How to make an artificial stone with your own hands at home

Facing the base of the house, facade and interior walls with a stone is becoming more popular. And this is not surprising, since such design not only protects the surface from mechanical damage and pollution, but also becomes an effective decorative decoration. But the trouble is that the natural stone has a considerable mass, and it creates significant additional loads on the wall structures. In addition, it is quite difficult to work with him, and the cost of such finishing often leads to abandon such an approach.

There is a way out - use artificial stone for such purposes. It is lighter in weight and easier to handle, so it is not so difficult to work with it, fixing it on surfaces. Artificial stone perfectly replaces the natural, and it can be used not only for the decoration of walls, but also for facing flower beds and fountains, as well as for laying out garden paths.

It is also important that this finishing material has quite affordable price. But in order to achieve even more significant savings, many owners with a creative "vein" are asked the fair question of how to make an artificial stone with their own hands at home. Such an opportunity exists, and it is not so difficult to produce this material if you prepare everything that is required for the preparation of mortar, as well as to create molds with the desired relief of the future "stone".

What is an artificial stone?

Before we start to describe the technologies for manufacturing this finishing material, it is necessary to understand what it is and what it consists of.

Artificial stone can be made of various materials, which are chosen depending on which of the walls will be decorated - facade or interior.

So, for interior decoration, stone is more often made on the basis of gypsum, and for external - from cement mortar with various additives. The list of such additives includes materials that give the finished stone a relief pattern - it can be small gravel, sand, stone crumb and other components. In addition, to give the artificial stone the right shades, dry or diluted pigments are prepared. If several of them are used, it is important to select them in such a way that they harmoniously combine with each other.

To make the finishing stone qualitative, it is necessary to prepare a good shape for it. Having made the appropriate purchase or making it yourself once, you can make the necessary amount of stone, which will be used to transform the house or garden plot.

You should not buy a cheap plastic mold, as it can break after the first batch of manufactured stones. The best is the option of a matrix made of silicone, as it will last a long time and will help to produce as much finishing material as needed.

Mold making for artificial stone

In specialized stores you can find ready-made sets for making this finishing material, which simplifies the work even more, but for any owner it is quite feasible to execute the forms yourself.

For example, a certain design for a particular surface is conceived, and a stone that is best suited for this style is too expensive, or it was not possible to select the desired variant for shading. In this case it is possible to purchase one or more tiles of a shop artificial stone, and on the basis of the acquired samples to make the necessary shapes.

In addition, as a basis for the template can be taken and a real stone with a nice texture pattern, which can not be found in stores.

As a "source" for the manufacture of the matrix does not necessarily have to be used stone or tile. Often, it takes wood with a beautiful texture pattern, which is previously deepened.

Forms can be single or complex. The first is much easier to make than the second, because they do not need too large formwork and use a large amount of silicone. However, it should immediately be noted that in the future, the artificial stone itself will become both easier and faster with a complex variant of the matrix, because the output will produce several finished products at once.

In any case, for the formwork you will have to find a self-made or made of a plywood box or a box of cardboard. This element should have dimensions of 10 ÷ 15 mm wider and 25 ÷ 30 mm higher than the original sample, on which the mold will be made. If the stone should have very small dimensions, then for the formwork is suitable even a normal juice box, cut from one of the wide sides. It has sufficient rigidity to withstand silicone fill.

You can do the same in another way by combining several boxes of juice, keeping a distance of 10 ÷ 12 mm between them. But at the same time - this lumen should be hermetically closed, as it will become the wall between the future forms.

Further, you can proceed to prepare the initial sample and the casting material. As it can be used silicone sealant, polyurethane or a specially designed for similar purposes compound, consisting of two components.

Silicone mold

Silicone sealant is sold in tubes or buckets, and you need to purchase the volume of material that is needed to make the mold.

• When formwork is ready, any grease is applied to its internal walls - it can even be ordinary solidol.
• Next, the original element is laid on the bottom of the formwork - it can be natural stone, tile with flat surfaces, ready-made version of artificial stone, board or other object, on which the mold will be made.
• Then, placed in the formwork object is also lubricated with fatty substance - this must be done in order that the silicone can be easily removed after it has solidified.

