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Why You Should Use Stack Stone Veneer for Your Outdoor Kitchen

Whether you’re considering building an outdoor kitchen in your backyard, or you already have one that you want to upgrade, stack stone veneer will help you create a fabulous feature you can use for entertaining and family living. Unlike traditional structures built using natural stone, stack stone veneer is surprisingly easy to install and it is also an economical option.

One of our client’s beautiful outdoor kitchens using Stack Stone!

Traditional stonemasons would stack stone to build walls and structures of various kinds. They would cut the stone neatly to size and either stack it dry – usually for country garden walls – or with mortar to strengthen the structure.

The effect stack stone produces is neat and clean, and reminiscent of centuries-old craftsmanship.

Nowadays, there are very few traditional stonemasons worldwide. Not only is this a highly skilled craft, natural stone quarries are few and far between. Stone is also very heavy (and therefore expensive) to transport and it is hard on the hands.

Stone Stack Veneer

In recent years, stone veneer has become a popular alternative to solid stone. Initially, manufacturers made solid faux stone units that could be laid like the real thing. But today, manufactured stone veneer is relatively light and considerably easier to install. It is readily available countrywide and costs a fraction of the cost of natural stone both in terms of transportation and labor. In fact, some stone veneer products have been customized for the DIY market.

A sample of our Stack Stone Colors – Check them all out here!

  • Brown Stack
    Brown Stack
  • Coastal Blend Stack
    Coastal Blend Stack
  • Creek Blend Stack
    Creek Blend Stack
  • Cumberland Stack
    Cumberland Stack
  • Derby Brown Stack
    Derby Brown Stack

The Georgia-based faux stone specialists, Native Custom Stone, produce a range of stone veneer products suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

The company’s thin stack stone veneer is particularly versatile in terms of character, thickness, depth, and color. Stack patterns are clean and surprisingly contemporary in effect while appearing authentic at the same time.

Technologically advanced, stack stone units are manufactured for use in as many architectural applications you can think of. They offer numerous advantages, one of which is that no concrete foundation is required. This makes the stone stack veneer ideal for remodeling walls, indoor features like fireplaces, and backyard structures like outdoor kitchens and seating.

Another advantage is that the faux stack stone can be used as a cladding for almost every surface, including the walls of your outdoor kitchen, old or new.

For more information about Native Custom Stone stack stone veneer and other veneer products contact us today.

Properly Cleaning Manufactured Stone Veneer

We want to make sure that you keep your custom stone looking great for years. Part of this is making sure that it’s well maintained and clean. As you know, manufactured stone veneer is different than a natural stone, and needs to be cared for differently. A good cleaning every two-three months should keep your manufactured stone looking new.

Keep in mind when installing your stone not to leave mortar on any surface. Mortar should be brushed away as the stone or brick is installed. If the surface is properly protected during the application, cleanup will be much easier. After the mortar sets for 24 hours, wash the job with a water hose to eliminate excess dust. Once the Stone or brick veneer has dried, apply a sealer for maximum protection.

5 Steps to Properly Cleaning Manufactured Stone Veneer:

  1. Thoroughly mix approximately one cup of Laundry detergent into 3 gallons of hot water.  Never use detergents with bleach, any type of acid, or a pressure washer.
  2. Rinse the stone/brick with water to remove loose debris.
  3. Using a circular motion scrub the dirtiest areas first using a medium bristle brush.
  4. Rinse the cleaned area thoroughly, removing all detergent and suds.
  5. Let dry, if you still see dirt and debris, repeat the cleaning process. Once completely dry and clean, seal.

Remember you don’t need to clean your manufactured stone often, if there is a little mud or muck just rinse with a hose or water. Or, if you have accent stone veneer inside your home, just wipe it down with a damp cloth.

They do make special detergents for manufactured stone if you wanted to keep it on the safe side, but a mild dish detergent or even laundry detergent will do. If you don’t have manufactured stone in your home yet, but have been thinking about it, Native Custom Stone has a wonderful selection of manufactured stone veneers to choose from. They also have distributors all over Georgia, and you can buy online from Build Direct or Home Depot!

Choosing the Best Custom Stone Veneer Style for Your Home

Stone is a beautifully natural finish for the inside and outside of any home, but it can be very expensive and it requires specialist skills to lay – even though it is one of the oldest building materials used by man. But the good news is that modern technology has made stone much more accessible in the form of new-age “stone” veneer. It looks real, feels real, is lighter than the real thing, and it’s both cheaper and easier to install.

