The appearance of the entire house largely depends on the appearance of the basement of the building. The most popular and desired decoration option is natural stone. It is, of course, beautiful, but quite expensive. How you can make a high-quality imitation of stone, thereby saving significantly, is described in this article.

Nothing gives more solidity and solidity to the appearance of a building than natural stone on the plinth. It would seem that it couldn’t be simpler, buy the necessary material - natural or artificial, stick it on the concrete or brick base of the plinth and you’re done. However, there are often cases when such an option is simply unacceptable, both from a constructive and financial point of view. It is absolutely clear that ready-made stone slabs are initially quite expensive, and if it is also necessary to prepare a special base for them, for example, if the base is insulated from the outside, then all this will ultimately cost a fairly decent amount. You can save significantly and at the same time get a result that is almost no different both in appearance and in feel from natural stone if you make an imitation of it. We'll talk about how this is done further.

As a role model, let’s take this option for finishing the base with crushed granite slabs:

As a result, if you do everything in accordance with the instructions given, you will get this result:

As you can see, the result is almost identical to the reference one.

Materials and tools

To carry out the work we will need the following materials:

1. Plaster mixture - one 25 kg bag per approximately 5 m2. Price - 4 USD e.
2. Facade primer - 0.5 kg per 1 m 2 of one layer. A 25 kg bucket costs about 20 USD. e.
3. Facade paint - 1 kg. For 1 m 2 one layer. A 25 kg bucket costs about 50 USD. e.
4. Decorating paints - base paint plus colors. In total it will cost about 2 USD. e. per 1 m 2.
5. Plaster mesh. The thing is quite cheap - about 0.4 cu. e. per 1 m 2.
6. The covering film is the thinnest.

The use of even initially expensive high-quality materials provides significant savings compared to natural stone!

Tools:

1. Maklovitsa for primer (not plaster).
2. A non-fluffy roller, for example, a felt roller for rolling film and smoothing seams.
3. Fluffy paint rollers.
4. The brushes are flat and thin.
5. Spoon.
6. A stiff brush for cleaning baths, to give additional texture to the stones.
7. Mixer for dry mixtures.
8. Sandpaper.

Making an imitation of stone on the plinth

All work can be divided into three stages:

• preparation of the base;
• production of imitation stones;
• decoration.

So let's get started. We have a base insulated with foam boards. Let's prepare the base.

1. Mix the mixture.

The same mixture, by the way, is also used for false stones.

2. Apply a layer of approximately 3 mm, having previously filled the seams.

3. Cut a strip of façade reinforcing mesh to the required length.

4. Apply the mesh and smooth it with spatulas, hands, whatever, but so that not a single bubble remains. We cut the junctions at the top and bottom to a width of about 1 cm; the mesh should not tuck under.

5. Apply a second layer of the mixture 2-3 mm thick and leave until completely dry.

6. Prime the surface with primer for external use, with deep penetration on loose surfaces. We prime the entire base. Leave to dry for at least three hours in dry weather.

7. Mix the same mixture as for the mesh. We apply it to the base coated with primer.

Make the mixture quite dense; it should not flow. Apply a layer up to 3 cm. After drying, apply another layer. As a result, we get 6 cm of final thickness. It’s not worth doing a lot at once, just a couple of square meters.

8. While the mixture is sufficiently wet, apply a thin film to cover the furniture, previously soaked in water. If the film is not moistened, you risk tearing off the entire mixture.

Wrinkle the film on the surface of the base, as it turns out, and roll it with a fluffy, but not very soft roller - a rope or felt one will do. We skate quite hard.

As a result, we get the following surface:

9. Remove the film moving to the side. We get the texture of natural stone.

The film must be wetted before each gluing.

10. Let's proceed to the next stage - making false stones. Using the flat end of the brush, apply the jointing pattern. We try not to cut all the way to the ground. Where convenient, we help ourselves with a spoon.

11. We wet the roller that was used to roll the film in water and roll the edges of the seams a little to smooth them out. Next we go through the seams with a wet brush. This will make them neater.

12. To add additional texture, you can prick the surface with a brush. Leave to dry.

13. After drying, knock off debris and burrs with coarse sandpaper,

14. Prime the resulting surface. This should be done crosswise.

15. Apply base paint.

16. We tint the “stone” slabs. A complex process, but quite exciting; it does not require any specific conditions or artistic skills. To imitate living crushed granite, use red, brick, dark brown, black, and white to lighten.

