stone can be laid without seams, but this requires solid practical skills. We do not advise beginners to choose such a complex method of cladding facade walls; lay them with gaps. They allow you to discreetly correct nuts and straighten rows of stone.

Wall before jointing

Step 11 After finishing the masonry, start unstitching the seams. This is an equally important stage and requires attentiveness and accuracy. It is difficult to reach the seams of artificial stone with your hands; you need to use a special gun. This gun is used to squeeze silicone out of tubes. Buy cement grout that imitates masonry mortar, insert the tube into the gun, and cut the spout at an angle. Apply grout carefully, do not allow any gaps, the amount depends on the size of the joints. If you want to visually emphasize the stonework, then use colored grouts. The depth of filling the seams is at least five millimeters; this is the only way to guarantee their tightness.

Prepare and place the grout mixture in a pastry bag

Filling the seams with grout

Step 12 After about an hour, the grout will begin to harden a little; level it with special narrow construction trowels. There is no need to buy them; make them yourself from a piece of sheet metal, plastic or wood. The main thing is that it fits in width, is level and easy to use.

Joining seams

Brush off excess mixture

Step 13 After completing the work, it is recommended to cover the surfaces of the artificial stone made of cement-sand mixture with a water repellent. After drying, it forms a thin silicone film on the surface, which protects the stone from exposure to precipitation, chemical compounds, dust, etc. Treat the surfaces until they stop absorbing the solution. If the surface of the stone is fragile, then cover it not with a brush, but with a spray bottle. You need to know that some protective coatings may slightly change the shade of the stones; before purchasing, carefully read the manufacturer’s instructions.

Application of water repellent

Applying the solution with a brush is acceptable

This completes the installation work, wash your tools and enjoy the beautiful view of the façade wall.

Artificial stone on the wall

Do-it-yourself artificial stone

Video - Making artificial stone from concrete

Natural stone has been used in building and interior decoration for thousands of years. However, now such material is very expensive. However, there is a way out. You can make an artificial stone with your own hands, and it will be practically no different from natural stone. The price of such a product will be much lower than a natural one.

DIY artificial stone

Interior stone finishing

Using stone in interior decoration allows you to achieve completely unexpected results. You can decorate the room in the style of a knight's castle, a fireplace framed by slate will look especially attractive, and columns trimmed with stone will be beautiful.

However, with all its wealth of shapes and colors, natural stone also has disadvantages. These include:

high price;
heavy weight, not every wall can withstand such additional load;
significant transportation costs.

In order to be able to use stone in interior decoration and overcome the described disadvantages, the technology for manufacturing artificial stone was created.

Cladding using artificial stone

Externally, natural and artificial stone are practically indistinguishable, at the same time, the latter is devoid of all the disadvantages of natural stone and can be made with an imitation of any natural stone, and even its texture is repeated. According to the type of surface, artificial stone can be:

chipped, as if beaten with a hammer and having an uneven surface and edges;
sawn, having smooth, even edges;
rubble, reminiscent of ordinary natural boulders;
arbitrary, embodying the designer’s fantasies in form and surface;
decorative.

For specific design tasks, a wide variety of surfaces may be required - for finishing a fireplace, arches, columns. Rocks with nautical themes, such as shell marks, may be required. So, when making artificial stone with your own hands, you can get exactly what is needed according to the requirements of the plan for finishing a specific surface. One of the most popular types of stone is slate.

Custom design option

What is artificial stone made from?

Strange as it may seem, there are several different options for making stone. One technology uses cement, fine sand, and water. According to another, they are made of plaster or alabaster. There is a manufacturing option when polymer materials are used as a binder. Therefore, the composition of artificial stone for production on your own can be determined based on the available materials and capabilities for producing stone.
The entire manufacturing procedure is not overly complicated and can be performed by anyone with some effort and careful adherence to technology. You don’t even need special conditions for this; work can be done directly in the apartment. Therefore, the material proposed below can be perceived as a kind of instruction for making artificial stone.

Manufacturing process

The main materials for making stone, as noted above, are cement and gypsum, or alabaster. In any option, using gypsum or cement, making artificial stone with your own hands begins with selecting an initial sample and creating a mold in which the stone will be cast in the future.

Having several such models, you can quickly produce the required amount of stone. As a model stone, it would be justified to purchase several stone samples of suitable shape and size from the store.

Although you can also use commercially available ready-made silicone models. They are a ready-made kit for making artificial stone.

How to make a model

The production of the mold begins with the selection of a sample, for the role of which a stone of suitable shape and size is selected. Silicone is used for the mold in which the stone will be cast later. Make or use a suitable sized box, slightly larger than the size of the sample stone. This box will serve as formwork.
It and the selected stone must be coated with a thick layer of grease or some other lubricant. The stone is placed at the bottom of the box. Several such formworks and forms need to be made to increase productivity.

After this, silicone is poured into the formwork. To compact it, tamp it with an ordinary paint brush moistened with a soap solution. For the latter, you can use regular Fairy. After filling the mold with silicone, the surface is leveled with a spatula moistened with Fairy.
The poured forms dry for two to three weeks, after which the formwork is disassembled, the sample stone is removed, and ready-made silicone molds for artificial stone are obtained. If there are small defects on the surface, they are sealed with silicone.
True, here too there is an alternative option for making a mold, but we can return to this a little later, after we fully consider the technology for manufacturing artificial stone that has been started.

Extraction from cement

At this stage, the work is performed in several passes. Initially, cement and sand are mixed for the first layer in a ratio of 3:1, everything is mixed until a homogeneous mixture is formed. The desired color is obtained by adding dyes, approximately 2-3% of the amount of cement, but this must be established experimentally. Add water to the finished mixture and stir until it is approximately thick like sour cream; the dyes are mixed with water.

The resulting mixture is poured into the mold about halfway and compacted by tapping and shaking for about a minute. Then a metal mesh is placed on top of the finished mortar to give additional strength to the stone and filled with a second layer of mortar. To save money, you don’t have to add dye to the second batch of concrete.

After pouring, make small grooves on the top layer of the mortar with a nail or any stick for better adhesion to the wall during installation. As can be seen from the described technology, it is quite simple and allows you to do without special equipment for the production of artificial stone.

After twelve hours, the stone is removed from the mold and left to dry and gain strength for two weeks. After removing the stone, the mold is washed with Fairy; this procedure must be repeated after each pour.

Manufacturing from gypsum

It should be noted that the production of artificial stone from gypsum is carried out in the same sequence. There are only nuances related to the fact that gypsum hardens quickly. Therefore, it must be prepared as much as is needed to make one stone, then a new portion must be diluted. To slow down the setting, citric acid can be added to the plaster.

The holding time for the material to harden will be different; this procedure takes several tens of minutes. Before pouring gypsum into the mold, it is necessary to lubricate it with oil so that the finished stone can be easily removed from the mold.

