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How to Use Native Custom Stone’s Go-Stone as a Decorating Tool

There are many different ways we can decorate our interiors. Generally, available choices use texture, color, and pattern, and they range from paint to wallpaper and a huge number of different veneers.

Your choice will be determined by the effect you want to achieve. For instance, if you want to brighten a room with color, paint will probably be your first choice. If you want to introduce traditional pattern, wallpaper or a textured paint technique will be a good way to achieve this kind of effect. But if you want to stay natural, and introduce an attractive, eco-friendly surface that really is true to nature, a Go-Stone veneer could be exactly what you are looking for.

Go-Stone Veneer

A lightweight, simulated stone veneer, Go-Stone panels from Native Custom Stone provide a quick, easy way to decorate any interior. Made from recycled rubber tires, the veneer was created with DIY enthusiasts in mind. No special tools or skills are required to install the veneer: only a torpedo or spirit level, a measuring tape, suitable saw, and a notched trowel to apply tile and stone adhesive are needed.

Go-Stone panels are available in three different styles to suit varying taste.

  1. Coastal Blend provides the most contrast, with colors that range from dark brown and raw umber to pale stone.
  2. Cherokee provides a subtle blend of color, from stone and pale gray to a pretty dusty brown.
  3. Cedar Creek has a bold palette of primarily contrasting brown colors.

This Native Custom Stone veneer works especially well when used on a feature wall or around a built-in fireplace. This way it becomes a decorative highlight. But there is nothing to stop you from using it to clad more than one wall in the same room, as it will provide a cozy feeling of warmth. Corner pieces as well as accessory panel for use around light switches and plug points are also available.

Go-Stone panels may be installed on most existing surfaces including wood and plywood, wallboard, plasterboard and gypsum board drywall, and even brick.

Because it has a natural finish, Go-Stone works well with many types of flooring including wood, tiles, and carpet.

Go-Stone is available online from BuildDirect.com and from a number of Home Depot stores, or online at HomeDepot.com. Native Custom Stone will also ship across the US and to other countries.

Define Your Interior With a Faux Stone Makeover

Stone-clad walls add elegance, timeless textures, and natural style to any house. Instead of flat, painted surfaces, or even wood, stone can add a completely new dimension and feeling of excitement to an interior. Of course, the style of your home will determine the exact finish you choose, but there are so many possibilities, you will be spoilt for choice.

But when you decide that stone is the look that you like, you will need to decide whether to use natural stone or a faux product. And frankly, unless your house was built out of stone, this is a no-brainer.

There is absolutely no point in using natural stone to clad walls built using other materials. Rather, stone veneer, which comes in a number of different guises, is a much easier route to take. And provided you use a proven product, your final result will look just like the real thing – maybe even better.

Real Stone Versus Manufactured Products

While stone is one of the oldest building materials used by man, it is heavy and difficult to work with. Stonemasons spend years learning the craft and developing the skills required to cut and lay stone.

Stone veneers, on the other hand, are relatively lightweight and only need very basic building skills to install. They were developed to fill a gap in the market for those who want a stone-look product that is cheaper and easier to lay than natural stone.

Also, certain types of stone occur naturally in different regions, generally limiting choice. Manufactured or faux stone, on the other hand, is created in imitation of every possible type of stone, from river rocks and traditional US ashlar used for building walls to slate and limestone, or sandstone used to build ancient castles.

Faux stone products are also available in a wide color palette to suit any interior décor scheme and in many different styles. For instance, you can create an interior wall that looks as if the stone was dry stacked, or you can achieve a more modern effect by using a veneer that incorporates a mortar joint.

Whether you choose stone veneer or stone panels made from recycled materials, Native Custom Stone has a range of options that you can use to transform the interior of your home. Visually they all look different, but what they have in common is ease of installation.

Whichever product you choose you can effectively define your interior with a faux stone makeover that is, quite literally, “cast in stone.”