Here it is necessary to note an important point - if the finished sample is a ready-made artificial gypsum stone, then it is first covered with two or three layers of varnish or varnish, each of which must be well dried.

• The next step is to prepare the soap solution, which is necessary for wetting the brush and spatula used for laying out and distributing the silicone inside the formwork.

• If silicone is purchased in a tube, then it is squeezed out into the formwork completely, and then, dipping the brush into a soap solution, is distributed inside the box. In this case, it is very important to ensure that the silicone tightly, without the formation of air sinuses attached to the sample of the stone, which is laid on the bottom of the formwork. For this, the laid out composition is not simply smoothed with a brush, but is compacted.

• Filling the formwork to the required level, the surface of the silicone is leveled with a spatula, which is also wetted in a soap solution.
• After the work is completed, the casing with silicone is left for polymerization.

To hurry with the removal of the form should not be - the longer it stays untouched, the better the matrix will be, the more cycles of manufacturing the artificial stone it will withstand. Polymerization comes from the outer surfaces into the interior of the silicone, and it is possible for the reference point to take its speed for 2 mm of thickness per day. So the process of full freezing of forms can take from several days and even up to several weeks, depending on the depth and thickness of the fill. Therefore, if it is decided to start making artificial stone at a certain time, for example, in the summer months, then preparation of the matrices should be done beforehand.

At the end of the design period, the formwork is removed from the structure. The resulting shape is carefully removed and rinsed from the lubricant, and only after that it will be ready for further use.

The table below shows the main technical characteristics of the silicone sealant that must be taken into account when making a matrix for an artificial stone:

Basic material values ​​	Normal values ​​	Results shown in the
test Time of surface film formation after squeezing out the sealant from the tube( minutes), notmore.	30	5 ÷ 25
Pot life( hours), not more.	8	6 ÷ 8
Conditional tensile strength MPa, not less than	0.1	0,4 ÷ 0,6
Relative elongation at break( %), not less than. Resistance to flow( mm), not more.	2	0 ÷ 1
Water absorption by mass( %) is no more than.	1	0,35 ÷ 0,45
Density( kg / m³), ​​not more than.	1200	1100 ÷ 1200
Durability, conditional years, not less than.	20	20

Matrices made of compound

Specialty stores for the manufacture of injection molds are also sold in specialized stores. Characteristics of one of such compositions of the domestic manufacturer of LLC PO "Technology-Plast", under the name "Silagerm 5035", can be considered in more detail.

This polyurethane compound, consisting of two components, is intended for the manufacture of molds. Moreover, when using such specialized formulations, the matrices are obtained with excellent physical characteristics and a large operational resource.

"Silagerm 5035" can be used not only in the production of molds for artificial stone, but for the manufacture of matrices intended for casting sculptures or architectural details from gypsum and other building materials.

The molding polyurethane compound "Silagerm 5035" is available in beige color and has different hardness parameters - 40 and 30 units.according to the Shore table.

The basic physical and technical characteristics of "Silagerm 5035" are given in the table:

Material key figures	Shore hardness 30 ± 3	Shore hardness 40 ± 3
Time of surface film formation after mixing of components( minutes), no more	40 ÷ 50	40 ÷ 50
Pot life( minutes), no more	60÷ 120	60 ÷ 120
Conditional tensile strength( Mpa), not less	3,0 ÷ 4,5	3,5 ÷ 5,0
Elongation at break( %), not less than	450 ÷ 600	400÷ 600
Shrinkage( %), not more than	1	0.8
Viscosity( centipoise, cPs).	3000 ÷ 3500	3000 ÷ 3500
Density( g / cm³), not more than.	1,03 ± 0,02	1,07 ± 0,02

The time for complete hardening of the finished mixture is only 24 hours.

The first step is the preparation of the initial sample, laid in the formwork. This process is somewhat different from the matrix made of silicone sealant.

