Application of artificial stone products. How to choose a quality decorative stone

Artificial stone called a decorative facing material that imitates the texture of rocks. The popularity of this material is explained primarily by its relatively low cost, durability, fire and moisture resistance, ease of installation (it is much lighter than natural stone), as well as decorative qualities.

Modern artificial stones are made mainly by vibration pressing or vibration casting from white high-quality cement, sand, reinforcing additives, various fillers and colored pigments. Forms from various materials are used: plastic, gypsum, polyurethane (depending on what stone is being copied).

Leading manufacturers produce products that are painted during the production process, which ensures their color fastness for the entire period of operation, in contrast to surface-painted “natural stone” tiles, which quickly lose their appearance.

Cladding products made from artificial stone are produced in various sizes - from 5 cm 2 to 0.5 m 2 with a thickness of 1 - 2 cm. And the thickness of the tiles is “cobblestone and wild stone"can reach 10 cm.

Modern technologies make it possible to copy with amazing accuracy the structure of granite, marble, basalt, sandstone, etc., as well as ordinary cobblestones. In addition, facing tiles are produced even in colors and textures that do not exist in nature.

Application area

Artificial stone differs from natural stone in its lighter weight and ease of installation, which expands the possibility of its use in the interiors of both public and residential premises. It is used both for external cladding of buildings and for interior decoration walls, columns, individual interior elements. Another area of ​​application of artificial stone is the cladding of fireplaces. But in this case, it should be remembered that, unlike natural stone, it cannot be laid in such a way that it comes into contact with heated surfaces.

Using artificial stone for swimming pools, saunas or other rooms with a damp or aggressive environment, the lining must be treated with a special hydrophobic solution.

Please note that artificial stone is not suitable for flooring.

Manufacturers' assortment usually always includes additional decorative elements (window frames, corner parts, etc.), which allows you to create an accurate imitation of masonry.

COMPONENTS OF ARTIFICIAL STONE

Cement

One of the main components of artificial stone is cement. It can be imported or domestic. The first one, of course, costs more. Although, if the technology is strictly followed, it is not so important what kind of cement is used, since in this case it will not have a noticeable effect on the consumer properties of the material.

In addition, cement comes in gray or white, and the price of the latter is three times higher. White cement is used in the manufacture of light artificial stone, so it would be logical to assume that the cost of such collections should be higher. However, usually manufacturers try to minimize the price gap between light and dark “grades” of stone.

Fillers

As fillers V In the production of artificial stone, expanded clay, perlite, sand or a mixture thereof are used. The price of the filler directly depends on its quality. For example, good fine expanded clay with a ball diameter of 1 to 5 mm (also called expanded clay sand) lightens the weight of the product without compromising its characteristics. However, it is, of course, more expensive. But conscientious manufacturers go to these expenses.

Coarse-grained expanded clay (grain diameter from 1 to 3 cm), although cheaper, can later become a time bomb. Some time after the stone is attached to the wall (in a month, six months, a year), such expanded clay will begin to “shoot out”. That is, small pieces will spontaneously break off from the coating. The fact is that quicklime remains inside the expanded clay balls. Reacting with moisture and air, it causes “shots”. Combating this negative effect requires time and expense for pre-treatment of the filler, which naturally increases the cost of the stone. In addition, coarse expanded clay leads to an uneven distribution of strength within the material. After all, it is obvious that the connection of cement with fine sand is much stronger than with large fractions.

Dyes

Dyes are a very important component of artificial stone. Not only the final cost of the material depends on their quality (prices for dyes made in German, Russian, Czech, Polish, and Chinese can differ several times), but also the color fastness of the finished product. Moreover, at the time of sale, the artificial stone, made with the addition of cheap dyes, is visually no different from its more expensive counterpart. But after six months, some stones may change color, while others will retain their original appearance.

However, the average buyer is unlikely to understand the quality of dyes and certainly will not be able to evaluate this quality “by eye”. Therefore, the only thing that can be recommended in this case is: it is better to buy material for which there are certificates (we will talk about this below).

PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL STONE

Country and manufacturer

The price of artificial stone largely depends on where it is produced - in Russia or abroad. Of course, imported material is more expensive due to overhead costs (delivery, customs). In addition, a significant part of the price of the stone is the cost of manual labor. And, as you know, in Europe and America it is rated higher than here.

However, if at first artificial stone was brought mainly from America, now most companies make it in Russia. Of course, there are also imported goods on sale: mostly these are lightweight small-format facing bricks made in Europe, costing 25-35 USD. e. per square meter. Similar domestic products can be purchased for 19 USD. e.

One of the important criteria for choosing an artificial stone also includes the period of existence of the manufacturing company on the market. After all, a solid period of work is the key good quality produced materials. By the way, some Russian companies supply artificial stone not only to domestic consumers, but even export it abroad. Their products comply international standards, which means there is no doubt about its quality.

Compliance with production technology

The technology for producing artificial stone does not allow the sale of newly produced material, since it has not yet reached full strength. For example, a very “fresh” stone may crumble during transportation or subsequently change its properties. The fact is that drying of products must take place at a certain temperature and humidity for at least a week, which, of course, is associated with additional costs that affect the final cost of the product. After a week, the artificial stone is approximately 60% ready, and it can already be transported. And it will gain final strength only 28 days after manufacture.

So, if the material you have chosen is not in stock, but company representatives promise to make it in 2-3 days and sell it immediately, know that you will receive a semi-finished product.

APPEARANCE OF ARTIFICIAL STONE

Of course, it is quite difficult to determine the quality of artificial stone by appearance. Still, pay attention to the uniformity of the surface. If it is porous, then this indicates that. that the mixture was poorly mixed and vibrated in the mold, which means that stress may arise inside the stone, often leading to the formation of cracks. In addition, moisture enters the pores, which, as a result of alternate freezing and thawing, can also lead to the destruction of the coating.

If you want to get a complete imitation of natural material, be sure to pay attention to such a factor as the repeatability of individual elements of artificial stone. In other words, look at how often identical items are found in a collection. True, there are no clear criteria here, and each company solves this issue in its own way. We advise you to carefully study the proposed photographs or booklets. Sometimes you can immediately see that out of ten stones, three are the same, that is, the repeatability of the elements is quite high; look at the display stands in the showroom: how often do you see stones with an identical characteristic “chip” on them? First of all, this applies to large-scale collections. Remember that, for example, on the wall of a house, large identical stones immediately catch the eye, but the repetition of small ones is not so noticeable.

Artificial stone - options

Modern man, like thousands of years ago, wants to live in a stone house. At the same time, during construction and finishing it faces age-old problems: natural stone is heavy and fragile, its transportation is expensive. It is very difficult to select the right quantity, material of a certain color and texture. In addition, they are afraid that natural stone can “foul”...

Despite all these circumstances, you should not give up on the dream of a house lined with stone. Modern technologies make it possible to implement it quite simply and very effectively. Pay attention to the artificial stone. The same shape, color, relief and even traces of time on the surface - everything is reproduced with amazing accuracy. However, despite the external similarity of the artificial stone to the original, it weighs three times less, it is easier to bring it to the work site and is much easier to mount on the wall. Giving a house the appearance of a medieval tower or a majestic castle no longer requires the back-breaking labor of builders piling stone on stone. To decorate the facade, it is enough to use an artificial analogue of your favorite coating, the front side of which has a relief corresponding to a certain type of natural stone, and the back side is smooth. Therefore, the surface finishing process is no more complicated than laying ceramic tiles.

RELIABLE PROTECTION

Owners of modern country cottages are unlikely to expect an attack or a long-term siege of their fortress by enemy hordes. The external enemies of the house are temperature changes, winter cold, summer heat, rain, hail and snow. This means that the performance qualities of the walls come to the fore.

In terms of strength and durability, artificial stone is quite comparable to natural stone. It has excellent frost resistance - manufacturers guarantee decades of perfect wintering. Moisture is not scary for him either. If the stone is in close proximity to water, then upon completion of the installation process, the surface of the facade should be treated with a hydrophobic compound. It forms an elastic semi-permeable film on artificial stone, which provides additional protection from water, solar radiation, acid rain and ordinary dirt.

