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4 Steps for Applying Manufactured Stone Siding

Adding manufactured stone veneer to your home is a great way to add value, and make your home more beautiful. Stone has been a staple building material since the beginning of time. Manufactured, or custom stone veneer, has changed up the game a little bit though. It is less expensive, and much easier to install. In fact, this particular project can be completed over the weekend with little or no professional help. There are many different styles of manufactured stone veneer to choose from, so make sure you choose one that perfectly accents your home.

When you have chosen your perfect manufactured stone veneer, you’re ready to get started:

Prepare the surface that you will be applying the siding to. First you will need to create a moisture barrier by affixing house wrap or roofing felt to the area. If you are preparing a masonry wall you can skip the moisture guard. Next you will need to attach a metal lath to the wall with screws or nails to give the mortar a way to gain purchase on the wall.
Start to apply the mortar mixture to the lath in a layer that is between 1/8 and 1/16 thick.
Start applying the stones to the mortar by holding them in place for 5 to 10 seconds. Try to keep them as tightly spaced as possible because it will make filling in the gaps much easier later on.
If you fit all of the stones tightly together then you may be able to just fill in the spaces between with an S type mortar. If not then you may have to cut small pieces of stone to put between the larger stones. The best way is to mark a stone using a pencil and then use a cut off grinder to give it the correct shape.

Native Custom Stone, a lead manufacturer of custom stone veneer has high quality stone in many varieties. They are sure to have the perfect stone to accent your home, or commercial building.

Using Manufactured Stone for Commercial Projects

Manufactured stone veneer offers many features that real stone can’t, and if taken advantage of it can make a big difference in the success of your next construction job. If you are familiar with using natural stone in a lot of your projects, maybe reading a little bit about the great benefits of custom stone will changer your mind. You will have many projects done in half the time, at a fraction of the cost.

A few of the ways the manufactured stone surpasses natural stone are:

Manufactured stone costs a small fraction of the current price for regular stone. This can come as a surprise to construction companies because they view natural stone as being cheap and plentiful.
Since a manufactured stone veneer is all part of the same piece, it can be installed much faster than normal stone. This is a benefit to commercial locations that do not want part of their building to be off limits for an extended period of time because if foot traffic is impeded it can result in lost revenue.
Manufactured stone veneers are much safer than a standard stone facing. If a natural stone were to come loose and hit someone it could cause serious injuries. Since the manufactured stone veneer is a single piece, you never have to worry about parts coming loose.
You will stand out from the crowd. Most commercial companies want to look businesslike and stylish so they tend to use a lot of stone in their construction. It looks good but after awhile it all tends to blend together. If you use a manufactured stone veneer, you can get any look that you want. You can have a veneer that perfectly emulates natural stone or you can have a veneer that perfectly reflects your own sense of style. You have complete control over how it will look in the end.

A great manufactured stone veneer is key when working on a commercial project. Customers are sure to be pleased with the quality, efficiency, and price of this great product.

4 Steps to Add Manufactured Stone to Your Garage

If you’ve been house hunting recently you may have noticed an increase in the popularity of stone work on the exterior of homes. This manufactured stone veneer product is one of the best materials on the market for this kind of work. There is river rock, castle rock, ledge stone, and many more designs that you can choose from to make the outside of your home look wonderful with half the installation work, and a much lower cost.

If you would like to dress up your garage, you might want to start with adding a manufactured stone veneer. This Native Custom Stone product is so easy to apply it will take two people just the weekend to finish.

Applying a manufactured stone veneer is a fairly simple procedure that can be accomplished following these 4 steps:

You need to have a base for your concrete. The best base is made by attaching felt paper and wire mesh to the surface of the garage wall. First cut the felt paper into manageable pieces and start stapling it to the wall with a hammer tacker. Now put the wire mesh over the felt paper and attach it to the wall as well. A pair of tin snips will make cutting the mesh much easier.
Read the instruction on your concrete and mix it accordingly. Use a bucket or a wheelbarrow so you will have room to mix it with a shovel. Once the concrete is thick and creamy, it is ready to apply.
Use a mason trowel to start covering the wire mesh with the concrete mixture. You want to force the concrete into the mesh so that it completely encases it.
Take your first manufactured stone piece and apply a ½ inch layer of concrete to the back. Then press it into place on the wire mesh. If you tightly stack the pieces as you work your way around the wall, you will not need to go back and use grout to fill in the joints.

Back-Splash: Update Your Kitchen with Manufactured Stone Veneer

Manufactured stone veneer is an excellent way to renovate any part of your home. We have already talked about how you can make a fireplace more beautiful with the use of custom stone veneer, and today we are going to talk about the steps for installing a great back-splash to update your kitchen.

Back-splashes are great for a few different areas in your kitchen such as behind the sink, stove, or counter space. Here are the materials that you will need for your project:

Chalk line
Level
Trowel
Mortar

Step 1: Find a great manufactured stone veneer for your project. Once you have all of your materials. Follow your mortar manufacturer’s instructions for mixing the proper mortar-to-water ratio. Spread the mortar compound on the space that you will be installing your back-splash.

