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How to Create a Backyard Firepit with Manufactured Stone

Have you ever gone on vacation and they had the little cabanas at your hotel or restaurant with the outside fire pits? It is always so relaxing to sit out there and watch the fire burn as it starts to get dark. Well with some Native Custom Stone’s manufactured stone and a little hard work you can bring that experience right into your own back yard!

If you like working with your hands then you should make a Manufactured Stone Fire Pit your next project. Before you start check the building codes in your area to see what you are and what you aren’t allowed to do. Then find a spot that is a little apart from any structure and not under any trees. It also helps to check where your utility lines are before you start digging any holes.

Once you have all that taken care of you will have to gather up the following materials:

  • custom stone firepit | native custom stoneCast concrete wall stones
  • Native Custom Stone Capstones
  • Sand
  • A shovel
  • Tape measure
  • Level
  • A rake

After you have everything together, you just need to follow these simple steps:

  • Lay out your manufactured stone in a circle where you want your Fire Pit to go. Decide how big of a diameter you want your fire pit to be and adjust accordingly. Most fire pits measure about 40 inches in diameter but it is up to you.
  • Once you have a good idea of where the pit will be and how big you want it, you can start to dig out your hole. It should be about a foot deep when you are finished.
  • Pour the sand into the bottom of the hole and pack it down thoroughly
  • Next place your concrete wall stones around the sides of the hole and continue laying them down until it sticks out a foot above the ground. The last layer of stones should be the capstones. When you are finished fill the hole in with sand until it is about 5 inches from the top of the stone ring and you are done.

Is Manufactured Stone Cheaper than Natural Stone Veneer?

Brick and stone have always been popular with home buyers because it gives a feeling of security and safety to a house. After all, it’s made out of stone so it will be around a long time and stand up to almost anything that’s thrown at it. Since it adds so much value to a home, why do you think that more people don’t use it? Mainly the price! Manufactured stone shares many of the same benefits as natural stone but you will find that it costs one third to one half less to install it.

Why is natural stone so much more expensive to install than a manufactured stone veneer?

The three biggest reasons are:

  • Manufactured Stone | Go Stone | Native Custom StonePerception – Everyone knows about natural stone because it has been used in housing for hundreds of years. It has created its own demand. Manufactured stone has improved a lot over time and it has just recently been coming into its own as a design choice. Even though manufactured stone looks exactly the same as natural stone, lasts as long if not longer and is easier to clean, it is just not as well known yet.
  • Complexity – When you are installing natural stone as an element in a home you are dealing with a very heavy material. You need a skilled craftsman like a mason to install it properly. Plus, you will need a builder to ensure that the underlying structure can bear up under the added weight of the natural stone. With all of those things to consider, it is just not the right project for a beginner. The downside is that all of that skilled labor does not come cheaply.
  • Safety – As mentioned above, natural stone is extremely heavy unlike manufactured stone. Even if you tried to install it yourself which is not recommended, you will need a team of very helpful friends. If any piece of the building materials slips or falls then it will injure and possibly kill anyone that is not fast enough to get out of the way. Without the free labor, you will need to rent or buy machinery to move the stone and that is never a cheap option.

Manufactured stone is the best choice when starting your DIY stone project.  Visit our Find a Distributor page at Native Custom Stone to find out where you can order our manufactured stone today.

Go Stone Makes DIY Stone Projects Easier

Have you heard of Go-Stone yet? If you are planning any DIY projects with stone elements in them then you owe it to yourself to read more at www.HomeDepot.com. It is an Eco friendly stone panel system that was created specifically for the “Do it Yourself” crowd.

Go-Stone requires very few tools to install and it is created almost entirely from recycled materials. It is not recommended for outdoor use but Go-Stone is perfect for projects like:

  • Kitchen back splashes
  • Fireplaces
  • Accent walls
  • Bathrooms

Go-Stone is:

  • Cherokee Go Stone | Native Custom StoneLight weight – Compared to standard building materials of its type, Go-Stone is incredibly light. This makes it very safe to work with and a lot easier for a single person to install.
  • Easy to install – Some building materials like natural stone require a hefty investment just to get the tools you will need for installation. Go-Stone doesn’t require any mortar to keep it in place or grout to fill in the cracks. A quick trip to your local hardware store will get you the few simple tools you need to create a finished professional look.
  • Environment friendly – The material is made from a special blend of crumbled rubber that started life as a tire. For every five squares of Go-Stone that you purchase you will be removing one old tire from an overburdened landfill. Considering that 242 million tires are thrown away per year in the United States and fewer the 7% are recycled, it is a great way to make a difference in your environment. Plus, you get a really professionally looking new design element for your home.