If you have the desire and opportunity, then using the described technology you can organize the production of artificial stone with your own hands. Moreover, stone made from cement can be used for both interior and exterior decoration.

Artificial stone coloring

When making the stone, we added dye to its composition. However, you can simply paint it after making it. This requires special paint and a brush of any size. The painting process is as follows:

it is necessary to wipe the surface of the stone with a clean rag and remove sand, dust, cement;
apply an even layer of paint to the front surface with a brush;
After the paint has dried, a second and third layer can be applied to achieve the desired shade.

Alternative manufacturing options and training materials

Now you can consider the option of how to make an artificial stone without using a sample and silicone. All this is shown in the video:

As can be seen from the above example, you can do without any expensive materials at all.
It should be noted that the stone can be made using ready-made kits. They include a ready-made polyurethane mold. How to make such products with its help, in the following video:

Artificial stone, installation

Artificial stone can be mounted on virtually any surface, including wood and plasterboard. When installing stone on wood, special surface preparation will be required; additional moisture insulation and sheathing will be necessary. At the same time, when installing stone on brick or concrete, no additional work is required, only leveling the surface.

Fastening the stone to the wall can be done using cement mortar or using special adhesive solutions or special types of glue. Installation can be done with or without jointing.

When installing with jointing, a gap remains between the stones; its size should not exceed 2.5 centimeters, which is then filled with grout. This option is more economical, but for some types of stone laying with jointing is simply not suitable; they need to be laid only completely.

Before installation begins, the stones are laid out on the floor and their best location is selected, adjusting to each other if necessary.

Laying stone begins with corner elements, then around window and door openings. And only after this the installation of horizontal rows is carried out.

The process of installing stone can be seen in the video:

It should be noted that additional care for surfaces lined with artificial stone is not required. As a protective measure, you can protect the wall from excessive moisture. This is done using special compounds. After application, they make the stone water-repellent.

Do-it-yourself artificial stone is an excellent opportunity to achieve very impressive results in interior decoration by using such an extraordinary material. And you can do all this yourself without significant costs or the use of special equipment.

Today, finishing building facades with natural stone is very common. However, such a stone is quite expensive. As an alternative, you can use a solution that involves making artificial stone yourself. It should be noted that stone made in artisanal conditions will not be inferior to natural stone, and you will save a lot of money. Using artificial stone to decorate facades, you can create a unique design. With all this, making artificial stone yourself is not such a difficult task.

Advantages of artificial stone

According to some studies, when properly manufactured, artificial stone can surpass natural stone in mechanical properties and durability. The following characteristic advantages stand out:

Can be produced in thin tiles. This will reduce the weight of the object on which the stone will be mounted.
You can make stones of different textures and colors.
It is possible to produce artificial stone directly at the site of future installation, so there is no need to spend additional money on delivery.
To avoid polishing, grinding and sawing, you can immediately produce tiles that are smooth to a shine.
It is possible to produce rubble stone of irregular shape.

Note! If you create an imitation of a polymer binder, the product will be thermoplastic. Accordingly, the workpiece can then be formed, bent and joined seamlessly.

Types of artificial decorative stone

Do-it-yourself artificial stone can be made using different technologies:

Ceramic.

Ceramic

During manufacturing, the stone is fired at the required temperature. This type of stone must be produced over large areas, so it is not suitable for home production.

Plaster.

Plaster

This stone can be produced at home. Gypsum artificial stone is used only for interior decoration.

Concrete molded.

Concrete molded

The service life of molds for producing stone from concrete is significantly less, in contrast to molds intended for casting gypsum stone. In terms of cost, concrete stone will cost a little more than gypsum stone, but such stone can also be made at home.

Reinforced concrete.

Its production is carried out piece by piece. In this case, production takes place directly on site. Thanks to free-forming, you can make cobblestones, artificial boulders and slabs, subsequently creating, for example, a rock garden.

Polyester artificial stone with hot-curing mineral filler.

This stone has outstanding mechanical and decorative properties. However, it is not suitable for home production, since special conditions must be created for it to harden.

Cold curing cast acrylic.

Acrylic

Perhaps its handicraft production. Manufacturing conditions are similar to those required for the production of gypsum stone. After manufacturing, the shape of the stone can be changed, which does not in any way affect the quality of the finished product.

Liquid stone on a helium acrylic binder - gelcoat.

Gelcoat

As for its mechanical properties, it is second only to cast. The thing is that a smaller part of the mineral filler can be introduced into the gel. At home, you can make stones of quite complex configurations.

So, it’s up to you to choose which method of making artificial stone. If you want to make stone for interior decoration, then give preference to acrylic and gypsum. As for external finishing work, a material that is not afraid of moisture is needed. Therefore, the best would be a cement-based composition. If we talk about price, then acrylic stone is the most expensive, followed by concrete stone and gypsum stone. To ensure high quality of the finished product, fillers can be added to the mixture: sand, marble chips, fine crushed stone. Among other things, this will save on the source material. Fiber fiber is additionally added to increase strength. This product prevents the appearance of microcracks in finished products. It is recommended to use a plasticizer. This way you can increase the density of the artificial stone, since the amount of water in the solution is minimized.

How to achieve the desired color Pigments for artificial stone

To give artificial stone a beautiful look, you can first paint it. How to do it? Special pigments are used for coloring. For example, they can be applied to the mold immediately before pouring the solution into them. In this case, the form must be partially painted over, which allows you to create an imitation of natural stone.

Note! It is extremely important to use not just a color for paints, but a high-quality pigment. They are iron oxide inorganic dyes.

To prevent the paint from cracking or washing off, it is mixed with a fresh solution and first applied to the mold. Subsequently, it will penetrate approximately 3 mm deep into the stone. And this is enough so that the paint does not wash off. As for the volume and quantity of pigment, its specific proportion is determined by the sampling method. To do this, you can make several experimental tiles and, after drying them completely, see what color you get. This is the only way to achieve exactly the color you need.

Let's consider three methods of making stone: from gypsum, acrylic and cement.

Making artificial stone from gypsum Mixing plaster

The method of making artificial stone from gypsum is considered the most popular. To produce gypsum stone you will need a set of the following materials:

white plaster,
anhydride,
warm water,
fine sand,
container for mixing ingredients,
matrix,
pallet,
corrugated glass,
water based paint.