The colors are mixed directly on the base. We repeat the stained seams with the same base paint.

17. When everything is dry, we add an aging effect and hide imperfections. We take a thin flat brush, stain it with a light tone and touch it with an edge or the very tip to the surface of the stones. When the paint on the brush runs out, dip it in paint again, hit the end on the cardboard to remove the excess so that there are no mistakes, and apply it to the stones. It is better to repeat one place several times than to overdo it with white.

A close-up of the surface should look like this:

18. If you want to add gloss to the surface, you can varnish the stone. No varnish is required to fix the paint; modern façade paints are durable and last for many years.

19. You can highlight the seams with dark paint. Get a more expressive surface. In the photo, the seams on the left are light, on the right are dark.

20. Upon completion of all work, you will receive almost natural stone on the foam plastic surface of the base insulation.

Evgeny Dubinin, rmnt.ru (based on materials from user LiLi4ita)

What is imitation stone made of, and how to properly decorate a room using this method? What are the advantages or disadvantages of imitation, how to care for it, how to make it yourself - all this is in this article.

Create an imitation of stone on the wall

Stone is often used to decorate walls, because it creates a completely different feeling, giving the room coziness and completeness. But what to do when natural stone for some reason is not an option? The solution to this problem is its imitation.

Relevance

Natural or artificial stone can take up a lot of space, so it is not recommended for decorating small rooms. And for imitation, materials of completely different sizes and textures are used, so you can choose an option suitable for a small room.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the advantages are the following:

• natural material is not always a budget solution. Imitation can be much cheaper;
• imitation sometimes requires less effort and time;
• a well-simulated stone creates almost the same impression as a natural one;
• you can create an option that suits your requirements and fits perfectly into the design.

• in the absence of skills, the result may not meet expectations;
• To learn how to produce such finishing yourself, you will have to be patient and read the relevant materials and tips.

Peculiarities

This method has many different options and corresponding nuances. But there are also many master classes that will help you make an imitation yourself.

How to apply decorative coating for stone walls

Before finishing, completely clean the wall of the previous coating and dirt, because the strength of the finished finish depends on this. Then apply primer to the surface. For greater strength, some use reinforcement mesh.

Apply the finished mixture in equal parts to a small section of the wall and create the required shape with your hands, imitating stone. In addition, you can use tools such as a scarpel, a trojan or bush hammer, and special stencils. After drying, the surface is sanded and painted if necessary. To give additional volume, convex areas are painted with a lighter color, and recesses are painted with a darker color.

The plaster is not applied to the entire area at once, because it will begin to dry out and you will not have time to form the texture.

Do it yourself plastering a wall to look like stone

The base consists of water, cement and sand. Depending on what the imitation is being created, various mixtures are added to the plaster (marble or quartz chips, lime, mica).

The resulting result depends on the additives. If additives are used in powder form, the surface will be smooth and vice versa.

Forms for finishing stone walls: what are they?

Special forms are used into which the solution is poured. The following types of these forms can be distinguished:

• elastic (made of silicone or rubber; the most commonly used option);
• rigid (plastic or metal is used as a basis);
• semi-rigid (polyurethane).

How to make an imitation stone on the wall with your own hands

Options:

1. Polystyrene foam will help create an imitation of masonry or stone.
2. If you need to decorate a small area, create an imitation using acrylic paints.
3. Well, the simplest solution is wallpaper.

A more complex technique is papier-mâché.

1. First, parts corresponding to the shape of the stones are cut out of cardboard.
2. Then take the egg trays and cut them into pieces measuring about 7 by 7 cm. Stick them on the base, overlapping each other.
3. When all this is dry, you need to dilute the putty with water to the consistency of sour cream.
4. Cover the resulting workpieces with the composition.
5. After drying, paint with a roller, starting with dark and ending with light shades.
6. Then all that remains is to varnish them and glue them to the wall.

Finishing walls with stone-like plaster: photo examples

Plaster can be used to decorate an entire wall, for example, in a living room, thereby highlighting a recreation area. The color is chosen depending on the style in which the room is decorated, but it is still recommended to choose warm colors.

The finished version looks more interesting if you use several colors for painting.

To create a glossy surface, you can use the glazing technique, which will noticeably change the result.

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How to make artificial stone with your own hands

Have you decided to cladding your façade beautifully, quickly and inexpensively? In this case, artificial stone is exactly what you need. By the way, the result of finishing work can be made even more affordable, because you don’t have to buy artificial stone, but make it yourself at home. In this article I will talk about what artificial stone is, how and what to make it from, so that it does not differ in appearance from purchased products.

