Artificial stone made of clay. How to make artificial decorative stone from gypsum with your own hands

Make a mold. Since concrete is quite heavy, you will need a mold to make artificial stone. Make a certain mass the size of a stone from foam and cover it with a 5-7 centimeter layer of concrete. Thanks to this, the artificial stone cannot be distinguished from the real thing by sight and touch, even though it will be much lighter. Next, you need to wrap the form in wire mesh or reinforcing steel mesh so that the wet concrete can stick to something on a vertical surface and provide overall bond strength to the concrete.

Sculpt with concrete. Use a trowel to sculpt the concrete after you have applied it to the form. Familiarize yourself with what the rock formations look like and be patient. Stone sculpting is a difficult process and requires patience if you want to get the desired result.

Shape the concrete. Take a sea sponge and give the stone a weathered, pockmarked effect. Surface texture imprints from real stones will enhance the cosmetic value of your stone. Nothing will look more convincing than an imprint made from real stone. The textured surface will also help provide some inspiration for the sculpting process, as you can continue to change the texture with your own hands. Another technique is to use a regular plastic bag. Wear it like a glove and make random marks on the stone.

Let the concrete dry. It will take a month for the concrete to dry completely, but after one week it will be 75% dry. If you leave the stone in direct sun during the early stages of drying, noticeable cracks will form on it. Soak it in water to minimize cracking and ensure proper drying.

Clean the concrete. Allow at least three full days from drying before proceeding with this stage. Wait longer if you are in no hurry. Take some sandpaper and sand down the entire stone to remove any rough edges from the concrete. When finished, your stone will be as smooth as the real thing.

Wash the concrete. Rinse the concrete thoroughly before adding color. Use a stiff (but not wire) brush to remove concrete dust from all gouges and crevices, as this will look nasty later. Allow the concrete to dry completely before painting it.

Paint the concrete. Take a spray bottle and water paint and apply several coats of complementary colors over and over again to give your concrete a deep, true stone color. Examine a real stone carefully to see which colors produce which effects. When looking closely at a real stone, the most common colors are blue, green, red, orange, yellow, brown and others. The better quality your spray gun is, the better the end result will be. Ideally, you should spray very gently with each application to avoid staining.

The use of stone in interior design is an aesthetic technique for creating a special atmosphere. However, for many reasons, natural stone is not as practical to use as artificial stone. The latter is of high quality and can be made even at home. Artificial stone is not so heavy, expensive and there is no need to worry about its delivery from the mining site. A wide variety of shapes and textures makes it possible to embody any design ideas.

Facing stone panels are made in several main ways:

cement-based;
gypsum based;
based on polymer materials.

In order to choose between these options, you can proceed from what this stone will be used for or from the available materials.

It is better not to use gypsum stone panels for exterior decoration because they will absorb water and deteriorate.

And for flooring, sidewalk paths, steps, and terraces, it is better to use cement stones.

To make stone panels you will need a special mold, which can be purchased at a hardware store. It is silicone and gives the material the shape and texture of stone. These shapes imitate different types of stone, so you can choose the one that best suits your design idea. In addition, you will need:

drill with mixer attachment;
brushes, large spatula;
grease;
coloring pigments;
raw materials for mixing the solution.

There is a wide variety of dry dyes for stone on the market: yellow, brown, red, all shades of ocher, the natural color of red brick, and the like.

Silicone molds

It can be purchased at a hardware store, or you can make it yourself. For this you will need:

silicone;
solid base;
sample stone;
soap solution;
a solid box, or other available materials that will serve as formwork;
solid oil

First you need to install the form. Its edges should be higher in height than the stone. A thick layer of grease should be applied to all internal surfaces of the mold and to the stone samples.

Place stones at the bottom. Pour in silicone. It needs to be leveled with a regular paint brush, and at the very end - with a spatula. The brush and spatula should be moistened in a soapy solution.

The form will dry for 15 days. After this, the box can be disassembled and the finished form taken out.

Soap solution can be replaced with dishwashing detergent, for example Fairy .