LOOKING FOR BENEFIT

Artificial stone can be used to cover almost any surface: wood, metal, brick, concrete. Of course, each type of surface requires appropriate preparation. So, before laying artificial stone, a wooden wall must be covered with a waterproofing material, for example, moisture-proof construction paper. Then attach a plaster mesh to the surface to protect against corrosion, and apply a plaster solution. After the plaster has dried, proceed with the cladding. For metal, painted brick or concrete walls, waterproofing is not required.

By the way, an interesting fact: all other things being equal, the price of a house lined with artificial stone is 15 - 20% more than the price of a house finished with facing brick. At the same time, the cost of laying decorative stone is approximately a tenth of the gain in price. Thus, artificial stone can also be considered as a profitable investment.

Unlike wooden or plastered surfaces, which require periodic touch-up or updating, the advantages of artificial stone finishing are undeniable. The noble facade will last for decades without requiring special care.

Put artificial stone inside

Artificial stone also looks great inside the house. The hallways, living rooms, billiard rooms, winter gardens and even kitchens decorated with it are transformed from ordinary standard ones into stylish, elegant rooms.

Thus, artificial stone that imitates brickwork - it is also called thin-walled facing bricks - will eliminate the need to line the walls with real material. The weight of facing bricks is not comparable to the weight of natural ones, and its thickness is only 1-2 cm. It can become an indispensable solution in situations where the total weight of the brick complicates the implementation of the project, or when there is not enough space to use ordinary bricks. With it, the corridors and rooms that have changed their appearance will not decrease in size.

One cannot help but say about the fireplace - now an integral part of any respectable interior. Beautiful stones in their rough simplicity around a bright fire will emphasize the grace and sophistication of the surrounding interior. Artificial stone does not burn and does not emit smoke when heated. These properties allow it to be used for lining fireplaces. It’s just important not to forget to purchase special heat-resistant glue.

IMPORTANT THINGS

Good Vacation home today it is unthinkable without landscape design. Do not rush to pave the garden paths on the site with real cobblestones or river pebbles to match the house that has turned into a “stone” house. Artificial stone will help solve this issue, embodied in paving slabs and borders. Elegant paths laid with “wooden” planks or “wood cuts” will not disturb the aesthetics of the garden and will last much longer than similar elements made of natural wood. A feeling of complete unity with nature will be created by decorative elements that imitate boulders and stones of streams, rocks, and alpine slides.

Decorative artificial stone has virtually no restrictions in the choice of colors and texture options. Therefore, following traditions, it is increasingly being chosen as a material for facade finishing. It is also indispensable for fragmentary restoration of architectural structures in cases where it is difficult to select similar natural materials.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR AN ARTIFICIAL STONE SELLER

Before making your final choice, you need to clarify the following points with the seller.

1. How is artificial stone painted?

There are several methods for painting artificial stone.

First: when dyes are added to the mass of the solution and the material turns out to be dyed to the entire thickness.

Second: when only the front side of the products is painted. In the latter case, pieces broken off due to carelessness will expose a gray cement mass, which does not look very aesthetically pleasing. You can determine the painting method yourself. To do this, you need to carefully examine the sawn samples of artificial stone, which, as a rule, are located at the edges of the demonstration stands.

2. Are there expanded clay components in artificial stone?

If there is, then it’s a good idea to take a look at the cut of the product again. Stones with a layered structure are considered to be of the highest quality. Moreover, closer to the front side there should be sand or small pebbles, and at the back surface - larger expanded clay or other filler. In this case, the front part becomes really strong protection, and expanded clay gives the product lightness.

3. What is the thickness of artificial stone?

The thickness of the artificial stone depends on its appearance and texture and varies from 1 to 5 cm. The choice of a thinner or more voluminous material is dictated primarily by design considerations. But still, you should not buy, say, products of great thickness and weight for finishing plasterboard walls.

Be sure to check the uniformity of the thickness of the artificial stone. The fact is that during its manufacture the initial mass is placed in molds. If they were uneven, then one side of the facing tile will be thinner and the other thicker. This is a very common defect, which causes inconvenience during installation and disrupts the aesthetics of the surface.

4. For which surfaces is the artificial stone you have chosen intended for cladding - internal or external?

There are manufacturers who produce artificial stone with different characteristics. They add certain ingredients to the material intended for interior decoration, and others for exterior decoration, and thus achieve certain savings. Be aware that this may create additional problems. It is clear that stone for interior cladding cannot be used for exterior work. The opposite example can be given. Let's say the base of the building was decorated with artificial stone, which included coarse-grained expanded clay, and they decided to use the remainder of the material to decorate the fireplace. It is possible that in warm conditions the coating will behave as described above, that is, it will begin to “shoot.”

And yet, most manufacturing companies produce universal artificial stone. When choosing it, be sure to inquire about the frost resistance value. The larger it is, the longer the material will last. According to technical specifications(TU) frost resistance should be 50-100 cycles. But there are companies that have achieved 250 cycles, although this is quite difficult to verify. In this case, the following question should be asked.

5. Is artificial stone certified?

The very fact of having certificates indicates that the company is not indifferent to the quality of its products, and that the material has passed certain tests. But to be honest, artificial stone is not subject to mandatory certification. And if the consultant refuses to present the document you require, citing this provision, know: he is right.

However, large construction companies purchasing artificial stone from manufacturing companies require a Gosstroy certificate (it is issued on the basis of a hygienic certificate and after certification of production). Thus, the presence of this document confirms that the material meets all declared characteristics and is produced in strict accordance with technology requirements.

The Gosstroy certificate is valid throughout Russia. In addition, there is also a Mosstroy certificate (it is valid for Moscow). Sometimes manufacturing companies turn to independent laboratories that can conduct an examination and confirm individual characteristics stone - for example, strength or frost resistance. But whether you trust the results of these tests or not is up to you.

Artificial stone is opposed to natural minerals only in words. In fact, this material is not so artificial. It contains exclusively natural ingredients: sand, expanded clay, gypsum, cement, resins, stone chips and coloring pigments.

At the same time, in many respects it is superior to its natural counterpart, and its areas of application are very diverse.

Advantages of using artificial stone

Depending on the appearance and composition, artificial stone can be divided into 3 groups: agglomerates, porcelain stoneware and concrete-based materials. The first group is made with the addition of polyester resins, porcelain stoneware is made from clay and various additives by pressing and firing, and the last group of materials contains cement, sand and natural fillers.

Despite the wide variety, all types of artificial stone are characterized by the following parameters:

• high strength and durability;
• light weight;
• low cost;
• ease of processing and installation;
• resistance to moisture, sunlight, chemicals;
• ease of care;
• variety of shapes and colors;
• ease of transportation.

In addition, artificial stone used for the production of household hard surfaces has a high level of hygiene. The absence of micropores does not allow moisture to penetrate into the material, which eliminates the proliferation of microorganisms in it, as well as the absorption of dyes into the surface. Thanks to this, artificial stone is successfully used for the manufacture of kitchen countertops, bar counters, sinks, window sills and other surfaces in contact with water and food.

Application of artificial stone

Products based on this material are most often used in construction and the furniture industry. Today a lot of products are made from artificial stone, namely:

• household surfaces, including window sills, countertops, bar counters;
• sinks and sinks;
• toilet counters, racks and shelves for bathrooms;
• slabs and panels for external and internal wall cladding;
• steps and podiums;
• materials for cladding arches, columns, fireplaces and other decorative design elements;
• curbs and paving slabs;
• decorative stones for fountains and alpine slides.

The lightness and simplicity of installation allow the use of artificial stone even with capital construction. Houses made from this material are quite light and durable, but you need to take care of appropriate ceilings and waterproofing. As for the use of artificial stone in the design of local areas, its possibilities are limitless: from cladding fences and gazebos to laying out garden paths and constructing fountains.

Important nuance: so that products made from artificial stone really do not differ from natural minerals and serve you as long as possible, their production should be entrusted to companies with a solid reputation - for example, such as the Glav Acrylic company, which has been producing high-quality products from acrylic stone for a long time.

Natural is always better - you say. And you will undoubtedly be right if we are not talking about artificial and decorative stone.

