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You are here: Home / Archives for Go-Stone Panels

Skills Required for a DIY Stone Veneer Project

The skills required for any DIY stone veneer project will depend on the materials and methods used for the job. For instance, if you opt to use natural stone cut for use as a veneer, you will need good building skills even if you don’t cut the stone to size yourself. If, on the other hand, you decide to use man-made stone veneer, it will be a lot easier and quicker to install. And if you choose to use Native Custom Stone’s ingenious Go-Stone Panels, you don’t need any special skills at all.

Generally, natural stone veneer is a job for the professionals. Because of the weight, it will require a foundation, and the cut-stone veneer units will have to be laid in mortar. Depending on the size of the stone used, it might even need steel reinforcing.

Manufactured stone is a lot easier to work with, and it doesn’t usually need any concrete foundation or base. Go-Stone panels are even lighter

Skills Needed for a Faux Stone Veneer Project

Our #21 Aspen Ridge CustomFit Panels

Most faux stone veneer projects require basic building skills including knowledge of how to ensure everything is straight and square, as well as level and plumb. In essence, for any structure to be square it must have right-angled corners, horizontal surfaces must be flat and level and vertical surface must be plumb. All this means is that you need to know how to measure correctly and how to use a torpedo or spirit level since these tools allow you to check both horizontal and vertical surfaces. A builders’ square is useful for testing that corners are at right-angles.

While some faux stone veneer products can be laid dry and stacked without mortar, it is often better to use mortar. You can buy a pre-mixed product that comes in one bag for this.

It might take a bit of practice using a trowel to lay the mortar on the stone veneer, but it isn’t particularly different. If you work systematically, checking your vertical and horizontal levels as you go, there is no reason why you can’t achieve a professional finish.

Go-Stone is a unique product made partially from rubber tires. Because it comes in panels, it is a quicker process than laying a faux stone veneer. Nevertheless, you will need the same basic skills that relate to ensuring the veneer is straight, level, and plumb. Instead of working with mortar, Go-Stone panels are laid using a ceramic tile and stone adhesive.

Whether you opt for a faux stone veneer or Go-Stone panels, Native Custom Stone has products that offer lots of choices of finish and color. You’ll wonder why you ever considered using natural stone!

Filed Under: Custom Stone Accents, Custom Stone Bathroom, Custom Stone Fireplace, Custom Stone Kitchen, Faux Stone Paneling, Go-Stone Panels, Maintenance and Installation, Manufactured Stone

Go DIY with Go-Stone Manufactured Stone for Interior Walls

Looking for a really exciting DIY project that will transform your living room walls? Well, here’s a challenge you won’t be able to resist: Go-Stone manufactured stone for walls. An ingenious faux stone veneer, the product is light, durable, realistic, and, best of all, it’s super-easy to install and relatively inexpensive.

Created with DIY enthusiasts in mind, Go-Stone is an environmentally friendly product manufactured by Native Custom Stone LLC. Supplied in the form of panels, it requires very few tools to install, and minimal preparation. Even though the finished surface will look like a hefty rock face, there is no need for any form of foundation to support the system. Unlike solid rock, it’s quick and easy to cut, and no special stonemasonry skills are needed to install it.

About Go-Stone Manufactured Stone for Walls

Launched in 2013, Native Custom Stone’s Go-Stone system is made primarily from recycled rubber tires using new age, crumb rubber technology, taking the concept of manufactured stone for walls to a completely new level. Not only is the product light in weight, it also helps to relieve the huge problem of discarded tires sent to landfills.

Go-Stone panels are supplied in boxes, each of which contains varied panels that will cover a total of five square feet, providing a total of 40 inches of vertical edging. Corner pieces are packaged with four linear feet in each box. Additionally, there are accessories in the form of surrounds that accommodate plug points and light switches.

Available in nine color combinations, it can be used to clad any interior wall, enabling you to create a feature and add a unique character to your room.

Installing Go-Stone is Easy

Go-Stone manufactured stone for walls is incredibly easy to install, and DIYers are sure to have all the tools required for the project:

  • Measuring tape (preferably a retractable steel type) to check the size of the area and to measure any cutting lines on panels
  • Torpedo or spirit level to make sure the panels are straight and level
  • Notched tiling trowel to apply the adhesive to the wall
  • Drywall or wet-cut saw to cut panels if necessary (to make them fit the area you are covering)
  • Painter’s drop cloth or rosin paper to protect your floor

In addition to the panels, you will need ceramic tile and stone adhesive. That’s it! No grout is needed!

