The construction market offers a variety of products made using latest technologies. It contains interesting combinations of materials that produce striking visual results.
In this article we will talk about such a finishing material as decorative gypsum stone and its use for interior and exterior finishing.
Gypsum facing stone and its properties
Even in ancient times, for external and interior decoration gypsum was used by masters from India, China, and Egypt. Plaster was used to cover walls, floors and ceilings in various rooms.
Such widespread use is explained by its uniqueness: the mineral stone had the ability to regulate the microclimate of rooms due to good air conductivity.
Currently, facing decorative artificial stone is composite material, which contains high-strength gypsum. Due to its qualities, it received the name “gypsum polymer stone”. Properties of decorative gypsum stone:
- small specific gravity;
- material strength;
- environmental friendliness;
- ease of processing;
- high level sound and thermal insulation;
- maintains the required level of humidity;
- fire resistance.
Thanks to its interesting texture and aesthetic appearance, decorative stone is suitable for the interior of any room.
The stone is used to cover the internal and external surfaces of walls, both in children's rooms. It looks great when finished with design elements and is absolutely safe.
The fine dispersion of gypsum and the ease of its processing allows you to create a variety of architectural forms, consisting of interesting elements. The low specific gravity facilitates the use of decorative stone even in the cladding of thin partitions between rooms.
Walls lined with artificial gypsum stone are easy to clean and practically do not become dirty. The only drawback of this material is its hygroscopicity.
Making artificial stone from gypsum with your own hands
Usually, professional production artificial stone made from gypsum occurs in the factory. However, it is quite possible to make it yourself.
Some craftsmen have turned the interesting and exciting activity of making decorative stone into a quite profitable business. Moreover, without large investments and with minimal effort, its production pays off in a short time.
Subject to certain rules and the use of high-quality raw materials, such activities are promising and quite profitable.
The use of natural gypsum in pure form not advisable, since the products have low strength and are short-lived. Modern technologies offer the production of compositions from modified gypsum that have high strength and retain the qualities of the natural material.
Technology for manufacturing decorative artificial stone from gypsum
Not everyone can afford natural stone cladding, as it has high cost. Therefore, it is more rational to use artificial stone made of gypsum or cement, which contains various color pigments, as well as polymer materials.
Required material and tools
- Plaster is white;
- A container, preferably made of plastic, for mixing components;
- Pallet;
- Table and polyethylene roll;
- Forms (matrices);
- Electric drill;
- Fluted glass;
- Any water-based dyes.
Preparation of the workplace
To produce stone, large working areas are not required. Two square meters is enough.
We will provide in advance workplace table There should be racks with shelves at hand where everything will be placed necessary elements and inventory.
Preparing forms
Attention should be paid to the forms themselves (matrices). The most optimal are silicone molds. They are quite flexible and plastic. But forms made of metal, wood, and plastic are also allowed, although they do not so thoroughly convey the texture of plaster, which reflects the smallest details of the relief and its bends.
Preparation of materials
After preparing the workplace and equipment, we prepare the material. For the gypsum test we need mineral gypsum, anhydride, pure water. This will form the basis of the plaster test. Sand or similar filler is also prepared.
The process of making stone from gypsum
Preparing gypsum dough
In order to save money, the volume of the solution should correspond to the number of forms.
Since gypsum dough hardens very quickly, you cannot leave the mixed solution for the next time.
We independently determine the proportion of gypsum and water. Having poured water into the container, gradually add gypsum and stir continuously until the gypsum dough reaches normal thickness.
The consistency of the solution should be thick, since the segments are made of liquid solution less durable and take longer to dry. To make the material stronger, add about 10% sand.
Processing forms (matrices)
We lubricate the working surface of the molds with a surfactant (a mixture of wax and turpentine 3:7), this is done so that the finished (frozen) stone can then be easily removed.