An impeccable imitation, which is difficult to distinguish from the original, wins the hearts of those who become more familiar with the material. Today I will tell you what I learned about decorative stone in the interior. We will touch on topics such as artificial stone for interior decoration, types of artificial material, installation technology, advantages and disadvantages of facing coatings.

Why choose artificial stone?

Natural material is strangely capricious. Firstly, it is easily damaged during transportation, secondly, the heavy weight creates strong pressure on the floors and foundation, and thirdly, natural material cannot boast of a variety of colors and shades, which cannot be said about artificial and facing stone, which can be used as in a private house and in an apartment.

A small table shows the advantages and disadvantages of the material:

Plus:	Minus:
The finishing element has not lost its strength properties.	Overpriced for some types of stone.
Can be combined with other design options.	Unlike natural things, artificial ones do not last forever. However, who needs a finish that can outlast the entire structure?
Installation is not difficult.	-
There is no need to polish the stone.	-
Imitation of wild stone allows you to create a design in which it is impossible to detect the use of artificial stone.	-

Important! Artificial stone in the interior of the hallway takes pride of place, since the impeccability of high-quality design immediately tells guests about the tastes and wealth of the homeowners. When choosing a finish, the composition of the decorative stone is also important.

Varieties and components

There are several components from which artificial material is produced. The most popular of them:

1. Gypsum.
2. Alabaster.
3. Cement.
4. Synthetic polymer.

Creating an artificial stone with your own hands and at home will not be difficult even for a beginner, if he follows all the tips and mixes the solution correctly. If you decide to buy stone on the construction market, then make sure of the selected products and ask for quality certificates. On this moment the range consists of the following types:

• Plaster.
• Ceramic.
• Cement based.
• Polyester.
• Liquid.
• Cast.

Where the cladding looks advantageous:

Place:	Description:
Entrance hall and corridor:	Wallpaper and the presence of artificial brick-like stone look perfect in the interior of the house.
Bedroom:	A small room is not suitable for cladding with decorative stone; if in doubt, it is better to use photo wallpaper. It is allowed to plaster the walls.
Base:	The external façade looks impressive when combined with artificial stone and siding. Installation on a frame makes it possible to insulate the house; polystyrene foam and mineral wool are suitable. In this case, the material acts as additional insulation and protection from external atmospheric influences.
Kitchen:	A tabletop or apron looks impressive in the dining room, especially if the doorway is decorated with artificial stone. A stone sink is practical in this interior. For the kitchen-living room, stone masonry helps in zoning the space.

Laying artificial stone (video)

Preparation and finishing process

The interior element that is used for the walls can be made independently. Most people want to decorate a room inexpensively and at the same time create a great decor. That is why the technologies for producing artificial stone from gypsum are described in detail in most sources. Photos and videos make the manufacturing process simple even for a beginner. The form is created individually. Painting of artificial stone is carried out both during the process of mixing solutions and when pouring into molds.

Important! Plaster goes well with decorative stone, so you should think in advance about a combination of two popular materials.

First of all, laying stone requires preparing the base. It is necessary to clean the surface, remove old trellises and remove greasy and dirty stains from the base. The tiles are glued to a flat surface, so visible unevenness must be puttied. Small flaws can be smoothed out by thickening the adhesive solution.

Tools you will need for finishing:

1. Spatulas.
2. Metal brush.
3. Rubber mallet.
4. Level and plumb lines.
5. File – necessary for cutting stone.
6. Joining - makes it possible to make a beautiful seam.
7. Glue.
8. Roulette.
9. Special clothing.

There are two ways to glue a stone. The first option is seamless. It's much faster and easier to do. You need to glue the seam with crosses that will not allow the tiles to move - after each laid row, use a level to check. The door should be sealed during the wall covering process. If there are large irregularities, plasterboard is used, it creates a perfectly flat surface for cladding.

Having removed all the flaws and old finishing materials, the wall is primed. This improves the adhesion of the finishing material to the base. While the surface dries, the decorative material is laid out on the floor, trimmed, and sanded if necessary. The adhesive solution is mixed in certain proportions; in addition, it must be remembered that the mixture must be consumed 15 minutes after preparation.

You should not prepare a large amount of glue. Apply the solution in a thin layer to the wall – and, if necessary, to the tiles. By lightly pressing the tile against the wall, it is fixed in the required position. The next element is applied after the previous one has set. You should start designing from the bottom corner.

Important! The use of corner tiles allows you to speed up finishing work.

Khrushchevka is a housing that combines a shared bathroom with a bathroom, small kitchens and often narrow corridors. It is difficult to create a living room look in such a room, but an artificial element can do this too. A striking example of this is the large number of photographs and completed repairs.

Photo gallery of finished works

Previously, the situation with precious stones was simple and clear: wealthy people wore jewelry, and ordinary people were content with ordinary jewelry with more affordable gems. Now the situation has changed radically, because modern man learned to create large quantities of precious stones artificially. What are such products, what is their feature and what properties do they have?

Features of creation

Synthetic gems are a complete analogue of natural gems. The difference lies only in the nuances of creation - artificial jewelry is created in laboratories or special factories, where a large number of specialists help the stone to be “born”, observing all the subtleties of the technological process. In terms of chemical and physical characteristics, artificial stone fully corresponds to its natural counterpart, therefore it cannot be considered a glass imitation or fake. This is a high-quality, full-fledged analogue.

Precious gems that are created under artificial conditions have another name - grown jewelry stone. It fully reflects their essence. The technologies for creating artificial jewelry are completely identical to the conditions that nature creates for them.

But technology significantly reduces the time it takes to create stones. If a natural gem can be created over hundreds of years, then an artificial analogue will require several hours, in rare cases - several months. Initially, equipment and technology for creating artificial stones were very expensive. Therefore, the stones could not be too cheap. But this process is constantly being improved, due to which the cost of such jewelry decreases.

Scientists have spent a lot of time, effort and money developing synthetic stones. And their discoveries have great value which consists of the following factors:

• reduction in the cost of jewelry, which has become more affordable with artificial gems;
• creating the perfect stone without unnecessary inclusions and other shortcomings, because nature does not always manage to create the perfect gem;
• replacement of precious stones, the reserves of which are not unlimited in the bowels of the earth;
• expanding opportunities for the use of precious stones in industrial applications.

Noble motives motivated the scientists. Unfortunately, their creations have opened up opportunities for fraud, as many try to pass off artificial stone as natural and make good money at the same time.

Varieties

Since the production of the first artificial gemstone, scientists have been able to significantly expand the list of gems that can be created in laboratory conditions. Synthetic gems are presented in a large assortment, among which the following options are the most significant and interesting.

Diamond

Diamonds are actively produced artificially, moreover, this stone was one of the first to be synthesized. Now it will not be difficult for scientists to create a 15-carat diamond. Many jewelers use these stones in their jewelry, passing them off as real. It is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish a real nugget from an artificial one, because scientists are constantly improving their skills. A real stone has mineral inclusions, while artificial diamonds have metal inclusions.

Artificial nuggets are not low in cost because the process of creating them is expensive.

Ruby and sapphire

They are also actively created in artificial conditions. To obtain them, titanium oxide is added to the starting material. After going through the cutting process, the synthesized stone acquires the star-shaped effect that is inherent in natural ruby ​​and sapphire. Such stones are characterized by a number of properties and features:

• porosity at zero level;
• strength that does not change even when exposed to aggressive factors;
• high levels of transparency;
• immunity to substances related to ordinary acids and most alkaline substances;
• density is in the range of 3.98 – 3.99;
• hardness index is 9;
• the stone quickly becomes warm if you hold it in your hand, unlike its natural counterpart.

Emerald

There are two methods used to produce synthetic emeralds: flux and hydrothermal. To grow crystals, a beryl seed is used. Over the course of a day, such an emerald grows by 0.8 mm. The process of making such gems is expensive, so the cost of artificial and natural stone is not much different. Fake emerald in most cases has a pronounced zonation of coloring, which highlights its origin. Also, such gems may contain tubular inclusions and brown inclusions of iron oxides.

