The stone in the interior looks stylish and impressive. It creates a cozy atmosphere in the room. In this case, it is not necessary to use natural natural material. Artificial stone looks no less interesting and original. You can not buy expensive finishes - a person is able to make it on his own at home. How to make a stone with your own hands will be discussed later.
Features of artificial stone
How to make a decorative stone with your own hands? This is an interesting, fascinating work, the result of which is a beautiful finish. There are different methods of making artificial stone. The appearance of the finished finish depends on the choice of technology. Most often, artificial stone is made of gypsum or concrete. You can also use alabaster, but this material cannot boast the same performance characteristics. Gypsum and concrete are much safer than thismaterial.
How to make a stone with your own hands? Cement is used for exterior decoration, for example, for a facade. From this material create a stone for a paving of paths. Cement is a fairly durable material that is not afraid of moisture. It is not affected by the weather.
Gypsum varieties of stones are suitable for indoor decoration. They are able to regulate the level of humidity, creating the right, he althy microclimate. However, gypsum does not like moisture, so this decorative stone can only be used for decoration in rooms with a normal level of humidity. This is a very plastic material from which it will be possible to create almost any shape. You can experiment with different stone textures.
Considering the question of how to make an artificial stone, it is worth considering that the color of the material will be more natural if pigments are added to it. Hue can be soft or saturated. The choice depends on the features of the design of the room. The pigments may be dry or diluted in liquid. You can mix several shades, but this process is usually approached very carefully. If you do not have certain knowledge, you can ruin the tone by getting a dirty color of artificial stone. In addition to pigments, sand, gravel, and other fillers are added to the material. This allows you to create different textures.
To get a similar decorative finish, first you need to prepare equipment for the manufacture of artificial stone. These are special matrices into whichselected material. You also need different tools with which the process of pouring gypsum or cement into molds will be carried out.
The material is immersed in the matrix, which allows you to make as many blocks as you need. You can purchase a special plastic mold, but this option has several disadvantages. Such a matrix is not sufficiently strong and durable. It is better to make it yourself from silicone or a special polymer. This option is much more reliable. In addition, creating such a shape yourself is not difficult even at home.
Features of silicone mold
How to make an artificial stone? First you need to find or build a suitable form into which gypsum or cement will be poured. The procedure for creating a matrix does not require large financial investments. It's a simple but interesting process. At this stage, you can independently choose the shape and size of the decorative stone. He can be quite original.
If there is no suitable artificial stone on sale or you cannot afford to buy it, you can use a silicone mold to make decorative blocks for walls, facades, etc. There are many reasons why people want to create such material on their own. The sizes of the blocks, their shade, texture, etc. may not be suitable. If you liked the decorative stones on sale, but they are expensive to buy, you can purchase just a few of these bricks and make a shape out of them. With its help, so many blanks are madefor finishing as needed.
Using a form for decorative stone can significantly reduce repair costs. At the same time, the object taken as the basis for the matrix can be practically anything. You can use real stones found in nature. Their texture and shape will be original, unusual. These finishing blocks cannot be purchased at the store. In addition to stone, you can also use wooden planks to develop decorative finishes. Only first you need to make the drawing more pronounced.
Matrix can consist of one or more compartments. The second option is preferable, since the finishing process will move faster. But a single mold doesn't need a lot of silicone. If a little artificial stone is required for finishing (for example, when finishing corners), you can make a small form for one compartment.
For a three-dimensional matrix with several compartments, it will be necessary to prepare the formwork from the boards. This form will require more silicone, but it will be possible to make several stones at once. This will speed up the process of creating a decorative finish.
In addition to boards, boxes or even cardboard boxes can be used to make formwork. Their dimensions must correspond to the dimensions of the workpiece. Such boxes should be approximately 10 mm wider and 25 mm higher than the original samples. If you only need to make a few small fragments, you can even use a regular juice box. If such forms are fastened together, a complex matrix will be obtained.
Decorative stone molds are made fromsilicone or special polyurethane. Another option is to use a compound that is used in conjunction with a hardener.
Silicon mold
Forms for making artificial stone at home are made mainly from ordinary silicone. It can be sold in tubes or small buckets. The amount of silicone is determined based on the size of the die.