Cement stone

Cement-based stone is used for interior and exterior decoration. For optimal strength, the cement to sand ratio should be 3:1. Expanded clay sand is also used, and for sidewalk paths or steps the stone is made with the addition of crushed stone.

Drying should take place in a dry, warm room with good ventilation, but not in bright sun.

After 12-14 days, the model will acquire the strength of stone.

7. Rinse the mold and begin making the next batch.

A video on making cement-based artificial stone can be viewed here:

The video describes the technology of making stone with dry coloring pigment, which is applied directly to the mold.

Gypsum stone

Gypsum stone is made in the same way as cement stone, but with some differences.

From the second or third time, you usually manage to adapt to your shape and calculate the required amount of materials for kneading so that there is enough for exactly one time without any leftovers.

In the given manufacturing method, proportions and combinations of materials are given in which you can make your own personal improvements. The ratio of water and gypsum is determined experimentally. Also, for gypsum stone there is no need to lay a reinforcing mesh.

To make the stone stronger, you can add slaked lime to the forming mixture (a sixth of the total volume).

Necessary:

5 kg. gypsum GVVS16;
1.5 kg. coarse sand;
2 l. water;
coloring pigments, approximately 50 ml, yellow and brown, but there should be more brown;
400 ml. water mixed with a pinch of citric acid;
acrylic varnish on stone;
form.

Add coloring pigments to the water in the desired proportions and pour in the water and acid. Citric acid somewhat slows down the rapid crystallization process of gypsum. Mix sand with gypsum. Combine liquid and bulk ingredients. Mix the finished mixture thoroughly. Place the silicone mold on a hard tray, this will help shake the mold. Dry pigment can be used to tint selected areas directly in the mold. Then, without delay, pour the mixture into the mold until it is half full. Using light vibration, distribute the solution over the mold. Add the rest of the solution, spread and smooth it with a spatula. The sides of the mold between the individual stones must be clean so that the finished casts can be easily separated from each other.

The plaster hardens quickly, after about 30 minutes you can separate the stones from the mold. To be sure, you can knock on the tiles; if they ring, it means they have already frozen, if not, then you can wait a little longer. To get the impressions, you need to cover the mold with a sheet of plywood of the same size, turn everything over and remove the silicone mold. Another way is to cover the mold with corrugated glass immediately after pouring. It releases freely from the plaster and is used like plywood to reach the stones.

The casts are tinted with a cloth soaked in primer and pigment to create shadows. The final layer is acrylic varnish for stone, but it can be applied after all the tiles have been installed on the surface.

Tile adhesive stone

This method is an example of improvisation with different materials for making artificial stone. The choice of textures, shades and shapes of stone is very large.

Materials: Litokol tile adhesive, black grout, coloring pigment and sea salt.

Mark the boundaries of each individual stone. They can be the same in size and shape or different.
Remove the film and leave the raw material to dry for 12 hours.
After this, the stones are separated from each other and final processing is carried out. If a relief with chips is required, you need to wash the salt with water. If it is better to leave small grains, then the surface of the stone is fixed with varnish.

A detailed video about making stone from gypsum can be viewed here:

The video shows all the proportions of the materials used. Colors for painting stone can be mixed in
arbitrary proportions or not to use them at all in the initial stages, but to give the stone the desired color at the final stages of processing.

Giving the desired color can also be done on a ready-made stone. To do this you need to use special paint. The surface of the stone is cleaned of dust and wiped with a dry cloth. After this, paint is applied. If necessary, a second and third layer can be applied, but each new layer can be applied only after the previous one has dried.

Installation

Installation of artificial stone panels is very simple. The beauty of the stone on the wall will depend on how carefully the work is done and how the individual stone tiles are arranged. Installation is carried out as follows.

Gypsum stone panels are lighter than cement panels and will adhere firmly to glue, but heavy cement panels must be laid on a specially prepared surface.

First, the desired area is strengthened with paint mesh and plaster. A cement adhesive mortar is applied to such a surface and spread with a notched trowel. Stones are being installed.

The edge cut of the stone is easily formed using cutting tools, which is necessary for the beautiful design of local areas with stone panels.