If you like to know more about the products Native Custom Stone has on offer please contact us. Alternatively you can order online from Build Direct or Home Depot.

Why Architects Prefer Native Custom Stone

Architects designing new homes or drawing plans for extensions and major renovations often specify faux stone or manufactured brick veneer from Native Custom Stone.

ROIThe company’s manufactured faux stone and brick veneer products – Go-Stone and Go-Brick – have numerous benefits over heavy natural stone and bricks that must be laid on a concrete foundation using mortar.

Molded in imitation of the real thing, both products are sold in panel form and can be installed quickly and easily with no special building skills.

Benefits architects recognize include:

  • Weight: Go-Stone and Go-Brick are lightweight and easy to handle.
  • Cost: The cost is much less when compared to solid stone and bricks and mortar.
  • Availability: A comprehensive range of brick and stone types is available, irrespective of what is normally found locally. Products may even be ordered online and delivered right to your doorstep.
  • Installation: Installing Native Custom Stone’s faux stone and brick veneer products are so simple you can do-it-yourself, or employ unskilled people to do it for you. An architect who understands the system can oversee unskilled labor, rather than utilizing a professional team of builders. All you (or they) need is regular tile adhesive and very basic building tools including a notched trowel, spirit or torpedo level, and a measuring tape.
  • Maintenance: Costs associated with maintenance are reduced, which will be a benefit that is likely to appeal to any architect’s clients. Whereas most other surfaces require regular staining, painting, and/or sealing, if Go-Stone and Go-Brick are installed indoors they don’t require any maintenance other than cleaning. Exterior surfaces should though be sealed for longevity.

Another reason architects prefer Native Custom Stone products rather than solid stone or bricks and mortar are that they can be used inside and outside, and on feature walls or throughout the entire house. This makes design creativity a cinch. Better still, the company will custom color products if required, giving architects an extra edge.

Native Custom Stone’s most innovative product is Go-Stone, which is made primarily from discarded vehicle tires using crumb rubber technology. Go-Brick, on the other hand, is a tumbled brick product, but equally thin and easy to work with. Both are available from Build Direct or Home Depot.

In addition to the Go-Brick and Go-Stone panels produced by Native Custom Stone, the company also manufactures faux stone molded using a fine-aggregate concrete.

For more information, you can contact Native Custom Stone directly, by phone or email.

Save Time and Money With a GoBrick Accent Wall

If you’re thinking of a quick, relatively inexpensive makeover that will transform your home then Native Custom Stone’s exclusive GoBrick veneer is a fantastic option. It’s lightweight, easy to install, and it looks like the real thing. Better still, you will save time and money when you work with GoBrick.

So where would you use a GoBrick Veneer in your home?

Suitable Walls for GoBrick

Bricks and mortar have been used to build walls for thousands of years – and for every possible type of structure. So wherever it might have been used for building would be a suitable option for cladding the surface with GoBrick veneer.

The beauty of GoBrick is that it can be used to clad one single wall to make it a feature, or an entire room. It can also be used for exterior walls, provided the surface is properly sealed to protect it from exposure to water, frost, and snow.

Benefits of GoBrick versus Real Bricks and Mortar

Having said that GoBrick will save you time and money, you’re probably wondering how this can be possible. Here’s how!

  1. Bricks are heavy, even if you lift them one by one. GoBrick veneer is manufactured in panels and they weigh very little.
  2. Bricks have to be laid correctly using the right tools. GoBrick requires minimal tools for installation and no special bricklaying skills.
  3. Brick walls must be laid on a concrete foundation to carry the weight. GoBrick doesn’t require any form of foundation.
  4. Bricks must be laid using mortar to bond them together. GoBrick panels are installed using ordinary tile adhesive.
  5. Bricks are considerably more expensive than GoBrick.
  6. Generally, bricklayers work with a team. GoBrick panels can be installed quickly and easily by one person working on their own.