This innovative stone panel system will be available in three colors and it will have compliments like electrical surrounds and water table. With a product like this, even people with no experience in home repair will have the ability to improve the look of their home with stone.  Go-Stone is available online at HomeDepot.com nationwide, contact Native Custom Stone today to find out more about this revolutionary new product.

How to Create a Beautiful Custom Stone Patio

Most of the patios on older southern homes are just a flat slab of concrete. They are not very interesting and they definitely don’t make you want to invite friends over for a backyard cookout. The problem is that it is often too expensive to tear it out and have a new patio built. With the growing popularity of Native Custom Stone, many people have found a way around that particular problem. When you are laying down a Manufactured Stone Patio you need to have a concrete slab in place anyway so you can just build on what’s already there and a Custom Stone Patio will definitely add a little visual flair to your next get together.

If you would like to transform your eyesore of a patio into a Custom Stone Patio then you will need to gather a few materials:

  • manufactured stone patio | native custom stoneCement trowel
  • Flat ended shovel
  • Wheelbarrow
  • Concrete mix
  • Flat pacing stones
  • Masonry saw
  • Garden hose
  • Dish soap
  • Brush
  • Broom
  1. Sweep off the patio to clear all debris then clean it thoroughly. You need a spotless surface to build on. Once you are finished let it dry out.
  2. Place your stones down where you want them to go leaving about an inch between them. If they won’t fit correctly you may need to make alterations with your masonry saw.
  3. Use the shovel to mix up the cement in your wheelbarrow. Start at one end and lift up a stone. Smear about a half inch of cement on the stone and another half inch on the patio where it will go. Press it firmly back into place until it starts to squirt up through the spaces.
  4. Continue doing that with every stone. Once you have done a few go back and trowel extra cement into the spaces where needed and scrap off any excess cement.
  5. Mist the patio with your garden hose and then let it dry over night. Do it again every morning and evening for the next 2 days. After that you are finished.

How to Install a Cultured Stone Interior Wall with Mastic

Cultured stone can add an element of luxury to any home by installing it on an interior wall. It’s an affordable alternative to having natural stone installed…plus it’s easy to do it yourself.

What You Will Need to Install Cultured Stone:

  • Native Custom Stone’s Cultured Stone
  • Mastic
  • Wire Mesh
  • Trowel
  • Wire Cutters 
  • Work Gloves
  • Goggles
  • Tape Measure
  • Tarp (Floor Protector)
  • Staple Gun
  • You may also need a Wet Tile Saw
  • Prestige Brown LedgeStep 1 – Prepare your interior wall. Measure your wall area and cut your wire mesh to fit. Ensure that your wire mesh doesn’t overlap. Staple the mesh to the wall using a staple gun every 4 to 6 inches by 4 – 6 inches.
  • Step 2 – Cover you wire meshed wall with a layer of mastic before beginning installation. Using your flat trowel ensure that you cover the wire mesh enough to fill all voids between the mesh and existing wall. Check to make sure that it is bonded well to it’s surface. Allow the mastic to dry for 24 hours before you get started with your stone.
  • Step 3 – Begin installing your cultured stone from the bottom working up. Apply mastic to the back of the stone and apply to the surface. The stone, just like a natural stone will vary in size, so you may find that you need to cut it to fit using a wet tile saw. If you have to use the wet saw ensure that you’ve dried the stone before applying mastic.

TIP: You want enough mastic to ooze a bit when you press the stone to the surface, but not so much that it oozes beyond the joints of two stone pieces.

  • Step 4 – Allow your stone to dry for 72 hours before sealing the stone. Use this guide to learn how to clean your stone once installation is complete. Enjoy!

Native Custom Stone can create a custom stone color and style based on your needs. Contact a Native Custom Stone vendor near you to find our more about their beautiful cultured stone products.

How to Care for a Cultured Stone Fireplace

The associates at Native Custom Stone have already taught us how to install a cultured stone fireplace using their stone panels, but now we need to talk about the proper way to care for a cultured stone fireplace to keep it looking great for years to come.