When installing the panels, it is important to ensure that the material on which the stone is glued does not get on its outer part, because it will be very difficult to remove.

After laying the stone, remaining chips or small cracks are eliminated using an airbrush, which consists of calibrating paste, water and acrylic varnish.

Before starting installation, it is important to choose a fastening method that will match both the surface and the type of stone. If the surface is wooden, then it is necessary to make moisture insulation and sheathing. If the wall is brick or concrete, then simply level the surface.

If the stones are laid with gaps between each other, this distance should not exceed 2.5 cm. And the seams are treated with grout.

Step by Step Actions

The process of making stone is quite simple and affordable. Depending on the materials, the technology may differ slightly, but the following algorithm of actions remains unchanged:

preparation of the workplace and necessary equipment;
selection and preparation of the form;
mixing the solution;
pouring into the mold and distributing the mixture;
releasing the cast from the mold;
cleaning the mold;
grinding, finishing and painting of stone;
preparing a wall or other area for installation;
installation of stone slabs;
finishing of the finished wall.

Artificial stone is a great way to create an exclusive design for the interior or exterior of your home. The wealth of colors and materials leaves room for experimentation and embodiment of your ideas.

Technology for the production of artificial marble from concrete

Concrete, traditionally used in construction, is the main building material, which is the basis of building foundations, interfloor ceilings, supporting structures, and beams. But not everyone knows that you can create an original design yourself, which is what distinguishes concrete marble.

Natural marble has been used for centuries to decorate interiors and buildings. Unfortunately, the financial capabilities of developers make it difficult for the mass use of rare and expensive material.

Currently, the technology for the production of artificial marble has become widespread, which makes it possible, in domestic conditions, without the use of special equipment, to produce marble-like concrete, the appearance of which is close to natural stone.

After the marble obtained from concrete has hardened, it is removed from the molds and the surface is polished with an angle grinder with diamond discs.

The appearance can be imitated by making your own marble concrete, which adds sophistication to building facades. The material is in demand for the manufacture of cladding, interior elements, and landscape design. Let's look at how to make marble from concrete on your own, ensuring complete similarity with natural stone.

Requirements

Severe demands are placed on a self-made composite. Marble concrete made at home should:

repeat the color and structure of the original;
have high strength;
do not require increased financial costs associated with its production;
do not emit harmful substances during operation;
meet fire safety requirements;
maintain structure when operating in conditions of high humidity;
be resistant to temperature changes.

Concrete marble withstands temperature changes and retains its strength

The technology for producing artificial marble makes it possible to create products that fully comply with the entire range of specified requirements.

Necessary materials

To create marble from concrete with your own hands, you will need the following materials, devices and tools:

Portland cement grade M400 and higher.
Pre-screened fine-grained river sand.
Water intended to provide the required consistency of the mixture.
Filler, which can be marble chips, multi-colored pebbles or fine gravel.
Pigment dyes of various colors that do not dissolve in an aqueous solution.
Plasticizer c-3.
Casting mold made of polyurethane.
Polyethylene film.
A container of the required volume designed for mixing ingredients.
Electric drill equipped with a stirring attachment.
Before making marble from concrete, you should carefully study the technology of its production, and then purchase the components necessary for its manufacture.
, allowing compaction of the formed concrete mass (if it is absent, compaction can be done manually).

Having prepared the specified materials, begin to make artificial marble with your own hands.

Method of making artificial stone

results Vote

Where would you prefer to live: in a private house or apartment?

Back

Where would you prefer to live: in a private house or apartment?