Pouring plaster into a mold

You won’t need a lot of work space, but despite this, the work area should be well equipped. It’s a good idea to have racks or shelves nearby on which the workpieces will be laid out. All working tools should be at hand. The entire work process goes according to the following plan:

When mixing gypsum, you should not make a reserve. Gypsum hardens very quickly, so try to accurately calculate the required amount of gypsum solution. Of course, there won’t be a big problem if a little plaster remains.
You will purchase gypsum in dry form, so it should be mixed with water; determine the proportion yourself by eye.
During the mixing process, add gypsum gradually, this will make it easier to achieve a homogeneous mass. The consistency of the mass itself should be thick.
To give the future workpiece strength, you need to add sand in the amount of 10% of the total volume of the mixture.
At the next stage, the mold should be greased with wax and turpentine. If you ignore this step, you will not be able to remove the workpiece from the mold. Make a water bath to dissolve the wax. This way you can apply a thin layer of wax to the surface of the mold.
During the drying process, shells may form in the workpiece. To eliminate them, you can pour liquid gypsum.
If you need to add color to the stone, add pigment while mixing the plaster. We talked above about how to do this correctly.
When the mixture is poured into the mold, it is necessary to level it with a spatula and compact it thoroughly.
To ensure that the gypsum is evenly distributed over the mold, corrugated glass is placed on the surface and the vibration process is performed for two minutes.
The plaster itself will harden within 20 minutes. The glass is then separated from the mold without any problems. The form itself is removed. When all the workpieces have been removed, they must be placed in fresh air where they are completely dry.
After the plaster has dried, you can additionally apply paint in several layers.

Gypsum stone is ready

After all these steps are completed, the artificial gypsum stone is ready for installation. If you work well during the day, you can make a lot of stones.

Making artificial stone from acrylic Acrylic stone

A small acrylic stone can be made within three hours. It must contain the following components:

Hardener 2-4%.
Acrylic resin 25%.
Composite material or other filler 70%.
Pigment.

The work process is quite simple and does not require special technology.

First of all, all the above components are thoroughly mixed.
Afterwards the mixture is poured into the prepared form.
The hardening process should take place at a temperature of 25 °C. These are ideal conditions.

Note! Acrylic resin tends to stick. Therefore, a form is needed to which it does not stick: metal, glass, polyethylene.

The entire drying process of acrylic stone can take about two hours. If there are enough molds, then you can make them with a short interval, and each batch should dry well, and only then it can be removed from the mold.

Making artificial stone from cement Cement mortar

To make an artificial stone from cement, you will need to first prepare the following tools and material:

Portland cement.
Warm water, preferably purified.
Putty knife.
Container for mixing cement.
Fine sand.
Composition for separation.
Forms for stone.
Mesh to give strength to the stone.

Form for artificial stone

So, when you have everything at hand, you can begin the manufacturing process.

For the first layer, it is necessary to mix sand with cement in a ratio of 3:1. The solution should be distributed in silicone or polyurethane form.
After adding water and thoroughly mixing, the mass should resemble sour cream in consistency.
As for adding paint, it is best to do it at this stage.
So, when the mixture is ready, spread it halfway up the mold.
Then the mesh is cut to the required size, which will be laid in the next layer. This will make the stone durable. After laying it on the mixture, fill the remainder with silicone.
Once pouring is complete, run a sharp object across the surface to create a groove that will provide better adhesion to the surface.

Casting from cement mortar

After all this, the stone should dry thoroughly. After twelve hours, the blanks are removed and placed in the fresh air until completely dry.

Note! Regardless of what you will make the artificial stone from, the molds must be thoroughly washed at the end of the work. This will allow them to be reused in the future if necessary.

Where can I get a mold for artificial stone? Form

Without such a simple object as a form, it is impossible to make an artificial stone. Moreover, its quality directly depends on the form itself. The easiest way out is probably to go to a hardware store and buy ready-made forms. However, if we talk about the difference between store-bought forms and those made yourself, then you won’t be able to save much.

Mold for making decorative concrete

The only advantage of making it yourself is the uniqueness of the shape. You can save money by making several molds of different sizes at once. Molds can be made from wood and silicone.

Making a wooden mold Wooden mold

At first glance, the option of making forms from wood may seem primitive. But actually it is not. For the base you do not have to buy expensive material. A few old boards and slats are enough to make sides. To make the front part of the stone have a unique appearance, take old boards, which may even be slightly broken. But as for the sides, they must be even. The same applies to partitions inside the form. This will ensure that the seams are even during the laying process. Although you can specify a shape of any size and type. It all depends on your imagination and creativity. The entire workpiece is nailed together. It is important to compact it to such an extent that the solution does not leak out of it. This is how you can very simply and quickly make a mold for artificial stone. Filling is carried out using the technology you choose.

This option can be called budget. So to speak, in case there are no other available options. As practice shows, working with such forms is problematic, but quite possible. Today, there are other technologies that make it possible to make more convenient forms for pouring stone, for example, from silicone.

Making a silicone mold

As for this mold making technology, it will require more time from you. You will need to purchase consumables.

First you need to collect samples for the mold. This will largely depend on the shapes and sizes you want to achieve in the end result. For example, you can choose natural stone. Moreover, it can be broken into fragments or the edges of the stone can be ground/cut off. Next, you will need to make a mold for casting. To do this, you need to use an old wooden box. If it doesn’t exist, then you can put it together yourself. Each blank must be well fastened together so that the box does not fall apart during the pouring process. Then place the prepared stones on the bottom of the box. Place them flat side down. There should be a few centimeters between the stones.

Note! To prevent silicone from flowing under the samples, the bottom of the box can be coated with liquid plasticine and a stone can be placed on top of it.

Now it's time to prepare the silicone. There is nothing complicated here. The most important thing is to strictly follow the instructions for preparing it. All components must be thoroughly mixed using a mixer. When the mixture is ready, let it sit for about thirty minutes. After this time, you can begin pouring.

Silicone molds

Immediately before pouring the silicone, make sure that the stones are positioned correctly and each one is in its place. In order for the silicone to lay evenly, it must be constantly compacted, this will prevent the formation of voids. Silicone should be poured until it covers the surface of the stones by 50 mm. After filling, place the mold with filled silicone in a dark place for two days. Depending on external factors, the hardening process may take up to one week. When the mold has hardened, you need to remove the side sides of the box and carefully detach the finished silicone mold from the stone. The silicone mold is ready! You can also make a mold from polyurethane.

Making a polyurethane mold

Now you know how to make artificial stone and the molds for its production.

Stone made in polyurethane mold

Advantages of artificial stone

According to some studies, when properly manufactured, artificial stone can surpass natural stone in mechanical properties and durability. The following characteristic advantages stand out:

Can be produced in thin tiles. This will reduce the weight of the object on which the stone will be mounted.
You can make stones of different textures and colors.
It is possible to produce artificial stone directly at the site of future installation, so there is no need to spend additional money on delivery.
To avoid polishing, grinding and sawing, you can immediately produce tiles that are smooth to a shine.
It is possible to produce rubble stone of irregular shape.

Note! If you create an imitation of a polymer binder, the product will be thermoplastic. Accordingly, the workpiece can then be formed, bent and joined seamlessly.

Types of artificial decorative stone

Do-it-yourself artificial stone can be made using different technologies:

During manufacturing, the stone is fired at the required temperature. This type of stone must be produced over large areas, so it is not suitable for home production.

This stone can be produced at home. Gypsum artificial stone is used only for interior decoration.

Reinforced concrete.