Step 2: Use your level and chalk line to ensure that you’re working in an even line. Be sure to check your work with the level periodically.

Step 3: Start installing your manufactured stone veneer in the design that you want. Make sure that your stone is sufficiently placed in the mortar, but doesn’t slide. Also, make sure to clean off mortar on the stone as you go. If mortar is seeping out from your stones in excess you might want to start again and use less on your initial application.

Step 4: Once all of your stones are in place, use a piping bag to fill in gaps between your manufactured stones. Clean up excess mortar with a small grout trowel.

Step 5: Clean up any mortar on your stones and allow them to dry, this should take no less than 24 hours. However it’s wise to follow your manufacturer’s instructions on dry time. Clean up your stones once they are dry, and with a back-splash behind a stove or sink it is recommended that you seal your project to prevent staining and moisture damamge.

There you have it, a great kitchen back-splash. Make sure you use a quality manufactured stone veneer to ensure that your new kitchen will stand the test of time.

5 Steps to a D.I.Y. Custom Stone Veneer Fireplace

A GA custom stone veneer fireplace can give you the perfect place to gather with friends and family on cold nights. It also adds a lot of value to your home with a fraction of the cost in comparison to natural stone. If you have a DIY frame of mind then with a little preparation, you can tackle the project yourself. Or even better, you may want to recruit a friend to lend a hand.

The following steps will help to illustrate the right way to install a custom stone fireplace:

Measure twice, cut once – Go over your plans to see if they are simple enough for you to implement. Measure the wall and make sure that you have all the materials that you need on hand.
Start sizing the stone – Whenever possible, let the stone merchant cut the stones to your specifications. They have the experience and tools to do a much better job than you would be able to do. If you do have to cut the stone yourself, make sure that you are using a diamond tipped drill.
Time to mortar – Make sure that the mortar you are using was designed for the task at hand. Start assembling the fireplace according to your design and always remember to put the mortar on the sides of stones that can’t be easily seen. Let the mortar sit until it has fully dried.
Final check – Once the mortar is dry, give the fireplace a close inspection to find any cracks that you may have missed. If you find one, seal it with more mortar.
Clean Up – You can choose to seal your stone, but it’s not required. Now you’re ready to enjoy your new fireplace.

A great GA custom stone veneer manufacturer will have the perfect stone for your fireplace, or DIY project. Find a distributor near you and get started renovating your home today.

The Importance of Sealing your Manufactured Stone Veneer

Manufactured stone veneer from Native Custom Stone is a great alternative to natural stone. It cost tons less than natural stone, and is much easier to install. To keep your manufactured stone veneer looking great and lasting you do need to know the importance of sealing your manufactured stone after it’s installed.

Sealing your Manufactured Stone, or Custom Stone, prevents from:

Cracking or Chipping of the Stone and Mortar
Swelling and Breaking
Mortar from absorbing water
Color fastness in the Stone

If you are installing Manufactured Stone Veneer on the exterior of your home sealing it is crucial to prevent against weathering. If you don’t seal your Custom Stone Veneer you risk it becoming saturated and could break, crack, or lose color. Also, sealing your stone will help protect the Stone Veneer from mud and dirt stains.

However, if your custom stone is on the interior of your home it’s not mandatory, but it is recommended.

If you have a Custom Stone Fireplace you will want to make sure to prevent it from soot stains.
In bathrooms it’s important because of the excessive moisture in the air.
In Kitchens it really is a preference. If you install a counter top you are going to want to seal your stone to prevent against stains. However, if you have Custom Panels accenting areas in your kitchen you may want to protect them from accidents but, it’s not necessary.

The benefits of Manufactured Stone Veneer are abundant and you can use it all over your home. This type of stone is great for do-it-yourself projects or large contracting jobs. It’s light-weight and costs much less than Natural Stone, though it looks natural and beautiful in any setting. Native Custom Stone offers a large selection of Manufactured Stone Veneer. Have a look at their gallery and visit a distributor near you.

The Elegant Look of Faux Stone Veneer

Home improvement is something that is on every homeowner’s mind. Sometimes a room just seems to be missing something, as far as design goes; as if just a little something would make a world of difference. Often what the room is lacking are accent pieces. Accent pieces are often what can bring a room to life and create just enough balances and counter balances to make the room really glow. One great product to use and that we will be discussing is faux stone veneer.

Faux stone veneer, as the name states, is fake however this does not mean that it looks fake. In fact, to any eye this manufactured stone looks authentic. This is largely due to innovative designs and processes in which the manufactured stone is molded directly off of natural stone to get a look that is precisely like the real stuff. This really ups the ante on appeal, and when you take into consideration the cheaper price, better durability and lower maintenance, there is very little that keeps people from opting for faux stone veneer.

