DIY decorative stone, a simple way. Equipment for the production of artificial stone
Natural stone has been used in building and interior decoration for thousands of years. However, now such material is very expensive. However, there is a way out. You can make an artificial stone with your own hands, and it will be practically no different from natural stone. The price of such a product will be much lower than a natural one.
Using stone in interior decoration allows you to achieve completely unexpected results. You can decorate the room in the style of a knight's castle, a fireplace framed by slate will look especially attractive, and columns trimmed with stone will be beautiful.
However, with all its wealth of shapes and colors, natural stone also has disadvantages. These include:
- high price;
- heavy weight, not every wall can withstand such additional load;
- significant transportation costs.
In order to be able to use stone in interior decoration and overcome the described disadvantages, the technology for manufacturing artificial stone was created.
Cladding using artificial stone
Externally, natural and artificial stone are practically indistinguishable, at the same time, the latter is devoid of all the disadvantages of natural stone and can be made with an imitation of any natural stone, and even its texture is repeated. According to the type of surface, artificial stone can be:
- chipped, as if beaten with a hammer and having an uneven surface and edges;
- sawn, having smooth, even edges;
- rubble, reminiscent of ordinary natural boulders;
- arbitrary, embodying the designer’s fantasies in form and surface;
- decorative.
For specific design tasks, a wide variety of surfaces may be required - for finishing a fireplace, arches, columns. Rocks with nautical themes, such as shell marks, may be required. So, when making artificial stone with your own hands, you can get exactly what is needed according to the requirements of the plan for finishing a specific surface. One of the most popular types of stone is slate.
What is artificial stone made from?
Strange as it may seem, there are several different options for making stone. One technology uses cement, fine sand, and water. According to another, they are made of plaster or alabaster. There is a manufacturing option when polymer materials are used as a binder. Therefore, the composition of artificial stone for production on your own can be determined based on the available materials and capabilities for producing stone.
The entire manufacturing procedure is not overly complicated and can be performed by anyone with some effort and careful adherence to technology. You don’t even need special conditions for this; work can be done directly in the apartment. Therefore, the material proposed below can be perceived as a kind of instruction for making artificial stone.
Manufacturing process
The main materials for making stone, as noted above, are cement and gypsum, or alabaster. In any option, using gypsum or cement, making artificial stone with your own hands begins with selecting an initial sample and creating a mold in which the stone will be cast in the future.
Having several such models, you can quickly produce the required amount of stone. As a model stone, it would be justified to purchase several stone samples of suitable shape and size from the store.
Although you can also use commercially available ready-made silicone models. They are a ready-made kit for making artificial stone.
How to make a model
The production of the mold begins with the selection of a sample, for the role of which a stone of suitable shape and size is selected. Silicone is used for the mold in which the stone will be cast later. Make or use a suitable sized box, slightly larger than the size of the sample stone. This box will serve as formwork.
It and the selected stone must be coated with a thick layer of grease or some other lubricant. The stone is placed at the bottom of the box. Several such formworks and forms need to be made to increase productivity.
After this, silicone is poured into the formwork. To compact it, tamp it with an ordinary paint brush moistened with a soap solution. For the latter, you can use regular Fairy. After filling the mold with silicone, the surface is leveled with a spatula moistened with Fairy.
The poured forms dry for two to three weeks, after which the formwork is disassembled, the sample stone is removed, and ready-made silicone molds for artificial stone are obtained. If there are small defects on the surface, they are sealed with silicone.
True, here too there is an alternative option for making a mold, but we can return to this a little later, after we have fully considered the technology for manufacturing artificial stone that has been started.
Extraction from cement
At this stage, the work is performed in several passes. Initially, cement and sand are mixed for the first layer in a ratio of 3:1, everything is mixed until a homogeneous mixture is formed. The desired color is obtained by adding dyes, approximately 2-3% of the amount of cement, but this must be established experimentally. Add water to the finished mixture and stir until it is approximately thick like sour cream; the dyes are mixed with water.
The resulting mixture is poured into the mold about halfway and compacted by tapping and shaking for about a minute. Then a metal mesh is placed on top of the finished mortar to give additional strength to the stone and filled with a second layer of mortar. To save money, you don’t have to add dye to the second batch of concrete.
After pouring, make small grooves on the top layer of the mortar with a nail or any stick for better adhesion to the wall during installation. As can be seen from the described technology, it is quite simple and allows you to do without special equipment for the production of artificial stone.