And installation couldn’t be easier:

  • Prepare the work area by covering the floor with cloth or paper, and wiping the wall surface down to ensure it is clean. Allow it to dry thoroughly before proceeding.
  • Starting at a corner and from the floor, use the notched trowel to apply adhesive to the wall. Don’t try and cover the entire wall, rather work in small sections.
  • Position the first panel and push it firmly into place, moving it gently from side to side. Use the level along the upper horizontal surface, and on the vertical edges, to check that it is level. Never rely on existing floor and wall surfaces for this.
  • The packaging shows how you should alternate the different sized panels to achieve a natural look. Lay a full row along the base of your wall first.
  • When you install the second and subsequent rows, make sure you stagger the different sized panels for a natural appearance and to avoid the impression of seams. Keep checking your levels.

Go-Stone manufactured stone for walls is available throughout the state of Georgia as well as from select Home Depot stores, and online from BuildDirect.com

Filed Under: Custom Stone Accents, Go-Stone Panels, Maintenance and Installation

Benefits of Stone Veneer Versus Real Stone or Stone-Design Wallpaper

gostone cherokee stairwellThere is something very special about a stone finish particularly when it is used inside a house to create character. But it isn’t always possible to build interior walls from natural stone for various reasons including the availability of materials and skilled craftsmen, as well as cost.

But there are other options including stone veneer and wallpaper with a stone design, both of which can look beautifully convincing.

Natural Stone

If you decide to build with natural stone you will need to include details of what you plant to do in your house plans. Even if you opt to include a stone wall in a completed house, chances are your local authority will require plans. Because of the nature of the materials, you will also need to include a solid concrete foundation and show how this will be incorporated.

It will probably look great, but it’s going to be hard work. So let’s looks at the other options.

Stone-Design Wallpaper

Designed using various photographic processes, wallpaper that looks like stonework is a breeze to hang and it will give you an instant result visually. But, while good quality wallpaper – especially the vinyl types – are relatively hardwearing and easy-to-clean, it won’t give you a tactile experience, and if you do touch it you might experience disappointment.

So, when weighing up the option of wallpaper you need to decide whether it will be enough to just be a realistic backdrop that will be visually pleasing.

Stone Veneer

There are several different types of stone veneer, all of which are considerably lighter and easier to lay than real stone.

The earliest stone veneer was made from cast concrete, using finely crushed stone or gravel as the coarse aggregate. Natural stone was used to make the molds, and so a huge variety of types is available, all true-to-life.

Relatively recently, Native Custom Stone produced an incredibly lightweight, realistic, and durable stone veneer for the DIY market that utilizes rubber tires for the basic material. Not only is the product environmentally friendly, reducing the rubber that goes into landfill, but it also looks incredibly realistic and is both easy to install and maintain with minimal effort.

Native Custom Stone specializes in stone veneer and offers a number of options suitable for use inside your home. Contact us for more detailed information.

Filed Under: Go-Stone Panels

Go-Stone is the Best Solution for a DIY Stone Makeover

Developed with DIY enthusiasts in mind, Go-Stone by Native Custom Stone is an exciting product that even the most reluctant handyman or woman will find easy to install. So if you want to transform a room or create a stone feature wall in your home, this is the best solution for you.

A relatively new product on the shelves Go-Stone is made from recycled rubber tires making it light in weight and environmentally friendly too.

Manufactured in panel form, this faux stone product requires very few tools for installation and absolutely no special skills. The most complicated step is ensuring the panels are level, and you’ll need a spirit level or a smaller torpedo level for this.

Installation is done using a standard tile adhesive rather than mortar. You’ll need a notched tiling trowel to apply the adhesive, but because they are panels they are even easier to lay them than tiles. Some might need to be cut, depending on the dimensions of your wall or pillars, but all you need is a drywall or wet-cut saw, and of course, a measuring tape to get the size right. You’ll find that a DIY stone makeover using Go-Stone is more like a craft project than a building job!

Ready-to-use panels are supplied in boxes each of which contains five each of three different panel types (15 in all). The three sizes – 16” x 4”, 12” x 4”, and 8” x 4” – will enable you to cover five square feet.