General information about finishing materials and production technology

Finished masonry of stone or brick houses looks great, but, unfortunately, not everyone can afford such construction. Installation of artificial stone allows you to make an ordinary concrete wall that looks like stone or brick.

Artificial stone is a type of finishing tile, and therefore the cost of finishing with such material will be cheaper than building and using natural stone.

Cladding stone can be purchased at most hardware stores. But the same material is easy to make yourself. To do this, you will need a mold, a liquid base that can be poured into the mold, and paint and varnish materials with which you can paint the finished product.

What to make facade tiles from

To make artificial facing stone with your own hands, casting materials with a semi-liquid or viscous consistency are used. The material is poured into an elastic mold and hardens there for a certain time, gaining the necessary strength.

The problem is that not every mixture is suitable for pouring into a mold. A suitable material must be resistant to cracking, must set quickly, and must completely fill the mold without forming voids or seals.

Which mixtures meet these requirements?

Cement-sand mixture TsPS. This is a traditional mortar, the composition of which is supplemented with silicate adhesive “liquid glass” for greater strength and weather resistance.

Ingredients:

• Cement M500 -1 part of the total volume;
• Sown river sand – 3 parts;
• Water – 4 parts of the total volume;
• Liquid glass - added when mixing the solution at the rate of 0.5 liters per 10 liters of mixture.

Advantages:

• Easy to prepare solution;
• Low cost of the finished result.

Flaws:

• Long-term strength development of the mixture in the form;
• Porous structure of the finished product;
• Low strength of the finished product
• High probability of cracking.

A mixture based on gypsum, cement and plasticizers. Initially, gypsum mixtures were used only for interior decoration. But by adding plasticizers, it is possible to reduce the porosity of the structure of the finished material to the levels of cement-sand stone.

The advantage of the gypsum mixture compared to its cement counterpart is a more accurate texture of the finished product without external wear, chips and other cosmetic defects

Ingredients:

1. Gypsum G3-G5 – 1 kg;
2. Cement M500 – 50 grams;
3. Sodium oleate (sodium salt) – up to 10 grams;
4. Plasticizer “Friplast” – up to 15 grams;
5. Water – 500 grams.

Advantages:

• fast setting;
• crack resistance.

Flaws:

• porous structure;
• low weather resistance and, as a consequence, the need to apply a protective layer of varnish.

Solution preparation technology

The quality of the finished product depends not only on the selection of ingredients, but also on the uniformity of mixing the solution.

Liquid base manufacturing technology:

1. Initially, dry mix all the ingredients without covering them with water;
2. After the dry mixture of cement or gypsum is the same color and shade, mix it with water and mix thoroughly;
3. Let the solution stand for 5 minutes, then mix again. The base prepared in this way can be poured into molds.

Considering the small volumes of the solution, you can use a clean plastic bucket with a volume of 10-15 liters and an electric drill with a mixer attachment to mix and mix the ingredients.

Forms for pouring mortar

What should be the forms into which we will pour the prepared solution?

• The inner surface of the matrix should more or less accurately repeat the texture of the stone or brick finish;
• The matrix must be elastic so that when the solution hardens, the mold can be removed many times;
• The matrix should be inexpensive.

In domestic construction stores, stone matrices can be purchased at prices ranging from 1.5 to 5 thousand rubles. However, you don’t have to buy a matrix because you can make it yourself.

The cheapest forms for making gypsum tiles are pieces of basement siding that imitates brickwork. You don’t even need to do any tinkering here, just turn the purchased piece of siding upside down and pour the pre-prepared solution inside. Vinyl is moderately elastic, and therefore removing the finished tile will not be difficult.

How to make a silicone mold?

Illustrations	Manufacturing process step by step
	Preparing ingredients. We buy 2 standard tubes of silicone sealant per 0.2 m² mold and 1 kg of regular flour.
	Matrix formation. We lay out a matrix from pieces of artificial stone on a flat surface.
	Die lubrication. Lubricate the surface of the prepared matrix with cosmetic Vaseline, fat or other lubricant so that the frozen silicone can subsequently be carefully removed.
	Kneading the mass. Squeeze the silicone into the flour and knead the dough until a homogeneous plastic mass is obtained.
	Mold making. Roll out the dough on top of the prepared matrix, forming a border on the sides. As a result, the silicone mass should fill all the reliefs of the workpiece.
	Dismantling the mold. You can remove the form after a day. During this time, the silicone dough will completely harden and the likelihood of ruptures will be minimal. To make dismantling the silicone product easier, use a spatula.