This mixture can be made using a water bath, which promotes uniform and complete dissolution of the wax. Mixture thin layer applied to the inner surface of the mold.
Next, to protect the stone from the formation of shells, we apply liquid gypsum to the work surface forms
Place the prepared forms in a tray.
Creating Color
Mix the desired dyes with gypsum. We use separate containers for this.
We pour the resulting shades into molds. As a result, we get a rather heterogeneous color.
Pouring plaster
After this, we pour the bulk of the gypsum.
Using a spatula, carefully level the plaster. We cover the molds with pre-prepared corrugated glass, and then subject it to vibration for even laying. This procedure will take approximately 2 minutes. 
The hardening time of the gypsum is approximately 15-20 minutes. When the glass freely separates from the molds, remove the products and dry them in the open air. How to lay decorative gypsum stone
When fixing such gypsum tiles to the base (for example, a wall), the contacting surfaces are primed.
After that glue gypsum stone. Suitable glues include mastic, assembly glue, water-acrylic glue, a mixture of gypsum and PVA, sealant, and cement-adhesive mortar.
Change geometric parameters This workpiece can be prepared using an ordinary hacksaw. One of the articles has already discussed the process of how it is performed, which, in fact, can be found.
In fact, making decorative stone from gypsum is not difficult. Of course, “the first pancake is lumpy” cannot be ruled out, but nevertheless, the result is worth it.
A rich imagination and flight of fancy will help you find original color solutions and textures (you can even make artificial marble from plaster). Thanks to this decoration, your home will be filled with a unique flavor, and elements decorated with its help will add extraordinary comfort and beauty to the interior.
Making artificial stone from gypsum - video
Decorative stone made of gypsum - photo in the interior
Beginning businessmen make many mistakes even in basic things due to a simple lack of experience - not every person with general knowledge about business will be able to open their own enterprise and receive a constant income from it, most simply go bankrupt and receive nothing except bank loans. We will describe in detail every step of opening your own manufacturing business. artificial stone and we will help you not only open your own company, but also not go down the drain. In the current market, it is better to open your business in construction business, because the service sector is developing very slowly, and the construction business is developing quite rapidly. You don’t want to develop your business for forty years in order to earn a decent profit? It is for this reason that we will consider the production of stone as great way earnings, because you will have several significant advantages that will allow you to become successful.
| We recommend reading:
|
Let's start with the fact that the owner of the enterprise must always understand the production process from beginning to end. If you are not a professional in your field, then you will be torn apart by someone who is a professional, remember this. Stone production is not a very complicated process, and after a preliminary study of the industry, you will immediately understand how everything works here, what equipment is needed and how much raw material is spent on production. In addition, we do not need to hire expensive personnel; any worker or builder can pour the solution into the mold, and this will reduce our operating costs. These are just a few benefits that will make you successful. Read to the end and you will find many more useful tips.
How to start an artificial stone production: renting premises
As with any production, the main thing for us is not to be located in the city center, but to find premises with inexpensive rent, good wiring and a source of water. Now we will tell you in detail how to select a room according to these parameters and why we have identified these particular characteristics.
Let's start with the fact that stone production requires a lot of water and the delivery of industrial water will cost you a lot. It is best to look for premises near large water extraction wells or near a water treatment plant, here you can easily buy cheap process water and deliver it to our company almost free of charge. Ideal option It would be nice to open your own well and get water for free, but drilling a well requires high costs and it can’t be drilled everywhere. We’ll make do with the most acceptable option, and when the business starts generating income, think about drilling, if possible.
We will deliver our products by truck directly to the customer, so there is no need to locate production in the city center. And you won’t be able to install a mini-factory in the city center, the noise level is too high and the rent is huge. Outside the city you can find a spacious room of 60-100 square meters with a price of 20 thousand rubles per month. This kind of premises is ideal for us, since the cost of production will be lower and there will be space for a warehouse of products.