The secret is to mix and match them to create a natural looking surface. Also, if and where cutting is necessary these panels should be used either at the corner of a wall or against another panel. Any visible edges should be used as supplied so that the edges look realistic. There is a total of 40 vertical inches of finished edging per box.

Corner pieces are available for pillars and freestanding walls, enabling you to take the stone finish around to the adjacent side. There are also accessories made to accommodate switch and socket covers of various sizes.

It can’t get any easier than this. So if you’re keen to try your own stone makeover download the Go-Stone brochure from the Native Custom Stone website to see the three different stone finishes available. Then you can order your panels from HomeDepot.com or BuildDirect.com. Go-Stone is also available at some Home Depot stores.

Filed Under: Go-Stone Panels

Trying to Add Unique Appeal to Your Home? Consider Manufactured Stone Veneer

Go Stone

Go Stone Kitchen Backsplash

One of the hottest trends in home decor today is the integration of indoor and outdoor spaces — bringing nature into your home’s interior as well as creating outdoor “rooms” that can be enjoyed throughout the year. Whether it’s for you or for the discerning home buyer, manufactured stone veneer can be a great way to revamp a home.

If you love the look of natural stone, you might have low stone walls, stepping stones and pavers leading to your home’s entry or as accents in a backyard garden. Stone is often used to highlight a home’s architectural features as a stunning complement to a traditional brick exterior or for property walls and fence columns. Now you can add the look of natural stone to bring new style to your interiors as well, but without the expense of natural stone, and without the need for special preparation or professional installation. In most cases, you’ll have no worries about the weight, because manufactured stone does not require a concrete foundation.

What to Know About Synthetic Stone

Manufactured stone veneer mimics the appearance and character of “real stone.” Many of the available patterns and colors are derived from natural stone formations, and also have the distinctive color variations and texture of their natural counterparts. It can be used for projects large and small. Essentially, “synthetic” or manufactured stone can be used anywhere natural stone is appropriate, indoors or on a home’s exterior, including the chimney. It can be applied to wood or metal studs, adjacent to rigid insulation, or to exterior sheathing and interior drywall. In some cases, preliminary preparation is required, and flashing and trim materials are also necessary to finish the installation. Professional installation may sometimes be necessary, but the final appearance will be almost indistinguishable from its natural counterpart.

Also for DIY Installation

A new addition to the lineup of products from Native Custom Stone, LLC is even designed for DIY installation. It is lightweight and interlocking, making it ideal for home projects, yet it has a professional look.

Go-Stone is available in compact boxes that contain three different lengths of 4-inch panels, designed for mix-and-match stacking that mimics individually-chipped stone. It is applied with the simplest of tools, using only vertical adhesive. No grout is required and seams are not noticeable. The panels are eco-friendly, manufactured from 87% recycled materials, and 50% lighter than similar products. Go-Stone is available in three unique colorways, to complement many different interiors.

Go-Brick is another product that is designed with the do-it-yourselfer in mind. Using the unique texture and pattern of real bricks as a pattern, each individual color choice captures the warmth and appeal of its historic counterpart.

Add Character and Appeal

Each product will add a unique accent to interior spaces. Use brick or stone as a fireplace surround or as a focal point in an entry or dining room. Surround a structural column with stone or create a garden room with a “brick” wainscot, topped by windows. Give your imagination free rein — with a coat of proper sealer, stone veneer can even form a shower wall, allowing you to feel as if you’re standing under a mountain waterfall. And brick can rejuvenate a basement renovation, changing the mood of a space from dull to dramatic.

No matter what style your home may be, from traditional to contemporary, whether you live in a renovated urban loft or a suburban ranch, if you’re interested in changing the face of your surroundings in a “natural” way, why not explore the ways to do it with manufactured stone? You’ll only wonder why you waiting so long.

This guest post was written by Preston Guyton of CRG Companies, Inc

Filed Under: DIY, Go-Stone Panels, Maintenance and Installation

A Go-Stone Veneer Will Make Friends Think You’ve Employed a Stone Mason

Stonework has a natural beauty that is hard to beat. It is imposing and beautiful and has been in the natural landscape forever. It is also incredibly durable. But nowadays natural stone is generally expensive and not that easy to find. It is also very difficult to work with because it is extremely heavy and requires special equipment to both cut and lay.