Next, the formwork is being prepared. Its walls are qualitatively lubricated with a thick layer of fat. For these purposes, grease is often used. The stones selected as the basis are laid on the bottom of the formwork, leaving a small distance between them. Their surface is also lubricated with grease. It is unacceptable that even small dry places remain: this will spoil the matrix, which subsequently cannot be used to create a decorative stone.
If the initial workpiece is a gypsum stone, before pouring it into silicone, the surface is varnished in 3 layers. Each previous layer should dry well. In addition to the mold for the manufacture of artificial stone, in the process you will need a spatula and a brush. They are used during the application of silicone to the formwork. A soapy solution is also needed to wet the instruments.
The tube with silicone is cut, pouring the entire composition into the formwork. The original sample must be completely covered with the material. Using a brush, which is previously dipped in a soapy solution, the silicone is evenly distributed inside the box. It should fit snugly to the surface, which is why it is rammed. Use the brush to make appropriate movements to remove air pockets and bubbles.
Having filled the form to the brim, the surface must be leveled with a spatula dipped in soapy water. Next, you need to pay attention to the information provided by the manufacturer on the silicone packaging. This indicates how long the material will harden. Before the deadline, the formwork cannot be removed. Haste in this matter is inappropriate, since the durability of the mold depends on how well the silicone hardens.
The material hardens first on the surface, and then the polymerization is directed deep into. The process proceeds at a rate of 2 mm per day. Next, you need to measure the size of the formwork and calculate how long the polymerization process will take. Sometimes it only takes a few days, but more often it takes several weeks.
When the silicone completely hardens, the formwork is removed, and the mold is washed with high quality. It is unacceptable that grease remains on it. Then the surface is qualitatively wiped dry. The matrix is now ready for its intended use.
Compound mold
In the process of manufacturing a matrix for artificial stone, another technology can be used. The shape can be made from a special compound. It is a two-component polymer that only cures through a chemical reaction upon contact with a specific substance.
Matrix of such a polymer will be stronger than silicone. This material hardens faster, is used specifically for creating forms. The compound is most often made of polyurethane. Since hardening occurs under the influence of a special substance, the matrix will be ready in just a day. Therefore, the use of polyurethane compounds is the best option. The curing reaction does not require the presence of oxygen. Therefore, the process takes a minimum amount of time.
Making artificial stone at home using a professional compound is not suitable for everyone. The cost of such materials is quite high. For those who plan to make a large amount of artificial stone, it is recommended to use a polyurethane compound.
For such a matrix, you need to use a release agent, which is used specifically for the polyurethane compound. It is impossible to lubricate the formwork and blanks with grease. Formwork and decorative stones taken as a basis are also coated with grease. This requires a brush.
Preparatory stage when creating gypsum stones
Knowing what artificial stone is made of, many owners of houses and apartments still choose gypsum for this purpose. The material is easier to use, is environmentally friendly. You can also use gypsum blocks for finishing the facade, but in this case, their surface is pre-treated with a special varnish.
The material is easy to paint in the desired shade, since it initially has a light color. Cement, on the other hand, is usually dark gray, which makes it difficult to stain. Gypsum stone has moreadhesion, adheres well to the substrate surface.
A number of materials and tools are used to make decorative stone. In addition to the matrix itself, you need to prepare a drill with a special mixer nozzle, as well as a container for making a solution. It can be a plastic bucket or a bowl. You will also need brushes, a spatula and soapy water. It is best to use white gypsum to create a decorative finish: the material does not have a pinkish, grayish tint.
Filler, which will create a natural texture, can be pure river sand. Its fraction can be of different sizes. The choice depends on the effect that is planned to be obtained in the end. PVA glue is added to the composition, as well as a solution of citric acid. In the course of work, a mixture of turpentine and wax will be required.
You can color the decorative material with dry pigment. It is also necessary to prepare water at room temperature and the room in which the work will be done. There should be a table that stands firmly on the floor surface, does not stagger. Its tabletop should be exactly parallel to the base of the earth, its slope is unacceptable. Otherwise, the thickness of the plates will be different.