After renting the premises, you need to repair the wiring. This important point, the enterprise draws a lot of electricity and if something malfunctions, you can either destroy the equipment or burn down the entire premises. It is advisable to immediately find a room with good wiring, but it is very rare to come across inexpensive 60-square-meter rooms with 380-volt cables. Repairing the wiring will cost us 8 thousand rubles, this is the first capital expenditure of our enterprise.
| We recommend reading:
|
Equipment in a manufacturing business always takes the most money, it takes some getting used to. The first step is to buy the forms into which we will pour the material. To begin with, you need to buy 6 pieces. Polyurethane forms cost 8 thousand rubles apiece, we will spend 48 thousand rubles on them. This is the basis of our production, thanks to the forms we will receive high-quality stone with a special texture - the more interesting it is, the more customers we will have.
The forms will be installed on the floor, but we will lay out the finished products on work tables. total area The tables should be approximately 20 square meters, this will be enough for comfortable work with stone. One table per 2 square meters will cost 700 rubles, so it turns out that 7 thousand rubles are spent on tables. To the costs of tables we will add the purchase of other small tools - 5 thousand rubles.
A solution of sand and binding materials is poured into the molds that we have already purchased. We will mix this material in a special metal compartment, its price is 6 thousand rubles. For large volumes of production, a compartment with a larger capacity is needed, but we are not yet such a huge company that we can produce a lot of products. We will mix the solution in the compartment using a drill with a special attachment for 5 thousand rubles. Buy a high-quality drill, you will be able to work with it for a very long time.
We are considering a work option in which we will transport the goods at our own expense and pay for the services. transport company. Still, buying a truck is very expensive, and it won’t pay off at first, when there are still very few customers. When production volumes increase and there are also several customers, you will be able to think about your own vehicle.
| We recommend reading:
|
Search for personnel for the production of artificial stone
We need to hire two workers who will do all the work at the enterprise, but each will have their own responsibilities. One employee may have no knowledge at all about the construction business and the technology of production of goods; he will do dirty work - kneading mortar, carrying materials, carrying finished products and loading them onto the client’s car. You can find a worker for this position at the employment center and the person will not demand a lot of money from you - 12 thousand rubles a month will be enough for someone who does not earn at all.
The second employee of our company must have an understanding of construction and understand all the details production process. In principle, you can train a former builder or foreman to operate equipment and make quality products if you cannot find a professional in this field. The salary will be 18 thousand rubles per month, plus 3 thousand for training a person in all the intricacies of production. You will carry out all calculations, purchase of materials and sales of products yourself.
Production of artificial stone: business plan for expenses and income
To begin with, we will describe capital expenses for the purchase of equipment, repairs, and so on. We need to buy six molds into which we will pour the material, the price is 48 thousand, several tables for 7 thousand rubles, small tools for precise work with products worth 5 thousand. We will form the material for the artificial stone in a special compartment for 6 thousand rubles. We will need a drill and a special attachment - 5 thousand rubles. Capital expenses also include registration of a company and renovation of premises - 11 thousand together. Operating expenses consist of rent, wages workers and shopping Supplies. Our monthly expenses will be 70 thousand rubles, at least.
| We recommend reading:
|
Income will depend on the quantity of products produced and sales opportunities. There is a little secret here - in order to sell all the goods that are being produced, first collect orders, and then start making stone. This will allow you to avoid filling your warehouse with products that no one will buy. Our workshop will be able to produce 30 square meters of artificial stone tiles per shift, the price of one meter is 850 rubles. We charge the minimum price for tiles in order to more realistically assess the potential income. Market price The tiles produced will be 25,500 rubles, the cost is 8,500 rubles. Net profit per day is 17 thousand rubles. It is worth noting that if we arrange supplies in construction companies, stores selling construction materials and constantly find customers with unique orders, then your profit will be constant, and production volumes will need to be increased. Stability comes first, right?