If you like the idea of stone veneer rather than using heavy, expensive quarried stone, and you start shopping around, you will find that not all manufactured stone is created equal. Simulated stone has been made from relatively lightweight precast concrete for decades. It’s relatively inexpensive and can look stunning, however, it’s much easier to lay than standard blocks or bricks. In addition to these traditional precast manufactured stone products, there is now another lighter, simpler, easier option that is suitable for interior projects, both big and small.

A Georgia-based company, Native Custom Stone, manufactures architectural stone and stone lookalike veneer that can be used to clad just about any surface. Interior products don’t need a concrete foundation or base to support the manufactured stone products, and you don’t need any mortar or special tools to install it. It’s lightweight, incredibly easy to work with, indistinguishable visibly from natural stone, and effortless to maintain. Easy-to-lay using tile adhesive, Go-Stone interior panels from Native Custom Stone are manufactured from discarded rubber tires that have been shredded. Similarly, their Go-Brick range mimics tumbled and face brick surfaces. All panels are supplied in boxes and are assembled easily, almost like a 3D jigsaw puzzle.

Additionally, the company has more traditional products that are suitable for outdoor cladding and siding, enabling you to transform even the plainest little house. These may also be used for retaining walls and other garden features, including freestanding pillars, flower boxes, and even firepits.

Overall, custom stone products provide an ideal solution for homeowners who want to upgrade their homes, particularly those who want to do it themselves. The greatest challenge is deciding which stone veneer will suit your home best.

Types of Manufactured Stone for Your Home

Dawson County Ledge

There are as many types of manufactured stone as there are types of natural stone; the difference though is that you don’t only have access to stone that occurs locally. With manufactured stone, the choice is much, much greater, depending of course on the stone sourced for molds. You can choose to have a randomly laid stone effect, a split-stone effect, or traditionally laid brick. There are so many color options and “stone” sizes you’ll be spoilt for choice. Really, it just depends on the type of interior accent you are looking for.

Native Custom Stone Offers the Following Styles to Create a Custom Look

  • Country Villa creates a rustic random effect that mimics the work of ageless stone masonry. It’s slightly uneven on the finished face, and shows no sign of mortar being used to bond the units.
  • Castle Rock is also random in terms of size and color, but it has a smoother and more regular finish. This one is perfect for the DIYer who wants to make his home his castle.
  • Rubble Stone (Ashlar) will achieve a lovely traditional effect. It can be used with or without the addition of mortar joints.
  • Stack Stone is a clean, contemporary option that typifies a well executive split stone finish. Even though it combines a number of different sizes, it has absolute authenticity.
  • Ledge Stone is very similar to Stack Stone, but with defined texture. Shapes and sizes are also more irregular, and the effect more rugged overall.
  • Field Stone is the look you might choose for garden walls and other outdoor features. It may be used to achieve a relatively rugged effect, either dry-stacking it or laying it with a mortar joint. It also works well combined with other types, including ledge stone.
  • River Rock typifies the effect you would achieve by using a mix of water-worn stones pressed into mortar.

Whatever appeals to you, one thing is for certain: there is a synthetic stone veneer that you can use to improve the look of your home from Native Custom Stone. And if you want to, you can do-it-yourself with their options like Go-Stone and Go-Brick!

 

 

 

 

Using Custom Stone Veneer vs. Natural Stone for Your Project

Natural stone creates an amazing effect in homes and gardens, for walls and for feature structures including fireplaces, outdoor kitchens, water features and planters. But there’s a certain irony about this statement because you can create exactly the same effect using a custom stone veneer, and you’ll find it’s generally easier, cheaper, and much more manageable to maintain.

River Rock

While there is a certain mystique about natural stone, largely based on tradition and the age-old skills of practiced stonemasons, modern technology has enabled us to manufacture faux stone in various forms, including veneer. Custom stone veneer and other faux stone products are perfect for both construction and finishing projects. Stone veneer is also a great tool for revamping and renovating walls and other indoor and outdoor features.

Effects You Can Create Using Custom Stone Veneer

Here’s another irony: unless you have an unlimited budget for natural stone, you have many more choices in terms of the effects created by using faux stone and veneers than you do when using natural stone. The reason is simple. When you use the natural stone from the area where you live, you are limited to what stone occurs naturally. If you opt for faux stone blocks or custom stone veneer you are limited only by the range produced by an accessible manufacturer like Native Custom Stone.

The reality is that manufacturers offering manufactured stone veneer products have dozens of styles and colors. There are also numerous different finishes and sizes that will give you the opportunity to copy any effect from an elegant castle stone finish to a typical rubble effect like the traditional ashlar, commonly used in southern USA.