Back

The given technology of marble from concrete will allow you to obtain an appearance close to the original stone. The sequence of operations for the production of artificial stone includes the following stages:

dry mixing. Using a clean container, mix Portland cement with sifted fine-grained sand, maintaining a 1:2 ratio. After finishing mixing, add multi-colored pebbles and marble chips, which are a filler, to the resulting mixture. The introduction of multi-colored filler will provide an original look to the concrete product;
introduction of dye. Add pigment to the prepared dry mixture, the concentration of which should not exceed 1% of the total mass of the mixture;
re-mixing. Using an electric drill with a special attachment, thoroughly re-mix all ingredients. The main condition for the natural appearance of the future product is its uneven coloring, ensuring the identity of natural stone, which has veins and spotted inclusions;

If artificial marble is produced in large quantities, you will have to purchase or rent a vibrating table

compaction of the composition. Using a vibrating table or manually (by vigorous shaking), ensure that air is removed from the dry mixture;
adding plasticizer and water. Using heated water, dilute the plasticizer in a container in an amount equal to 1% of the total volume of cement and 80% of warm water. Mix the mixture with a mixer until a plastic composition is obtained. Add the remaining water to the volume and stir the mixture again;
filling. Pour the resulting mass into pre-dried, clean polyurethane molds. Pay attention to the horizontal position of the form before pouring;
reinforcement. If the area is larger and the product needs to be strengthened, reinforce the array using pre-prepared steel wire. Carry out the strengthening operation after pouring the mixture into molds by immersing a wire in a concrete mass.

Cover the filled products with plastic wrap. Ensure that the array remains stationary for ten days. During this period, the concrete mass will acquire operational strength. The use of collapsible molds with a smooth wall surface will facilitate the process of removing finished products.

Using original forms of appropriate sizes and configurations, you can easily make a stylized marble window sill with your own hands, as well as facing tiles, balusters, columns and other products.

The main advantage of marble, for the production of which concrete is used, is the absence of the need for additional processing.

Advantages of artificial stone

Self-made marble concrete has a number of positive properties, the main ones of which are:

The simplicity of the technology for manufacturing artificial material, making the process accessible to numerous private developers and mass consumers.
The resulting products have a small mass and have a marble texture compared to natural stone. This allows you to easily fix the cladding elements, place them at an angle, and reduce the load on the base of the building.
There is no need for additional processing of the front surface to ensure presentation. The configuration and thickness of the products is determined by the dimensions of the molds into which the pouring is carried out.
Possibility of stylizing the front surface to look like wood, brick, or sea ripples. The technology allows you to create a visual feeling of relief on a perfectly smooth surface.
Features of the connection of individual elements, fixed similarly to puzzles. This allows for reliable adhesion, regardless of the surface area of the array.
A variety of colors of artificial stone, allowing you to imitate various types of valuable stone.
A product made from artificial marble is stronger than natural stone; there is no waste during its creation
Environmentally friendly artificial composite, harmless to human health.
Excellent physical and mechanical characteristics of marble concrete, allowing it to be used not only as decorative products, but also in loaded structures.
Minor costs for purchasing the necessary ingredients and manufacturing products. Compared to natural stone, concrete analogues are 10 times cheaper.
No production waste, reducing the cost of manufacturing products.
Increased resistance of products to moisture and temperature changes.
Possibility of manufacturing various concrete products, the configuration of which depends on the characteristics of the molds used for pouring.
The absence of color restrictions allows you to create unique surface shades using a variety of pigments.

Areas of use

The use of decorative material significantly improves the exterior and evokes admiring glances. The original texture of the material allows it to be used for finishing and decorating the outside of premises:

execution of external cladding;
implementation of territory design solutions;
laying sidewalks in recreation areas.

Undoubtedly, marble concrete is used not only for decorative finishing of buildings on the street side and landscape design. It is also popular inside apartments, where it is used for:

Decorative finishing of residential premises.
Applications instead of ceramic tiles in the bathroom, kitchen, toilet.
Fireplace linings.
Formation of floor coverings.
Manufacturing of countertops, window sills, railings, balusters, stairs, various interior items.

The affordable price of concrete products that imitate marble allows consumers to realize their fantasies for decorating a building and improving the interior of a room.

Conclusion

Affordable and simple technology for the production of artificial marble allows you to independently produce various exclusive products for finishing and decoration at minimal cost. The popularity of decorative marble is growing.

From the article you will learn how to make artificial stone for wall decoration, about its properties and types, get acquainted with the technology of work, equipment and necessary materials.