Quartz

Obtained artificially is very common. An important variety of this gem is hydrothermal amethyst. This stone can often be found in jewelry, because it is very similar to its counterpart. It can be very difficult to distinguish an artificial stone from a natural one; only complex diagnostics can help. Another variety of quartz is ametrine

, it is also produced using the hydrothermal method. Ametrine is distinguished by its color zoning and twinning structure.

It is one of the few artificial stones that do not have a natural analogue. Cubic zirconia is popularly called an artificial diamond for its similarity to this precious stone. In reality, cubic zirconia has nothing in common with a diamond.

Sitall

It is an artificial analogue of topaz. All its properties are as close as possible to topaz. Sitall is characterized by crystal transparency and wide range shades. Jewelry craftsmen love this stone, because even in large pieces, glass ceramic is flawless in all respects.

Garnetite

It is created from yttrium-aluminum oxide, which is characterized by the structure of garnet. This stone in its pure form has no color, it is characterized by a density of 4.54 and a hardness of 8 (Mohs scale). To obtain granite, special equipment is used and special conditions are created (high temperature and vacuum). Crystals are drawn from the melt.

The use of one or another additive allows you to color the stone in different shades.

Pearl

We also learned how to grow in an artificial environment. For this purpose, shellfish are used that are kept in special conditions. Pearls obtained under artificial conditions may differ from natural pearls in their ideal shape, but in general they look the same, they have the same shine and shimmer that natural pearls have. The duration of creating a pearl can last 7 years. When growing pearls, you can give them the desired shape and achieve the required size.

Sapphire crystal

This is monocrystalline aluminum. This material is ideal for making watches. The structure of sapphire glass is very similar to synthetic sapphires. The differences lie in a high degree of transparency and wear resistance, which is why the glass in the products long time retains its properties and increases the service life of the entire mechanism.

Advantages and disadvantages

These jewelry are unique and have a number of features that make them stand out and make them attractive in the eyes of craftsmen and connoisseurs of beauty. The advantages include the following characteristics:

• ideal cut, which is not always available for natural gemstones;
• brighter color and cleaner structure, which is not always found in natural stones;
• lack of reaction to an oily environment (while natural ones can fade even from long-term contact with human skin);
• maximum refractive index;
• more affordable price;
• durability and easy maintenance.

Artificial stone can increasingly be found in the design of apartments and houses. Its popularity is easily explained by its high aesthetic and technical characteristics. The variety of types of this material allows you to choose it to match any color shades of the interior and the intended style solution.

Artificial stone for interior wall decoration may have different performance characteristics, depending on the base on which it is produced, and, accordingly, vary significantly in price. To know what types of such original finishing are produced today, and which one is best to choose for decorating the premises of an apartment or house, it makes sense to consider the most popular ones.

Read step by step instructions, as in a new article on our portal.

Main types of artificial stone

Artificial stone is divided not only according to its external relief and color scheme, but also according to the material of manufacture. Nowadays in construction stores You can find decorative finishes of this type made on the basis of cement, gypsum, quartz and acrylic. In addition, there is such an unusual material as “flexible stone”, produced in sheets or tiles.

Cement-based artificial stone

This type of artificial stone is made from a composition based on Portland cement, to which materials such as sand, plasticizers, coloring pigments, hydrophobic substances and reinforcing additives are added. The scope of use of such stone is quite wide, and it can be used for finishing both internal and external surfaces.

There are enough varieties of cement-based artificial stone to choose one of them to decorate your living space, making an original design.

The main advantages of cement-based artificial stone

Cement-based artificial stone can be characterized as follows:

• The high strength of the surface formed by this material makes it resistant to most mechanical influences.
• Cement artificial stone is moisture resistant and does not respond to changes in humidity environment and is not favorable environment for the formation of microflora colonies.
• Resistance to any chemical influences allows this finish to be used in absolutely any premises, as well as for
• A long service life makes it possible to forget about repairs for a long time in those rooms where artificial stone is used for decoration.
• The fire safety of the material does not limit its use in any area of ​​the apartment or house - these can be hallways and corridors, balconies, as well as the walls of stoves and fireplaces.
• Opportunity is very important self-repair cement-based artificial stone. If it is damaged or chipped, it can always be restored and given its original appearance.
• The aesthetics of the finishing material is undeniable, especially since it is produced in various versions, imitating numerous types of natural stone. In addition, this type of stone goes well with plastered surfaces that have different reliefs.

It must also be said about the lack of this material. Cement-based artificial finishing stone is quite heavy, which makes its installation somewhat difficult. To facilitate the installation process, you need to choose the right adhesive composition with which to carry out the cladding.

fake diamond

Manufacturing of material

It is quite possible to make cement-based artificial stone at home.

To make stone at home, you will need the following materials:

• Portland cement.
• River sand of fine fraction.
• A plasticizer, which can be used as PVA glue.
• Fiberglass mesh for reinforcement.
• Clean tap water.

The tools needed to work in the manufacture of any type of artificial stone are not very diverse. Of these you need to prepare:

• Container for mixing the solution.
• Electric drill with mixer attachment.
• Putty knife.
• Selected silicone or polyurethane mold for pouring the solution.

Manufacturing work is carried out in the following order:

• The first step is to mix the dry mass, consisting of sand and cement, taken in a 3:1 ratio.
• If a dry dye is chosen, it is also added to the mixture of cement and sand. All ingredients are thoroughly mixed using a mixer.
• Then, water and 250 grams of PVA glue per 8 liters of solution are added to the mixture, which should have the consistency of thick sour cream. If the dye chosen is liquid, then it is added at the stage of mixing the solution with water.
• The finished mixture is poured into the mold up to half its height, then it is shaken. It will be very successful if you can make something like a vibrating table - the process of filling molds with solution will be much simpler.

• The next step is to place a reinforcing mesh of the required size on the solution.
• The rest of the solution is laid out on top of the mesh, compacted (shaken) as much as possible and leveled with a spatula along the height of the mold walls.
• After the solution has set, a grid about 5 mm deep is drawn on the back of each tile with a sharp object. It is necessary for better adhesion of the tiles to the wall during cladding.

After the manipulations, the solution in the molds is left to dry for 12-16 hours, after which the resulting fragments are removed from the mold and laid out on a flat surface. They should remain in this position until completely dry.

After the finished stones are removed from the mold, they must be immediately rinsed well.

Gypsum artificial stone

Gypsum has long been widely used for the manufacture of various decorative interior elements - artificial stone is no exception. The material has excellent qualities that are ideal for interior decoration. Such advantages include:

• Environmentally friendly finishing.
• Heat and sound insulating properties of the material.
• Practicality and affordability.
• The artificial stone is light in weight, which simplifies its installation.
• There is a possibility of repair and restoration.

An artificial finishing stone from gypsum can also be made independently, but you need to take into account the property of the base material to set quickly, so you should not mix a large amount of solution. It needs to be prepared as much as necessary for pouring into one mold.

So, to make this type of stone you will need:

• White gypsum G5.
• Slaked lime.
• Pure water.
• Dry pigment or water-based paint.

If you do not want to calculate the proportions that need to be observed when mixing the solution, you can use a ready-made dry composition for making stone, which has a very characteristic name “Stone maker”. This dry construction mixture is designed specifically for the independent production of this finishing material.

The tools you will need are the same as when mixing cement mortar.

The process of making stone from this material is carried out in the following sequence:

• The proportions are determined as follows: 1 kg of gypsum will require 600÷700 ml of water and 150÷200 grams of lime.
• First, the required amount of water is poured into the mixing container, in which the dye is mixed, if it is provided for by the selected stone model.

• Then, gypsum is poured into the water and thoroughly mixed with a mixer, after which lime is added to the solution and it is mixed well again. The mixture turns out to be quite liquid, which is convenient when filling the mold with it.
• Next, the form is placed on a flat surface. It is recommended to check the horizontality of its installation with a building level, otherwise the back side of the stone will turn out uneven, which means the masonry will be sloppy.
• Sometimes the dye is randomly passed inside the molds - this process is carried out to give the stone a more natural color.

• The next step is to pour the solution evenly into each of the cells of the mold. Due to the fact that the gypsum mass will have a liquid consistency, when producing stone you can do without a vibrating table, which is usually used to compact the mass in molds during factory production.