• The original sample is cleaned of dust and dirt, and then dried well.
• After this, the formwork and model are treated with a double layer of solution consisting of wax dissolved in white spirit. Each of the layers should be well dried for 25-30 minutes. Instead, it is possible to use a special prepared wax release lubricant for processing. All described work should be carried out in a clean, dust-free room with normal humidity, since all components are very sensitive to its increase.
• Next, you can proceed to prepare the mixture itself. To do this, mix the components in 2: 1 proportions( paste: hardener).It is necessary to measure their quantity with a high accuracy - it is necessary to observe these proportions in order to achieve homogeneity of the mixture and its uniform solidification.

The components can be mixed with a spatula or a mixer attachment mounted on an electric drill. The tool is selected depending on the amount of material to be mixed. Using a mixer for cooking, the electric drill is turned on at low speed so that the mixture is not too porous due to the large number of air bubbles. If the components of the compound are not fully used, their residues should be immediately closed tightly with lids.

• Next, the resulting mass is slowly poured into the prepared mold, so that above the highest point of the original sample, the thickness of the fill is from 7 to 10 mm.

Compound can be applied and layered with a spatula, but this method is more complicated, since the proportions of the components need to be calculated separately.

After the mass has been poured into the formwork, it is necessary to try to remove it from air bubbles. To do this, the box can be given a slight vibration, slightly shaking and moving forward - back, and so several times. Then, it is necessary to give the formwork with the poured solution to settle for 5-10 minutes, and then remove the bubbles of air from the surface of the mass with a spatula.

. The mold is left for a day until complete solidification. Previously, removing it from the model is not recommended, since all the claimed qualities are still dialed only after 72 hours. Thus, after removing the matrix from the original sample, it is necessary to sustain it for another two days without using it. And only after this period the mold will be completely suitable for filling with a solution, even with a temperature reaching + 80 ÷ 120 degrees.

For the form to last as long as possible, before filling it with a solution of gypsum or cement it is recommended to lubricate its inner surface with a special separating grease "Tiprom 90".

Compound "Silagerm 5035" goes on sale in buckets of 1.5 and 7.5 kg.

Video: mold making example for artificial stone from silicone-polyurethane compound

Making artificial stone

As already mentioned above, an artificial stone can be made of different materials, but in this section we will consider the production of two variants, one of which is used for interior decoration, and the second - for decoration of the facade.

Artificial stone based on gypsum

Artificial gypsum stone is often used for interior walls, but with proper processing and impregnation, it is suitable for some facade surfaces.

It should be said that gypsum is more popular for creating artificial stone than cement. This material is easier to give the right shade, it after hardening is slightly lighter than products made of cement, and has better adhesion to the surfaces of the walls.

For the production of gypsum artificial stone, the following materials and tools are required:

• Mold-matrix of elastic material.
• Electric drill with a nozzle-mixer.
• A container for mixing ingredients - this can be a conventional plastic bucket.
• Pallet for drying tiles.
• Brushes.
• Spatulas.
• White gypsum.
• Washed river sand.
• Citric acid and PVA glue.
• Composition of wax and turpentine.
• Water at room temperature.
• Dry coloring pigment of the desired shade.

To carry out the work, it is necessary to prepare a small work area equipped with a workbench whose surface is leveled horizontally by means of a level, otherwise a tile with different thicknesses can be produced.

If a large amount of finishing material is to be produced at once, you will need racks for final drying of the products, which should take place within a few days.

And, of course, you need a free place where the mixing of the solution will take place.

A number of important nuances should be taken into account when preparing the gypsum molding mixture:

• Gypsum is added to the water, and not vice versa, otherwise the mass will get non-uniform, with lumps and impregnations.
• It is important to remember that gypsum sets very quickly, literally for 5 ÷ 7 minutes. Therefore, if there is a need to extend the time of its solidification, citric acid is added to the solution at the rate of 0.6 kg of gypsum 0.6-0.8 g of crystalline composition per 1 kg of gypsum. Adding this ingredient to the mass, it is possible to prolong the liquid state of the gypsum solution up to an hour and a half. Citric acid is diluted in warm water, then, when kneaded, added to the solution.
• If the solution is filled with a single form, then the mass must be cooked in small quantities.
• Sand is added to the mortar for strength of the finished product. The size of its fraction( from 0.01 to 1 mm) will depend on which model of artificial stone will be chosen.
• The mixture after mixing should have a consistency of thick but flowable sour cream.
• The composition is collected in different proportions, but usually 1 gram of gypsum is added with 100 grams of sand.
• As a plasticizer, PVA glue is added to the mixture. By the way, like citric acid, it can prolong the setting time of the mixture a little.
• Gypsum with water is taken in proportions of 1.5: 1, and this water also includes the water in which citric acid is diluted.
• The correct amount of water is poured into a clean bucket. Further, if a dry coloring pigment is added to the solution, it is immediately added to the water and mixed well.
• The next step in the water is filled with a measured amount of gypsum and again the mix is ​​mixed with a mixer.
• Then, sand is added to the solution and mixed again.

Before preparing the kneading of the molding solution, it is necessary to prepare the matrix. If it is made of silicone or plastic, then it must necessarily be smeared with a special compound consisting of turpentine and wax( or special separating grease).If the mold is made of polyurethane, it does not require special preparation, although the lubricant will not be superfluous anyway.

To make the artificial stone natural, the shape in some places before pouring, using a brush, is covered with color pigments of different shades.

The mixed solution is poured into a prepared mold, which is periodically shaken to make the composition well distributed and fill the entire matrix topography, without air sinuses.

After the mold has been filled, the mortar in it is spread with a spatula, and, from the jumpers between the individual matrices, the mixture is removed completely.

The gypsum cast is allowed to freeze for 30 ÷ 40 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fill. At the end of this time, the entire form is covered with a plywood sheet and turns over. From it accurately extracted ready-made artificial stones and laid out on pallets for drying.

After complete drying, if necessary, the finished stones are decorated with liquid dyes that can be purchased ready-made or made of dry pigment.

Kohler is applied to the obtained blanks with the help of brushes of different widths, and it is not necessary to print smooth, neat strokes, as they will be more chaotic, the more picturesque and natural the color of the "stone" will turn out.

The finished "painted" stones are covered with a special matt varnish for external work. Do not use lacquer with the gloss effect, because the processed "stones" will look completely unnatural. If the finished furnish is to be used in a dry room, then it is not even necessary to cover it with a protective varnish.

The gypsum-based finishing material has won wide popularity and is very often used for decoration of interiors and facades. Do not apply such a tile for laying tracks, as well as for finishing fountains and fireplaces. For the design of these elements, an artificial stone made of cement-based solutions is more suitable.

Video: an example of casting an artificial stone on a gypsum-based

An artificial stone from a cement-based mortar

A cement-based composition opens up wider possibilities, as an artificial stone made of it can be applied in any area of ​​the countryside, includingand for laying out garden paths or building an alpine hill.

To make an artificial stone from concrete, the tools will be required the same as for gypsum mortar, and the following materials should be prepared from materials:

• Cement gray M200 ÷ M400 or Portland cement.
• River washed sand.
• Glue PVA as a plasticizer, but you can do without it.
• Color pigments.

The workplace, as well as in the first case, should be equipped with an exactly leveled table with a horizontal surface. Having prepared everything you need, you can proceed to make the finishing material.

It should be noted that an artificial stone made of cement mortar can be made in different ways. For example, if the stones simulate cobblestones on an alpine hill or in a flower garden, then they do without silicone at all. Further, the publication will consider both manufacturing methods, but the composition for both variants is made approximately equally.

The molding solution is made up of sand and cement in 3: 1 proportions. The components are mixed in a dry form, and then water is added to the mixture in small portions, and the composition is again mixed with a mixer. This continues until the solution becomes the desired consistency and uniformity. If you want to make the solution more plastic, it adds PVA glue. It is necessary to take approximately 50 grams per liter of cement-sand mixture.

During the mixing process, a pigment is added to the mixture if it is intended to change the color of the cement or to add any tinting impregnations. The amount of pigment can only be determined experimentally, that is, adding it little by little and mixing, achieving the desired shade of the entire solution or its layers.

The first option is an artificial stone for wall finishing

First we will consider the option of making a facing stone. However, in approximately the same way do the material for the laying of garden paths, but in the latter case, the matrix simply should have a flat or with a delicate surface relief.