The content of the article:

Artificial stone is a material obtained from a frozen mixture of various components. It has been known for a very long time: hardened lime mortar, for example, or ordinary brick also belongs to this type of stone. However, only in the modern world has an artificial mineral taken the lead in creating landscape design and decorative finishing of houses. The reason for this is the latest technologies and materials, thanks to which the production of decorative stone has become possible even at home.

Advantages of artificial stone

If we compare the two types of stones, it turns out that natural stone is a very expensive and rather capricious material. It is difficult to cut it into thin plates - it is too fragile, samples of large thickness are heavy and significantly load the ceilings and walls during cladding.

Another thing is artificial stone. In terms of its durability and mechanical properties, it is not inferior to its natural analogue and can surpass it, even if made by hand.

In addition, artificial stone has important advantages:

It can be produced in the form of thin tiles, which significantly reduces the weight of the cladding without losing its strength.
It has a richness and uniqueness of colors and surface textures; it can be made according to standard sizes and shapes or be shaped directly at the installation site.
The material can be produced directly on site, eliminating waste during transportation.
It can be produced immediately with a shiny and smooth texture, which eliminates the cost of polishing and grinding.
It can have irregular shapes, accurately imitating any stone, but of a predetermined configuration and size.

Externally, artificial and natural stone are practically no different. But at the same time, the first is devoid of all the shortcomings of the second and can even imitate its texture. The surface of a decorative stone can have uneven edges in the form of chips, resemble a cut of sawn mineral, or be arbitrarily decorative, giving scope to the designers’ imagination.

Main types of artificial stone

Artificial stone for walls can be made from a wide variety of materials and in various ways. These signs divide it into types:

Ceramic stone. It is made from clay by firing blanks at a given temperature. Its production requires significant space, high energy consumption and the presence of trained personnel.
Gypsum cast stone. It can be made at home, the costs are minimal, but the material is only suitable for interior work, as it cannot withstand low temperatures.
Concrete mold stone. Its cost is slightly higher than gypsum, since concrete forms wear out faster. Stone can also be produced at home or in any utility room. It has good frost resistance and is produced at temperatures of +12 degrees and above.
Polyester stone. In terms of mechanical and decorative qualities, it may even surpass natural analogues, but the polymerization of the binder of the workpiece takes place under vacuum conditions at high temperatures. Therefore, such a stone is not suitable for home production.
Acrylic cast stone. This is a cold-curing material. It is suitable for home production under the same conditions as gypsum. Its main advantage is chemical resistance and lack of pores. In domestic conditions, this ensures hygiene and excellent sanitation. The combination of strength and viscosity in acrylic stone makes it possible to make stone wallpaper from it. For on-site work, the stone can be produced in the form of sheets 3-4 mm thick. Naturally, they require careful handling, but having a suitable mold for casting, they can be produced to the entire height of the wall. Factory-made acrylic stone slabs are much thicker - 6, 9 and 12 mm, but this is a necessity for their transportation.

The cost of these materials is low, but making artificial stone with your own hands is even more profitable. The final price in this case will be significantly lower than the market price, and this will make it possible to finish large areas of walls at minimal cost.

It is not difficult to make such material at home. Success in this matter depends on having a good mold for casting products. There is no point in skimping on quality, so buying a cheap plastic mold that will break after a small number of pours is not rational. The most durable and reliable are molds made from silicone or polyurethane.

Do-it-yourself artificial stone manufacturing technology

In general, the entire production process consists of several stages. This includes making a stone model, a casting mold, pouring and molding the mixture, introducing pigments and polymerizing the material to obtain the finished product. Let's take a closer look at each of the steps.

Materials and equipment for the production of artificial stone

To make artificial cast stone yourself with factory quality, you will need special materials and equipment:

Vibration stand. This is the heart of decorative stone production; the quality of finished products depends on its proper operation. The design feature of the vibration stand ensures the homogeneity of the mixture during its polymerization. You can make it yourself. The operation of the stand is based on the principle of oscillation of its platform in a horizontal plane.
Models of casting molds. They are necessary in the absence of ready-made molding products.
Release agent. This substance is applied both to the model during the production of the mold, and to the inner surface of the mold before casting the artificial stone. This procedure is performed in order to avoid materials sticking to each other.
Casting molds. Designed to store material during its polymerization.
Foundry mixtures. They can be very diverse, ranging from gypsum to complex polymer compositions.
Pigments. They color the stone to imitate natural minerals.
Sand cushion tray. It protects silicone casting molds from deformations that may occur during the stone production process.
Thermal gun. This is a miniature hair dryer that produces a strong and thin stream of heated air during operation. The tool is designed for welding finished acrylic elements.