• When the form is filled, use a wide spatula to remove excess solution. The spatula is carefully pressed against the partitions of the mold, and the plaster is leveled along them with smooth movements.

• If all stages of the technological process are followed, then after 35–40 minutes the resulting blanks can be removed from the molds and laid out on shelves to completely harden and gain strength.

• If no dye was added to the solution, then it is better to paint the stone after fixing it to the wall, otherwise the tinting may be uneven.

Here you need to add that the composition of the mixture for making stone may include other ingredients in addition to gypsum. For example, fine sand, asbestos and white cement, as well as other materials, are often added to the solution.

Is it possible to make the necessary matrices yourself?

It turns out that this is also a quite accessible operation for the diligent home craftsman! Details of the process of making molds and casting facing tiles from different materials can be found in the instruction article posted on our portal.

Acrylic artificial stone

It can be said that artificial acrylic stone only has positive qualities except for the high price. True, one cannot discount the damage to its surface by abrasive materials.

This material is widely used today for finishing the interiors of residential and public buildings, and it is also used to make countertops for kitchen tables, window sills, kitchen sinks and bathroom sinks. Such widespread use is made possible thanks to the amazing qualities of this material:

• Ecological cleanliness.
• High strength.
• Absolute moisture resistance.
• The material is not flammable (however, at high temperatures it can lose strength and melt, but without releasing substances harmful to humans).
• Wear-resistant, and if damaged it can be easily restored.
• Light in weight, easy to mount on the wall.
• Acrylic artificial stone is antistatic and does not attract dust and dirt. Since any finish requires periodic cleaning, it is simply wiped with a soft cloth.

Factory-produced acrylic artificial stone contains the following ingredients:

• Environmentally friendly natural minerals released from white clay, which make up 75% of the total volume of the material.
• Stone chips obtained from marble, jasper, granite, serpentine, sandstone, amazonite, etc.
• Acrylic resin (polymethylmethacrylic) is a synthetic material.
• Natural coloring pigments that do not dissolve in water and organic solvents. It is thanks to them that the stone has numerous bright, transparent and rich shades.

Making acrylic stone is a complex technological process that requires special equipment. It includes several stages:

• Preparation of forms. They must be made of metal, glass, polyurethane or silicone. Their inside is coated with silicone or wax grease, which will prevent the composition from sticking to the walls of the mold.
• Then, all components are mixed in a vacuum mixer. This device allows you to avoid the formation of air bubbles in the resulting mass.
• The finished material is poured using the continuous casting method.
• Next, the mass hardens.
• After the composition has set, the products are removed from the molds and further processed using special equipment.

If you want to make this finishing material at home, you can try to carry out this process yourself, selecting all necessary ingredients and a suitable shape. However, there will be no sure guarantee that the stone will have all the qualities mentioned above.

The process must take place at a temperature not lower than +25 degrees, in the same sequence as described above. The following materials will be required for the work (their quantities are indicated as a percentage):

• Acrylic resin 25%.
• Hardener for acrylic resin 3÷4%.
• Filler – fine stone chips, washed sand, gravel or others minerals — 70%.
• Coloring pigments.

A small artificial acrylic stone will be ready in about three hours after pouring the mass into the mold. Once it has completely hardened, it can be sanded - if necessary.

Quartz artificial stone

Quartz artificial stone

Quartz stone can have various shapes and is used for finishing surfaces both inside and outside the house.

The material is made from a natural mineral - vein quartz, with the addition of high-quality polyester resin and coloring pigments. Quartz in this mass makes up 90÷93% of the total volume, the remaining 7÷10% comes from binder resins and coloring substances.

The technology for manufacturing this material in a factory is identical to the process for producing acrylic finishing stone, that is, mixing the mass occurs under created conditions of vacuum and high temperatures.

• Vein quartz, used as the main ingredient, is crushed into fine chips, washed, dried and sorted into fractions of different sizes.
• Next, depending on the chosen color scheme and textured surface, crushed quartz is mixed with coloring pigments.
• An unsaturated polyester resin is added to the resulting mixture, which binds the constituent ingredients.
• Then the prepared forms are filled with the resulting mass.

• The readiness time of the finishing material will depend on the selected binder composition.

As a rule, all data on the ingredient composition of the finished material is indicated on its packaging.

A distinctive feature of composite quartz stone is its high strength and resistance to mechanical stress and high temperatures. In addition, it is completely waterproof.

Thanks to all these qualities, this material is used for the manufacture of countertops, window sills and sinks. Finishing the walls with composite artificial stone makes their surfaces invulnerable to any influences, since it does not form chips, cracks, or collect any dirt. At the same time, the polyester binder resin gives the stone a certain elasticity, which allows it to withstand even tensile, compressive and bending loads.

You can also try making quartz decorative stone at home, using the recommendations for making acrylic finishing material.

If you don't want to work out self-production artificial stone, you can familiarize yourself with the models that can be found on sale, as well as find out their approximate price. This way it will be easier to navigate and calculate what will be more profitable - to purchase ready-made material for finishing, or to make it yourself.

Below is a table of popular models of artificial stone produced by various companies. All presented models are painted en masse during their manufacture, but may then have additional decorative surface tinting.

Company manufacturer	Composition (filler)	Model name, retail price m², (conditional price, tied to US $)
		Laminate	Natural shape	Sawn
VILLA DAVINCHI (Russia)	Concrete ceramics (ceramic chips)	"Talento" "Ortika" 28; 33	"Villages" "Palmeri" 23; 24,5; 36	"Castello" "Montebello" 36; 23; 24,5
DEKO STONE (Russia)	Sand, expanded clay	"Colorado", "Deco Stone" 36; 39	"Alcatraz" 35÷36	"Ancient Wall" "Russian courtyard" "Elegant" "Palace" 36÷37
FORELAND (Russia)	Sand, expanded perlite	"Vaulted Slate" "Edelweiss", "Elbrus" 36÷38	"Fortress Wall" "Mountain Rock" "Selenite", "Kungur" "River Stone" 36÷38	"Wild Stone" 23, "Dolenit" "Eurok" "Elegance" "Louis" "Bastion", "Nereus" "Tradirok" 36÷38
EUROKAM (Russia-Belgium)	Pumice, mineral filler, plasticizer	Arclen 35÷36	"Sever" "Foite" 31÷36	"Provimce" 35÷36
KAMROCK (Russia)		"Rocky Mountain" 27; 36; 97. "Ancient layer" 26; 36	"Terran" "Rough chip" 26÷36	"Old lock", "Weathered Tuff" "Dolomite" 22; 26; 36
CHELSEA GROUP (Russia)	Sand, expanded clay	"Versailles" "Monaco" 33; 36	"Biarritz" "Burgundy", "Alesstone" "Orly" 25.6÷36	"Loire", "Brittany" "Salon de Provence" "Marseilles" 22÷36
"Ekolit Consortium" (Russia)	Sand, expanded clay, mineral filler	"Stone Pile" "Mountain Range" "Wisconsin" 25.6÷36	"Feudal Estate" "Chipped Edge" "Limestone", "Ohio", "River Cliff" "Monarch", "Stone, cascade" "Quartz" 25.6÷36	"Medieval castle", "Berkshire" "England", "Stone Ledge" "Iowa" 25.6÷36

How to decorate walls with artificial stone?

If you have no experience in such work, then you first need to familiarize yourself with the nuances of performing such cladding. Detailed information is posted on the pages of our portal in the publication.

A special type is a flexible “stone”

Flexible artificial stone is not as popular as other finishing material options, although it is a good way to imitate a natural coating. However, despite the fact that this finish appeared on the market relatively recently, it is confidently gaining popularity due to its ease of installation and relatively affordable price compared to natural stone and other artificial varieties.

The flexible “stone” consists of two layers - it is a textile base, with sandstone chips or the thinnest cut of natural stone applied to its surface using polymers. The outer layer of this finish not only visually replicates the structure of the natural material, but is also almost as durable as it is.

Flexible “stone” sheets are manufactured using special technology and mainly in places where sandstone is directly mined, which is feedstock for this material. The raw material is combined with the textile base using an acrylic dispersion.