Alternatively, you might want something that looks as if it was built using genuine fieldstone or perhaps river rocks. No need to go into the field or seek out a river, a good quality custom stone veneer or manufactured stone will provide you with the materials you need.

Working With Stone Veneer Rather Than Natural Stone

Custom Fit Stone

Traditional stonemasons didn’t need university degrees to do their work, but they did need incredible skills that were generally passed down through the generations.

While stone can be used in the form of boulders or random blocks, unless you are building a rockery or irregular dry-stone structure, the stone will need to be cut into blocks or slabs that will slot together or enable them to be laid neatly and effectively. Natural stone is heavy and can be challenging to cut.

Stone veneer, on the other hand, is available in the form of individual units or simple panels. Interlocking panels in particular, are very easy to install without any skills at all, other than the ability to use a spirit level to ensure they are laid level. They are also lightweight and easy to handle. Furthermore, no foundations or additional structural support is required and they can be used to clad a variety of frame types, both metal and wood, or even a masonry structure.

Typically natural stone walls vary in size from about 2 to 30 ins (or 51 to 762 mm). Manufactured stone veneer, on the other hand, is substantially thinner than natural stone blocks, varying in size from about 1 to 3 ins (or 25 to no more than 76 mm), partly dependent on the texture chosen.

So if you like the effect of natural stone, explore the options offered by the Native Custom Stone range of veneer products.

 

 

 

How to Get the Most ROI from Your Home Remodel (Infographic)

When making the decision to remodel your home, or certain rooms in your home, you’re often concerned with the most appeal for the best cost. This infographic covers some of the best ways to get the best return on investment for your renovation from kitchens, to home exteriors. The 2015 Cost VS. Value report lists manufactured stone veneer as one of the number one ways to renovate your home and increase the value. When you replace some, or all of your exterior siding with custom stone veneer you could be looking at a 92% ROI!

remodel-roi-infographic-ncs

 

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A Complete Guide to Caring for Your Interior and Exterior Manufactured Stone Veneers

Manufactured stone and products like Go-Stone are rapidly growing in popularity, especially with DIY’ers. Manufactured stone is extremely easy to work with, and it looks indistinguishable from natural stone. It is sometimes called cast stone because  it’s fabricated using casts made from natural stone and concrete. It is often used for architectural features like:

  • Building facings
  • Ornamentation
  • Trim
  • Garden ornaments

Why do more and more people use manufactured stone every day?

go-stone-gallery-16Manufactured stone veneers have the look of expensive natural stone without all of the downsides. Manufactured stone is durable and can last just as long as natural stone but it:

  1. Costs much less than natural stone. The price of natural stone has become artificially inflated over time because it is now associated with wealth and elegance. Manufactured stone can give you the same look and feel of natural stone, but it only costs a fraction of the price.
  2. Is much easier to work with. Manufactured stone is much easier to move around and install because it doesn’t weigh nearly as much as a natural stone. That means you don’t need extra materials to support it or expensive tools to cut it. Plus, it drastically lowers the chance you will be injured by it so you can save on doctor bills as well.
  3. Manufactured stone comes in a wide selection of colors and types . One of the biggest drawbacks to using the natural stone is its weight. It costs so much to ship it that most people will only be able to afford the stone quarried locally. Manufactured stone can look exactly like rocks mined from the heart of Siberia and it won’t cost you more than any other style.

Is manufactured stone vulnerable to damage or decay?

No, it is extremely durable and resistant to damage from the elements just like natural stone but your home isn’t. If a professional doesn’t install the manufactured stone, then you could have trouble with water pooling or draining towards your foundation instead of away. This problem can snowball fairly quick because you won’t be able to see the state of the  wood behind your beautiful, pristine manufactured stone.

To ensure your new manufactured stone wall doesn’t cause you costly problems in the future, you will need to seal it against water. The experts at Native Custom Stone have found that Natural Shield is a perfect choice for the job. It works on:

  • Manufactured Stone
  • Brick
  • Pavers
  • Stucco
  • Natural Stone

Natural Shield will protect your manufactured stone from freeze damage, stains, biological growth, water damage, cracking and dirt accumulation.

What to do if your manufactured stone has a few stains

Manufactured Stone Veneer | Custom Stone | MortarManufactured stone is nearly maintenance free, but the operative word is “Nearly”. Every two or three months you should give your veneer a quick cleaning to keep it looking its best.