Recently, decorative stone has become in great demand. After all, this material is ideal for interior and exterior decoration of premises and buildings. The main reason for this lies in the low cost and practicality of the material. In addition, today you can purchase decorative stone of any shade and texture. The range of such products is quite large. In addition, the production of decorative stone can bring good income.
Where to start
Where to start producing decorative stone? A business plan is an important component of any enterprise. The future of the organization depends on how it is compiled. The future activities of the enterprise are based on this document. In addition, preliminary planning makes it possible to consider all options for organizing production, calculate risks, and assess how feasible the project is.
In addition, the business plan allows you to determine the amount of the first initial capital, identify sales routes finished products, calculate approximate profit and so on. Of course, you can develop such a document yourself. But if you have no experience, then you should seek help from highly qualified specialists.
Technologies and raw materials
To start the production of decorative stone as a business, you need to know what technologies are used today. As for the components of the solution, for its preparation you will need:
- plasticizers;
- hardening accelerators;
- mineral pymentes of various shades;
- fillers;
- cement.
Setting up the production of decorative stone is not so difficult. After all, enough material is used to make such material. simple technology. In addition, the work does not require specific equipment and great experience. For release facing material Two technologies can be used: vibration casting and vibration pressing.
Features of vibration casting
This technology for the production of decorative stone has its own characteristics. Therefore, you should think carefully before choosing a manufacturing method. Among the advantages of vibration casting, the following should be highlighted:
- color saturation;
- high surface quality;
- relatively inexpensive equipment;
- large range.
As for the advantages of vibrocompression, we should highlight the low cost of finished products, as well as fully mechanized production.
Selecting a room
To start producing artificial decorative stone, you should select a room. It is best to choose a building located away from residential areas of the city, for example, on the outskirts settlement. In this case, the rental price will be significantly lower.
Regarding the area production workshop, then this figure should be more than 100 square meters. In addition, separate rooms are required for the arrangement of the staff room, warehouse and drying. There are no special requirements for the building where the decorative stone will be produced. The main thing is that the premises are not in disrepair.
What equipment is needed
The production of decorative stone is simply impossible without special equipment. To start the enterprise you need:
- drying chamber;
- concrete mixer;
- forms;
- vibrating conveyor or vibrating table;
- vibrating sieve
To make such a finishing material, complex devices are not required. You will have to spend no more than 40 thousand rubles on a concrete mixer and a vibrating table.
In addition to the above, for normal operation workshops need to purchase shovels, buckets, hammers, spatulas, electric drill and so on. The biggest expense item is molds for the production of decorative stone. To start your own business in this area, you need 6 pieces. Moreover, one such form costs about 8 thousand rubles.
To reduce their costs, many manufacturers make their own molds. In addition, this allows you to start manufacturing products of any shape and texture at any time.
Is staff required?
As a rule, production requires at least two workers for normal operation. One of them usually does physical work. His responsibilities include carrying materials and tools, mixing solutions and loading ready-made finishing materials.
As for the second employee, he must be well versed in the technology of manufacturing finishing materials. The specialist must strictly monitor not only the quality of the finished product, but also how the equipment operates and whether there are any failures. It is better to hire a former builder or foreman for such a position.
The production of decorative stone can be made more profitable if it is supplemented with the production of foam concrete. IN in this case a third worker will be required, preferably with the qualifications of a technologist. Such an employee will not only develop the recipe, but also organize the entire manufacturing process and control technological aspects.
Cost calculation
The production of decorative stone is not a complicated process, but it requires certain costs for raw materials. To make 1 square meter of finishing material you will need:
- 6 kilograms of cement - 35 rubles;
- 19 kilograms of sand - 15 rubles;
- 0.06 kilograms of plasticizer - 2.5 rubles;
- 0.15 kilograms of pigment - 9 rubles;
- depreciation of 6 forms - 6 rubles;
- electricity costs - 0.2 rubles;
- transportation costs - 5 rubles.