Flexible stone is produced in the form of canvases, wallpaper or slabs with a thickness of 2 to 5 mm, which can have different lengths and widths. The most common sizes are 50x600, 200x300, 800x400 and 2600x1300 mm, but in some cases the material is also made to order.

During installation, the flexible stone is cut using a construction knife or scissors. In the process of dividing the canvas into separate parts, no cracks or tears are formed on it.

Many manufacturers, in order to avoid damage during transportation, cover the front part of the “stone” with a protective film, which is removed from the finish after it is installed on the wall.

The main characteristics of this finishing material include its following qualities:

• The lightness of the canvas is only 3÷4 kg/m².
• Elasticity and flexibility.
• Absolutely non-flammable.
• Ecological cleanliness.
• Resistance to a wide range of temperatures: from - 45 to + 150 degrees.
• Possibility of installation on any surface.
• Water resistance and vapor permeability of flexible stone.
• The antistatic properties of the fabrics allow minimizing their maintenance.
• Long service life.
• Affordable price for products.
• The light transmission of some types of flexible stone makes it possible to arrange internal lighting for such finishing.
• A variety of textured patterns and colors.

To make a flexible “stone” you do not need complex equipment, so you can try making it at home.

The work will require, in principle, the same tools as in the manufacture of traditional artificial stone. To carry out all operations comfortably, you will need a spacious table and good lighting. Drying the finished material at home is carried out in a well-ventilated area. The canvases are laid out on racks.

From the materials it will be necessary to prepare fine stone chips and sifted sand, which is treated with coloring pigments.

flexible artificial stone

• The basis on which the crumb layer will be applied can be fiberglass fabric, which is treated with an adhesive composition (acrylic, silicone-acrylic, styrene-acrylic glue or polyester resin) with a layer of up to 2 mm.

• Mineral chips are applied to the glue layer and evenly distributed, which should be immersed in the glue. The crumb can be applied in strips of different shades or a single-color layer can be laid, onto which, after the glue has dried, paint can be applied using a spray bottle or brush.
• To level the poured mineral layer, thick glass is sometimes placed on top of it, which will cover the entire canvas.
• After the glue has dried, the flexible stone sheets are cut to the intended size for the most convenient installation on the wall.

Installation of flexible stone has some nuances that you need to know before starting work. The process is somewhat reminiscent of gluing conventional wallpaper, but it also has significant differences.

• To install a seamless wall covering, you will need a hair dryer, a rubber roller and a regular roller, as well as a notched and regular trowel.

• Except for sheets of flexible stone. To prepare the surface of the walls, gluing and coating the finishing material, you will need a primer, glue and acrylic-based varnish.
• The surface for installation of flexible stone must be flat, without significant damage. Before gluing the material, the walls must be thoroughly treated with an acrylic primer. This layer will increase adhesion between the finishing material and the surface.
• The adhesive can be applied to the finishing material or to the wall. A level spatula is usually used for this process. They go over the applied glue with a notched trowel, leaving grooves that will ensure the most even distribution of the adhesive base.
• Installation of sheets of flexible material is carried out end-to-end, while tiles can be glued at a certain distance from each other.

Gluing the material end-to-end allows you to obtain a seamless coating. When installing tiles, the seams between them, as in the case of ceramic material, will need to be carefully sealed after the glue has completely dried.

• When choosing a seamless finishing method, a hair dryer is used to mask the seams. With its help, the edges of the canvas are heated, ensuring their fusion with each other. For a more durable connection, the heated joint of the sheets is rolled with a rubber roller. Using the same tool, you can easily give the desired configuration to a tile or canvas, for example, when gluing an arch or column.

In addition, a hair dryer is used to heat up sheets or tiles when bending them at the corners. In such cases, when gluing, the material is additionally pressed with a wooden spatula, which ensures a reliable and neat fit to the wall.

• Installation of the canvases is carried out according to the same principle as with the use of conventional wallpaper - starting from a line cut along the ceiling or a fixed ceiling plinth. To maintain the quality of the finish, it is best to stick the wallpaper together with two people, since this material is still much heavier than regular wallpaper.
• The tiles are installed from the lower plinth or from a broken line along the floor.
• If, when gluing the material in difficult places, a crease with a crack has formed on it, this can be repaired with an acrylic primer. It penetrates deep into the crease, and then it is rubbed over with a piece of flexible stone.
• After the installation work is completed and the glue has dried, the surface of the flexible stone is coated with a special acrylic varnish, which is applied using a roller.

Now that you have received information about what material the artificial stone is made from and its main characteristics, you can choose one of the existing options. Next, you will have to make a decision - whether to make it yourself, trying to save a decent amount of money on this, or to purchase the finishing in finished form, and thereby save yourself from unnecessary hassle.

An interesting video clip presented to the reader’s attention will additionally help you make the right choice:

Creating an imitation of masonry on a wall with your own hands

There are other options for forming artificial stone that anyone, even those without experience, can do. In order to master these techniques, it is enough to practice on a small sheet of plywood. From the ones offered, you can choose the option that is more suitable in terms of the complexity of the execution and the level of preparedness of the home craftsman.

Read also useful information How to do it in our new article on our portal.

One of these methods is so simple that it does not even require any complex tools, since it can be completely done with the simplest devices at hand. The other is complicated by the fact that to reproduce the relief pattern you will need a polyurethane or silicone stamp, which, however, can also be made independently.

The convenience of these methods is that any construction material, used to make stone by pouring the mixture into the molds described above. The choice of material mainly depends on which wall will be decorated: external or internal. For example, for facade finishing it is better to choose a cement-based mixture, and for interior surface decoration any material is suitable, the main thing is that it is environmentally friendly and does not emit an unpleasant odor.

The first option is with manual creation of the relief

The advantage of this method of forming stone is that you can choose any relief for the wall that you would like to decorate the surface with. Moreover, during the design process you can change or adjust the design if, when applying stone shapes to the wall, you don’t like something or if some original idea comes to mind.

The wall can be partially or completely covered with stone relief, and nothing will have to be adjusted or sawed for this. Due to the fact that such simulation technology does not require an application physical strength, all design work may well be done by women’s hands. And what is most important is that when producing such finishing, you can improvise, as it provides an opportunity to use the creative abilities of the master.

Next, an option for creating a fairly simple masonry relief will be presented. Although, it should be noted that it can be even simpler, for example, imitation of smooth brickwork, which is also often performed using the same technique.

To paint such reliefs, white acrylic paint and pigments are used to color it.