If the manufactured stone needs more than a quick rinse, don’t worry. The process is very simple, and you will be done before you know it. Just follow these five steps:

  1. Mix a cup or less of mild detergent with a few gallons of water. Never use harsh cleaners because they could cause the stone to fade. Some industrial strength cleaners are even strong enough to eat away at the stone.
  2. Give the stone a pre-rinse to loosen up any dirt or debris that may be clinging to the surface.
  3. Scrub the stone gently with a stiff bristle brush. Start with the dirtiest places, like where mud or dust has become caked on the stone. Remember to use a circular motion and clean your brush often or you will just spread the dirt around.
  4. Rinse your area thoroughly! Doing so is  very important because you have to make sure all of the detergent has been rinsed from the manufactured stone.
  5. Now just let it air dry and you are done for another few months.

What to do if you got mortar on your manufactured stone veneer

Getting mortar on your manufactured stone veneer happens quite a bit. Since manufactured stone is so much easier to work with than normal stone, DIY enthusiasts have been tackling the installation more and more. It may seem to be an easy afternoon project, but you can damage a veneer by doing simple things like:

  • Incorrectly placing the stones
  • Attempting the install in overly humid conditions
  • Wiping or digging into mortar that is still wet
  • Accidentally getting mortar onto the face of your veneer

If you do make a mistake and get mortar on your manufactured stone, all is not lost. You can correct the problem if you act quickly and follow these seven steps:

  1. Gather the equipment you will need for the job: water, dish detergent and two stiff brushes that are not wire and rags.
  2.  If the mortar is still fresh, then you  will have to wait for it to dry completely. In most environments, this will take a full day and night.
  3. Mix up a bucket full of warm water and dish detergent. There is one trick to this step that is you cannot have bubbles in the mixture. Keep mixing until all the bubbles disappear then set it aside for now.
  4. Using one of your stiff brushes, start wiping it across the mortar that you want to remove from your manufactured stone. It may help to put the brush at an angle, so you are wiping at the contact point between the mortar and the manufactured stone. You should continue this step until you get as much mortar off as possible.
  5. Now use one of the rags to remove all the dust that has accumulated on the surface of the veneer.
  6. Take your second brush and dip it into your water/dish detergent mixture. Use the same technique as before to remove the rest of the mortar and give the other parts of the exposed stone a good scrub while you are at it.
  7. Give the stone another once over with regular water and look for any residual mortar. It has probably all been removed by now but if you do still see some, just repeat step five again.

How to repair the cracks in your manufactured stone

Manufactured stone is a surprisingly strong and durable material, but nothing lasts forever. Even natural stone can be chipped and cracked over time. Damage over time can’t be entirely avoided, but with a little elbow grease, it can be easily fixed.

First you will need to gather a few tools:

  •  Broom
  • Trowel
  • Cold Chisel
  • Wire Brush
  • Hammer
  • Grout Bag
  • Mortar Mix

Once you have everything, you will need for the job, follow this procedure:

  1. Manufactured Stone | Custom Stone Veneer RepairFind the first stone you want to replace. Use the cold chisel to chip carefully away the grout so that the stone comes loose. The best way is to hold the chisel at a 45-degree angle, pointing inward toward the stone you are removing. Once you have removed the grout, lightly tap the hammer around the edge of the stone to loosen it. If it still doesn’t budge, you may need to start chipping away at the stone itself.
  2. Once the stone has been removed you should see, the wire meshes it was attached to. Carefully use the wire brush to remove as much debris as you can without pulling the mesh away from the wall.
  3. When the hole is clear, measure it. If you have another stone of the correct size, then you are ready to move on. If you don’t, you may need to rent a wet saw to cut one to fit.
  4. Mix the mortar in a bucket until it becomes a paste.
  5. Put a thin coating of the mortar directly onto the wire mesh then apply a thicker coat, about a half inch, onto the back of the stone. Press the stone firmly into place and use the grout bag to fill in around the edges.
  6. Move on to the next piece and follow the same steps.

If you run into any questions or you feel like you need a professional to help you with the project, please call us at 888-823-0745.

Cut Building Costs with Manufactured Stone Veneers

In most projects manufactured stone veneers can take the place of natural stone without anyone ever knowing the difference. If you need the weight and the strength of natural stone in your project then there can be no substitute but there are not a lot of medieval castles under construction anymore. If you are building a fireplace, wet bar, backsplash or any of the numerous other home improvement projects that benefit from a real stone look, then a manufactured stone veneer is the better choice.