How GoBrick is Made

A revolutionary product developed and produced by Native Custom Stone, GoBrick is made in a mold taken from individual bricks chosen for style and appearance. Designed with DIY enthusiasts in mind, it is produced in a number of different typical brick colors with a range of different types of joint: deep raked, full tooled, and full brushed.

Each panel measures approximately 2¼ x 75/8 and weighs four to six pounds per square foot. Each box contains 58 panels and weight about 24 pounds. Corner pieces and window sill sections are also available.

Installing GoBrick Panels

The only real challenge when working with GoBrick is to ensure that it is installed level, in a horizontal position. This is easy using a chalk line and/or a spirit or torpedo level.

If you would like to do a home improvement project using GoBrick you can order online from Build Direct or Home Depot. You can also contact Native Custom Stone for more information.

Update Your Home With GoBrick by Native Custom Stone

There’s nothing like a home makeover that is quick, simple, and yet results in a beautiful transformation.

While you can change a color scheme with paint and new soft furnishings like curtains and cushions, Native Custom Stone’s Go-Brick veneer can change the look of your home so dramatically you’ll have friends and family gasping in admiration. Better still, the system is so simple any confident home handyman or DIY enthusiast can do it single-handed.

What is GoBrick?

An ingenious faux brick product, GoBrick is a lightweight veneer that is manufactured in the form of half-inch thick panels. Instead of laying clay or concrete bricks on a concrete foundation using mortar, GoBrick panels are installed using ordinary tile adhesive to apply them directly to the wall they are going to cover. As long as the surface is vertical, you can use the product. No foundation, no skills, and minimal mess!

Suitable for interior and exterior walls, GoBrick can be used to transform an entire building, or as a tool to metamorphose a room, either in its entirety or by introducing a feature wall.

The product is available in a number of guises that mimic the appearance of bricks and mortar and the different ways they are laid.

  • There are several standard colors including Antique Red, Schoolhouse Red, Sunset Rust, Orchard Blend, Old Dixie Grey, Vintage Atlanta, and Savannah Beach.
  • While the joint width for all colors is 3/8 inch, the joint depth varies and is available in imitation of different finishes: deep raked, full tooled, and full brushed.
  • Several mortar-joint colors are available too: Natural Off-White, and Natural Grey, as well as various complementary colors.

Since GoBrick is such a popular product for updating the interior of homes, Native Custom Stone also produces corner panels, faux brick sills, and accessories manufactured for use around electric plug points, light switches, and so on.

Panels are 2¼ inches high and 75/8 inches long and each panel weighs between four and six lbs. They are packaged flat with 58 panels in each box, and each box weighs about 24 lbs.

Installing GoBrick

Minimal tools are required to install GoBrick. A chalk line and/or spirit level, or a shorter torpedo level, are invaluable tools for keeping the panels straight and level. You will also need a measuring tape, preferably a retractable steel tape, and a notched trowel to apply tile adhesive.

The panels don’t have to be sealed if installed indoors but should be sealed if used to transform exterior walls. Native Custom Stone offers Natural Shield Sealer that has a three- to five-year lifespan.

If you’d like to update your home with GoBrick, contact Native Custom Stone or order online from Home Depot or Build Direct.

DIY Update For Your Fireplace for Winter With Go-Stone or Go-Brick

As the winter weather intensifies, it’s a no-brainer that most of us are going to be spending a great deal of our time indoors. If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace in your living room, there’s a good chance that it’s going to become the hub of your home. The question is, how inviting is this part of your home? Or is it crying out for a little TLC?

If your fireplace is looking drab and/or neglected and is less than inviting, now’s an excellent time to do a quick makeover that will transform it in just a few hours.

DIY Stone Fireplace with Go-Stone or Go-Brick

12742816_10153441029693927_4455248229161191397_nAs the year draws to a close, there’s not much time to call in professionals for home improvement projects. So if your fireplace is in need of an update, you’ll likely be looking for a DIY possibility that you can handle yourself.