Its production is carried out piece by piece. In this case, production takes place directly on site. Thanks to free forming, you can make cobblestones, artificial boulders and slabs, subsequently creating, for example, a rock garden.

Polyester artificial stone with hot-curing mineral filler.

This stone has outstanding mechanical and decorative properties. However, it is not suitable for home production, since special conditions must be created for it to harden.

Cold curing cast acrylic.

Liquid stone on a helium acrylic binder - gelcoat.

How to achieve the desired color

Note! It is extremely important to use not just a color for paints, but a high-quality pigment. They are iron oxide inorganic dyes.

Let's consider three methods of making stone: from gypsum, acrylic and cement.

Making artificial stone from gypsum

The method of making artificial stone from gypsum is considered the most popular. To produce gypsum stone you will need a set of the following materials:

white plaster,
anhydride,
warm water,
fine sand,
container for mixing ingredients,
matrix,
pallet,
corrugated glass,
water based paint.

When mixing gypsum, you should not make a reserve. Gypsum hardens very quickly, so try to accurately calculate the required amount of gypsum solution. Of course, there won’t be a big problem if a little plaster remains.
You will purchase gypsum in dry form, so it should be mixed with water; determine the proportion yourself by eye.
During the mixing process, add gypsum gradually, this will make it easier to achieve a homogeneous mass. The consistency of the mass itself should be thick.
To give the future workpiece strength, you need to add sand in the amount of 10% of the total volume of the mixture.
At the next stage, the mold should be greased with wax and turpentine. If you ignore this step, you will not be able to remove the workpiece from the mold. Make a water bath to dissolve the wax. This way you can apply a thin layer of wax to the surface of the mold.
During the drying process, shells may form in the workpiece. To eliminate them, you can pour liquid gypsum.
If you need to add color to the stone, add pigment while mixing the plaster. We talked above about how to do this correctly.
When the mixture is poured into the mold, it is necessary to level it with a spatula and compact it thoroughly.
To ensure that the gypsum is evenly distributed over the mold, corrugated glass is placed on the surface and the vibration process is performed for two minutes.
The plaster itself will harden within 20 minutes. The glass is then separated from the mold without any problems. The form itself is removed. When all the workpieces have been removed, they must be placed in fresh air where they are completely dry.
After the plaster has dried, you can additionally apply paint in several layers.

After all these steps are completed, the artificial gypsum stone is ready for installation. If you work well during the day, you can make a lot of stones.

Making artificial stone from acrylic

A small acrylic stone can be made within three hours. It must contain the following components:

Hardener 2-4%.
Acrylic resin 25%.
Composite material or other filler 70%.
Pigment.

The work process is quite simple and does not require special technology.

First of all, all the above components are thoroughly mixed.
Afterwards the mixture is poured into the prepared form.
The hardening process should take place at a temperature of 25 °C. These are ideal conditions.

Note! Acrylic resin tends to stick. Therefore, a form is needed to which it does not stick: metal, glass, polyethylene.

Making artificial stone from cement

To make an artificial stone from cement, you will need to first prepare the following tools and material:

Portland cement.
Warm water, preferably purified.
Putty knife.
Container for mixing cement.
Fine sand.
Composition for separation.
Forms for stone.
Mesh to give strength to the stone.

So, when you have everything at hand, you can begin the manufacturing process.

For the first layer, it is necessary to mix sand with cement in a ratio of 3:1. The solution should be distributed in silicone or polyurethane form.
After adding water and thoroughly mixing, the mass should resemble sour cream in consistency.
As for adding paint, it is best to do it at this stage.
So, when the mixture is ready, spread it halfway up the mold.
Then the mesh is cut to the required size, which will be laid in the next layer. This will make the stone durable. After laying it on the mixture, fill the remainder with silicone.
Once pouring is complete, run a sharp object across the surface to create a groove that will provide better adhesion to the surface.

After all this, the stone should dry thoroughly. After twelve hours, the blanks are removed and placed in the fresh air until completely dry.

Note! Regardless of what you will make the artificial stone from, the molds must be thoroughly washed at the end of the work. This will allow them to be reused in the future if necessary.

Where can I get a mold for artificial stone?

The only advantage of making it yourself is the uniqueness of the shape. You can save money by making several molds of different sizes at once. Molds can be made from wood and silicone.

Making a wooden mold

As for this mold making technology, it will require more time from you. You will need to purchase consumables.

Note! To prevent silicone from flowing under the samples, the bottom of the box can be coated with liquid plasticine and a stone can be placed on top of it.

Now you know how to make artificial stone and the molds for its production.

Natural stones have been used for finishing the interiors and facades of buildings for a long time. The use of stone in interior decoration allows you to achieve the most unexpected results. With its help, you can design your home and garden in the style of a knight's castle; columns trimmed with stone look elegant, and a fireplace framed with slate is attractive. It should be noted that natural stone is a very heavy material, so not every wall can withstand such a load. The large weight of the material also increases the cost of its transportation. In addition, natural stone is quite expensive.

But there is a way out. In order to make it possible to use stone in interior decoration, cladding the facade of a house, garden design and to overcome all the shortcomings, a technology for the production of artificial stone was developed. You can make artificial stone with your own hands, and it will practically not differ from natural stone. The price of material made at home will be much lower than that of natural material. Outwardly, they hardly differ from each other, while artificial stone is devoid of all the disadvantages of natural stone. Read more about how to make artificial stone at home.

Artificial stone can be made to imitate any type of natural rock, repeating its texture. It can have the following types of surface: chipped with an uneven surface and edges, sawn with smooth, even edges, rubble (looking like ordinary natural boulders) and random. Certain design tasks may require different types of surfaces. By making stone with your own hands, you can obtain a material suitable for finishing a specific room. The most popular type of artificial stone is slate.

What is artificial stone made from at home?

To make this material with your own hands, several different technologies are used. One technology involves making it from cement, fine sand and water, the other from gypsum or alabaster. There is also an option for making stone with your own hands, in which polymers are used to bind all the components. Therefore, the composition of the mixture for the production of this building material at home is determined based on the available ingredients and capabilities.

The procedure for manufacturing this material is simple; you can do it yourself if you carefully follow the technology.

The process of making stone with your own hands

In any case, making artificial stone with your own hands must begin by selecting an initial sample and creating a mold with which the products will be cast. Having several of these molds, you can quickly make the required number of products. As a model, you can purchase in the store a sample of suitable size and shape, or ready-made silicone molds, which are ready-made kits for the manufacture of this building material.

In order to make artificial stone at home, you will need the following materials and tools:

alabaster;

paint brush;

coloring matter;

dishwashing liquid.

