DIY technology for making artificial stone. Making artificial stone from cement

Artificial stone production: 4 main business advantages + 11 pros and 3 cons + detailed plans business for the production of artificial stone and countertops from it.

Thanks to the development of technology, our life is becoming better and more convenient. And you can also make good money on this production of countertops made of artificial stone.

Natural stone in construction is a strong and reliable material, but quite expensive. Manufacturing technology of an artificial analogue allows you to significantly reduce the price, while maintaining the advantages natural stone.

Artificial stone production now it is growing and you can manage to take good positions in this market niche, as well as quickly develop your business through the use of products in a wide range of finishing and other renovation works.

Is this business really that attractive?

Considering given view business, it is important to weigh the pros and cons. Studying the business of producing artificial stone, we did not identify any serious shortcomings.

But strengths businesses are convincing:

• growing demand,
• high profitability,
• small investment,
• wide range of applications.

Before making a decision on production, it is important to clearly understand what is at stake and what niche to start to occupy.

Artificial stone - its advantages and disadvantages

Fake diamond Is a fake for natural. It looks the same, only a specialist is able to distinguish one from the other. It is made from a binder and a filler. Depending on the required characteristics, the composition changes.

The advantages of artificial stone

• it is cheaper than natural;
• if necessary, its strength and wear resistance can be made higher than that of marble, and brought closer to the characteristics of granite - the most durable rock used in construction;
• low rates of moisture absorption, which increases frost resistance;
• has less weight;
• easy to install and transport due to a variety of shapes;
• crumbles less, which allows you to make complex shapes with corners and bends from it to achieve sophistication in the interior;
• has a respectable look of natural granite or marble;
• allows you to provide the client huge selection colors and textures;
• can be used for many types of construction and repair work, for the manufacture of furniture items (countertops, sinks, tables, fireplaces, etc.) due to the capabilities of technologies to impart the necessary characteristics;
• damage repair and restoration are carried out on site;
• environmentally friendly material.

After listing all the advantages, the artificial analog seems perfect. He actually almost came close to the ideal building material.

However, there are some disadvantages to artificial stone.

• less durability than natural (but, in fairness, there are hardly many people willing to build a Colosseum that will last thousands of years);
• customers will have to pay more for a spectacular look of furniture (the cost of artificial granite is much higher than MDF, laminated chipboard and other materials that are usually used for the manufacture of countertops);
• acrylic artificial stone is widely used for the manufacture of countertops, but it is easy to scratch it with cutlery and you cannot put hot dishes on it; the agglomerated material is devoid of such disadvantages - it is afraid only of the effects of chemical and abrasive substances.

Types of artificial stone and their scope

The most widely used are 4 types:

Porcelain stoneware is the most reliable type.

Possesses high strength, frost resistance, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, fire resistance, insulating, antistatic properties, fire resistance.

Porcelain stoneware is used for cladding walls and floors inside and outside the building, paving elements of roads and sidewalks, for the manufacture of fireplaces and stoves.

Colored concrete stone- simulates the texture of the rock, but not its internal structure. Durable and moisture resistant, can be additionally equipped with reinforcing mesh.

Excellent for outdoor cladding, but can also be used for interior wall decoration.

• Agglomerate is durable, but more elastic, moisture and frost resistant, has a variety of colors. It is used for interior work (countertops, window sills), for cladding and sidewalks.
• Acrylic - durable, but less than others, moisture resistant, elastic, allows you to make a shape of any type and size without seams. kitchen aprons, window sills.

Artificial stone production: detailed plan

150,000 rubles.
Payback period of the company: from 6 months.

What technologies are used for the production of artificial stone?

The main materials for production are:

• astringents (Portland cement);
• placeholder (large quartz sand, expanded clay sand);
• pigments and dyes;
• additives (plasticizers, polymer-latex additives, hardening accelerators, water repellents, chemical fibers for reinforcement and others).

Approximate consumption of components for production (per 10 sq.m.):

• Portland cement - 60 kg;
• quartz sand - 200 kg;
• pigments - 1.5 kg;
• plasticizer - 0.6 kg.