Stonemasons specialize in shaping natural stone into usable shapes and then using the stone pieces to build walls and other structures. Their craft is an ancient one, and the tools, skills, and methods they use stem from antiquity. While there are contemporary courses for stonemasonry, there are also much easier ways to achieve what looks like exactly the same results. In fact today even DIYers can achieve stonework finishes that look just like the real thing!

How to Create a Stone Finish Without Using Stone

As stone has become less accessible for building and for decorative finishes, and its cost has continued to increase, a growing number of entrepreneurial companies have been producing faux stone products to achieve the same type of look.

There are a number of different types of faux stone including so-called reconstituted stone made the same way as concrete but with a very fine aggregate (rather than coarse stone). There are many versions, all of which are considerably easier to work with than solid stone. They are all also colored to look like the real thing.

A leading US manufacturer of faux stone products, Native Custom Stone has a totally unique rubber-based product that is even easier for DIY enthusiasts to use. Called Go-Stone, it is made from recycled tires and it is incredibly realistic, and quick and easy to install. Because no form of foundation or concrete base is needed, the veneer is perfect for both new construction and remodeling projects.

Go-Stone is a patented product that is sold in panel form. It is lightweight and doesn’t require any specialist masonry tools to install. You don’t even need mortar to keep the panels together. While a stonemason will don protective gloves and goggles and will need a variety of hammers, mallets, chisels, and various bricklaying tools, all you need to install Go-Stone panels is a measuring tape, a spirit level (even just a small torpedo level), a suitable saw, and a notched trowel to apply the adhesive.

There are three different colors and styles to choose from:

  1. Go-Stone Coastal Blend that looks as if different types of stone have been used together. The colors range from a dull beige to sandstone and a dark muddy brown. The effect is random and the sizes of individual stones are varied.
  2. Go-Stone Cherokee, a more rugged looking stone face that is also lighter overall in tone than the Coastal Blend. Sizes are even more varied.
  3. Go-Stone Cedar Creek, a traditional split stone finish that looks as if the masons have been really hard at work! The colors are reminiscent of sandstone.

Whichever Go-Stone finish you opt for you can be sure that unless your friends know about Native Custom Stone they are going to be convinced you employed a stone mason to do the work for you.

Contact Native Custom Stone for more information.

Filed Under: Go-Stone Panels

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.

Filed Under: Go-Stone Panels

Go-Brick and Go-Stone for DIY Projects

A Georgia-based company, Native Custom Stone has developed brick and stone veneer products for the DIY market. Both Go-Brick and Go-Stone products are easy to install and both are available online from BuildDirect.com, and from select Home Depot stores in a number of US states.

As their names suggest, Go-Brick looks like brick, and Go-Stone looks like stone. Both simulated ranges have a number of different finishes and colors, and both are installed using with minimal tools and tile adhesive rather than mortar. Both the brick and manufactured stone veneer products are lightweight, and both will transform walls from drab to fab in just a few hours!

Go-Brick

DIY ProjectsA thin, tumbled brick veneer that can be installed on most vertical surfaces, both interior and exterior, Go-Brick is available in a wide range of standard colors, and can be custom-colored to order. Several grout colors are also available to match the color of mortar that is normally used to lay full sized clay bricks or concrete blocks.

On average, the molded bricks are half an inch thick, and 7⅝ x 2¼ inches in size. Each box contains 58 Go-Bricks that will cover 8½ square feet with ⅜ inch joints. One box weighs about 24 lbs; and each square foot weights between 4-6 lbs. Accessories include corner pieces, 18 x 2 x 3⅜ inch window sills, and boxes that are designed to accommodate light switches and electric plug points.

When laying Go-Brick veneer it is best to mix units from different boxes to maximize variation.

Essential tools required to install Go-Brick include a measuring tape and a notched trowel to apply the tile adhesive. If tile grout is used, you will need a grout applicator; if regular mortar is used for grouting, you will need a small pointed trowel or pointing tool.

No form of foundation is required for Go-Brick veneer, but it is vital that the first (and all subsequent courses) are level. It is recommended that a chalk line is used to ensure that each course of Go-Brick is laid straight and level. But to do this you will need to start with two points that are level, so you will also need a spirit level to mark these points. Don’t ever rely on an existing floor level when tiling, laying bricks, or installing any form of veneer. Floors are not always completely level!