Another thing to consider when working with this product is the actual heft of it. Obviously it is much lighter than natural stone and so requires less structural support and installation than real stone. Faux stone veneer can also be incorporated into small or large products and come in a variety of colors and designs, including stone but also woods, to suit any room or project that needs enhancing or full-scale remodeling. Make that fireplace really stand out with a manufactured stone veneer setting, or finish off the bathroom counters. The possibilities are many, so let your mind wander and explore the delights of having faux stone veneer a part of your interior or even exterior decorating! You can easily work this stone into the exterior of your home and even into your landscape. Give Native Custom Stone a call today to help decide which stone veneer would make your home look great.

Manufactured Stone Veneer Suits Any Occasion

Manufactured stone veneer is finding its place in the household and landscaping in many different ways, thanks to the great versatility and appeal of this great product. It’s more affordable and durable than real stone or wood, and innovative design techniques have made which is real and which is not pretty much indistinguishable. In other words, you just can’t go wrong!

One of the ways that manufactured is being used and to great applause and success is in wet rooms. Now some of you may not be familiar with what a wet room is. Basically, take an oversized, luxurious shower area that pretty much is the whole bathroom and you have a wet room — the ultimate showering and relaxing experience that is usually encountered in spas and fancy hotels. However, with manufactured stone veneer you can bring the beauty and enjoyably of a wet room right into your home, making a spa day just a few steps away whenever you need it. Sounds amazing right?

Just imagine having a huge bath tub surrounded by rocks in earthy reds and browns, polished to a shine as though they were quarried and finished right before being brought to your home for installation. This is what manufactured stone veneer can do: It looks real because it is molded directly on what is real but the color and designs have far more possibilities because you can count on this product to be more affordable and flexible than real stone. You can have that wonderful stone encased tub or counter top without all the maintenance and sometimes sensitivities that come with real stone work. Manufactured stone veneer also comes in wood moldings that can offer you any style of wood design that you like. The options really are endless and can be specifically designed with you and your home in mind. So give Native Custom Stone a call today to give manufactured stone veneer a try.

Christmas Decorating with Faux Stone

Christmas is quickly approaching and with Christmas comes days of decorating and bringing in the holiday cheer right into your home. Faux stone is a wonderful way to further your Christmas decorating creativity in a unique and cost-friendly way. Since faux stone is inspired by nature, this gives them an incredibly realistic look and appeal that will be sure to impress anyone and liven up any space. For example, you can incorporate stone into an accent wall, highlight trim, and the entire room will seem to have undergone a wonderful transformation.

There are also many options to use faux stone beams or paneling that look like wood, and many of these projects are simple and easy enough to do yourself. All you need are the basic tools, a little time and the holiday spirit and you will find yourself quickly revamping your entire house for the holidays in ways that you have never previously deemed possible. This material is also sure to impress your guests, whether you’re throwing a Christmas party or having family home.

Of course, if you don’t have time to do it yourself, it is still an excellent choice for Christmas decorating, as contractors can have whatever additions you want to make to any room quickly installed, cutting labor costs and increasing the time you have to enjoy these creative inspirations. Upgrade the mantel to display stockings, or install decorative trim at corners to provide accents. After all, its all in the details and it can give those little hints of charm and cheer that will brighten rooms and moods.

For more information on the many different designs and ways that you can use faux stone in your Christmas decorating, give Native Custom Stone a call. Their friendly and experienced staff will be able to assist you in completing whatever wonderful, creative project you have in mind.

Get Creative with Manufactured Stone Veneer

With manufactured stone veneer the possibilities seem endless, and in many ways they are. There are so many different styles, colors, designs, and uses that manufactured stone veneer has that they can basically fit into whatever need and desire you have, providing the natural beauty inside and outside your home to enjoy for years to come.

There are many ways that simply stacking or arranging manufactured stone veneer, or where you decide to install manufactured stone veneer, that can greatly alter the look of the product as well as its surroundings. This means that installing manufactured stone veneer is often the most difficult and time consuming process. Not only is there is a bit of prep work involved, for those who enjoy do it yourself projects, but careful placement and deliberation is needed when it comes time to actually install manufactured stone veneer – to get the right look, as well as ensure that it will last for as long as possible. After installation there is also finishing that needs to be carried out. Again, this ensures that everything is as it should be with manufactured stone veneer. For those who aren’t as handy, call in a contractor to do the work for you and leave the work to them. Once your project is successfully completed you will have beautiful, natural-looking, durable and creative enhancements to enjoy for many, many years.

The best advice anyone can give you about manufactured stone veneer however is to get creative and think outside the box. Manufactured stone veneer is very versatile and with the wide range of options, you can make your dreams come true, whether it’s enhancing the fireplace or creating a breathtaking accent wall. For more information on how to incorporate manufactured stone veneer into your home, give Native Custom Stone a call today! With fast and friendly service, they will be able to assist you in all your project needs.