We have just the one for you!

Go-Stone and Go-Brick are innovative DIY products manufactured by Native Custom Stone that will enable anyone with minimal building skills to create a little magic before Christmas. Made in the same way to simulate stone and brick respectively, Go-Stone and Go-Brick are lightweight veneer products that are easily installed onto existing wall surfaces, including the front of fireplaces and their adjacent walls.

The installation method is quick and easy, and it utilizes minimal tools, most of which you probably already own. The veneer itself is available online from BuildDirect.com and from a number of Home Depot stores.

What You Need to Update Your Fireplace for Winter

Once you have worked out the surface area to be transformed, you can order your faux stone or bricks. The product will be supplied in boxes.

Additionally, you will need ordinary tile adhesive and grout. The only tools you need are a:

  • measuring tape to check distances
  • torpedo or spirit level to keep the veneer panels straight and level
  • drywall or wet-cut saw to cut ends to size if necessary
  • notched trowel to apply the tile adhesive
  • grout applicator for the grouting; if regular mortar is used you’ll need a pointing tool

Go-Stone and Go-Brick are installed in exactly the same way, and no form of foundation is required. Even if you’ve never done a DIY project before, you really will be able to update your fireplace in just a few hours.

Contact Native Custom Stone or one of our authorized dealers for more information.

Use Native Custom Stone’s Go-Brick for a Magnificent Makeover

There was a time when paint was the only option for anyone wanting to transform an interior quickly, easily and effectively. While paint, and the colors it offers, can be an amazing tool for revamping a room, Native Custom Stone’s Go-Brick will enable you to create a totally new look that includes color, pattern and texture. It’s the perfect product to achieve a magical makeover in so little time and with so little effort, you’ll be wondering why it took you so long to try.

What is Go-Brick?

Go-BrickGo-Brick is a thin, lightweight brick veneer product that can be installed by anyone. One of a number of veneer products manufactured by Native Custom Stone, it is available in a number of colors in imitation of some of the most popular bricks used in the construction industry. But while regular bricks must be laid with mortar on a solid concrete foundation, Go-Brick doesn’t require any form of foundation or structural support. It doesn’t require any bricklaying skills either.

The bricks used to mold Go-Brick panels were all selected by hand to ensure the veneer would have a unique appearance and style. Each panel is approximately ½ inch thick and measures about 2¼ inches x 75/8 inches. The veneer is packaged in quantities that will cover 8½ square feet with 3/8 inch mortar joints. Customers are advised to mix panels from different boxes because colors do vary, and mixing them makes them look more realistic.

How to Achieve a Magnificent Makeover Using Go-Brick

Go-Brick can be used on all walls, and virtually any vertical surface. It is suitable for an entire room, or can be used to create feature walls. It is also suitable for use in kitchens and bathrooms, for example as a backsplash behind the sink. It works beautifully around fireplace mantels and in alcoves.

Standard colors range from Antique and Schoolhouse Red to Old Dixie Grey, Orchard Blend, Savannah Beach and Sunset Rust. Your choice will depend on the new color scheme you are planning for the room you are making over. You could of course redo your entire house using Go-Brick, in one color or several different ones.

The only tools you need to install Go-Brick panels are a measuring tape, notched trowel to apply tile adhesive to the back of the panels, and either grout applciator or small pointing tool depending on whether you are going to fill the joints with tile grout or mortar. Both options are acceptable. You should also work with a spirit level to ensure that the first row of panels is level. A chalk line can also be useful to ensure that subsequent rows remain level.

Even though you don’t need to be a skilled craftsman, you can choose a professional finish for the grout and make it look as if the brickwork has been deep raked, full brushed or full tooled, depending on the style chosen for the panels.

While it is not necessary to seal Go-Stone, Native Custom Stone does offer Natural Shield Sealer which is ideal if you are using the product for exterior walls, or somewhere that it might come into contact with oil. If used outside, the panels should be fixed to the wall using exterior rather than an interior tile adhesive.