After twelve hours, the stone is removed from the mold and left to dry and gain strength for two weeks. After removing the stone, the mold is washed with Fairy; this procedure must be repeated after each pour.
Manufacturing from gypsum
It should be noted that the production of artificial stone from gypsum is carried out in the same sequence. There are only nuances related to the fact that gypsum hardens quickly. Therefore, it must be prepared as much as is needed to make one stone, then a new portion must be diluted. To slow down the setting, citric acid can be added to the plaster.
The holding time for the material to harden will be different; this procedure takes several tens of minutes. Before pouring gypsum into the mold, it is necessary to lubricate it with oil so that the finished stone can be easily removed from the mold.
If you have the desire and opportunity, then using the described technology you can organize the production of artificial stone with your own hands. Moreover, stone made from cement can be used for both interior and exterior decoration.
Artificial stone coloring
When making the stone, we added dye to its composition. However, you can simply paint it after making it. This requires special paint and a brush of any size. The painting process is as follows:
- it is necessary to wipe the surface of the stone with a clean rag and remove sand, dust, cement;
- apply an even layer of paint to the front surface with a brush;
- After the paint has dried, a second and third layer can be applied to achieve the desired shade.
Alternative manufacturing options and training materials
Now you can consider the option of how to make an artificial stone without using a sample and silicone. All this is shown in the video:
As can be seen from the above example, you can do without any expensive materials at all.
It should be noted that the stone can be made using ready-made kits. They include a ready-made polyurethane mold. How to make such products with its help, in the following video:
Artificial stone, installation
Artificial stone can be mounted on virtually any surface, including wood and plasterboard. When installing stone on wood, special surface preparation will be required; additional moisture insulation and sheathing will be necessary. At the same time, when installing stone on brick or concrete, no additional work is required, only leveling the surface.
Fastening the stone to the wall can be done using cement mortar or using special adhesive solutions or special types of glue. Installation can be done with or without jointing.
When installing with jointing, a gap remains between the stones; its size should not exceed 2.5 centimeters, which is then filled with grout. This option is more economical, but for some types of stone laying with jointing is simply not suitable; they need to be laid only completely.
Before installation begins, the stones are laid out on the floor and their best location is selected, adjusting to each other if necessary.
Laying stone begins with corner elements, then around window and door openings. And only after this the installation of horizontal rows is carried out.
The process of installing stone can be seen in the video:
It should be noted that additional care for surfaces lined with artificial stone is not required. As a protective measure, you can protect the wall from excessive moisture. This is done using special compounds. After application, they make the stone water-repellent.
Do-it-yourself artificial stone is an excellent opportunity to achieve very impressive results in interior decoration by using such an extraordinary material. And you can do all this yourself without significant costs or the use of special equipment.
Finishing materials in various forms are available in incredibly large quantities on the modern construction market. The assortment can satisfy any, even the most sophisticated, needs of a fastidious designer. In all the variety of finishing materials, artificial stone occupies far from the last place.
Few people can distinguish artificial stone from natural stone, but at the same time it is more convenient to work with, since its underside is completely smooth.
The appearance of artificial stone is very aesthetic, it is quite light and is a universal material in the finishing field. And, what is very important, its price is quite reasonable.
It is very rarely possible to distinguish an artificial stone from a natural one. It has the same front side as its brother, but the back is made smooth for ease of finishing work with its use. At the same time, it weighs several times less than the natural one, and its installation does not require any special tricks; such a decorative element can simply be placed on glue, like the most ordinary tile, and it can also be attached with bolts.
Its composition can be quite different. It depends on the effects that the user needs and on the area of application. This can be gypsum, asbestos, acrylic resins, Portland cement, ordinary cement and other materials. Artificial stone is used not only in interior decoration. It is also used to decorate external walls; tiles are made from it for outdoor use, for example, for paths. They cover flower beds or simply place large stones for aesthetic purposes. These artificial elements are used in the arrangement of large and small aquariums, for design solutions for the arrangement of personal plots, fountains and much more.
In each case, special properties are needed to protect against various external influences.
An artificial decorative element made of cement can have a structure that is lightweight with expanded clay additives of the desired grain size. This does not change the quality in any way, but it lightens the material very significantly. There are additives designed to increase strength or to give it anti-corrosion properties, which are so necessary in wet operating conditions. To create the required shade, various coloring pigments are used. The color of a stone that is made with one’s own hands can be given after its manufacture using special paints that allow any imitation of natural stone to be made.