• solution The prepared solution is filled with the prepared form, which must be shaken periodically, moving forward and backward, so that the mixture fills the entire relief. When the matrix is ​​filled, use a medium width or a wide spatula on its surface, collecting excess solutions and cleaning the upper sides of the partitions between the individual matrices, if the casting is carried out in a general shape. In this case, the walls will serve as a kind of beacons for leveling the filled solution.
• If a single deep matrix is ​​poured, then the solution is first filled with half its depth. Then reinforcing mesh or rods are laid on top of the filled mixture, and then the mold is filled with the mixture to the top, and the mass is leveled along the upper edge.
• When the cement mixture grabs, but still retains plasticity, on its surface with a nail a shading in the form of a lattice is applied. It is necessary for better adhesion of artificial stone to the surface of walls during the cladding.

• Primary hardening of the solution takes from 12 hours to 24 hours. Then the resulting "stones" are removed from the mold and left on the racks for the final maturation of concrete and strength for at least two weeks.

Take the products from the molds very carefully so that they do not break into pieces.

• If the next batch of solution is to be poured into the matrix, it must be washed with a soap solution beforehand.
• Once the stone is completely ready, it is cleaned of dust and adhering small fragments, and if necessary, covered with one or more paints of selected shades. The final treatment may include coating the surface with a persistent atmospheric varnish.

The second option - artificial cobblestone

Making imitations of stones with beautiful shapes, becomes for many a kind of hobby. This is especially true for those owners who want to have on their plot a corner, close to natural conditions, which you want to decorate in a special way. This direction in landscape design has received a specific name - "Art-concrete".

Artificial stones, qualitatively executed in this technique, it is almost impossible to distinguish from natural boulders. The advantage of this method of production is that you do not have to search for the sample exactly the version that you would like to see on your site, and you can take it and do it yourself. Moreover, it is quite easy to make such a "stone".

For work, in addition to the already considered cement mortar, the following materials will be required:

	The first step is to prepare the panels of foam of the correct size. Then they are glued together to such a thickness, what height is planned to make the stone. This construction is left to dry completely. Further from the resulting foam plastic block-billet with the help of a construction knife the planned form of the future "stone" is cut out. It can be anything, but in order not to invent it on the go, it's best to make a sketch of the planned decorative element in advance.
	Having cut out the desired shape, it is wrapped with reinforcing fiberglass mesh, trying to repeat exactly all the bends and irregularities of the future "stone". It is possible to temporarily fix the mesh with the same polymer glue for polystyrene foam. The protruding parts of the relief can additionally be depicted by placing lumps or knots of dense fabric under the glass net.
	The next step is to make a cement slurry. It should be said that instead of it it's possible to use cement-based tile glue intended for outdoor works or "for complex substrates".Such a construction mix is ​​sold in dry form and mixed according to the instructions given on the package. The glue is more plastic than the usual cement mortar, but its value will, of course, be somewhat higher. To add plasticity to a conventional cement-sand mixture, PVA glue can be added to it.
	With a spatula or trowel, the solution is applied neatly to the foam plastic form on top of the reinforcing mesh. This is done by chaotic strokes - so it will be easier to give the surface relief of natural stone. If it is planned to produce a "smooth cobblestone", the applied solution is wetted and smoothed with a hand in a rubber glove, or a stack of thick polyethylene is laid on top of it, it is leveled and gently pressed against a moist, concreted surface.
	When the whole base of the future artificial stone is covered with a solution with a thickness of approximately 15 ÷ 20 mm, it should be left for 20 ÷ 30 minutes for the initial setting.
	The next operation is carried out if it is not planned to make the surface of the "stone" smooth, but want to give it a "natural" relief texture. This can be done with a foam sponge or the same polyethylene bag, which is wrinkled and in this form is applied to the wet solution, leaving a relief on it.
	After setting the cement( tile adhesive), the "stone" is turned over, and its bottom is also sealed with a solution. When the mixture in this area grit slightly, do not wait for it to dry completely - "stone" is installed on the bottom and pressed slightly to a flat surface( for this you can use, for example, a sheet of plywood). Next, before leaving the resulting "stone" for complete hardening and strength, it should be treated with sandpaper with a large grain. This operation is carried out three days after the application of the solution on the reinforced form.
	In order to completely complete the process of manufacturing artificial stone, it takes a lot of time, since the solution applied to the surface must dry well and gain the required strength. Therefore, for complete readiness, you will need to wait at least 10 ÷ 12 days, and if the cement slurry is applied in two or three thinner layers, you will have to pause in the work to dry out each of them, and the time for this will be even more.
	When the solution has gained the necessary strength, the "stone" will need to be decorated, that is, to apply the selected shade to it. Before proceeding to painting, the workpiece is well cleaned - remove dust, small adhering slices of the solution, and then rinse with water.
	The next step, after the washed surface dries, is its coloring. Paint can be purchased in an aerosol can or use an acrylic composition sold in conventional packages, which is applied with a brush. The paint should be applied in at least two layers to completely cover all grooves in the relief pattern.
	To give the surface natural naturalness, it is necessary to "show" the relief pattern, make it visually more visible, convex. This is done using a medium-grained sandpaper. After such processing of the unevennesses of the relief of the "stone", they are somewhat clarified, and the depressions remain darker, tinted, which creates the necessary smooth contrast transition.
	After this treatment, the stone is washed once more with water and dried.
	In order to protect the color of the "stone" from ultraviolet rays, so that this decorative accessory does not lose its original appearance, its surface must be covered with frosted varnish for external works. It is recommended to update this protective layer annually, then the artificial stone will decorate the garden area for many years.
	Depending on the size and shape of the made "stone", it can be used to mask various elements that "fall out" from the general style of landscape design of the site, but without which it is impossible to do( for example, hatches of drainage or water wells). Therefore, before choosing the shape of the future "boulder", it is necessary to determine in advance with its installation site.
Illustration	Brief description of the operation