Mold making

The production of artificial stone begins with making a mold. To do this, select a sample, which is a stone of suitable size and shape. Silicone is used to make the mold. Then you need to make a box of the appropriate size, which should be slightly larger than the sample. It will serve as formwork. The box and sample must be thickly coated with grease or some other lubricant. The stone is placed at the bottom of the box, after which silicone is poured into the formwork. It must be compacted with a brush dipped in a soapy solution, for which you can use regular dishwashing detergent. After pouring the silicone, the surface must be leveled with a spatula moistened with soapy water.

The poured forms must dry for 2-3 weeks, after which the formwork is disassembled, the sample is removed and ready-made forms for the manufacture of artificial stone are obtained. Small defects on the surface are sealed with silicone.

Manufacturing from cement

With this method, work is performed in several stages. First you need to mix sand and cement for the first layer in a ratio of 1:3, mixing the components until one mixture is formed. The desired color is obtained by adding a dye, the amount of which is determined experimentally. After this, add water to the mixture and stir everything until sour cream thickens.

The resulting mass should be poured into the mold to about half its volume and compacted by shaking and tapping for about a minute. A metal mesh is placed on top of the mortar to give the stone additional strength and a second layer of mortar is poured. There is no need to add dye to the second part of the solution.

On the top layer of concrete after pouring it, you need to make small grooves using a nail for better adhesion to the surface during installation. Judging by the description, this technology is quite simple; the material can be produced in this way without the use of special equipment. After 12 hours, the finished product is removed from the mold and left to dry for 2 weeks. The mold must then be washed, doing this after each pour.

Manufacturing from gypsum

Making artificial stone from gypsum with your own hands is done in the same sequence as from cement. However, it should be remembered that gypsum hardens faster, so you need to make as much of it as is required to make one product, after which a new portion is diluted. To slow down hardening, citric acid can be added to gypsum.

Since gypsum hardens very quickly, the holding time of products is reduced to several tens of minutes. Before pouring the gypsum solution into the mold, it must be lubricated with vegetable oil. This will help you easily remove the finished block from the mold. Finishing material made using this technology can be used both for interior decoration and for cladding building facades.

The dye can be added to the solution during the manufacturing process of the material. You can also paint the finished product. To do this you will need special paint and a brush of any shape. The painting process is carried out as follows: the surface of the stone is cleaned of sand, dust and cement using a clean rag, after which an even layer of paint is applied to the surface. After it dries, you can apply a second and third coat to achieve the desired shade.

As you can understand from all of the above, when making artificial stone with your own hands, you can do without expensive materials and tools. In addition, this material does not require additional care. To protect it, you need to protect the wall from excessive moisture. This can be done using special compounds, which, after application, give the stone water-repellent properties.

Artificial stone is a good opportunity to make an impressive interior decoration, façade cladding or garden landscaping with your own hands without significant costs.

Artificial stone for facades: finishing features

Even the most ordinary building at first glance can be completely transformed thanks to exquisite cladding made with modern materials. Artificial facade stone is just such a material.

Cladding with natural stone can cost the owner a fortune, while facade artificial stone is not only many times more affordable, but also has many other advantages, in particular, a much simpler installation method.

Finishing facades with artificial stone

Facade cladding can be done in almost all cases, regardless of what material the building itself is built from.

The protective properties of artificial stone are so high that the service life of the structure can increase several times.

When choosing an artificial stone, you should ask where it was produced. Domestic products are more adapted to Russian climatic conditions.

Option for finishing the facade of a house with stone

What is artificial stone made of?

Technically, artificial stone for façade cladding can be considered a tile, since one edge is necessarily flat.

It is with its help that the stone is attached to the base. But this is where the similarities with ceramic tiles end, since stone and ceramics are produced in completely different ways.

Artificial stone for the facade consists of:

Portland cement M400-500;
quartz sand;
filler that lightens the weight of the stone;
additives that increase strength and moisture resistance;
water.

The lightening component is often ordinary expanded clay.

Due to its introduction into the composition of artificial stone, its mass is reduced by 2/3 compared to concrete.

Expanded clay is not the only type of filler; in addition to it, the following are also used:

expanded perlite,
ceramic chips,
natural pumice.

You can purchase artificial stone for the facade with any type of filler, of course, but the price for each of them will differ quite significantly.

How artificial stone is made

Artificial decorative facade stone is produced using the vibration casting method, according to which a mixture is poured into rubber molds, which is compacted using vibration.

During the vibration process, heavy and strong particles of the mixture sink to the bottom of the mold, thereby creating uneven strength of the stone, maximum at its outer surface.

At the same time, the back side remains perfectly flat. The molds are obtained from casts of natural stone samples.

Type of artificial stone

Stone coloring can be done in two ways:

introducing a dye into the mixture;
painting the stone surface during the manufacturing process.

The dye introduced into the mixture will remain in it forever.

It will not fade in the sun and will not be washed off by rain. Painting on the surface is inferior in durability, since chips will reveal the internal texture of the facade stone. but this method allows you to obtain more believable copies of natural materials.

For facade cladding, it is better to choose artificial stone with a dye introduced into its composition, since precipitation and the sun will do their dirty work, and the stone painted on the surface will still lose its appearance.

Types of artificial stone

a stone of natural or chipped shape imitates naturally formed stones - fragments, boulders, pebbles, cobblestones, and so on;
sawn stone with standard dimensions and the correct shape of a parallelepiped, only one of the faces of which has a texture imitating the chipping of natural stone;
brick is an artificial stone that imitates antique or aged ceramic brick.

Types of artificial stone

Its properties

The main characteristics of artificial stone are:

strength;
frost resistance;
water absorption;
average density.

These are the ones you should pay attention to when choosing.

Artificial stone for finishing facades contains cement. The quality of cement directly affects the strength of the finished stone.

Strength is necessary not only during operation, but when transporting stone from warehouse to warehouse, right up to the buyer.

Strength can be increased by introducing special additives, which is an additional criterion for selection.

Frost resistance for artificial stone is usually 100-150 cycles.

Production of artificial stone.

If the manufacturer claims higher frost resistance, you can pay attention to this, but it should be taken into account that 150 cycles comply with current building codes.

Water absorption affects the first two indicators.

The less moisture the artificial stone is able to absorb, the facade will have greater frost resistance and strength. Normally, this figure should not exceed 9%.

No matter how low the water absorption rate is, it can be made even lower with the help of water-repellent compounds, which are recommended to be used to treat the cladding immediately after its completion.

The average density primarily affects the cost of the stone.

Lightweight facade facing stone is cheaper to transport and lay, which means it will cost the buyer less.

Beautiful facade and durable

Facade cladding

You can cladding the façade of your house with artificial stone yourself.

The technology directly depends on the base on which the artificial stone will be attached.

Preliminary preparation can be dispensed with in cases where the base is a solid, flat surface - concrete, plastered. In other cases, preliminary preparation will be required.

Installing the cladding yourself is not difficult

Preparing a wooden surface involves attaching a plaster mesh, on top of which the adhesive solution will be laid.

The same mesh is applied in all places where there are metal embedded parts and fasteners.