Manufacturing technologies differ depending on the intended use of the product. We suggest that you familiarize yourself visually in general terms.

Below are 2 videos showing home production and industrial production:

Home production:

Industrial production:

How to equip a workshop for production?

The production workshop takes up little space. To begin with, 40 square meters is enough for the arrangement of the workshop and for storage Supplies and the finished product.

The working equipment needs a 380V power grid. And also the production technology involves the use of large volumes of water. From temperature regime the speed of drying of products depends - in the cold season, it is necessary to provide heating and ventilation in the workshop.

The production of artificial stone is not noisy and does not harm either human health or the environment.

Artificial stone production equipment

• forms (they are also called matrices);
• vibrating table;
• mixer (concrete mixer);
• vibrating sieve;
• drill with mixing attachment;
• auxiliary tool: sandpaper, buckets, trowels.

It is worth dwelling on the forms separately. They can be made of silicone and rubber (not for cement artificial stone), formoplast (cheap, but unsafe for health), polyurethane (durable and environmentally friendly).

Forms (matrices) can be bought, made to order, made by yourself.

With instructions for own production can be found in the video.

Please note that the equipment for the production of artificial stone presented, as well as the list of components, may vary depending on the choice of production technology and product requirements.

Company registration and personnel

The choice of organizational and legal form depends on the planned scale of the enterprise. Good for starters No additional licenses required. The registration process takes 1 week.

For the manufacture of small batches, two workers will be enough: one trained specialist and one auxiliary.

Sales of products

Your target audience is construction and repair companies and Despite the growing demand, there are also enough offers, since this type of business is very attractive for both small and large businesses.

However, not everyone can correctly offer products and promote their business. Your main task is personal meetings with managers or owners of shops and companies and a competent presentation of your production.

Here are some tips for reaching the maximum number of trades:

1. Make a business card site with high-quality photos of your products, a short and understandable price list.
2. Order paper business cards.
3. Make product samples.
4. Be ready to answer the questions that arise clearly and clearly - you must know your products, production times and all their characteristics "by the teeth".
5. Offer a good discount on your first batch.

Business investment. Payback period

Offers of franchises have already appeared on the market or, for example, from the SISTROM company (http://www.sistrom.ru/prajs_list).

Estimate the payback period

• with a minimum set of equipment and 2 workers, you can produce 120 sq. m per month;
• cost price 120 sq.m. artificial stone on average - 9 600 rubles;
• regular business costs: (raw materials) + 30,000 (salary) + 20,000 (rent) + 10,000 ( public Utilities) = 69 600 rubles;
• the average price on the market is 800 rubles. for 1 sq.m. (96,000 rubles for 120 sq.m.);
• profit in this case will be 26,400 rubles.

The average payback period for a project is 6 months.

Artificial stone countertops production: detailed plan

Business capital investments: 155,000 rubles.
Payback period of the company: from 2 months.

Plastic countertops are gaining more and more popularity among furniture manufacturers due to:

1. Its aesthetic properties (can be made without visible seams, different forms and flowers).
2. High strength characteristics.
3. Hygienic indicators (easy to clean, prevent the appearance of fungus).

The production of artificial stone countertops can be set up from ready-made slabs supplied to the market in wide range colors and sizes.

A detailed technology for making stone countertops is shown in the video clip:

You can also set up the production of cast countertops:

Of course, having adjusted you will reduce the cost of production enough. However, this approach requires good technical training and professional workers.

Below we will consider in more detail the option of producing prefabricated worktops, which we recommend for starting a business.

Room for the production of countertops, tools and equipment

The workshop should be spacious, at least 30 square meters, well ventilated and heated.

Required tools and equipment:

• milling cutter from 1600 V;
• sanding machine;
• jigsaw (without pendulum stroke);
• assembly tables;
• consumables (sanding pads, tool attachments, polishes, glue guns, clamps, trimmers).