How to use the form

Illustrations	Making stone in silicone mold
	Preparing the form. Lubricate the silicone mold with an aqueous solution of laundry soap. The solution is most conveniently applied from a spray bottle.
	Pouring the solution. The prepared solution is poured into the cells.
	Leveling the solution. The solution is dispersed into the cells with a wide spatula.
	Product extraction and drying. After a day, the imitation is removed from the molds and laid out to dry for three days, after which it can be painted.

Illustrations	Making stone in vinyl mold
	Preparing the mold and solution. We undermine vinyl siding from the inside out with lubricant, this is especially true if the matrix has already been filled. Using the ingredients selected in accordance with the technology, mix the mixture and prepare a solution.
	Pouring the solution. The solution is poured into each cell separately. To ensure that all tiles have the same thickness, the poured forms must be laid on a perfectly flat surface without horizontal distortions.
	Removal of finished products. After a day, gradually bending the edge of the vinyl mold, we remove the finished tiles. If the vinyl siding has been well lubricated, the tiles should fall out without sticking or being damaged.

How and what to paint

Illustrations	Coloring methods
	Tinting at the mixing stage. If you need a one-color and monochromatic stone, the color is mixed directly into the solution. For working with gypsum solutions, I recommend dry colors, and for cement-based mixtures, liquid acrylic dye.
	Painting the tiled surface. Oddly enough, this is the most common method, in which each individual tile is painted with a brush or spray. The method is labor-intensive and does not guarantee good coloring compared to the previous technology.

An alternative to artificial stone - decorative plaster

If you think that casting blanks for facing stone is difficult and time-consuming, there is a more affordable technology. Here the plaster mortar is applied to the wall and leveled. A special elastic stamp is used to press a relief imitating stone onto the wet plaster.

Subsequently, the stamped concrete dries and gains the required strength. After the concrete has hardened, the surface of the stone can be primed and painted.

Let's sum it up

Now you know how to make artificial stone yourself. If you still have questions about the proposed instructions, ask them in the comments to the article.

May 14, 2018

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, or ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!

Artificial decorative stone is a common building material that is characterized by high performance characteristics and versatility. It is used for cladding internal and external work surfaces. This material can be made independently at home. This article will tell you about the advantages of artificial stone, the features of its production and installation.

Today, the range of stones for wall decoration is very wide. It can be easily purchased in construction stores and markets. If necessary, this finishing material can be made by hand. The industrial production of such bricks is very similar to manual production, since both cases involve the use of special injection molds.

Different materials are used for its manufacture. The most common ones are concrete, plaster and acrylic. For the subsequent processing of stone, various technologies can be used: firing, glazing, etc. Liquid decorative brick, which has the appearance of an unhardened composition, is very popular. You can also purchase or make your own flexible type of artificial stone.

For finishing external surfaces, it is customary to use special boards, which are characterized by low porosity and resistance to low temperatures. In turn, stone for interior wall decoration is lighter in weight, which facilitates its installation.

The environmental properties of this facing material depend on what components were used in its production. For example, cement and gypsum have natural properties, and their structure facilitates the penetration of air and moisture.

Helpful information! If the decorative stone contains acrylic, it is not recommended to veneer surfaces located in close proximity to heating devices. This is due to the fact that when heated, this material releases harmful chemical compounds that can cause harm to human health.

Artificial stone from the manufacturer has an affordable price, which undoubtedly makes it more popular among consumers than natural stone. If you choose high-quality material or use the right components in its manufacture, it will not be inferior to natural cladding.

Advantages and disadvantages of artificial stone for interior wall decoration

Decorative stone price per sq. meter ranges from 600 to 1500 rubles. The cost of finished products from the manufacturer depends on many factors, namely: composition, texture, color, etc.

Using non-natural decorative stone for walls, obtained independently, allows you to save money, as well as perform the necessary pattern or continuous installation without any difficulties. This material also has other positive qualities that we recommend paying attention to.

First of all, you can make artificial stone yourself in the same place where it will be laid. This eliminates transportation costs. This facing material is characterized by its small thickness and light weight, as it most often takes the form of thin plates. Thanks to this, the overall weight of the structure is significantly reduced.