Sealing of the brick veneer isn’t necessary unless the surface is going to be exposed to a lot of water. Native Custom Stone has a Natural Shield Sealer that repels water and oil. It is effective for three to five years, and won’t change the natural appearance of the brick veneer.

Go-Stone

An innovative stone veneer made using recycled materials in the form of crumb rubber from discarded tires, Go-Stone is intended primarily for use on interior vertical surfaces. There are three ranges that give the appearance of different stone types, all of which are supplied in panel form.

Go-Stone is supplied in boxes of 15 panels that will cover five square feet. There are 40 vertical inches of flat edges in each box, and five each of three different panel sizes: 16 x 4 inches; 12 x 4 inches; and 8 x 4 inches. Corner pieces are packaged separately. Like Go-Brick, accessories designed to accommodate light switches and electric plug points are also available.

The essential tools needed to install Go-Stone include a measuring tape, spirit or torpedo level, and a notched trowel, as well as a wet-cut or drywall saw to cut ends to size as necessary.

Like Go-Brick, Go-Stone panels don’t require and form of foundation, and panel courses must be kept level for authenticity. The different sized panels should be alternated to prevent identical panels being installed next to or above one another. Since the panels are different sizes, this will also prevent the appearance of seams.

If Go-Stone manufactured stone veneer is going to be used on an exterior wall (perhaps on a covered patio wall), it’s advisable to use an exterior tile adhesive and the panels should be sealed.

For more information about Go-Stone and Go-Brick and suitable DIY projects, contact Native Custom Stone or an authorized distributor.

Filed Under: DIY, Go-Brick Brick Veneer, Go-Stone Panels

Top Tips and Tricks for Successful Go-Stone Panel Installation

Go-Stone manufactured stone veneer panels have opened up new possibilities for DIY enthusiasts who really do want to do home improvement projects themselves.

Available from a number of Home Depot stores, or online from BuildDirect.com, Go-Stone panels are lightweight, incredibly easy to install, and they look just like natural stone. Better still, they are made from 87 percent eco-friendly recycled materials – mostly discarded rubber tires that would otherwise end up in landfill. You don’t need any masonry or building experience to install these innovative panels, and hardly any tools.

Go-Stone manufactured stone veneer panels are available in three different colors, named according to look:

  1. Cedar Creek
  2. Coastal Blend
  3. Cherokee

The results produce a realistic stone finish and will be sure to add a warm, upscale look to any interior.

So what tips and tricks do you need to know to successfully install Go-Stone panels?

Make Sure You Have the Right Tools and Materials for the Job

If you have done any DIY home projects, chances are you will already have all the tools needed to install Native Custom Stone Go-Stone panels. But be sure to do a check before you start.

You will need a:

  • measuring tape and a pencil
  • spirit or torpedo level (a 12” is perfect)
  • notched floor trowel (a ¼” will do the job well)
  • drywall, wet-cut saw, or an angle grinder
  • rosin paper to protect the floor and painter’s tape to keep it in place (you could also use an old sheet or plastic)
  • personal safety equipment including eye and ear protection for when you cut panels to size

Of course you will also need Go-Stone panels and a suitable tile and stone adhesive to stick them to the walls.

While Go-Stone panels are primarily intended for indoor use, they can be used in some outdoor environments, for instance on the wall of a covered patio that is attached to the house. In this case, it’s important to use a suitable exterior adhesive to install the panels, and it’s best to seal the surface of the panels as well.

Tips and Tricks for Successful Installation of Go-Stone Panels

Go-Stone accent wallInstallation of Go-Stone manufactured stone veneer is so simple anyone can do it without learning any special skills. The only building principle you need to be aware of is the need to keep the top of the panels level.

Before you start work, make sure you have everything you need, and cover the floor surface adjacent to the wall to be clad with rosin paper or an old sheet. Then wipe the wall down thoroughly with a damp cloth to get rid of dust and dirt. If there is grease or grime on the surface, it must be removed. Allow the surface to dry thoroughly before you start laying the panels.

Start laying your panels from an edge. Apply the adhesive to the back of the first panel using a notched trowel. Push the panel into place and move gently from side to side to get rid of any trapped air. Use your level to check that the top of the panel is level. This means it should be parallel with the floor, unless the floor isn’t completely flat and level, which does happen! If you haven’t used a level before, all you do is place it on the upper horizontal edge of the panel and look at the bubble in the vial set in the center of the level. It should be right in the middle, and perfectly balanced. If it isn’t, shift the panel slightly until it is.