Where to Buy Native Custom Stone’s Go-Brick

Suitable for professional interior designers and DIY home improvement enthusiasts, Go-Brick is available from Home Depot in a number of US states and also online from BuildDirect.com

How DIY Go-Stone Panels Help Save the Environment

Millions of tires are trashed in the US every year, piling up and eventually landing up in landfill. A few creative individuals use old tires as planters and some turn them inside-out and make tire swings for children. But that’s not the answer because far too many end up negatively affecting the environment.

On a positive note, there are companies, like Native Custom Stone, that have found innovative uses for old tires, or more specifically the rubber that can be recycled from used tires.

Using Old Tires Instead of Discarding Them

environmentCrumb rubber technology, which is what Native Custom Stone takes advantage of, is a scientific process that enables us to use the rubber from old, worn tires for different purposes.

So instead of landing up in landfill, where it will take five to eight decades, or perhaps even longer, to decompose, the tire cord and steel in the tires is removed, and the rubber is recycled. Crumb rubber technology involves processing the rubber to produce particles of different sizes that may be used for different purposes.

Native Custom Stone uses crumb rubber manufactured from old tires to make ingenious molded Go-Stone panels. Created primarily for the do-it-yourself (DIY) market, Go-Stone panels provide a durable, lightweight simulated stone veneer that is quick and easy to install. This environmentally friendly product is ideal for inside feature walls, fireplace surrounds, bar nooks, and even stairwells. It can be used imaginatively to completely transform kitchens, and even bathrooms.

Even though they are made from tires which are all made of black rubber, the process used to make Go-Stone panels results in a number of different color finishes, all of which are stone colored – of course!

Installing Go-Stone Panels

Not only do Go-Stone panels help save the environment, they look amazing and are incredibly easy to install. No special construction skills are required, and no specialized tools are needed. There are three basic panel types, plus corners, each a different size and with a different look. By mixing and matching them randomly, it is a simple matter to achieve a totally realistic finish.

Go-Stone simulated stone panels are laid using a standard ceramic tile and stone adhesive which dries quite quickly. The only things an installer must be careful of is to keep the top of each panel level, and to ensure the Go-Stone panels are abutted right next to one another.

Native Custom Stone’s Go-Stone panels and other simulated stone products are available from Home Depot online or from Build Direct.

Filed Under: DIY

ROI When Using Manufactured Stone

Anybody planning home improvements should assess what their return on investment (ROI) will be before they decide what to do and how much to spend. This applies to any project, even one that is primarily aimed to simply improve ones home environment. The reason is that there may be different options available to achieve similar goals, some of which will be more cost effective than others.

As an example, we are going to look at the benefits of using natural vs manufactured stone for home improvement projects, and then consider the ROI using manufactured stone.

Benefits of Using Natural vs Manufactured Stone

ROIWhile stone is one of the oldest and most revered building materials know to man, manufactured stone has opened up a host of opportunities in recent years. Molded to look exactly like the real thing, manufactured stone is lighter, cheaper, and much easier to work with. There are also some types of manufactured stone that are made specifically with the DIY market in mind, adding potential for an even greater ROI.

Natural stone, on the other hand, must be collected or quarried, cut so that it can be laid for walls, used for paving or as a veneer, and then laid with mortar. When used for building, natural stone requires a solid concrete foundation, which is often not a necessity when using manufactured stone.

ROI Using Manufactured Stone

When considering ROI for anything, including the use of manufactured stone for a building or renovation project, you need to work out the costs involved and weigh these against the financial benefits. The most obvious of these is how a home improvement project involving manufactured stone will increase the value of your property. It’s irrelevant whether you are planning to sell, either now or later, it only has to do with value.

Another ROI when using manufactured stone will likely be reduced maintenance costs. This is because manufactured stone doesn’t require staining, sealing or painting like other wall surfaces.