It doesn’t take much to care for your cultured stone fireplace, all you will need is:

    • A Vacuum Cleaner with Brush Attachment
    • A Vacuum Hose Extension
    • Broom 
    • Water 
    • Cleaning Rag
  • Cultured Stone Fireplace | Manufactured Stone | Native Custom StoneStep 1 – Vacuum the entire surface of your fireplace. Make sure to get mantles and remove all décor to ensure a thorough cleaning. Use your vacuum’s brush attachment to gently loosen the dust and debris, you don’t want to use the exposed hose and accidentally scratch your stone. Use the extender for high or hard to reach places.
  • Step 2 – Use a rag moistened with water, or manufactured stone cleaner if your prefer, to get rid of stubborn spots of debris. Make sure that you allow the cleaner to dry completely before lighting a new fire, as some of the chemicals can be flammable.
  • Step 3 – Use your broom to sweep up any mess made that the vacuuming may have missed or knocked to the floor. For extra cleaning power use your wet rag to get in the grout along the base of your fireplace, and to wipe up stubborn dust that may be on the floor.

Native Custom Stone recommends that you do this once a month to maintain a beautiful fireplace. These same methods can be used on interior and exterior fireplaces, though your exterior fireplace may need a little extra elbow grease and hose down to get it clean.

If you haven’t already chosen to install a cultured stone fireplace, find your closest Native Custom Stone vendor to choose the perfect cultured stone for a beautiful new fireplace.

 

4 Reasons to Use Faux Stone on Your Fireplace…

A fireplace adds a lot to a home beyond the heat it gives off. It is usually the first thing that visitors see when entering the home and it is the focal point for family gatherings and parties. Since it is so important, people often pay exorbitant prices to build natural stone fireplaces. It is unfortunate because an experienced Faux Stone Company could build a fireplace using faux stone at a fraction of the price and it would be indistinguishable from natural stone.

Price is only one reason that you should have a Faux Stone Company build your fireplace for you. Faux stone is also:

  • Faux Stone | Fireplace | Native Custom StoneMore Durable – Stone may seem indestructible but if you have kids you will soon find out how easily it can be chipped and scratched. Faux stone is hard enough to withstand shocks and does not deteriorate over time
  • Widely Varied – Because of the high cost of shipping, most people just use the stone from the area they are in. It can be horribly limiting and give your projects a certain sameness. When using faux stone you can pick styles from around the world and mix and match to your heart’s content. You can find the perfect blend of colors and design to fit your personal preference and home décor.
  • Easy to Clean – Since Faux stone is stain resistant it can maintain its new look for years and years. Some materials are extremely difficult to clean but when it comes time to give your faux fireplace a once over, you can get the job done with some soap and water.
  • Beautiful – If you already have an existing fireplace then you can use faux stone to add in design features and aesthetic touches. It can really spruce up the old fireplace and give it a new life.

So, if you are considering adding a fireplace to your home, be sure to use a great faux stone manufacturer. You’ll be glad you did.

Top 3 Reasons You Should Use Manufactured Stone

Natural stone has always been associated with quality and luxury so it is often used in homes. With the increase in demand for natural stone the price has gradually risen until people started looking for a quality alternative. Many have found it in commercial manufactured stone products. Manufactured stone is made from concrete that has been poured into a mold for its shape and given iron oxide pigments for its coloration.

The products look exactly like natural stone but in reality, it is a veneer about 2 – 3 inches thick. This means that a manufactured stone product is a fraction of the weight of natural stone, making it much easier to work with. Once the stone veneer has been put into place, it can easily last for decades or more without deterioration.

If you are still considering using natural stone in your next construction project instead of commercial manufactured stone, then consider this:

  1. Adhered Stone VeneerManufactured stone is more efficient than natural stone. Natural stone will come in a range of shapes and sizes. Before it can be made to fit into a project it has to be cut and shaped. This is often very labor intensive and time consuming. Whereas manufactured stone can be cut into the shape needed and put into place with very little fuss.
  1. Commercial manufactured stone is cheaper to purchase than natural stone. Natural stone construction will need people with specialized skills, tools and materials like reinforced footing to hold up the enormous weight involved. Without these, a manufactured stone wall often costs 1/3 to ½ less than a natural stone wall.
  1. Manufactured stone is available in a much wider selection than natural stone. Natural stone is often found locally because it is so expensive to ship due to weight. Manufactured stone can be made to look like stone from anywhere in the world and it is light enough to ship if needed.