Each package of Go-Stone panels has three different sizes, and these should be alternated both vertically and horizontally, as you lay each course. To ensure a totally realistic stone appearance, you need to avoid creating the appearance of seams, or using identical panels next to each other. Keep checking your horizontal levels regularly – at least check after laying every third panel.

When you get to the end of the first row, you might have to cut the last panel to fit the space left. Measure the space and mark this dimension on a panel so that you can cut it accurately. Don’t forget to wear eye and ear protection when using cutting tools.

If you are using corner pieces, install these before cutting panels to fit the space at the end of a row.

How to Work Out How Many Go-Stone Panels You Need

Native Custom Stone’s Go-Stone panels contain five pieces of three different sized panels – 15 in all. The sizes are 8” x 4”, 12“ x 4”, and 16” x 4“, so that each course will be four inches high. The ends of the two longer panels, and one end of the shorter one, have notches that allow the next panel to slot in neatly. Each box contains sufficient panels to cover 5 ft2, with a total of 40 vertical inches of flat, finished edges.

Corner pieces are packaged separately, with four linear feet in each box.

Go-Stone also supplies accessory pieces, including electrical surrounds for light switches, separately, to ensure a professional finish for every project.

Filed Under: Go-Stone Panels, Tips and Tricks

The Difference Between DIY Stone Panels (Go-Stone) and Natural Stone

Stone is one of the most imposing building materials there is. Used to construct the earliest fortresses walls and buildings, it is beautiful and durable. But it is also heavy and difficult to work with and generally one needs a skilled stonemason to cut and lay the stone. Because it has to be quarried and transported, natural stone is also expensive.

The Difference Between DIY Stone Panels (Go-Stone) and Natural StoneFor decades companies have been making faux stone products, including synthetic veneer that can be used to clad timber frame homes inside and outside. Available in a wide range of styles that copy different types of natural stone, these products are made from cement that is combined with very fine crushed stone, or with lightweight fillers. They are fixed to prepared wall surfaces using mortar, either in imitation of a dry-stacked wall, or grouted with mortar so they look as if natural stone was laid the conventional way.

While a competent handyman (or woman) can work with faux veneer, particularly the kind that is made using lightweight, pumice-stone type fillers, it’s a relatively messy process that requires skills similar to those used when laying bricks. Truly DIY stone panels (Go-Stone), on the other hand, are very light and ultra-easy to install with minimal tools and no masonry skills.

How DIY Stone Panels (Go-Stone) Are Different

The DIY stone panels (Go-Stone), manufactured by Native Custom Stone are made using recycled tires that would otherwise be destined for landfills. With less than 7 percent of the 242 million tires discarded in the US every year being recycled, this sets them apart as the most environmentally friendly faux stone veneer product on the market. The panels are sold in multiples of five square feet, and each box contains the equivalent rubber content from one 12 lb. tire.

The company utilizes contemporary crumb rubber technology that enables them to mold the material into panels that look exactly like stone. They are also incredibly light – about 50 percent lighter than other types of simulated stone veneer.

Unlike cement-based simulated stone veneers, these DIY stone panels (Go-Stone) don’t require any mortar to fix them in place. Instead, they are fixed in position using a regular tile adhesive. The only tools required are a notched floor trowel, a measuring tape and either a spirit or torpedo level to ensure the panels are laid level. If panels need to be cut to fit a specific space, a drywall or wet-cut saw will also be required.

Go-Stone panels are available in several different colors to create different effects. Corner pieces are also available for use on pillars and stand-alone features. Accessory pieces include different sizes “stones” that are made to accommodate light switches and plug holes.

Synthetic Stone Veneer Products From Native Custom Stone

Native Custom Stone’s DIY stone Panels (Go-Stone) are intended for indoor use only, however Native Custom Stone also has a range of simulated stone veneer products that can be used externally. The latter products come in a range of styles to mimic rugged field stone, ledge stone and stack stone, rounded river rock, Ashlar that looks like a rubble stone, and larger rocks styles that look like old stone walls built with large rocks and natural stone.

All products are available from select Home Depot stores, www.homedepot.com, or from BuildDirect.com

Filed Under: DIY, Go-Stone Panels

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Dawsonville, Ga 30534
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