Sales of products

Stone countertops are in demand among furniture manufacturers. You will have to establish cooperation with them. The approach to conducting successful negotiations is similar to that described above in the section "Production of artificial stone - Sales of products".

Investment in a countertop business

All regular investments (purchase of materials, workers' salaries) can be made from the customer's advance payment.

• with a minimum set of equipment and two workers, you can produce 15 countertops per month;
• average cost: 75,000 (raw materials) + 40,000 (salary) + 20,000 (rent) + 10,000 (utilities, taxes) = 145,000;
• the sale of stone countertops will bring on average 225,000 rubles;
• the profit in this case will be 80,000.

The average payback period for a project is 2 months.

Recently, artificial stone began to be used for cladding of buildings and interior decoration of premises much more often than natural material... The reason for this is low price, high strength, as well as a variety of colors and textures. The production of artificial stone as a business is profitable. We will talk about how to open such an enterprise in this article.

Scope and properties

Despite the fact that natural stone has many undeniable advantages, many consumers prefer its artificial analogue, which is presented on the market in a huge variety of colors and shades.

In addition, it has the following properties:

• Resistant to chemical attack and ultraviolet light;
• Unique decorative possibilities;
• Light weight;
• Simplicity of installation;
• Environmental friendliness;
• Moisture resistance;
• Durability.

Usually decorative rock used for cladding external surfaces in residential and public buildings, as well as the manufacture of window sills, countertops, fireplace portals, columns and others. Using this material, you can create an interior design in any style. If you are able to competently organize the production of artificial stone as a business, the enterprise will bring you a decent stable income, since there has been an increased demand for such products recently.

Material advantages

Only drawback acrylic stone is that it is easily scratched. This is especially true for dark glossy surfaces. But such defects can be eliminated right on the spot. It is enough to polish the surface well and it will regain its original appearance. The service for the restoration of decorative stone is offered by many companies that produce such products.

Raw materials and technology

For the production of decorative stone, you will need cement, fillers, multi-colored mineral pigments, hardening accelerators and special plasticizers.

Since the technology for the production of decorative stone is quite simple, any person can set up the production of such products. You don't need to have special education or experience. To make an artificial stone, you can use one of two technologies - vibrocompression or vibrocasting.

The advantages of vibration casting:

• Cheap equipment;
• High surface quality;
• Saturated colors;
• Large product range.

Advantages of vibrocompression:

• Low production cost;
• Fully mechanized production.

Before getting started, search the internet for a video of the production of artificial stone. This will help you choose the technology that suits your conditions.

Premises

Before purchasing equipment, you need to choose a suitable production room... It is desirable that it is located on the outskirts of the city. In this case, you will pay less rent.

The workshop area must be at least 100 sq. meters. In addition, it is necessary to allocate separate premises for a warehouse, drying room and a room for staff. Special requirements not applicable to production areas. The most important thing is that the building is not emergency and located away from residential buildings.

Equipment

In any manufacturing business, most of the money is spent on equipment. To produce decorative stone at home, you will need:

1. Vibrating table or vibrating conveyor;
2. Vibrating sieve;
3. Concrete mixer;
4. Forms;
5. Drying chamber.

You don't have to use sophisticated equipment for the production of decorative stone. You will spend about 40 thousand rubles on a vibrating table and a concrete mixer. In addition, to work you need to buy electric drill, spatulas, hammers, buckets, shovels and more.

Another major expense item is forms. To get started, you need 6 pieces. One polyurethane matrix costs about 8 thousand rubles. Some manufacturers make molds for the production of decorative stone on their own. Thanks to this, they significantly reduce costs, and can also switch to the release of new models at any time.

Staff

If you also want to establish the production of foam concrete at home as a business, in order to receive additional income, you will also have to hire an experienced technologist. He will develop a recipe, establish technological process, and also controls all important technological points.

Where to begin?

Before opening an enterprise, first of all, you need to draw up a business plan for the production of artificial stone. This is a document on the basis of which you will build all your further activities.