The stone is mounted using two methods:

With jointing, this means that there will be free space between the stones, filled with an adhesive solution. Seamless means that all the tiles are adjacent to each other. The adhesive solution is prepared from cement or a special dry mixture. When laying with jointing, the space between the artificial stone tiles can be additionally painted to create a seamless look for the cladding.

The next stage of installation of artificial stone

Conclusion

To understand exactly how artificial stone is laid, detailed instructions will help, which contain photos of each stage, or those taken specifically to clarify all the stages of installing artificial stone.

> Can artificial stone be considered a replacement for natural stone?

Is artificial stone a replacement for natural stone?

On the one hand, artificial stone does not have a natural origin, but it is malleable, more plastic, and warmer to the touch.

However, at the same time, stone of artificial origin has a number of undoubted advantages over natural stone: a wide range of applications due to the flexibility of composition and color, favorable price, and the variety of types allows the use of artificial stone not only for finishing work (for example, such as veneer - cladding), small architectural forms, but also when creating furniture and architectural decorative elements.

Natural stone is a very beautiful natural material. However, the color scheme, pattern and texture of each stone are unique, and it can be quite difficult to select finishing elements with a more or less similar pattern.

Remember marble panels in the subway or in expensive reception rooms, as well as in the halls of various palaces.

Artificial stone: types, production at home, materials, equipment, techniques

Another thing is artificial material. During its production, it is possible to create the required number of elements of the same type, but at the same time, the abundance of forms used gives the feeling that each pebble is unique.

Casting molds allow you to imitate any texture in such a way that the resulting stone can be completely indistinguishable from natural stone. And the color options are truly limitless - special mineral dyes give the material the necessary shade of the required degree of intensity.

Artificial stone is a composite consisting of fire-resistant mineral filler, pigments and acrylic resin.

As a rule, it contains only environmentally friendly components. Additives used in the manufacture of the material can be different, depending on what properties need to be enhanced. For example, some manufacturers add fiber fiber to the stone, which increases its resistance to destruction, protects it from splitting and makes possible cracks invisible. In addition to cement, acrylic and urea resins, polymer concrete and other polymer components are often used as a binder base, improving the performance of the material.

Modern artificial stone is produced mainly by vibration-compression or vibration-casting methods. Pre-prepared mass is poured or pressed into shaped plastic, plaster, polyurethane or wooden forms, which can be of various sizes and configurations. After it hardens and dries, the product is ready.

Corian can be called one of the most common types of artificial stone. Corian is durable, similar to that of natural stone, and at the same time, when heated strongly, it can be easily processed, which makes it possible to make from it both decorative products and pieces of furniture - window sills, bar counters, countertops, sinks, shelving, information desks (reception) and many other products. For example, a tabletop made of Corian is not only stylish and beautiful, but also reliable and profitable.

Unlike natural material, damaged areas of artificial stone surfaces can be easily restored without the need to replace the entire product.

Along with Corian, Montelli is often used - a type of artificial stone, which in terms of characteristics is slightly inferior to the above-mentioned artificial analogue. At the same time, the cost of Montelli is somewhat lower, which allows it to be actively used when finishing surfaces with a large area.

This artificial stone is especially often used in establishments where hygiene comes first, since caring for artificial stone is very simple, this material does not absorb dirt, is practically not susceptible to the harmful influence of external factors, and is generally unpretentious. Also, in any establishment or furniture store you may come across a countertop made of this artificial stone, a reception desk, sinks, and even entire pieces of furniture.

In turn, the artificially created Zodiaq stone has increased strength, and the well-known Staron is plastic and is actively used in the manufacture of window sills and other products.

Due to the fact that artificial stone is much lighter than natural stone, when covering surfaces with it, no additional strengthening is required. The installation itself is much simpler, since this material is available in the form of flat tiles or hollow forms.

What also makes the work easier is that during the production of decorative stone, special corner and rounded elements and fragments for lining window and door openings are produced, and there is no need to cut the stone, trying to give it the required shape.

There are also various attachments and additional fastening elements.

In fact, there are about a hundred varieties of artificial stone from different manufacturers, and they all have individual characteristics, which allows for the most competent approach to the issue of their use.

As for design solutions, the vast majority of varieties of artificial stone imitate various natural materials.

You can make sure that you have a “marble” or “granite” stone countertop in your home, install a stylish artificial stone reception desk in your office, order a bar counter, or purchase a beautiful, reliable and durable shelving unit that is in no way inferior in style and beauty from a natural analogue.

Also, artificial stone imitates brickwork, tiles and other materials that are used for the external cladding of building walls (stone veneer or stone veneer) and their roofs. At first glance, artificial stone is no different from natural stone; a special coating and vibration formation protect it from moisture and damage as a result of temperature changes, including mechanical ones. Thanks to its amazing properties, artificial stone lays smoothly, leaving no visible joints or seams, and if, for some reason, cracks or other damage have formed in it, then you can quickly and easily restore the surface to an ideal condition.

So, what should you give preference to, natural or artificial material? Let's weigh again all the pros and cons of both. Natural stone is prestigious, reliable, environmentally friendly, beautiful, but at the same time it is very expensive, its processing is very labor-intensive and requires expensive equipment (cutting, grinding, processing) and professional skills.

Well, artificial stone, having excellent strength characteristics and excellent decorative properties, is devoid of all the disadvantages of the first - it is much cheaper, and is easily attached to flat surfaces.

In addition, it is safe, just like natural, since it contains only natural ingredients.

As we see, everything speaks in favor of artificial stone, which allows you to achieve the desired result with much less financial, time and physical costs. Of course, today many companies are engaged in the production of this finishing material, both in Russia and in other countries, and their products vary in price, quality, and appearance, so it is absurd to say that artificial stone from any manufacturer is better, than natural.

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Home » Useful information » Composition of the initial mixture for the production of artificial stone

Composition of the initial mixture for the production of artificial stone

(Photo gallery “Our Technologies” on the page of the same name)

What is included in the composition of artificial facing stone produced on flexible elastic injection molds. Essentially, the decorative facing stone we are talking about is a typical sand concrete based on Portland cement, made by vibration casting into special flexible elastic matrices - forms and colored in a special way.

Let's look at the main components of concrete mixtures for the production of artificial facing stone using vibration casting method:

Astringent.

Binder is the basis of any artificial facing stone.

In this case, it is Portland cement grade M-400 or M-500. To ensure that the quality of concrete always remains consistently high, we recommend using only “fresh” cement (as is known, it quickly loses its properties over time and from improper storage) from the same manufacturer with a good reputation.

For the production of decorative facing stone, both ordinary, gray cement and white cement are used. There are a number of colors and shades in nature that can only be replicated on white cement. In other cases, Portland gray is used (for reasons of economic feasibility).
Many domestic manufacturers of artificial facing stone have recently actively used gypsum as a binder.