Whether manufactured stone is used for renovation or a new build, another ROI to consider is the ease of construction, and the fact that skilled stonemasons won’t be required. Also, the fact that substantial concrete foundations aren’t needed will also cut down on cost and therefore factor into the eventual ROI. Because construction is easier, time is also saved, cutting labor costs.

Manufactured Stone from Native Custom Stone

Native Custom Stone has a range of manufactured stone products including a variety of stone-lookalike units molded from fine-aggregate concrete as well as an innovative stone panel product that utilizes recycled rubber tires.

If you’d like to know more about Native Custom Stone’s manufactured stone products, you are welcome to contact us. Alternatively you can order our products from Home Depot online or from Build Direct.

Either way, you can count on a great ROI when using manufactured stone.

The Benefits of Manufactured vs Natural Stone

Stone is a beautiful building material, but it is expensive, difficult to transport, heavy to handle, and it requires very specific construction stonemason skills to cut and lay. Manufactured stone on the other hand is considerably cheaper, lighter, a lot easier to install, and it is more readily available than natural stone. Better still, it is available in a wide range of finishes and styles that look exactly like different types of natural stone.

Manufactured vs Natural StoneAnother of the most valuable benefits of manufactured vs natural stone is that it can be used internally to revamp surfaces without the mess associated with stonework.

Additionally, because manufactured stone is available in architectural grade stone, professional companies that offer building and renovating services prefer it because they are able to provide a more reliable, quality service for a lower price.

Availability of Manufactured vs Natural Stone

Natural stone is quarried and varies according to what occurs naturally in different states. So you will find that sandstone is common in some areas, while flint, shale, quartz or granite is more common elsewhere.

Natural stone is also cut in different ways, to form large blocks or pieces that can be roughly stacked. River rocks, found in riverbeds and valleys, is generally rounded – because it has been washed by water over time – and is found in many colors and shapes. So too is field stone, though it is more textured and unevenly worn that river rock.

Ultimately, if you are opting for natural stone, you will need to use what is found on your own land (if you are lucky enough to own property large enough to have sufficient natural stone for building), or in local quarries. Some construction outlets supply stone, but local availability will link closely to price.

If you – or your contractor – are going to bring in natural stone from other areas, this will inevitably increase your costs.

Manufactured stone, on the other hand, relies solely on the types, styles, and colors created by the manufacturer. These may be cast in fine-aggregate concrete using a mold, or formed in some other material. Generally, it can be made to imitate any form of natural stone.

Georgia-based Native Custom Stone has a range of relatively conventional cast-stone products in a wide range of styles and finishes. The company also produces innovative manufactured stone panels made primarily from recycled rubber tires. All are available from BuildDirect.com, select Home Depot stores or online from www.homedepot.com. Whichever type of manufactured stone you choose, there will be no quarries and no dirty work for you or your contractor.

Versatility of Manufactured vs Natural Stone

Manufactured stone is considerably more versatile than natural stone, and a lot easier to use. For example, once you have a basic structure, be it a house or a freestanding wall, you can use manufactured stone veneer to completely change the finish and look of your home, or part of it. This means that it is also suitable for initial construction as well as for renovations.

While both natural and manufactured stone may be used inside the house and outside, natural stone isn’t an easy option for renovations, unless they incorporate additions that involve new walls.

Installation Techniques of Manufactured vs Natural Stone

The installation techniques of manufactured stone are much simpler than the construction methods required to lay natural stone. For instance natural stone must be laid on a solid concrete foundation and cutting of the stone can be a challenge.

While most cast faux stone should be laid with mortar, the reduced weight of the units makes them easier to handle than natural stone blocks. Native Custom Stone’s Go-Stone panels are even easier to work with as they are laid using tile adhesive, so no mortar is required.

If you’d like to know more about the benefits of manufactured vs natural stone, contact Native Custom Stone.

Native Custom Stone – Natural vs. Manufactured Stone (weight heavy in pros favoring manufactured), ROI using manufactured stone