Decorative stone of non-natural origin has good strength characteristics (especially if it has undergone additional processing). If necessary, you can make an artificial stone of any color. To do this, appropriate pigments are added to the mixture.

The shape of the interior stone can be different. You can independently make both straight plates and plates of arbitrary dimensions. This property is very important, as it allows you to create facing elements that are ideally suited to the installation site.

A mold for such decorative bricks can be purchased or made independently. On the construction market you can easily purchase products with a wide variety of textures (smooth, embossed). It is worth noting that special polymer additives can be added to the mixture to obtain such a facing material. They allow you to make a flexible stone, which will allow you to change its shape even after laying.

From the point of view of decorative properties, artificial material is more acceptable. It can be used to cover not only walls, but also interior elements such as fireplaces, stoves, etc. However, in the latter case, it is necessary to select a material that has fire-resistant qualities. Decorative stone finishing can be used to transform the appearance of arches. Photos of such arched structures can be easily found on the Internet.

Helpful information! Due to its resistance to moisture, it can be used to organize an ornament or a solid structure in bathrooms. But in this case, it is recommended to pay attention to the composition of the artificial stone.

The material, made by hand, does not require special care and can become a decoration for any interior. However, like any other product, artificial brick also has some negative sides. For example, wild stone has a fairly large mass. The surface for its installation must have high strength and endurance. In addition, products can have a rather complex, heterogeneous shape, making it difficult to select individual blocks during installation.

However, walls made of wild stone can decorate the interior of any room. It suits both classic and modern styles equally well. In order to decide on the choice of material, you need to pay attention to the photo of wild stone, since there are many varieties of it.

Overview of types of artificial stone for wall cladding

Such building materials are classified according to two main parameters, namely: production method and composition. Depending on these criteria, decorative artificial brick is divided into:

• ceramic;
• plaster;
• concrete;
• polyester;
• acrylic;
• liquid.

Ceramic. Stone from this material is produced in several stages and also undergoes special heat treatment (firing). Making such cladding yourself is a rather complicated procedure, so it is rare. Production on an industrial scale requires a fairly large area and high consumption of electrical energy.

Plaster. One of the types of decorative stone, which is very popular in the modern construction market. It is performed using special molds and casting technology. For making at home, as a rule, this type of decorative brick is used. However, facing material made of gypsum is not resistant to low temperatures. Therefore, it can only be used for finishing interior surfaces in rooms whose temperature is not lower than +18 °C.

Concrete. This type of decorative artificial stone, depending on the components, is divided into two types. The first of these includes ingredients such as cement and sand. It is slightly more expensive than gypsum, but is also suitable for shaping at home. Cement-sand facing material is resistant to low temperatures.

The second type of concrete stone is called monumental. The method for producing such products is called free molding. Thanks to this method, artificial boulders for garden decoration, as well as entire concrete slabs, are produced.

Polyester. This type of finishing stone for walls includes special mineral fillers. They are distinguished by the fact that they are capable of turning into a solid state under the influence of high temperatures.

Note! Polyester resin is a fairly cheap product, so the cost of the finished product is low.

Among the disadvantages of this building material, its specific smell should be noted. Over time, it wears off, but can be felt for a long time after installation.

Polyester stone is not suitable for making it yourself, since its production technology is too complex. The process of forming products occurs in a vacuum under the influence of very high temperatures.

Acrylic. Manufactured by casting. It turns into a solid state without the use of high temperatures, therefore it is classified as a cold-curing decorative facing material. Has a presentable appearance. For clarity, it is recommended to study the photo of artificial stone for interior wall decoration, made on an acrylic base.

The process of forming acrylic stone implies the same conditions as for the gypsum type. It is characterized by temperature plasticity, so it is possible to change the shape of the finished material. Moreover, this does not affect its quality characteristics.

Liquid. A special type of decorative artificial stone produced using a gel coating (gelcoat). Features of the technology for manufacturing liquid stone affect the mechanical properties of finished products. It is also worth noting that cast decorative tiles are more resistant to temperature changes and moisture than liquid ones.

How to make a mold for artificial stone with your own hands

It is not difficult to purchase a matrix for casting this decorative finishing material in a specialized store. To save money, you can make such a template yourself. Another common reason for making a mold for decorative stone with your own hands is the lack of the necessary type of facing material on sale.

As a rule, ordinary samples of decorative tiles are used as the basis for the matrix. Sometimes the texture of a template is created using natural materials, which include not only natural stones. For example, patterns made to imitate wood patterns are very popular.