Pre-planning allows you to consider all possible options, calculate the risks and assess the feasibility of the project. In addition, you will be able to accurately determine the size of the initial investment, outline sales routes finished products, and also roughly calculate the size of future profits. You can do the development of a business plan for the production of decorative stone on your own, but it is best to entrust this business to specialists who have experience in this area.

Financial calculations

To understand whether a business in the production of artificial stone is profitable, it is necessary to calculate all costs and future profits. For the manufacture of 1 sq. meters of products you will need:

• Cement - 35 r. (6 kg);
• Sand - 15 r. (19 kg);
• Plasticizer - 2.5 rubles. (0.06 kg);
• Pigments - 9 p. (0.15 kg);
• Depreciation of forms - 6 rubles;
• Electricity - 0.2 rubles;
• Transport costs - 5 rubles.

Total for the manufacture of 1 sq. meters of stone you will spend 72.7 rubles. The average market price of this material is 650 rubles. for 1 sq. meter. To increase the profitability of the enterprise, you can open in parallel. Also, offer material stacking services to your customers.

Now let's roughly calculate the costs of producing decorative gypsum stone for a medium-sized enterprise:

• Premises rental - 10–20 thousand rubles (monthly);
• Vibrating table - 30–70 thousand rubles;
• Electric drill - 3-5 thousand rubles;
• Desktop - 7-10 thousand rubles;
• Hand inventory - 8-12 thousand rubles.

To offer customers an assortment of products, you need to purchase at least 10 different forms at the start, costing 4-7 thousand rubles. In general, it will take 300 thousand rubles to open such a production facility. Such a project pays off in about 1 year.

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Sales and advertising

In order for the production and sale of decorative stone to bring good profit, it is necessary to conduct an effective advertising campaign. To do this, advertisements should be placed in the media and on the Internet. Alternatively, you can hand out handouts in busy streets or distribute them to mailboxes. It is advisable to sell your products at retail prices, bypassing intermediaries who want to purchase goods in order to resell them at a higher cost.

Basically, decorative stone is bought by architects, designers, as well as all kinds of organizations that are engaged in repair and construction. If you fix

Artificial stone is a material that was not obtained naturally, but artificial, and consists of unnatural substances.

Such material is of no value and is simple element decor. The main advantages of such a stone will be beauty, a light weight, cheap cost, as well as ease of manufacture and, accordingly, inexpensive production. The technology of such production is carried out using the simplest equipment, but at the same time the strength that such an artificial stone gives is in no way inferior, and may even exceed the strength of products made from natural stones.

Advantages of the stone

Decorative stone is very popular. The main advantage of manufacturing is simple and cheap materials that are used in production plain concrete... It turns out that raw materials for cooking can always be found quickly and easily, and this will not be a big problem.

When using a decorative stone, you can get any colors you want, you can make any shape and make any dream come true. Another great advantage is that the base of the decorative stone will never fade under the influence sun rays, therefore, such a material is often chosen for decorating the facade of a house. The house not only becomes beautiful, but it is also much better protected from moisture and other weather conditions, as well as from minor damage... A huge plus is that such work can be carried out at any time of the year, since the stone is unpretentious in construction.

The technology for the production of decorative stone makes it possible to obtain such products that cannot be distinguished from natural ones, and at the same time use such simple materials like sand, cement and chemical additives, from which you can make any color and any pattern. For this reason, designers and decorators love to work with this material.

The production of such a material as artificial stone is based on cement, in which fine or coarse filler, sand or crushed stone, respectively, are added, and chemical additives are added, due to which all elements are bonded to each other and form a strong connection. Mineral pigment is responsible for obtaining color, thanks to which resistance to fading and moisture appears.

Back to the table of contents

Manufacturing methods

You can make artificial stones using a silicone mold on your own.

The decorative stone manufacturing technology is based on two methods, such as vibration casting and vibration pressing. These two methods have their advantages. For example, the vibration casting method requires less expensive equipment, and the setup and use of such equipment is much easier. There is no steaming in production and can be done in a shift more products... And another plus is that the surface of the product is of higher quality and the color of the product is more saturated, since less water is needed to make concrete.