• Polyfoam. It can be any thickness, but it is better that it is 100 ÷ 150 mm, because it will be much easier to cut out the desired shapes from such material.
• Reinforcing fiberglass mesh.
• A polyethylene bag or foam sponge for giving relief or, conversely, for smoothing surfaces.
• Adhesive for polyfoam. For this purpose, glue for cement based tiles, polymer glue or even mounting foam can be used.
• Sandpaper with coarse and medium abrasive grain.
• Acrylic paints and resistant atmospheric varnish for decorating the resulting "stone".

Having prepared everything you need, you can start working.

A few words about the laying of the wall artificial stone

To make the manufacturing process completely meaningful, it is necessary to make a number of observations about the features of the laying of artificial stone on the walls.

• An artificial stone must be mounted on an adhesive made on the basis of the same material from which the finishing material itself is made. In this case, the ideal adhesion of the decorative cladding to the wall surface will be guaranteed.
• Masonry can be seamless or have perfectly even seams.

In order to maintain the required size of the joint, silicone or plastic strip calibrators are used throughout the entire masonry, by which the rows of finishing material are laid. These elements are removed as the solution grits, which is completely removed from the seams. After the glue has completely dried, the joints are filled with special grouts.

A seamless masonry method is used when it is planned to simulate a monolithic stone wall covering.

Sutures, of course, with this approach still exist, but they are made as inconspicuous as possible. To obtain such a clutch, it is necessary that the "stones" ideally match each other, both in size and in the evenness of the edges.

Separately, it is necessary to highlight the clutch of artificial stones having different sizes and shapes. In this case, the seams can have different thicknesses and are at different heights relative to each other. This version of the masonry can be called the most difficult, as it is necessary in the manufacturing process to carefully think over the "docking" of the finishing elements in both color and shape.

In conclusion, it should be said that the manufacture and self-laying of artificial stone will certainly be interesting and fascinating for creative people who are able to independently develop and implement their own design projects for individual objects of a suburban area or the surfaces of the walls of the house, both outside and inside. Even if there is absolutely no experience in such a job, but there is a great desire to try your hand at such a field, do not deny yourself this pleasure. Moreover, it is not difficult to find any materials necessary for work in construction shops these days.