Illustration
	As with any other wall cladding, the creation of artificial stone begins with the preparation of their surfaces. If the wall is relatively flat and has a reliable plaster layer that is well fixed to the wall, then the wall only needs to be treated with a deep penetration primer.
	Treating the surface with a primer will create conditions for high adhesion between the wall and the material from which the relief will be formed. If the wall requires repair, then the appropriate operations are first carried out - this can be the application of regular or fastening dry plaster, after which the surface is also primed. It must be emphasized that when decorating walls using the technology under consideration, ideal surface smoothness is not required.
	The first step is using a simple pencil The surface to be designed is marked. If this is a certain area of ​​the wall, then it must be immediately limited by lines. Next, a drawing of the future relief is applied to the wall, also using a pencil. If you plan to create a composition in which it is necessary to adhere to ideal horizontal and vertical lines, then for the work you will need a regular or laser building level.
	After the design is applied to the surface, and in the case where it is planned to create a relief using acrylic putty, the wall is additionally treated with acrylic primer, which includes fine-grained quartz filler. The primer is applied using a roller with a foam attachment.
	The next step is to stick narrow strips of masking tape over the applied pattern. It tears easily and sticks well to any surface, so it will be easy to form strips of various widths from it. They are glued along the contour of each element of the future relief.
	One thing needs to be clarified here important point– all adhesive tape must be pointwise connected to each other, and its ends must extend beyond the boundaries of the relief and remain free. This is necessary so that this “grid” can be freely removed after a layer of acrylic putty has been applied. In addition, a wide strip of adhesive tape should limit the area where the relief will be made - in the example under consideration, it is glued along the upper edge of the future “masonry”.
	A putty mixture or a solution based on white cement is applied over the glued “grid” of adhesive tape. The thickness of the applied layer will depend on the depth of the relief planned to be formed. However, it is not recommended to apply a layer that is too thick - it would be best to emphasize the volume with color during the final finishing of the “masonry”.
	The mixture should be applied with a spatula or trowel, leaving streaks or other relief patterns on the surface. The layer thickness in this case should be no more than 2÷3 mm. If you plan to make a deeper relief, 5–6 mm, then the solution can be thrown onto the surface, and then carefully distribute the edges of each sketched area along the contour of the stone drawn on the wall.
	In this case, a layer of small thickness is selected, but the relief is close to natural stone it still needs to be created. For this purpose, a stiff brush is used, which is pressed and sharply torn away from the mortar applied to the wall, lifting it slightly.
	The next step is to slightly “cultivate” the raised areas of the solution, slightly smoothing the resulting sharp protrusions. The work is carried out with a smoothing iron or trowel.
	Now the moment has come when it is necessary to remove the masking tape located along the contour of the stone from the wall. Leaving the loose ends of the tape will help in this process. By pulling one of them, you need to gradually remove the entire glued “grid”. In some places, the tape may come off, and to continue removing it, the edges of the strip are pryed off with a stationery knife.
	The result should be a relief that, from a distance, will look like the one shown in the illustration.
	If you look closely at the relief obtained at this stage of work, you will notice that it bears little resemblance to what we would like to achieve in the end. Therefore, you still have to seriously work on the wall by applying color.
	But before moving on to applying tinting and creating volume using color, the entire surface is carefully cleaned with a grater with a sandpaper medium grit, or a stiff brush. However, you should not press the tool too hard against the relief. To create more volume, it is recommended to clean the edges of the “stones” separately in order to somewhat round off the clarity of the resulting edges.
	The next operation is to apply different pastel shades of one or several tones, close to each other, to the surface with strokes. To create a deeper visual volume, you need to keep in mind that the brightest place (highlight) is in the central part of the surface, closer to the light source. When creating volume, the darkest places are located on the opposite side of the highlight, in the shadow area of ​​the stone, near the seam. It should also be taken into account that the location of highlights and shadows on all elements of the masonry should be almost the same.
	Having spread several shades over the surface until the paint has absorbed and dried, they are carefully rubbed with a soft cloth, simultaneously mixing with each other, but remembering the rule of maintaining a balance of light and shadow.
	Next, you need to highlight the “masonry” seams. They can stand out brightly or differ only by a few tones from the main color of the stone. In this version of the seam, a dark color is given, but with further creation of volume they will fade somewhat into the background.
	This illustration clearly shows that the “masonry” is illuminated on the left side, so the master placed the highlight there, applying light paint to the corresponding edge of the “stones.” However, it should not look unnatural, so the highlight is erased so that its edges smoothly merge with the rest of the surface. After this, the surface must be dried
	Next, you need to add a little light white to the dark paint that was used to mark the seams, and then dilute it with water to a liquid state. Using a soft brush, the entire surface to be decorated is covered with this composition. And immediately, without pause, this layer of paint is wiped off with a soft, moisture-absorbing cloth. The protruding parts of the relief are processed with special care - dark paint is left in the recesses on the shadow side of the stone. At the final stage, with a thin brush, individual areas of the seams on the shadow side are emphasized, however, these strokes should be barely noticeable.

In order to create volume with color on the almost flat surface of the “stones”, it is recommended to find a natural sample that has a surface similar to the one that is planned to be imitated on the masonry elements. Further, by placing it in front of you while working, you can consider how light and shadow are distributed over it, transferring this harmony to the artificial “stones in the masonry” being created.

The second option is using a stamp form

This method of decorating walls with artificial stone can be used to decorate interior and exterior surfaces. The main thing is to choose a suitable material that will be resistant to operating conditions. The technique of forming a relief using a template-stamp is quite simple and accessible for independent execution.

Let's look at a similar technique step by step using an example - see the table below.

Creating a masonry relief using a stamp - step by step

Illustration	Brief description of the operation performed
	In order to reproduce an imitation of masonry on the wall, you will need a dry mixture “Ceresit ST24” (for porous concrete walls) or “ST29” (for other bases), from which the solution will be mixed. In addition, you will need a primer composition, which is best made from the Ceresit CT85 adhesive mixture mixed with the Ceresit СС81 adhesive additive. Mixing the mixture is carried out according to the manufacturer's instructions located on the packaging. To work you will need an electric drill and a mixer attachment.
	In this case, a master class is presented on the technology of decorating a wall using a ready-made stamp imitating “wild stone”. The work begins with applying a deep penetration primer to the surface to be decorated (for smooth concrete surfaces it is better to use “concrete contact”). After it has dried, the mixed primer solution described above is applied to sections of the wall using a notched trowel. It must dry well, since its purpose is to create better adhesion for the thicker next plaster layer to the wall surface. So, the first portion to be mixed is to apply a thin adhesive layer to the surface, so you should not make too much of the solution.
	When the adhesive layer has completely set, next step The main plaster mortar is poured onto the prepared surface in a layer of 4–6 mm. This work starts from the bottom of the wall. Having poured the solution onto an area measuring approximately 500×500 mm, it is leveled. But at the same time, absolute evenness or smoothness of the base is not required.
	The mortar is leveled using a wide spatula, trowel or trowel, starting from the bottom of the wall surface, gradually moving upward. The thickness of this layer can be from 15 to 30 mm.
	Next, the raw plastered surface is treated with an anti-adhesive agent - this must be done so that the stamp does not stick to the solution, but is easily separated from the wall after it is pressed to its surface.
	It is necessary to treat not only the surface of the wall, but also the stamp itself. A special agent or a solvent such as white spirit, familiar to all builders, can be used as a release agent. Application is best done using a spray bottle, since when sprayed, the solution will moisten the entire surface and get into the most inaccessible recesses of the mold.
	After surface treatment, the stone relief is immediately formed. The stamp is placed on the upper or lower edge of the wall and pressed firmly against the layer of plaster, as it should leave a clear imprint on the wet mortar.
	With the next pressing, the stamp is installed so that its protruding elements at the edges, in this case the teeth, are installed in areas not covered by the first print. They continue to use this procedure, covering the entire surface of the wall or its individual sections with relief.
	When crossing a flat surface of plaster with a corner, the stamp is pressed against it as shown in this illustration, but the teeth must also line up with the previous impression.
	Upon completion of this stage of work, the fresh, undried wall should look something like this. It is left until completely dry - this period is also indicated on the packaging bag of the selected plaster solution. Next, the relief surface must be primed with a deep penetration compound and dried.
	After the soil has dried, the wall is tinted in several shades. They will emphasize the volume and bring the relief closer to natural stone in natural shades.
	First, a layer of paint is applied, which will determine the overall color of the surface. It is applied in strokes with a brush and then spread with a sponge, which will smooth out the edges of the strokes and make the painted layer softer and more even.
	Now, without waiting for the first layer to dry, darker shades are applied, designed to emphasize the depth of the volume of the relief. To do this, a darker, cool tone is added to the paint of the original color, and then the composition is thoroughly mixed.
	In this case, the artist chose an ink-violet paint, which, when mixed with pastel ocher, gave the composition a lilac hue.
	This color is applied in short and sometimes dotted strokes, which are placed mainly in the recessed areas of the relief over the entire surface.
	The result of this stage of work should be such an unattractive, at first glance, wall. Don't worry, it will later turn into a real work of art. The main advantage of this method of painting is that it is almost impossible to spoil it, since it is always possible to correct areas of the relief that you don’t like.
	The next step is to smooth out the clearly defined strokes of a cold shade with the help of a sponge with the base layer. Their edges are distributed, mixed with the painted surface, leaving the lilac color only in some of the depressions of the relief.
	The final stage is highlighting the protruding elements of the relief in one of the light shades. In the example shown, a matte yellow color is prepared for this. To obtain it, yellow pigment is added to white and mixed well.
	This shade is also applied to the protruding parts of the relief in short strokes, which should follow the shape of the protrusions. This process is carried out using a sponge, on which there should be sufficiently thick paint.
	After this, the edge of a sponge, which should be dipped in water and wrung out, chaotically blurs the sharp edges of the applied strokes, merging them with the overall composition of the coating. Only small areas of the upper regions of the volumetric relief remain light.
	As a result of applying layers of different colors, a wall is obtained that has a voluminous, beautiful relief that imitates “wild stone”, which will adhere securely to the surface of the wall. The final stage of work is the processing of artificial stone with matte decorative varnish “Ceresit ST750 Opal”. After this, the surface texture takes on a finished look.
	The relief wall can be tinted in different shades, according to the taste of the master or the customer. It should be in harmony with the overall color scheme of the interior or facade of the house.
	It is necessary to add a few words about another method of painting artificial stone, reproduced on the wall using a stamp. This technique is suitable for those who are not confident in their ability to correctly select shades of color and apply them using watercolor technique.
	A similar method involves applying dry powder coloring pigments with a brush to a damp plastered surface before forming a relief on it with a stamp. Having carried out such painting on a small section of the wall, a three-dimensional pattern is immediately formed on it.
	Then, when the pigment is saturated with moisture from the solution, it transforms with it into a single surface. After the plaster layer has dried, such a stone is also covered with the protective varnish mentioned above.