There are two types of forms:

• homogeneous;
• complex.

In the first case, the manufacturing procedure is less complicated. This is due to the fact that homogeneous matrices are smaller in size and do not require significant consumption of silicone material. In turn, complex molds make it possible to produce several finished tiles at once, which significantly speeds up the process. It is these matrices that are recommended to be used for making artificial stone for the wall.

Be that as it may, for the formwork you will need a wooden box, which you can make yourself. Sometimes cardboard boxes are used for these purposes. When selecting or making formwork, you need to remember one important rule: the template needs to be designed a little larger than the original stone sample, both in width (10-15 mm) and in height (25-30 mm). This will allow you to achieve the necessary clearance between the products.

To complete the form itself, you will need suitable material. To do this, you can use silicone sealant or polyurethane. There are also special sealants that consist of two ingredients and are sold ready-made.

How to make artificial stone: silicone mold

Silicone sealing compounds can be easily purchased on the construction market or in a specialized store. As a rule, this mixture is sold in tubes or buckets. After making the formwork, you need to take care of lubricating its walls. For this purpose, you can use regular grease.

Next, you need to take the original sample, according to which the template will be made, and place it on the bottom of the formwork. As mentioned above, you can use ordinary tiles, stone or wood. Then grease is also applied to this sample. The fatty substance will allow you to easily separate the matrix from the product and will not spoil the mold pattern.

Note! If a gypsum element is used as a sample for the stencil, then ordinary lubricant is not enough. Before laying it in formwork, it is recommended to cover it with at least two layers of varnish. It is recommended to start making the matrix only after the varnish has completely hardened.

At the next stage, a soap solution is prepared. It is needed to lubricate the tools (brushes and spatula) that will be used to distribute the silicone.

Silicone sealant should be evenly distributed over the entire surface of the facing sample. During the formation of a matrix from this material, it is necessary to ensure that no air pockets are formed.

After filling the formwork with silicone, you can begin to level its surface. For this purpose, a second tool is used - a spatula. Then the mold for making decorative stone is left for some time. This will allow the sealant to harden in the formwork and acquire the desired shape of the sample.

It is worth noting that the longer the matrix is ​​formed, the better quality it will be. Its service life will also depend on this. The approximate hardening rate of silicone is 2 mm per day. Thus, taking into account the thickness of the form, you can easily calculate the time for which you need to leave the stencil. After the matrix is ​​ready, it should be separated from the formwork and the artificial stone sample.

Even a pre-greased mold is quite difficult to detach from the rest of the elements, so it is recommended to slightly trim the contact points. If, after removing the matrix, shells remain on its surface, then this problem can be solved with the help of an additional silicone compound. This is how a template is made for making artificial stone. Photos of finished stencils will help you in making them.

How to make artificial decorative stone from gypsum

To obtain finished decorative products, you first need to understand how to make plaster at home. Before mixing such material, it is advisable to immediately determine its volume. This is due to the fact that gypsum dough has a high hardening rate. Therefore, its quantity must correspond to the number of forms. Let's look at what components are used to produce the gypsum mixture:

• gypsum;
• water;
• sand;
• pigment.

Coloring powder is not used in all cases, but only when it is necessary to obtain decorative stones for a wall of a certain color. The process of mixing the composition itself is not complicated.

First you need to pour water into a pre-prepared tank. Next you can start adding gypsum powder. The proportions may vary, but it is recommended that the amount of water is approximately 0.6 of the volume of the main component. Sand allows you to increase the strength of the future finishing material, so it is recommended to use it in any case. It should be no more than 10% of the total mass of the mixture.

Helpful information! It is recommended to use gypsum and acrylic products as facing stones for interior decoration. In turn, for external work it is best to make concrete elements.

The amount of pigment may vary (from 2 to 6%). It is selected depending on what color you need to get the decorative tiles. It is recommended to test mix a small amount of gypsum in advance to determine the shade.

To lubricate the mold, as a rule, a substance is used that is made from turpentine and wax. The first component must occupy at least 70% of the volume, and the second - the remaining 30%.

After adding the last component to the mixture, it is distributed into molds and leveled with a spatula. The technology for producing artificial stone may include one more stage - vibration processing. Thanks to this, the performance characteristics of future tiles are significantly increased. It is advisable to carry out such processing immediately after placing the mixture in the matrix.

Then you need to wait 15 minutes and remove the formed brick from the stencil. The final step will be to dry it in the open air. It is strictly not recommended to heat treat such products, since gypsum is not resistant to high temperatures.