The advantages of vibrocompression will be the receipt of products that will be slightly cheaper in cost, and there will also be more mechanization in production than manual labor.

In general, the technology for the production of artificial stone has its advantages. This is also lightness, in contrast to natural stone, it can be used for decoration outside and inside the building, does not require special processing, the stone is very easy to install and no additional protection is needed for it.

If you need production with an average amount of products, then it is better to use vibratory casting technology, and if you want to get a lot more products, then you should choose vibrocompression technology.

Back to the table of contents

Vibration casting technology for the production of decorative stone

Let's talk about the manufacturing technology using vibration casting, in the process of which a stone is obtained. To begin with, it is worth deciding what equipment will be needed for production.

Of course, you need a vibrating table in order to process concrete products. It is used both in large enterprises and in small ones. The types of vibrating table can be different, it will depend on what products will be made.

You will definitely need a mixer with which you can get a high quality solution.

The next piece of equipment is a vibrating sieve, since it is very important to use a well-sieved filler for decorative stone.

And the last mandatory equipment there will be a tool for making good and beautiful shapes of products.

There is also other additional equipment, but we do not consider it, since it is used in vibration compaction technology on a large scale of production.

We have decided on the equipment and now we will look directly at the process of producing decorative stone itself. The procedure will be as follows. First you need to prepare concrete mix... For this, the necessary components such as cement, dye, filler and additives are taken and mixed in a concrete mixer.

Then, on a vibrating table, concrete is placed in molds and compacted in them.

Then the products are kept for two days in natural conditions, that is, no complex actions need to be performed. Temperature, humidity and air permeability should be normal.

The next step will be to separate the products from the forms on a special table.

Well, then the finished products are sorted, selected of the desired quality, without chips or scratches, and stacked on pallets, which are taken to the warehouse.

Separately, it is worth talking about the forms for the production of products. Molds for cast products must be of high quality. Earlier, when artificial stone was not so popular, they mainly used rigid forms of concrete, plaster, wood and metal. Now a lot of new technologies, new equipment, improved materials have appeared, so mold casting can now be of any texture, any size and any geometry.

It becomes clear that on good equipment and at skillful hands it is not difficult to establish the manufacture of such products from decorative stone. The main thing is to follow the procedure and have quality materials and, of course, a decent workforce.

Choosing the idea of ​​\ u200b \ u200bthe production of such a stone for business, you will not lose, because it will pay for itself very quickly due to high demand. But, of course, if you just need to use a stone for yourself, for example, lay out a track on summer cottage paving stones or making a staircase in the house, it is best to hire professionals and buy finished products, since it will be problematic to make a stone without equipment alone and at home. Therefore, to save your time, money and nerves, it is better to entrust this work to specialists. They will quickly and efficiently complete everything in a short time, since such work usually does not cause any difficulties.

Artificial d decorative a rock -- these are promising products on the market of finishing building materials, it has aesthetic appeal, hygiene, fire resistance, architectural expressiveness, high heat and sound insulation properties.
High productivity, low raw material costs, compactness of production and the absence of energy costs are clear advantages for your own business, like what is for production artificial stone no expensive high-tech equipment is required. Gypsum is poured into molds without vibration, product removal artificial gypsum stone is produced 15 minutes after pouring, therefore, during its production, you save on a concrete mixer. That is why gypsum technology does not require large costs at the initial stage, which is very beneficial for your own business on the production of decorative artificial stone.
To open a workshop for the production artificial stone from plaster any room with an area of ​​20 square meters, it is desirable that there was heating for the ability to work in winter period, because fake diamond in demand all year round.
Having 5 different polyurethane shapes, you will get 8 square meters of artificial stone from one shape, from five different textured shapes for a shift of 8 hours you get 40 square meters of gypsum stone.
Considering that one meter of plaster artificial stone costs from $ 10, your turnover per shift will be approximately $ 400. Material costs are not significant. One bag of gypsum 50 kilograms costs from $ 7 per bag, from one bag of gypsum you get from 5 to 10 square meters of decorative stone I am, depending on the thickness of the tile, for 40 square meters, on average, 70 dollars are spent on gypsum, special additives for decorative stone, pigments and paints also do not amount to large costs, for 40 square meters about another 25 dollars is the maximum cost for quality workmanship gypsum stone is no more than $ 120.
Most expensive in production artificial stone- these are high-quality elastic forms. You should have several types of stones, preferably several of the same type, but all this in the process of developing your own business. Molds withstand from 1000 to 15000 castings from one mold.
In the workshop there should be tables set at the level anddrying cabinet, which you can make yourself from scrap materials. There you can also get acquainted with some methods of accelerated drying. artificial stone from gypsum, which are used in production .