So, to work in this technique of reproducing a three-dimensional pattern, you will need a special stamp, which is not so easy to find. However, if desired, you can make it yourself.

You can look up the original sample form on the Internet, make a drawing and a template of the required parameters, sculpt it from plasticine or form it from tile adhesive. In addition, you can purchase one or more ready-made tiles of artificial stone, and then make a casting from silicone or polyurethane on them.

How to make your own stamp for “masonry” - step by step

Illustration	Brief description of the operation performed
	First of all, you need to prepare a workplace - it should be a spacious table on which the formwork can be used for pouring the mold. The bottom of the formwork is placed on the table, which should be 200 mm larger than the form being made on each side. Any material with a smooth surface, for example, a chipboard panel with a plastic coating, is used as this formwork element.
	Next, the initial sample is placed on the shield, from which the matrix will be removed. In this case, to make a stamp, paving slabs measuring 305×305×25 mm are used as a sample with a suitable textured surface. You will need four of them. As already mentioned, homemade models can also be used as a sample, for example, those made from plasticine or molded according to the owner’s wishes from ordinary ceramic tile adhesive. Everything depends only on the creativity of the master - and the technology of further work does not change significantly. If you are using a model made from a porous material, it should be coated with a composition that seals the pores. However, experienced craftsmen advise carrying out similar processing with any type of sample - the quality of the matrix will only increase from this.
	In this example, “Sonite Wax” is used for external processing of samples - this is a paste-like wax-based composition intended for sealing surfaces before filling them with molding materials. On the market you can find not only imported pore fillers, but also Russian-made pastes, for example, the “Kristallin W16” composition from the STROYMOST company is popular.
	The top and side surfaces of the slabs are coated with a sealing compound. After the treated models are dried, they are laid with the relief side up, on the bottom of the formwork in two rows with a shift of exactly half the slab - this value is important, since when applying a relief to the wall, the masonry must be continued, so the protruding parts of the upper and lower The rows must be exactly the same size. All seams between the plates in this version of the stamp are 10 mm.
	The next step is to trace the slab exactly along the contour of the laid out configuration with a pencil, so that a clear line remains.
	After sketching, the model elements are removed, since they need to be firmly fixed to the base using a quick-drying adhesive.
	For this purpose, it is quite possible to use silicone hot melt adhesive, which is applied around the perimeter of each of the plates using a special gun.
	After applying the glue strips, the sample is laid along the marked contour and pressed against the base. This operation is repeated with all parts used as models. Since this silicone glue hardens quickly, after gluing the last slab, you can proceed to the next operations within 5-7 minutes.
	The assembly of the formwork begins. For this stage of work, slats with a thickness of 10 mm and a width of approximately 25 mm will be required. And their length should correspond to the dimensions of the sides of the laid slabs. The slats are temporarily installed along the entire perimeter of the slab structure, close to their sides.
	Next, markings are also made along the slats installed along the perimeter on the bottom of the formwork, since the walls of the formwork will be installed along the outer contour of the temporarily installed slats, which means it is necessary to mark the lines. In addition, measurements are taken of each side of the model along with the attached slats. This is necessary in order to find the exact lengths of the sides that will be needed to prepare the formwork walls.
	The height of the formwork walls must be at least 75 mm. For their manufacture, you can use the same material as for the base, that is, chipboard panels with a thickness of 18 to 25 mm with an external plastic coating. The next step is to cut out the formwork walls according to the measurements taken.
	The walls are securely twisted together at each corner of the structure with two self-tapping screws. In this case, the gaps between the model slabs and the formwork are strictly observed; they should be 10 mm - this is exactly what the temporarily installed slats are used for.
	Now the slats laid along the perimeter of the slabs can be removed - they have already played their role. But in order to accurately center the formwork box, wedges made from scraps of the same slats are inserted. They will not allow the box to move until the seams are securely sealed.
	The next step is to cover the seams along the entire width and height of the slabs with plasticine. The plastic material is spread with a finger and, if necessary, deepened with a stack.
	At the same time, we must not forget that the surfaces of the seams must be given a shallow relief, which should also leave an impression on the finished polyurethane stamp.
	Excess plasticine that will extend onto the outer plane of the slabs must be removed, since the prints must be neat. The design looks something like this.
	Next, all joints of the walls and bottom of the formwork, as well as vertical seams at the corners of the structure, must be sealed with silicone hot melt adhesive and allowed to harden well.
	The next step is to coat the surface of the model and the inner walls of the formwork with an anti-adhesive compound. Craftsmen use different materials for it, including white spirit, Vaseline, grease and other compounds.
	Now, for the comfort of working with the finished stamp, you need to make comfortable handles for it. To do this, take two pieces of woven nylon tape 50 mm wide and 355 mm long. The segments are bent, their ends are placed on top of each other, approximately 35÷40 mm, and fastened in this place with staplers.
	Then the handles are put on a long rail and located at a distance of 300÷350 mm from each other.
	The lath is installed on the walls of the formwork and aligned in the center. In this case, this is done along the line dividing the rows of the created model. This arrangement will create balance in the stamp being made, which is very important for uniform distribution of effort when making impressions on a plastered wall.
	The loops should be located from the surface of the plates at a distance of 10÷15 mm, since they should not be visible on the surface of the stamp after the polyurethane has hardened. The gap created will separate the material of the handles from the surface of the stamp. Please note that the overlap of the tape, fastened with staples, is best positioned so that it is filled with polyurethane.
	The stamp can be made from molding silicone or polyurethane compound, which is intended specifically for casting forms of varying complexity. These materials most often consist of two components, which are mixed together immediately before pouring, since the lifespan of two-component compositions is short. Moreover, it may be different for different materials, so before use you need to carefully study the instructions on the packaging.
	The compositions are mixed in certain proportions, which are also indicated in the instructions. In addition to the two main components, a liquid tint of the selected color is usually added to the mixture. The components are mixed using a mixer attachment installed in an electric drill.
	After mixing, the finished composition is immediately poured into the formwork. It should spread freely over the surface of the slabs, filling the entire horizontal space and penetrating into the left recesses along the edges of the installed samples. Filling is done very carefully, in a smooth, small flow, so as not to cause aeration of the composition (the appearance of air bubbles), so that the stamp does not turn out to be porous.
	The material is poured in a layer of 30 mm and left until completely hardened. The readiness time for different materials may also vary. For those shown in this example, it is 48 hours at an air temperature of 23÷25 degrees and normal air humidity.
	After the specified time, it is necessary to separate the finished stamp from the walls of the formwork. To do this, carefully move between them with a clean spatula. Then, the walls of the formwork are untwisted and removed.
	The finished stamp will look like the one shown in the illustration. This device can be used to decorate the walls of the basement or to form a relief on the concrete screed of the yard. To decorate interior walls, it is recommended to make stamps of smaller sizes. In the example considered, the very principle of manufacturing this product, convenient for use, is presented, and the initial model is selected at the request of the master. And how to use such a stamp - we have already talked about this.