How to make a model for artificial stone

Models for making casting molds can be factory-made artificial stones or suitable natural ones. In both cases, the range of surface reliefs, sizes and shapes of the final product is limited. However, literally underfoot almost everywhere lies an excellent material for the production of unique models - ordinary clay.

Its use for domestic purposes does not require any permits; gully clay is not a mineral resource. Tests for impurities, fat content, and the like are also not needed, as long as it is kneaded or molded.

Models of tiles for cladding are made using a grid made of strips of smooth and thin plastic. When choosing the height of the grating, two options are taken into account: for concrete and gypsum stone it is taken to be 6-12 mm and over 3 mm for acrylic stone for liquid clay or 20-40 mm for clay with stucco.

In all cases, take a flat board and cover it with PVC film, then install a grate and fill its cells with clay. To place the shield, a place protected from the sun's rays is selected in advance, otherwise the models will become covered with cracks when drying. Drying can be controlled using a lump of clay stuck near the grate.

The low grate is filled to the top with liquid clay. After drying, each resulting tile naturally acquires a unique relief. The high lattice is filled with a layer of thick clay, the thickness of which is adjusted to suit the final product.

The required relief is formed manually. On the surface you can make bas-reliefs, inscriptions, magic signs, hieroglyphs, etc. Drying of such models occurs in the shade under a canopy and takes, depending on weather conditions, from two to five days. Its speed can be increased if you hang an infrared lamp with a power of 100-200 W above the models at a height of at least 2 meters.

Making a homemade mold for artificial stone

At home, homemade molds for artificial stone can be made from silicone. To do this, the model or a whole set of them is laid on a flat surface covered with film and surrounded by a small side, the height of which should be 10-20 mm greater than the level of the outer surface of the model. The inside of the fence and the models themselves are lubricated with a fatty substance: cyatim, solid oil or shachtol.

The shield with the samples laid on it is installed in a strictly horizontal position to obtain a flat silicone surface, which in the future will become the bottom of the casting mold.

To fill the structure, cheap acidic silicone is chosen, which has a strong vinegar smell. It is squeezed out of the tube directly onto the model, starting in a spiral from the middle to the side until the cell is filled with material. To prevent the formation of bubbles, the silicone is spread with a flute brush, dipping it each time into a foamed solution of dishwashing detergent. Soap solution is not suitable for this purpose. It contains alkali, which can damage acidic silicone.

After filling the cell, smooth the surface of the composition with a metal spatula, periodically wetting it in detergent. Drying the mold is done in the same way as a clay model, but without an infrared lamp, avoiding the appearance of bubbles. But ventilation speeds up drying significantly. Silicone dries at a rate of 2 mm per day. To control the process, a ring filled with silicone is placed next to the molds. The service life of such products is about a hundred castings.

Preparation of mixtures for artificial stone

Artificial stone of each of the above types has its own composition of the working mixture necessary for the manufacture of the material:

concrete stone. It contains a cement-sand mixture as a base, but the ratio of its components differs from the proportions of mortar in the opposite direction: for one part of sand there are three parts of cement. The addition of pigment is 2-6% of the weight of concrete, sometimes polymer additives are introduced.
Gypsum stone. Due to the fact that the survivability of the gypsum mixture is about 10 minutes, it is prepared in small portions, which are enough to produce one or several products. The composition of the solution includes: gypsum, water 0.8-0.9 of the volume of gypsum for the initial layer and 0.6 for the rest of the mass. In addition, the mixture includes 0.3% by weight of citric acid gypsum and 2-6% pigment.
Acrylic stone. It is based on acrylic resin and hardener. For the finished mixture, the proportion of mineral filler with pigment is 3:1. The filler in the composition is gravel, stone chips or screenings. Reducing its proportion increases the elasticity of the product, but reduces its mechanical strength. To prepare the mixture, the filler is treated with detergent, washed, calcined, and then rinsed again in clean water. Then the pigment is introduced into the filler, then the acrylic resin is mixed with the hardener, the pigment and filler are introduced and mixed again. The viability of the finished mixture is 15-20 minutes, the setting time is 40 minutes, and the product readiness time is 24 hours.