The figure increases significantly when using ready-made mixtures from other manufacturers. As a result, for production square meter finishing material needs 72.2 rubles. But that's just the cost. average cost material on the market will be at least 650 rubles. To increase profits, you can launch and offer services for laying decorative stone to clients.
Costs of a medium-sized enterprise
Typically, large enterprises do not buy the mixture for the production of decorative stone. They make it themselves. As a result, the costs are:
- manual equipment - from 8 to 12 thousand rubles;
- table workers - up to 10 thousand rubles;
- electric drill - up to 5 thousand rubles;
- vibrating table - from 30 to 70 thousand rubles;
- monthly rent - from 10 to 20 thousand rubles.
In order to increase the range of their products and offer regular customers new textures of facing materials, such enterprises must use at least 10 various forms. Moreover, the cost of each can range from 4 to 7 thousand rubles. Pays off similar project during a year. In general, to start your own business in this area, you need at least 300 thousand rubles.
Advertising and sales of products
The dry mixture for the production of decorative stone is very convenient for making facing material at home. However, this option is not suitable for a medium-sized enterprise. Purchasing individual components of solutions allows you to save significantly. And to increase profits and attract customers, you need properly designed advertising and reliable points of sale.
After production starts, you can place advertisements on the Internet and in the media. Advertising must be effective and noticeable. If necessary, you can distribute brochures and leaflets directly on the street or distribute them through mailboxes.
It is best to sell finished products yourself, without resorting to the help of intermediaries seeking to purchase a quality product and resell it to receive a certain percentage. This will keep the cost of decorative stone within retail prices.
Most often, this finishing material are purchased by designers, architects and companies involved in the construction and renovation of buildings. If the production of decorative stone is fully established, then you can take part in various exhibitions. Don't miss events related to the construction industry. This will make it possible to conclude more profitable deals for the supply of large quantities of decorative stone.
Is it possible to succeed
The production of decorative stone is a fairly simple, but profitable process. If you correctly draw up a business plan and follow it, you can create a medium-sized enterprise. This will significantly increase your income. In addition, such production pays off within a year if the advertising campaign is carried out correctly. If you have the necessary initial capital, the production of decorative stone is profitable and promising business. The most important thing is the creation of a reliable market for the sale of finished products, as well as the production of material High Quality. Without these components, it is difficult to succeed in such an industry.
The newest material for cladding buildings is artificial facing stone. He is better natural stone, because is a more durable and cheaper material. Also, artificial stone is “always at hand”, so you can resume stopped work at any time, and the variety of texture and color makes it a truly unique material.
Artificial facing stone is very often used for decorating buildings, in construction, and abroad for the restoration of buildings.
This article will talk about the stages of production of artificial stone, as well as the sale of the finished material.
Equipment for the production of artificial stone
Before starting work, in addition to special equipment for the production of artificial stone, you need to purchase wheelbarrows, shovels, trowels, scales, measuring spoons, containers for pigment, boxes for finished products, pallets on which they will need to be placed, a forklift for placing and moving goods.
The list of special equipment includes:
- Mortar mixer. It is used to mix a solution, the service life is 1-1.5 g, after which it is advisable to replace it, since repairs will be very expensive;
- Vibrating table. To remove air bubbles from the solution, you also need a vibrator, which is needed to move the vibrating table.
- Stone molds. You can either buy them ready-made or make them yourself.
As such, a special line that would help automate this manufacturing process of this decorative material, V open sale no, or maybe it doesn’t exist at all. But there are molding machines.
Artificial stone production technology
To begin with, the product range may consist of 14-17 types of stone of different textures and colors. Over time, the range can be expanded.
Making artificial stone:
- First we create a master model. You need 2-3 of them. If you need different texture options, then you will need a lot of forms, because... each is used once a day. In order to make a model from wood, make a box with a sample, which is poured special mixture. It consists of Por-A-Mold and synthetic, after 24 hours it is separated and further used for the production of stone.