At the same time, they claim that their products are expanded clay concrete. And, as a rule, expanded clay concrete is actually presented at company stands. But there is one point that determines the behavior of manufacturers of artificial facing stone. The cost of flexible elastic injection molds, which allow you to accurately replicate the texture of the stone, is very high. And if the technology is followed, the turnover of injection molds, that is, the time from the moment the concrete is poured until the formwork is removed, is 10-12 hours, versus 30 minutes for plaster.

This is what pushes companies to use gypsum as a binder. And the price of gypsum is at least five times lower than the price of white cement.
All this provides companies with super profits.

But the price for the end consumer is very high! The extremely low frost resistance and strength of such products will not allow you to enjoy the appearance of the facades for a long time.

The presented photographs show plaster products one year after installation. Multiple cracks and destruction are clearly visible.
Therefore, the use of this material on an industrial scale is difficult. Based on the tasks facing us, we prefer to produce artificial facing stone - a material with hardness and abrasion properties close to natural stone, suitable for both external and internal cladding, rather than decorations that are fragile and capricious to the effects of water.

Filler.

Depending on the type of fillers used, cement-based artificial facing stone can be “heavy” (2-2.4 g/cm3) or “light” (about 1.6 g/cm3).

Ideally, heavy concrete is used for the production of paving stones, decorative paving slabs, borders, plinth frames, and interior stone. For the production of artificial facing stone used for exterior decoration, lightweight concrete is used.

This is approximately what manufacturers working using American technology do. In the regions, unfortunately, predominantly heavy concrete is used.

Of course, it is much easier to make decorative stone on sand, but a light stone will always be preferable for the consumer. It's just a matter of choice.
For the production of heavy artificial facing stone, coarse quartz sand of a fraction of 0.63-1.5 mm is used (the use of fine sand impairs the strength characteristics of concrete) and, when appropriate, small crushed stone, for example, marble, a fraction of 5-10 mm.

“Light” facing stone is made using expanded clay sand.
But when producing artificial facing stone on expanded clay, the following factor should be taken into account. In July 2001, we received information from customers about the appearance of “shots” (spot swelling of white material) on the surface of products (lightweight concrete).
As a result of consultation with specialists, it was found that the “shots” appear as a result of the disintegration of limestone inclusions found in expanded clay.

When free calcium interacts with moisture (water or its vapor), a chemical reaction occurs, accompanied by an increase in the volume of free calcium grains, resulting in a so-called “shot” effect.
CaO + H2O = Ca(OH)2 + CO2 = CaCO3
The peculiarity of this chemical reaction is that it takes a very long time - up to 6 months.
Manufacturers of expanded clay produce products in accordance with GOST, which allows the presence of lime grains up to 3% of the total mass.

The “shots” effect reduces the consumer properties of products, so the task was set to find a new filler for the production of lightweight concrete. It has been observed that the limescale reaction causes destruction of the surface of products ONLY in interior decoration. When using products for finishing plinths and facades of buildings, no visible destruction of the finishing material is observed. According to the statement of an NIIZHB employee, lime decay is leveled out when using products for the exterior decoration of buildings.

In connection with the identification of this pattern, since August 2001

How to make a decorative stone with your own hands. Instructions

products for interior work are produced not on expanded clay, but on another (heavier) filler.
To switch to a single filler, we offer the following ways to solve this problem:
1. Use crushed expanded clay of a fraction of at least 2 cm as a filler.
2. Create expanded clay dumps with storage in an open area for at least 6-9 months.
3. Creation of a heterogeneous filler from quartz sand and lighter artificial filler.
4. Use of slag pumice, however, the bulk weight of the finished product will increase to 1800-2000 kg/m3.
Lightweight aggregate must meet the following requirements:

bulk weight about 600 kg/m3.
sand fraction 0-0.5 cm or 0-1 cm (presence of fine fraction 15% of the volume).
compressive strength 18 kg/cm (expanded clay indicator)
water absorption up to 25% (expanded clay indicator).

In the production of artificial facing stone, decorative paving slabs, small architectural products on flexible elastic injection molds, the following fillers can be used:
Slag pumice, Granulated slag, Crushed stone and slag sand, Foam glass, Expanded perlite sand, Hard expanded perlite, Expanded vermoculite, Expanded polystyrene, Enriched quartz sand, Marble chips, Construction sand (white), Molding sand, Volcanic pumice.

Pigments and dyes.

The most important component of decorative facing stone is the pigments (dyes) used.

Skillful or unskillful use of dyes directly affects the appearance of the final product. In experienced hands, ordinary concrete right before your eyes turns into something completely indistinguishable from natural “wild” stone. How to achieve this?
For coloring cement, mineral inorganic pigments (oxides of titanium, iron, chromium) and special light- and weather-resistant dyes are used.

Experienced manufacturers usually choose dyes from companies such as Bayer, Du Pont, Kemira and other equally reputable ones. This is due not only to the consistently high quality of their products, but also to their wide range. Thus, Bayer offers several dozen iron oxide pigments.

By combining them with each other, you can choose almost any desired shade of color.
So, Portland cement, expanded clay sand and pigments are the main composition of artificial facing stone. Many manufacturers of architectural concrete products limit themselves to this, despite the fact that there is a huge number of various additives to cement to improve certain characteristics.

In any major city you can find suppliers of domestic and imported concrete additives. These are various superplasticizers that improve the workability and increase the strength of concrete; polymer-latex additives that have a beneficial effect on the durability of concrete; concrete hardening accelerators and air-entraining additives; volumetric water repellents, which reduce water absorption many times (useful for façade, plinth and paving stones); chemical fibers for dispersed reinforcement, which dramatically increases crack resistance and much more.

Decide for yourself whether to use any of these additives or not; we only want to recommend using protective impregnating compounds to treat the surface of decorative facing stone. A properly selected water repellent for concrete will achieve the following results:

will increase the aesthetics of the stone and eliminate “dusty” - a characteristic feature of any cement concrete;
will increase the service life of the facade stone (the point here is that the process of destruction of decorative concrete is primarily reflected in color saturation long before the first signs of destruction appear, the reason for which is the exposure of aggregate particles on the front surface of the stone);
will dramatically reduce the risk of efflorescence on the surface of the stone, which is a real disaster for cement decorative concrete, which is why they should be given the closest attention.

What is artificial stone made from?

You can appreciate the beauty and variety of artificial stone decors using the example of Ecostone products.

Externally, artificial materials can reliably and accurately reproduce the texture and pattern of natural stones.

Let's take a closer look at how artificial stone is made.

Technological process

There are various methods for producing quality and durable stone slabs.

For finishing work, concrete-based materials are often used.

They contain cement and fillers.

Manufacturers can use various materials as fillers, the choice of which determines the final performance properties of the finished product. For example, technologists often make artificial stone based on expanded clay, which has a low density.

In this case, the incoming stone slabs are quite light.

It is worth considering that expanded clay can also be different. For example, fine-grained varieties provide artificial stone with good strength and resistance to physical impact.