To produce artificial stone for walls, liquid, powder, synthetic and mineral pigments are used. Powdered pigments are added to dry plaster or filler, liquid dyes are added during mixing. The pigment may have the consistency of a paste. With its help, a striped or spotted color of the stone is achieved: at the end of mixing, the paste-like pigment is introduced into the mixture using a syringe.

Artificial stone casting technique

Artificial stone casting technology provides for a basic and initial stage of work. Accordingly, to ensure quality and economy, facial starting and base mixtures are produced. When filling small forms that do not have a relief surface, facial mixtures are immediately used. They are liquid, cover shapes well, and contain pigment and filler.

Such mixtures are applied to the mold with a brush. Sand with cement and gypsum for the starting mixture are diluted to a liquid consistency; in the acrylic mixture, the proportion of pigment with filler is reduced to 60%, correspondingly increasing the part of the resin with the hardener.

After polymerization of the starting composition, the mold is topped up with the base mixture. Microcalcite is used as a filler for acrylic. It provides a background against which the decorative properties of the facial mixture are perfectly demonstrated.

The base gypsum solution is mixed to the consistency of sour cream. When pouring concrete stone, the base layer is made in two steps: first, the mold is filled halfway, then a reinforcing plastic mesh is laid, and then the mixture is topped up to the edges.

After completing this procedure, use a spatula to smooth the base fill flush with the edges of the mold. At the beginning of polymerization, grooves are drawn along the casting to increase the adhesion of the product to the binder material during future cladding.

During casting, the vibration stand must be turned off. After removal from the mold, gypsum stone is treated with hot vegetable oil to increase resistance to external influences.

Watch a video about making artificial stone:

Before making artificial stone, you need to decide on the type of wall decoration and the requirements for the material. If you need to make stone for finishing interior walls, give preference to gypsum and acrylic. For external work, moisture-resistant material will be required. Therefore, in this case, the rational solution would be to use concrete stone. As for cost, acrylic material is the most expensive, followed in descending order by concrete stone, and then gypsum. Good luck with your choice!

Modern decorative facing stone is an excellent alternative to heavy and expensive natural stone. It is light, strong, durable, waterproof, does not change its texture over time, does not emit hazardous substances, is protected from corrosion, does not fade from sunlight, and is fire resistant.

Types of decorative facing stone

Artificial (decorative) facade stone is a beautiful, practical and inexpensive finishing material that brilliantly imitates the texture and properties of wild stone. In essence, this wonderful material, created artificially, can imitate any of the popular facade coatings. It was invented about twenty years ago and was originally used for cladding the basement of a building.

Finishing stone, created from environmentally friendly, accessible and inexpensive materials, is widely used for finishing the facades and basements of buildings, for the design of individual elements of external and internal architectural decor. Artificial stone from the haddon-stone corporation (UK) was used for the restoration of Buckingham Palace.

Artificial facade stone, made from a mixture of sand and cement with the addition of various fillers (expanded clay, expanded perlite, which have low density and reduce the weight of the finished product, as well as plasticizers, reinforcing and waterproofing additives) and color pigments, is popular for exterior wall decoration. The cement-based material can withstand adverse environmental conditions, including humidity and low temperatures.

Finishing stone in the form of tiles, imitating marble, granite and other types of natural stone, is incredibly popular. It is highly environmentally friendly, lightweight, has even and smooth edges, so it is easy to install. When using concrete tiles that imitate natural stone, construction work proceeds much faster than when using a natural analogue. The crushed stone, as if beaten with a hammer, has a bumpy surface and uneven edges. Cement-based decorative rubble stone imitates wild boulders.