How to make a decorative stone with your own handsmade of concrete

For the manufacture of concrete finishing products, molds made of polyurethane or plastic are most often used. Let's look at what this type of artificial stone is made from:

• cement;

• sand;
• water;
• polymer resin;
• pigment.

The proportions for making artificial stone at home from concrete may be different. First you need to mix the above components. The proportions of cement and sand in this case are 1:3. At the next stage, you need to add water in such an amount that the consistency of the mixture reaches the state of thick sour cream. To give the cement mortar the necessary color, a small amount of pigment is used (2.5% of the total mass of the composition).

Now the resulting composition is distributed over stencils. At this stage it is very important not to make mistakes. The solution should fill the mold no more than halfway so that there is enough space for the reinforcing component. Often, to enhance the strength properties of decorative tiles, a metal mesh is placed on top of the cement. Then it needs to be filled with the remaining amount of solution.

Then it is necessary to compress the composition in molds through vibration. After vibration compaction, you need to wait at least 24 hours for the solution in the stencils to harden to the required state.

How to make artificial stone with your own handsacrylic

To make acrylic decorative products, you will need an appropriate resin and a special hardener. Let's consider what other tools and materials will be needed when making artificial stone from these materials:

• electric drill (for mixing the components into a homogeneous mixture);
• copolymer powder;
• ready-made or homemade lubricant.

Note! Using an acrylic base also allows you to make artificial marble with your own hands. Thanks to the combination of polyester resin with mineral chips and coloring compounds, you can get very beautiful elements for wall decoration.

First of all, to make decorative acrylic stone, you will need to mix a polymer resin with a hardener. The proportion of these components in this case is 5:1. It is important to remember that after obtaining a mixture of these ingredients, its amount should correspond to 25% of the total volume of the compound.

Next, you need to add filler and coloring pigment to the acrylic mixture, which will take up the remaining 75% of the weight. Any mineral chips (for example, granite) can be used as the first one. The texture of the future facing material depends on its size. The color of the acrylic binder will be given by a pre-selected pigment. The amount of dye in this case is 2-6% of the total volume of the mixture.

To make decorative bricks with your own hands, you will need to fill the matrices with acrylic solution and wait approximately 24 hours. After this time, you can safely remove the finished tiles.

DIY liquid stone: gelcoat manufacturing technology

Of course, cast artificial stones have better physical properties, but liquid ones have one advantage. Thanks to gelcoat, it becomes possible to produce products that are complex in terms of shape. This material can be done independently at home.

The components required to make such a facing material are quite expensive. Today there are two simple technologies for manufacturing artificial stone of this type:

• creation of personnel;
• mixing the primer solution.

These methods differ from each other not only in composition, but also in the percentage of filler. For the primer mixture you will need to take 20% gelcoat (of the total mass of the solution). It is necessary to add one more ingredient - microcalcite, the share of which is 73%. Then 7% accelerator and 1% hardening agent are added to the above components.

In turn, you will have to spend exactly 2 times more gelcoat on the front composition, namely 40%. The proportion of accelerator and hardener in this case is also 7 and 1%. The mineral filler and coloring matter occupy the remaining mass of the solution. Hardening of liquid decorative stone occurs in 1 day.

Features of painting decorative stone

Today, there are two common methods that allow you to change the color of a homemade decorative stone. Adding special dyes is the most common method. Another option is to apply paint to the finished finishing material. Some people perform this procedure after laying cladding products.

If everything is clear with the first method, then it is recommended to pay attention to the second. To paint finished stones for wall decoration, special iron oxide compounds are used. Their price fully corresponds to the quality, which is quite acceptable.

Helpful information! Experts recommend applying iron oxide paints using a special pneumatic spray gun. If you don't have one, you can use a regular brush, but this will complicate the work.

There are several rules that should be followed when performing this procedure. For example, the color of artificial decorative stone should be lighter than the seams. It is strictly not recommended to use more than 3 shades for painting.

ABOUTdecorating walls with decorative bricks: preparatory stage

Before you begin laying decorative stone, you must first prepare the wall surface. It must be not only strong, but also smooth, so that there are no problems with gluing the facing products. The permissible deviation in this case is 1 mm per 1 m of wall. Masters advise adhering to this rule regardless of the type of finishing material.

Before you start finishing the walls with decorative bricks, you need to remove all old facing materials from them. These include the following: wallpaper, paint and plaster. To remove them, you can use a regular spatula. This tool is especially helpful when removing old wallpaper and paint.