You can save a lot of money on building costs when working with manufactured stone because:

  • It is easier to work with – Manufactured stone is significantly lighter than natural stone, which helps out in a lot of ways. You don’t need to pay a bunch of guys to help you haul it around and put it into place. You don’t need to pay for all the extra materials required to install natural stone securely into place. You don’t have to pay for a doctor visit for the back and neck strains often associated with natural stone construction.
  • stack-stone-gallery-03It costs less than natural stone – Stone has always been a popular building material but over time it has become associated with elegance and sophistication. Once the wealthy started using it in their homes, the price for natural stone kept rising and rising. Manufactured stone can give you the same look and feel of natural stone with out having to pay the artificially inflated price.
  • Comes in a wide selection of types and colors – One of the biggest limiting factors of natural stone is its weight. Since it is too expensive to transport stone from halfway around the world, you are often limited to using the stone that is naturally found in your area. With manufactured stone, you could have a fireplace made from German stone, a kitchen backsplash made from African stone and an accent wall done in Japanese stone without breaking the bank.

To get that natural stone effect you are looking for at a price that is affordable manufactured stone veneers is definitely the way to go. Check out our online catalog or stop in at your local Home Depot today to see our huge selection. For further assistance contact Native Custom Stone at 706.216.5545

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.

How to Remove Mortar from Manufactured Stone Veneer

Manufactured stone veneers have become a very popular project for do it yourself homeowners. The stone adds elegance and rustic charm to everything from your fireplace to the outside of your home. Since it basically amounts to sticking rocks in mortar, building a manufactured stone veneer seems like it would be very easy but it can go wrong quickly. A veneer can be ruined by things as simple as:

  • Accidentally wiping mortar that’s still wet
  • Getting excess mortar onto the stones surface
  • Overly humid conditions
  • Incorrect stone placement

Once the stones are in place, it can be a chore to remove mortar from them without damaging the stones. However, if you do make a mistake and need to remove your mortar, it can be done in seven easy steps:

  1. Manufactured Stone Veneer | Custom Stone | MortarGather the equipment that you will need for the job: water, dish detergent, two stiff brushes that are not wire and rags.
  2. If the mortar is still fresh then you must wait for it to dry completely. In most situations a full day and night will be needed to thoroughly dry fresh mortar.
  3. Mix up a warm water and dish detergent solution. The only trick to this step is that you cannot have bubbles in the mixture so keep mixing until all the bubbles disappear. Set it aside for now.
  4. Using one of your stiff brushes, start wiping it across the mortar that you need to remove from your manufactured stone. It may help to put the brush at an angle so you are wiping at the contact point between the mortar and the manufactured stone. Try to get as much of the mortar off as possible during this step.
  5. Use one of the rags to remove all the dust that has been accumulated on the stones surface.
  6. Take your second brush and dip this one into your water and dish detergent mixture. Use the same technique as before to remove the rest of the mortar and give the other parts of the exposed stone a good scrub while you are there.
  7. Now give the stone another once over with regular water and look for any residual mortar. It has probably all been removed at this point but if you can still see some just repeat step five again.

How to Repair Cracked Manufactured Stone Veneer

Quite a few homeowners have decided to install a manufactured stone veneer instead of natural rock. In most situations it is a smart decision because they look the same, last forever and cost a lot less than the natural stone equivalent. Over time any type of veneer can become damaged, cracked or chipped just through normal wear and tear. Unlike natural stone, you can repair your own manufactured stone veneer in 5 easy steps. Before you get started with repairs, there are a few items that you will need to get including: a small broom, trowel, cold chisel, wire brush, a hammer, grout bag and mortar mix.

  • Manufactured Stone | Custom Stone Veneer RepairStep One:  Find the damaged veneer piece and place the cold chisel on the grout line. It needs to be at a forty five degree angle with the tip of the chisel facing inward towards the stone piece. Lightly tap the hammer on all sides of the broken piece to loosen the grout and remove the stone. If it refuses to come loose, you may need to chip away at the piece itself until it comes free.
  • Step Two:  Use the wire brush to clear away the debris and dust from where the stone piece was removed in step one. Be careful of the wire mesh inside the socket because you do not want to pull it away from the foundation of the veneer. That mesh is what you will be securing the new piece onto.
  • Step Three: Measure the hole that was left and find a piece of stone veneer that will fit into it. If you cannot find one small enough you can use a wet saw to cut a large piece down to size.
  • Step Four: Get a bucket and mix the mortar with water until it thickens into a paste.
  • Step Five: Apply a thin coat to the wire mesh, otherwise known as a Skim coat. Then you can apply a half inch thick layer of mortar onto the Skim coat using a trowel. If that is too big then you can substitute a putty knife. Now apply a half inch layer of mortar to the back on the replacement stone piece and press it solidly into place. Once the piece is in position you can use a grout bag to squeeze out a line of grout around the perimeter of the new piece. After that the only thing left to do is wait for it to dry.