For many millennia, decorative stone has remained the best building and finishing material... Decorative stone is expensive, so many craftsmen have mastered making stone at home, for example, a light gypsum stone or a heavier and more inexpensive one based on concrete.

In the 60s of the twentieth century, artificial stone began to be actively used in the West - the walls and foundation look organically in the stone jungle of the metropolis. The idea of ​​making decorative stone and decorating buildings was taken up by architects and interior designers, pushing a whole segment of entrepreneurship towards development. Forgotten building materials are popular again.

Ancient craftsmen have long learned how to process stone, they distinguished it by the type of application, as:

• construction or hewn;
• finishing or decorative;
• ornamental for jewelry work.

In previous centuries, sand and stone chips, grated pumice and shell, lime and chalk were mixed into the solidified gypsum. We took natural dyes:

• soot;
• colored clay;
• metal oxides.

In our time, the stone and its analogue came to modern construction and the arrangement of rock gardens, and today it is difficult to imagine modern house without them. The decorative stone, the photo of which is presented in the article, clearly demonstrates the capabilities of this building material.

Do-it-yourself decorative stone today is made on different basis, and there are technologies available in everyday life. Forms are prepared independently or purchased from factory models. Recipes, technologies and components are also known - they are offered by specialized firms.

Simple mixtures are based on water, cement and fine, pigment is added. The material turns out to be quite durable, similar to natural stone, has excellent decorative properties... A variant close to ancient techniques - from plaster, but today polymer materials used as a binder.

The texture of the wild stone has a different surface:

• fine-grained and smooth,
• layered and bumpy,
• chipped and ribbed.

Natural stone crumbles and exfoliates when it comes into contact with the tool, while artificial stone does not require processing. It is immediately given the required shape. The most common varieties are:

• rubble, similar to a natural boulder;
• chipped, uneven, reminiscent of impact chips;
• sawn, with smooth and even edges;
• wild stone, natural form;
• decorative of any shape, with influxes, folds or bumps, reflects any fantasies of designers.

Advantages and disadvantages of artificial material

The manufactured stone has the following advantages:

• the possibility of in-situ casting to reduce transport costs and scrap generated in delivery;
• make in small thin plates to reduce the weight of the finished structure;
• its strength does not depend on the size and shape of the tile;
• the pigment added to the mixture gives the desired shade;
• it is possible to get a stone of a straight and arbitrary shape;
• allows you to make the dimensions of the tiles corresponding to the installation site, even taking into account the curvature and irregularities;
• produced ready-made forms make it possible to obtain a coarse-grained and smooth texture, almost polished;
• it is easy to make material of any irregular shape and broken front surface;
• some technologies make it possible to obtain a more durable analogue of a fragile natural stone;
• polymers give plasticity, and even after production can be given new form or think over the edge for a seamless connection;
• artificial material often has the best decorative properties;
• differs from natural stone in ease of installation, thanks to the smooth back side;
• irreplaceable refractory building material for decorating stoves, barbecues, rough and fireplaces;
• sufficiently moisture resistant, suitable for wet rooms pool or wine cellar type;
• the price for an artificial decorative stone is less than for a natural analogue, which requires technological sawing and processing;
• does not need special care, it serves for a long time and reliably;
• All sorts of options for shape, shade and texture allow artificial stone to fit into interiors of any style.