Let's look at what tools and materials are needed to lay decorative bricks:

• glue;
• a reservoir in which the adhesive solution will be located;
• spatula for applying glue to the wall;
• crosses for seams;
• building level;
• grout mixture;
• hydrophobic composition and a tool for applying it (for example, a roller).

After acquiring all the necessary tools and materials, you should plaster the walls. It is important to remember that in this case it may be necessary to install a reinforcing mesh, which will strengthen the base for the decorative tiles. However, such a measure is necessary only when the weight of the artificial stone is too large. To lay thin decorative tiles under stone, there is no need for reinforcement. But in any case, you will have to eliminate wall defects.

You will need to apply a primer to the wall surface. This will strengthen the surface and enhance the adhesion effect of the facing tiles to it. Experts advise choosing a special primer for plaster.

Preparing the glue and applying the sketch to the wall

This type of stone requires the use of a special adhesive composition. To prepare such a building mixture, you will need to use ready-made powder and mix it in a certain amount of water. As a rule, along with the glue there are detailed instructions containing not only the proportions of the components, but also the time required for its production. In turn, laying decorative stone for exterior decoration is best done using cement mortar.

To install decorative non-natural stone, you can also use liquid nails. This mixture is able to provide the necessary adhesion to the wall. Some craftsmen even use cement mortar for indoor work. However, before applying it to the wall, PVA glue is first added to it.

Before you start laying decorative tiles with your own hands, you need to sketch a sketch on paper. It must take into account the area of ​​the part of the wall allocated for brick, as well as the following nuances: the presence or absence of a seam and the number of artificial stones. The best option is to transfer the sketch directly to the wall. Thus, the possibility of errors when laying this facing material is practically eliminated.

How to glue decorative stone: instructions

Laying such facing material is not particularly difficult, but requires appropriate care and precision. First of all, thick glue is applied to the wall. Its quantity should correspond to the width of the first row. After applying the adhesive, you must begin laying the stone. To do this, each element is first applied to the wall, and then pressed down. The excess solution released after pressing on the brick is simply removed from the wall.

Helpful information! If laying stone for a house is done end-to-end, then each subsequent element must be leaned tightly against the previous one. To organize the necessary seam, there are special delimiting elements - crosses. If you need to organize a larger distance between the facing products, then you can use plasterboard.

The best starting point is the corner of the room. It is necessary to lay the tiles gradually, one row at a time. It is important to remember that it is better to glue the tiles from the top, moving downwards. This will prevent the adhesive mixture from getting on already laid elements. To cut whole stones, as a rule, an ordinary grinder is used.

Some varieties of this decorative material are best glued to the wall with an offset. This simple step will allow you to achieve a more realistic result when finishing with artificial stone. Photos of various stylistic solutions will help you decide on the choice of color and texture.

After laying this finishing material, you must wait several days. During this time, the solution will completely harden and it will be possible to remove the auxiliary elements. It is also advisable to prepare a solution for grouting in advance. It is made from cement adhesive mastic and pigment substance. It is applied in two ways: using a special gun or using a sponge.

At the last stage, it is necessary to wipe the tiles to remove any particles of mortar that got on them during installation. You can apply a hydrophobic composition to such a stone. Its use is recommended in cases where artificial material is installed in rooms with high humidity. After application, it forms a durable film on the surface of the cladding.

The technology is very similar to the process of laying natural stone for interior decoration. However, there are also differences, since the structure and weight of the artificial material still differ from those of natural products.

Caring for decorative elements of this type is not difficult. All that is needed to remove dust and other contaminants is to wipe the tiles with a damp sponge.

Thus, artificial decorative stone can be purchased on the construction market or made independently. The process of its formation is not complicated. But if you are not confident in your own abilities, then it is better to buy ready-made material.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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:

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

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

1. First of all, all the above components are thoroughly mixed.
2. Afterwards the mixture is poured into the prepared form.
3. 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

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

1. Portland cement.
2. Warm water, preferably purified.
3. Putty knife.
4. Container for mixing cement.
5. Fine sand.
6. Composition for separation.
7. Forms for stone.
8. Mesh to give strength to the stone.

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

1. 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.
2. After adding water and thoroughly mixing, the mass should resemble sour cream in consistency.
3. As for adding paint, it is best to do it at this stage.
4. So, when the mixture is ready, spread it halfway up the mold.
5. 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.
6. 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?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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