- Then, using a mortar mixer, prepare a solution of water, dye, cement plasticizer and light sand. The proportion of sand and cement is 3:1. The solution is poured into molds, placed on a vibrating table and turned on. There should be no air in the solution. Shaking time is more than 2 minutes. If it is less, the product may be defective. After work, the molds are washed with acid.
- After shaking, the mass poured into the molds is taken to the dryer. The solution hardens in about 7-9 hours at a temperature of +30°C. After 12 hours, we pack the artificial stone into boxes and take it to the warehouse.
Video of this process:
The production of artificial stone will require a lot of water. You can get it by drilling a well or using a ready-made one, it will be cheaper.
To obtain products from 2 to 9 sq. m. (depending on what kind of stone texture is needed) you will need a mixture of 25 kg of cement and 60 kg of sand.
3-4 workers are capable of producing about 50 sq.m. per day. stone
Requirements and planning
Production room
The approximate area of the room should be 500-600 sq.m., of which 100-150 sq.m. should be left as a workshop for the production of stone, the rest will be used as a warehouse. The warehouse does not need to be heated, but in the main room the temperature should not be below 0°C, otherwise the water, which is necessarily used in the production of artificial decorative stone, will freeze.
In addition, you need to allocate a place to dry the stone... approximately 50 square meters. m with a constant temperature of 30°C without excessive air humidity.
You will also need a room for staff. There the temperature should be approximately 25°C. Also, the entire premises must meet fire safety standards.
Working staff
Before starting the production of artificial decorative stone, it is necessary to develop a recipe for artificial stone; this is done by a corresponding specialist - a technologist. He uses either his own recipe or works with already ready-made material. In addition to developing the recipe, the technologist creates models of artificial stone, selects colors, and participates in the control and presentation of the product.
It is also necessary to hire about 12 more employees. They will be 2 teams of workers of 4 people each to work in shifts of 12-14 hours, a packer to assemble finished products, 2 managers to sell finished products, and also necessarily a production manager who will purchase raw materials, plan production and supervise the work of employees.
Sales of finished products
It is advisable to sell facing stone directly to the end buyer, and not through an intermediary. To do this, you need to advertise your company on radio, television, on the Internet, and actively participate in exhibitions in your field. You can also use visual advertising - buildings lined with stone will attract buyers, as well as flattering reviews from satisfied customers.
Buyers facing stone there may be architects, designers, companies involved in the construction and supply of cottage villages.
Once you start making artificial facing stone, following our advice, you will gradually improve the technology and soon become a leader in this area of sales!
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.
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.
What is artificial stone made from?
Strange as it may seem, there are several methods for making stone. different options. One technology uses cement, fine sand, water. According to another, they are made of plaster or alabaster. There is a manufacturing option when the quality binder use polymer materials. Therefore, the composition of artificial stone for production on our own can be determined based on the available materials and stone manufacturing capabilities.
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 it for this special conditions, work can be performed 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 required amount 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, it is compacted with ordinary paint brush moistened with soapy water. 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.
The truth exists here too Alternative option making the mold, but we can return to this a little later, after we fully consider the technology that has been started for manufacturing artificial stone.
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. Desired color obtained by adding dyes, approximately 2-3% of the amount of cement, but this must be established experimentally. IN ready mixture add water and stir until it is about the thickness of 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 place on top of the prepared solution metal mesh to give additional strength to the stone and fill it with a second layer of mortar. To save money, you don’t have to add dye to the second batch of concrete.
On top layer After pouring the solution, make small grooves 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 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 selected best location, if necessary adjusting to each other.
Laying stone begins with corner elements, then around window and doorways. 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 behind a surface lined with artificial stone is not required. As 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 - a great opportunity By using such an extraordinary material, you can achieve very impressive results in interior decoration. And you can do all this yourself without significant costs or the use of special equipment.