Gypsum is highly environmentally friendly; it is lighter than cement, but does not tolerate high humidity and low temperatures. Gypsum-based molded tiles are widely used for interior decoration, in particular for finishing walls and fireplaces. For interior decor, gypsum stucco molding, panels, and sculptural elements are popular.

We create a decorative stone with our own hands

Production technologies for artificial facing stone based on concrete cement and gypsum are well developed, quite simple, and do not require large financial expenses.

It is quite possible to make artificial stone yourself. To do this, you will need to study the technical process well, buy special molds for casting from flexible polyurethane, a mixing container and all the necessary components.

Modern flexible molds for casting make it possible to produce decorative finishing materials of the highest quality, which reliably reproduce the appearance and texture of natural material, and also have its best properties.

To produce cement stone using the vibration casting method, you need to install a vibrating table in your workshop. It is recommended to use cement grades M-400 or M-500 and ferric acid inorganic dyes for concrete. It is not economically profitable to bleach gray cement with titanium white.

Gray cement is used for dark-colored stone, white cement is used for light-colored stone. Since the cementitious properties of cement deteriorate over time, use only fresh material.

In the hands of a master, ordinary concrete will turn into a material that cannot be distinguished from natural stone. In the production of cement stone, quartz fractional (river, sea, quarry, mountain) sand is used without the inclusion of carbonate rocks and clay particles.

Gypsum is used to make tiles, gypsum stone, stucco molding, panels and bas-reliefs. To make gypsum products you will need special elastic molds. For tiles and gypsum stone - made of two-component polyurethane. For stucco molding and other architectural decor - made of polyurethane and silicone. Typically, thin silicone molds are used for large and complex architectural elements. When plaster is poured into molds, it hardens on its own, without vibration, and fills all the voids and cracks.

Making a mold for decorative stone, tiles video.

Production of decorative stone based on cement

The manufacturing process includes:

Mix sand and dye;
Add cement (the ratio of cement and sand is 3 to one) and water, introduce the necessary additives;
Mix the resulting solution thoroughly and bring it to the consistency of thick sour cream/“wet earth”;
We put the solution in special forms, treated with an antiseptic composition to prevent sticking,
We place the forms on a vibrating table and compact them for a minute to eliminate internal heterogeneity and external defects;
We keep the solution in the molds for several days at a certain temperature and humidity;
We strip the finished products on a knockout table;
The finished finishing material is stored without chipping.

Making artificial stone with your own hands video.

Production of decorative stone based on gypsum

The manufacturing process includes:

Mix the plaster with water and dye (the dye is injected with a syringe);
If it is necessary to slow down the setting of gypsum, citric acid must be injected into it using a syringe;
Bring the solution to the consistency of thick sour cream and pour it into special molds;
We set the molds to harden for 15 minutes;
We carry out demoulding, rejection and storage.

Installation of finishing stone based on cement and gypsum

Decorative finishing stone must be installed on a flat, well-dried, plastered and primed base. When installing on concrete or brick, no additional work is required. When laying on a wooden base, additional waterproofing is performed and lathing is installed. The first rows of stone tiles are laid strictly level.

Wall decoration with decorative stone Concrete-based, produced with a special adhesive made from cement, or with cement mortar. Decorative stone based on gypsum is attached to “liquid nails”. It is necessary to carefully study the instructions for using glue, which can be intended for external or internal work.

The adhesive or cement is applied using a notched trowel. Decorative stone is practically pressed into glue or cement mortar.

Close attention should be paid to the facing of the corners, where the end of the side element is cut at an angle of 45 degrees. All errors associated with cutting gypsum stone are eliminated using putty mixed with dye. For cement stone, a mixture of glue and plaster is used. Grouting of joints, as a rule, is not performed.

It is recommended to coat decorative stone based on concrete with a special impregnation, which reduces the dustiness of the concrete and increases the durability of the cladding. If part of the cladding becomes damaged during operation, it can be easily dismantled and replaced with new decorative material.

For installation instructions with decorative stone or tiles, see the video.