Possible disadvantages:

• some decorative species have a complex manufacturing technology that increases the cost of the material;
• not every wall is suitable for wild stone finishing due to its high specific gravity, with the exception of gypsum analogs;
• sometimes requires additional costs for transportation and high-tech stacking;
• a flawless joint of individual blocks of a fancy shape cannot always be ensured; clearance of gaps is required.

The main types of decorative stone

To ensure quality, finishing materials are made in strict accordance with the recipe and production technology. Components and production technology make it possible to obtain decorative stone of various names and properties.

1. Reinforced concrete stone, the so-called monumental, free-form material, it is made individually by hand where it is installed. It is a technology for cobblestones, boulders and artificial granite slabs.

The basis for the molded batch is a cement-sand mortar:

• 3 parts of cement in proportion - 1 dry sand;
• 2-6% pigment by weight of the solution;
• add polymer additives.

2. A similar material - a shaped stone from the same cement-sand mixture. Suitable for construction and decoration. Differs in increased strength and frost resistance. It is made in hangars, workshops and garages during the cool season.

3. Ceramic is the most expensive material that requires firing or quenching at a certain temperature... Its production requires high energy costs and the presence of a large free heated area. In addition, trained personnel are needed.

4. Gypsum cast decorative stone - simplest technology and a minimum of equipment. It is done at room temperature, but it is only suitable for work on interior decoration, does not like temperature changes. The mixture quickly becomes viscous.

It is made in small portions and immediately poured into the prepared mold, but no later than 3-4 minutes from the start of the batch. Need lemon acid up to 1.3% by weight of dry gypsum, it will slow down the hardening, pigment - 2-6% by weight of gypsum plus water. It is better to make a few test pieces to correct the proportions.

5. Decorative polyester synthetic material. It is made by hot quenching with the addition of mineral fillers... It surpasses many natural counterparts, but the curing technology requires a vacuum, made in a workshop.

6. Liquid stone on the gelcoat. It is inferior in hardness to cast stone, the gel takes less mineral fillers. The mixture is suitable for the production of products of complex configuration, such as stone puzzles, but a stone on a gel-acrylic base is more expensive.

There are 2 compositions - a primer and a front one, differ in the percentage of filler and composition. Priming composition: gelcoat - 20%, microcalcite - 73%, hardener - 1% and accelerator - 6%. Front composition: gelcoat - 40% accelerator and hardener - as 1st composition, back composition - filler plus pigment up to 6% by weight of the solution. The composition is set in about half an hour, in a day the stone can be laid.

7. Cast acrylic stone of cold hardening based on acrylic resin. Easy to manufacture, requires strict adherence to instructions and additional equipment, such as a shaker. It surpasses other artificial material in many properties. At high temperature up to + 210 ° С, you can change its shape without changing the quality.

Advice: The absence of pores and resistance to chemicals of acrylic stone in the finish ensure impeccable hygiene, so it is suitable for rooms where frequent contamination and cleaning of surfaces are possible - entrance hall, kitchen, veranda and covered terrace. The material is also known for its low thermal conductivity, it gives a feeling of warmth - this best choice for a bath, a bathroom or a pool.

Forms for decorative stone

There are many methods for making stone molds on your own using the chosen method, but it is easier to buy ready-made ones.

There are about a dozen types of molds for the production of artificial stone with your own hands, but 3 types are most often used:

1. Ready-made polyurethane, for small production, they are offered by firms for the production of equipment and the sale of technology wild stone, convenient and durable, but they cost a lot.

2. Clay molds on a lost wax model, suitable for sculpting and artistic casting.

3. Silicone molds, suitable for homemade tiles per piece, they are enough for dozens of castings, deform over time.

Advice: Sand pillow required for silicone molds, when vibrated and heated, it bursts. Before casting, the mold is deepened into the sand in the pallet to 3/4 of its height in order to reduce deformation, and the horizontal immersion is checked with a water level.