On the other hand, slabs mixed with cheap coarse-grained expanded clay are subject to rapid destruction and chipping.

Making artificial stone and molds with your own hands

The best filler that provides corrosion resistance to the product is perlite. It is devoid of the main disadvantages of expanded clay. The color of the produced artificial stone is given by introducing pigments into the composition.

Mass painting is more practical than surface painting.

In this case, the material retains its natural appearance when the top layer is abraded.

The final stage is the application of a special protective coating to the surface of the finished slab, ensuring the stone’s resistance to external influences.

Proper production technology includes the process of drying the material at a given temperature and humidity.

Many of us consider artificial stone to be a new material, however, it has been known to people since time immemorial. Ordinary clay brick, cement, gypsum and lime mortar are varieties of artificial stone.

The popularity of this material began to grow after new polymer compositions and forms appeared that made it possible to use it for interior decoration and landscape design.

In particular, artificial stone can be used to make tiles for cladding walls and floors, steps and other elements of stairs.

It is used for the manufacture of countertops, decorative stucco and sculptural compositions, borders and paving slabs.

In terms of strength and durability, some types of artificial stone are not inferior to natural stone, surpassing it in ease of processing and ease of finishing. This material can be made into very thin tiles, which reduces its weight and reduces cost. For natural stone, such a thickness is unattainable due to its high fragility.

Not inferior to natural material in terms of color and variety of surface textures, artificial stone is more profitable to use for several reasons:

it can be immediately made perfectly smooth, which eliminates expensive sawing, grinding and polishing operations;
there is no need to transport it, since this material can be made with your own hands at the place of use;
the amount of waste is minimal, since there are no losses for transportation and processing;
In addition to a rectangular shape, it can be made figured or shaped, which allows you to finish surfaces exactly in place without additional adjustment.

Types of artificial stone

When considering the question of what artificial stone is made from, it is not difficult to choose a technology acceptable for use at home.

Depending on the raw materials and methods of processing, artificial stone is divided into the following types:

— Ceramic (tiles) – the manufacturing process requires the creation of high temperatures to roast raw materials and transform them into a monolithic conglomerate.

— Plaster (cast). It can be done at home. The costs of raw materials and production are minimal, however, such stone is suitable only for interior decoration, since it is not resistant to frost.

— Concrete molded. The cost of production is more expensive than gypsum, since the resource of molds for casting concrete is less. Suitable for self-production. Frost-resistant.

— Free-formed reinforced concrete. This artificial stone is made piece by piece, usually at the site of use (artificial cobblestones, boulders, slabs).

— Hot-curing polyester. In terms of its mechanical and decorative characteristics, it is superior to some types of natural stone, but the synthetic compound hardens only in a vacuum at elevated temperatures. It is not suitable for home production.

— Cold-hardening cast acrylic stone. Suitable for home production. In the temperature range from +175 to 210 it is thermoplastic, therefore it allows additional molding after casting.

How to make artificial stone with your own hands?

This requires two basic components: mold and casting mixture. The home technology for producing artificial stone can be implemented both in a factory-made polyurethane mold and in a home-made silicone one. It all depends on the total footage of the finishing and the budget allocated for this work.

The polyurethane matrix is quite expensive, but it allows you to make several hundred high-quality impressions. Silicone mold is more suitable for small-piece stone production and home sculptural crafts. Its resource usually does not exceed 20-30 castings.

For making your own silicone molds a set of natural stone or tiles is laid out on a horizontal, stable and flat surface, having previously covered it with polyethylene. After this, a frame made of wooden slats or plastic is placed on it. The height of its sides should be 1-2 centimeters higher than the height of the copied material.

The surface of the tile and the inside of the sides are coated with solid oil or cyatim. You can take the cheapest silicone - acidic. It is squeezed out of the tube into the mold in a spiral, starting from the center to the sides until it is filled.

To prevent the formation of bubbles, the silicone is smoothed with a wide fluted brush. It needs to be dipped in a solution of dishwashing detergent. Soap solution is not suitable here because it is alkaline and can ruin the acidic silicone. After filling, the surface of the future form is smoothed with a spatula, also moistened with detergent.

Dry molds for making artificial stone at room temperature in a ventilated area. The drying rate of the silicone composition is approximately 2 mm per day.

Molding mixtures

Gypsum artificial stone

The mixture for gypsum stone is prepared from gypsum grades G5 - G7. It is made in small portions, counting on simultaneous filling of no more than two forms, since the setting time of this binder does not exceed 10 minutes.

Composition of the mixture: gypsum, citric acid to slow down hardening (0.3% by weight of gypsum), water - 60-70% of the volume of gypsum. The pigment is taken at the rate of 2 to 6% of the weight of the gypsum. The dosage of the coloring substance is selected on test samples of castings.

concrete stone

You can make artificial stone inexpensively and with high quality with your own hands from concrete. Unlike construction, here the initial composition of the components is slightly different: take 3 parts of cement for 1 part sand. The proportions of the pigment (you need to use an alkaline resistant one!) are the same as for gypsum stone.

The addition of polymer additives reduces the brittleness of this material and increases its abrasion resistance.

Cold hardening acrylic stone

This material is made on the basis of acrylic resin and hardener. The recommended volume of mineral filler to acrylic is 3:1. The amount of pigment is taken depending on the total weight of the filler (on average from 2 to 6%).

As an inexpensive filler, you can take gravel, stone chips or granite screenings. Before preparing the mixture, the filler is washed with dish gel, then calcined over a fire and rinsed with clean water.

The preparation process consists of three stages: first, the pigment is mixed with the filler. Then the acrylic resin is mixed with a hardener and a filler with pigment is added to it.

The time during which the acrylic mixture must be poured into the mold (from the moment the hardener is introduced into the resin) is no more than 20 minutes. The setting time of the mixture lasts from 30 to 40 minutes. The product requires 24 hours to completely harden.

If you are interested, the best materials for their manufacture are concrete or acrylic. The concrete product is heavier and does not allow you to create surfaces as varied in pattern as when using acrylic resin. However, the low cost of raw materials and the simplicity of the casting process partially compensate for this disadvantage.

Release agents

For different types of artificial stone, different compositions are used to separate the form from the product.

For gypsum stone, the optimal solution is one consisting of artificial or natural wax in turpentine in a ratio of 1:7. To do this, add wax shavings in small portions, stirring, to turpentine heated in a water bath to +50 - +60 C.

For concrete stone, conventional lubricants are used (litol, emulsol, cyatim). Before pouring the acrylic composition, the mold is lubricated with a solution of stearin in styrene (proportion 1 to 10) or cyatim.

When using a homemade silicone matrix, it must be protected from deformation that occurs when the hardening gypsum stone and acrylic resin are heated. To do this, before pouring the working mixture, it must be placed in a tray with fine dry sand so that the thickness of its layer is from 2/3 to 3/4 of the height of the mold.

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