Manufactured Stone Fireplace Archives

Outdoor Kitchen from #6 Walnut Stack stone from Native Custom Stone

In the summer months, there is nothing better for outdoor entertaining than an outdoor kitchen. The best type will include a place to cook, a place to clean, and storage space as well as seating for you and your family and friends. But the options are endless and the design choices as versatile as those you would consider for you indoor everyday kitchen.

An outdoor kitchen is more than just a deck or patio where you cook on a moveable barbecue unit like a Weber kettle or a gas cooker on wheels. To fulfill the definition, an outdoor kitchen should be built in and should incorporate all the necessary elements of your indoor kitchen. Ideally then, there will be cupboards and a sink with running water. Additionally, you might want to include a pizza oven, a fire pit, and maybe even a bar with a refrigerator.

The actual materials used to build your own outdoor kitchen are no different to the materials used for any other outdoor structures. Bricks and blocks are common and manufactured stone as a veneer has become increasingly popular in recent years. Stone veneer can be used as a cladding for ordinary cement or concrete bricks and blocks, or even for a framework made from lumber or steel and pressure-treated plywood or galvanized steel plate. Of course, solid natural stone is another option, but it’s heavy, expensive, and you’ll need a stonemason to cut and lay it. If you opt for concrete blocks and a stone veneer you could do it yourself!

Planning Your Outdoor Kitchen

The most important things to consider are:

What will be included in your outdoor kitchen. A gas unit will need a gas connection, and a sink will require plumbing. For the rest, the construction method you decide on will determine the skills needed for the project.
Exactly where it will be located. Both boundary lines and utility lines will have to be considered.
What permissions including permits you will need. Utility lines generally need safety permits. Your local authority will be able to advise whether you need plans and planning approval.
What sort of foundation, if any, will be required. However, this depends on what you are going to build. Many outdoor kitchen structures are defined as non-permanent because they literally sit on their own weight.
What basic construction method you are going to follow. If you opt for a brick or block structure (blocks are probably the cheapest of all) you will need to know how to lay bricks or blocks or hire someone who does. Steel frames are relatively easy to install but might require some welding work.
Finish. A manufactured stone veneer will produce a magical effect with any of the construction methods chosen.

Native Custom Stone offers stone veneer that mimics just about any type of natural stone from ashlar and stacked stone to river stone and great big blocks of stone. Because it is manufactured, it weighs a lot less than natural stone and can be installed easily and much more quickly. Call us to see which type of stone veneer will work best as a finish for your new outdoor kitchen project.

A fireplace is often the hub of the home in winter: a place to sit and relax or socialize, and get warm. But it is more than just a useful adjunct to a home’s heating system, and is also often a focal point in terms of décor.

Whether you already have a fireplace in your home, or are considering installing a new one, type and style will be important considerations. There are many options both traditional and contemporary; with manufactured stone taking its rightful place alongside other more banal finishes including brick and paint.

If you are building a fireplace from scratch, manufactured stone can easily be incorporated in the design of the unit. If you are renovating or changing an existing fireplace, faux stone may be used as a finish to completely revamp the unit and give it a new and exciting lease of life.

Benefits of Using Manufactured Stone for a Fireplace

If you like the idea of a fireplace made of stone, you’ll be happy to learn that good quality manufactured stone is both easier to work with (because it isn’t so heavy) and less expensive than quarried stone. You may also be surprised to discover that faux stone is generally more durable than natural stone, certainly stronger and more hardwearing than softer stone types including sandstone and certain types of limestone.

When using natural stone you are generally limited by what is available in the area in which you live – unless of course your budget can withstand the high costs of bringing quarried stone in from other regions. Manufactured stone mimics a myriad of natural stone types and you will find a multitude of colors and styles to meet personal and décor needs.

Quality faux stone is stain-resistant and easy to clean, whereas unpolished natural stone tends to be porous and is vulnerable to staining. This minimizes maintenance and makes a fireplace built with manufactured stone particularly easy to care for.

Basics of Installing a Manufactured Stone Fireplace

Manufactured stone (also called cultured stone) is available in different forms including:

Solid block units, which are laid the same way as concrete bricks and blocks
Veneer that is available in various sizes and depths that can be mixed and matched for an authentic finish, with the option of mortar joints
Interlocking panels that are perfect for DIY applications

All types are manufactured in a factory and molded into authentic shapes and finishes, usually from concrete, although Native Custom Stone manufactures a veneer interior panel range from discarded rubber tires.

While you will need to lay a concrete plinth if you are using solid faux stone blocks, veneer and panels from Native Custom Stone don’t need any form of foundation, even if you choose to add mortar joints to the veneer.

Caring for a Manufactured Stone Fireplace

The faux stone façade of a manufactured stone fireplace is easy to clean and take care of. However, like everything else in your home, if it does get grubby, clean it as soon as possible as dirt of any sort will generally become ingrained if it is left for any length of time. For example, if a fire smokes badly for some reason, you might find that the smoke discolors the surface around the firebox or alongside the hearth. Or house dust might accumulate on an uneven surface on a very windy day. A quick, immediate cleanup will help avoid extra elbow grease at a later stage.

So from time to time when you vacuum your home, also vacuum the fireplace façade. Use the brush attachment to loosen dust, gently manipulating it out of crevices and cracks. Then use a damp cloth (with a little household cleaner if the surface is in any way discolored) to wipe off any remaining dirt.

Generally you won’t need to clean your fireplace more than once a month, although if it is in constant use during the winter months, you might need to increase this to once a week.