Additional components and accessories

1. Pigment for building mixtures offered in catalogs and stores for building materials in different form release: liquid, paste and powder. Synthetic pigment-powder is evenly introduced into gypsum or other dry filler, paste-pigment is introduced into the prepared batch. By the way, thanks to the pigment paste, it is easier to get an uneven color - layered or spotted, it is injected with a syringe directly into the batch at the end of mixing.

2. Separators are of different types:

• for cast acrylic;
• for concrete mortar;
• for plaster composition;
• for liquid stone.

They are sold with ready-made instructions and a detailed recipe. You can also use a high quality lubricant - ciatim, fiol.

3. A hot air gun is a device like a small building hair dryer with a strong jet of heated air.

4. Vibrating table - the main machine for making stone with your own hands, which guarantees high quality of the final product, ensures the uniformity of the solidifying mixture.

Advice: you can make such a stand yourself - there is detailed instructions and a video, for example, on making a cement-based decorative stone using a homemade shaker.

The simplest technology for producing cement-based artificial stone

1. Sand is mixed with cement for the first layer 3: 1 to a homogeneous mass, for coloring add a suitable dye about 2-3% relative to the cement, knead with water until thick sour cream, the liquid pigment is preliminarily diluted with water.

2. Ready mix it is evenly laid out in the mold up to half, compacted and distributed by shaking and tapping. To reinforce the stone, a metal mesh is placed on the 1st layer, the 2nd layer without pigment is poured and the cruciform grooves are scratched with a nail for adhesion during installation.

3. After 10-12 hours, the finished stone can be removed from the mold and laid to dry completely. The mold must then be cleaned and rinsed with Fairy after each pouring.

4. In the process of monumental molding of a large block, the base is formed on a blank, with a twisted reinforcing mesh and wire, where thick cakes are laid out in layers without dye. When the base hardens a little, prepare a solution with the addition of a pigment of the desired consistency and make the final shape. Artificial boulders, when solidified, for about a month, are covered with a film from the rain.

Making a stone from plaster in the simplest way

At home, decorative stone is made in several ways. Let us dwell on the description of what has been tested in practice.

2. 1 liter is evenly squeezed into it silicone sealant on acetic acid, the layer is lubricated with grease or other separator so that the finished stone does not stick.

3. The sample stone is pressed into the box with silicone until it is completely drowned in it, right down to the back surface, the excess silicone must be cleaned off, the mold dries up for a couple of days.

4. After complete drying, the sample is carefully removed from the mold box. The finished silicone is soft and flexible.

5. The gypsum mixture according to the recipe is kneaded to a thick sour cream with a pigment, and poured into a mold greased with grease. After the first layer, it is advisable to reinforce the tiles with fine metal mesh, a 2-layer without dye is poured, shaking to achieve alignment and leave to dry. If the gypsum sets quickly, interfering with the reinforcement process, the mixture is diluted with milk - then it thickens longer.

6. It is better to drown the mold in the sand on a pallet to preserve the silicone mold, and press down the gypsum from above with corrugated glass so that the uneven back surface is better attached to the wall.

Advice: There are labor-intensive methods for making stone, such as quartz, which make it possible to obtain the highest quality and durable building material for cladding. Having mastered some techniques, you can start your own business.

Self-laying artificial stone

1. The finished decorative stone is attached to any dry surfaces with additional crate... Installation, with or without jointing, is done on cement mortar, construction glue, stone is cut with a grinder at low speed with a disc on concrete.

2. Before starting the installation, it is better to make a sketch finished work or use a picture with a similar material. The stones are laid out according to the pattern on the surface for the most beautiful placement and adjustment of the fragments.

Additional decoration of stone in landscape design

For a long time, the stone was not only widely used in architecture, the Japanese used it to decorate tobiishi gardens. Today, for special design purposes, the stone is additionally painted or part of its surface is primed, so that green growth is more likely to form in the rock garden. Rub it with ocher and soot, aging, and the bulges on the south side - with iron red lead to obtain the appearance of sunburn and weathering.