How to Install Your Own Manufactured Stone Arch

It’s kind of funny when you think about it. Our earliest ancestors built stone arches and various other architectural elements because stones were plentiful and cheap. Then once we became civilized, stone became more and more expensive until people had to stop using it just because of the high price. Luckily manufactured stone was invented and now we can add a little style and substance to our outdoor projects without breaking the bank.

Before you begin to install your manufactured stone onto your arch you will have to gather a few items.

You will need:

  • Tile sealant
  • Buckets
  • Sponge
  • Grout bag
  • Four inch grinder
  • Chipping hammer
  • Acrylic modified thin set
  • Measuring tape
  • Pencil
  • Pointing trowel
  • Mason’s Trowel
  • Nylon brush
  • Safety goggles
  • Ladder

Once you have everything together you can start going through these steps:

  1. Manufactured Stone Arch | Native Custom StoneLay out all of the manufactured stone pieces under the arch. Check your manufactured stone corner pieces to make sure they have fully dried or “cured”. The corner pieces are always installed before the rest because they act as an anchor for them to tie into.
  2. Mark the center of the arch with a straight line using your pencil. Make sure your first piece is centered on that line and stagger the corner pieces with your first installation piece. Mark an outline of where the piece will go.
  3. Mix the acrylic modified thin set until it is stiff. It should remain sticky and reasonably hard to smear with a trowel. Give the back of the piece a thick coating and make sure it is consistent to fill in gaps. Lightly coat the place where you will be putting the piece for extra adhesion. Take care not to get any of the mixture onto the surface of your manufactured stones.
  4. Using the ladder put the piece into place under the arch. Lean into the piece as you apply it so that your body weight will help hold it in place. Keep pressure on the piece if you need to slide it from side to side so you don’t accidentally drop it. Step back and look at the piece for a few moments to make sure it is not sagging.
  5. Keep going through the 4th step until all the pieces are in place. Start cutting the pieces using a chipping hammer or the 4 inch grinder. Once you are finished you should let the stones sit for about 24 hours.
  6. Get your sponges and nylon brush along with a bucket of water. Start cleaning the pieces but be careful not to accidentally mark the surface. Once the pieces are clean you will have to wait for them to completely dry before continuing.
  7. Use the grout bag to start putting grout into the cracks between the stones. The grout should easily come out of the grout back but be thick enough to adhere to the underside of the arch. Avoid getting grout onto the surface of the stone as much as possible and wipe it off with a wet cloth when you do. Wait for the grout to dry before you start tooling it with trowels. When you have finished, wait 24 more hours before starting the next step.
  8. Seal the stones with masonry or tile sealant. The best way to apply the sealant is with a spray bottle. Keep applying the sealant until the sealant is no longer able to get through to the stone.

Why Should You Use Manufactured Stone Veneer In a Bathroom

Manufactured stone veneers are getting used in more and more places around the house. Everyone has seen how good it looks around a fireplace as a center piece for a room. It looks equally good on the outside of a home because it lends a certain rugged charm but have you ever considered using it in your bathroom? The basic qualities of a manufactured stone veneer are its amazing durability and its almost complete resistance to moisture and staining. If you are shopping for the perfect building materials for your bathroom then durability and stain resistance are probably the two things you are specifically searching for.

Manufactured Stone | Custom Stone Veneer | BathroomUp until recently, only the most affluent homes could have natural looking bathrooms covered in marble and other high end stone. The price tag on bathroom projects like these would sometimes rival a small house but with a manufactured stone veneer they became a much more practical design decision. Even middle income homeowners can afford to own:

  • Unique vanity top designs. These are made out of stylish stone that really adds a dash of elegance to a room.
  • Decorative accents made from cultural marble. Marble is always a hit and most people cannot tell natural stone apart from its manufactured counterpart.
  • Cultured Onyx, Granite and Piedrafina. These stones and many more are available in manufactured varieties and they are very easy to work with.

If you have never seen manufactured stone then you may think that it will look cheap or fake. Most manufactured stones are actually made from rock dust instead of plastic or synthetic materials so it is an actual stone, just not a naturally formed one. This process of formation is the main reason that manufactured stones are so easy to work with. Liquid polyester is utilized to make all the rock dust stick together and then it is covered in a non porous coating that resists stains and spotting. The end result is that you are left with a bathroom that doesn’t absorb moisture or hold onto odors and it can be easily cleaned with soap and water for the most part.

There is one thing to be careful of when buying manufactured stone veneers and that is to get them from a reputable company. Some will skimp on the manufacturing process and it can result in you buying inferior manufactured stone.