If you need to make a large number of decorative stones at a time, create a sufficient number of matrices. After pouring the material into them, the molds are stored on special racks. The shelves should not be tilted, which is checked using the building level. In the working area, a place is being prepared for the manufacture of the solution. It is better to cover the floor here with a film, or at leastnewspaper.
Preparation of mortar
The process of making artificial stone should be considered in detail in order to avoid mistakes. You need to know that to create a homogeneous mass, gypsum is added to the prepared container with water, and not vice versa. This composition tends to harden quickly, so you need to act quickly.
A number of tricks will help extend the time of using the solution. Citric acid is added to the gypsum solution. Per kilogram of dry mixture, you need 0.6-0.8 g of a crystalline composition dissolved in warm water. This allows you to keep the solution in a liquid state for up to an hour and a half.
It is necessary to make exactly as much solution as can be poured into one form. To make the decorative stone stronger, sand is added to it. Gypsum mixture is prepared in a plastic container. The solution should have the consistency of thick sour cream. To give the workpiece the required qualities per kilogram of the mixture, 100 g of sand is used.
PVA glue is used as a plasticizer, but other special compounds can also be used. These components maintain the fluidity of the mixture for a long time, eliminating air from it - the likelihood of cracking and the appearance of voids inside the finishing elements will be excluded.
Technology for the manufacture of artificial stone suggests that the dry ingredients must be mixed with water in a ratio of 1, 5:1. When calculating, the amount of moisture in which citric acid was dissolved is also taken into account. If you plan to paint an artificial stone, pigment is added to the water. Only after that, drysolution components. The mass is qualitatively mixed with a mixer.
How to fill molds with plaster?
A mold made of silicone or polyurethane is treated with a wax-turpentine mixture. Next, a solution is poured into it, from which all air bubbles must be removed. Therefore, the mass must be rammed with a brush. After that, the surface is leveled with a spatula. Partitions must be thoroughly cleaned of the solution. The matrix is placed on the rack and wait until the solution begins to set.
Materials and tools
Considering existing technologies on how to make a stone with your own hands, you need to pay attention to such an option as the use of cement mortar. This is a more durable finish that is not afraid of moisture and other adverse effects.
The tools used are the same as for creating gypsum stones. However, the list of components for the solution will differ markedly.
How to make an imitation stone with your own hands? For these purposes, durable cement grade M200-M400 is used. It will also require sifted river sand. PVA glue is used as a plasticizer.
However, for cement, it is still better to purchase special liquid solutions: they will make the stone stronger, more resistant to frost and other adverse effects. Moreover, the cost of such compositions is on the same level as PVA. But their use will make more sense. Coloring pigments should also be purchased.
Preparation of mortar
The working area is arranged in the same way as in the first option. When considering how to make a stone with your own hands, you need to pay attention to the correct proportions when mixing the ingredients. First, mix 1 part of sand with 3 parts of sand. Water is poured here in small portions, without ceasing to stir the solution. For this, an electromechanical mixer (drill with a nozzle) is used. Next, a plasticizer is added in the proportion indicated by the manufacturer on the package, as well as a pigment. It is mixed gradually, introducing the powder in small portions. This allows you to create the right shade.
Shape Fill
How to make a stone with your own hands from cement mortar? This technology is somewhat more complicated than when using gypsum. The silicone mold should not be deep. First, the solution is laid out in a matrix that needs to be shaken: this allows you to compact the cement mass, ridding it of air bubbles. A wide spatula is carried out over the entire surface. Partitions between individual stones are cleaned of mortar. The surface must be even. You can use the walls of the partitions as a kind of beacons by passing a tool along them.
If you still need a deep form for making a decorative stone, the solution is poured only up to half. Next, you need to lay a reinforcing mesh here: this will strengthen the workpieces, eliminating the possibility of cracking. Another layer of cement is poured on top. It flattens out and then dries out a bit. When the solution becomes plastic, awith a nail, creating a large mesh: this will improve the adhesion of the tile to the base.
After a day, the stones are taken out of the mold. The matrix is covered with a pallet and turned over. The form is carefully removed, and the sheet with blanks is transferred to the rack. Concrete dries in about 3 weeks.