Advantages of artificial stone: light weight, can be laid on any surface, good appearance, relatively low cost, versatility.
Artificial stone has many more positive qualities than negative ones. It actually weighs little, can be easily and easily mounted on any surface, looks great for aesthetic reasons, is inexpensive and is universal in use, as mentioned above. In addition, structures made from hand-made artificial stone, provided they are properly manufactured, are very resistant to certain conditions of use, do not fade, do not crumble, and are easy to clean and easy to clean. Each condition of use requires its own manufacturing methods, special fillers and final surface treatment.
But with all its positive qualities, it can in no way be said that artificial stone is an ideal finishing option for all occasions. Some versions of the stone are not resistant to strong impacts from sharp objects, that is, the abrasive effect will spoil the appearance of such a finish.
Fake diamond
Artificial stone can have all sorts of shapes and sizes.
Not all finishing materials can be made with your own hands. But artificial stone is not one of them, and there are enough descriptions for making it yourself. Creating this artificial material with your own hands is not a very difficult task, and with careful adherence to technology and a certain amount of effort, this task is feasible for any person. No special conditions are required for its manufacture; it can be done even in an apartment. The composition for making stone is selected based on materials already available at hand, or specially purchased.
As already noted, the basic materials for artificial stone can be different, but in any case, making an artificial stone with your own hands begins with choosing an initial sample and creating a certain shape, with the help of which the future artificial stone will be cast. If you make several model molds, then the required amount of this material can be produced quickly enough.
If you wish, you can find a stone for the model yourself or purchase a model stone in a store. You can buy ready-made silicone molds for making artificial stone yourself.
Materials for work
If you decide to make a structure from cement, then we collect the following necessary materials:
- cement or Portland cement;
- pure water;
- staple;
- a container suitable for preparing cement mortar;
- fine-grained sifted sand;
- special release agent;
- brushes of different sizes;
- paint of various shades;
- polyurethane forms for pouring mortar;
- fine mesh to strengthen artificial stone.
A mold for artificial stone can be purchased at any hardware store.
Before you start making a mold with your own hands, you select a suitable stone in size and shape. A box is selected that will serve as formwork for the silicone; it should be larger than the stone. Next, both the box itself and the stone are coated with grease or something similar. For greater productivity, you need to take several such boxes and suitable stones.
The stone is laid out on the bottom of the box and this entire structure is filled with silicone. In order to make the silicone denser, it needs to be compacted with a regular paint brush, which should be moistened in a soap solution. You can also use dishwashing detergent. I leave the filled forms to dry for 2-3 weeks. Then the formwork is disassembled, the form is carefully cut in half and the sample stone is removed. If there are minor defects on the mold, they need to be repaired with silicone.
Further actions with cement
Artificial stone can be given any color; to do this, you need to add a dye when making the cement mixture.
The further stage is performed in several stages. Sand and cement are mixed for the first layer of the artificial element, which will be applied to the silicone mold. The required ratio of material in this case is: 3 parts cement and 1 part sand. You need to add enough water to make the mixture look like thick sour cream. If you intend to paint an artificial stone with paints, after preparing it, nothing else is added to the mixture. If you need the original shade of the future stone, then dyes are added to the mixture in an amount of 2-3% of the volume of cement. The more saturated the shade is needed, the more dye should be added.
The mixture obtained with your own hands is laid out halfway into the finished mold, then a mesh of the desired shape is cut out to strengthen the stone, placed on the mixture and topped with silicone to the very edges. To save paint, the second layer may not contain it.
After pouring, small grooves should be made on the top layer with a nail or something similar, so that during installation you get better adhesion to the surface to be decorated.
As you can see, the described technology is quite simple and allows you to make stone with your own hands without special equipment. The stone can be removed from the mold after 12 hours and left for another two weeks to gain final strength. After removing the stone, the mold for making it yourself must be washed with Fairy detergent, and this procedure is mandatory after each pouring and removal.
Stone coloring
No one will deny that to completely imitate natural stone, artificial stone must have a similar color. There are several painting methods:
- adding dyes directly to the concrete mass;
- applying paint to the inside of the mold before pouring it with cement mortar;
- painting the finished stone in several layers to achieve the greatest plausibility.
Before painting artificial stone, it must be cleaned of dust and possible sand, apply an even layer of paint using a brush; for shades, paints darker or lighter than the main one are used and applied with thinner brushes, but only on the last applied layer. And at the same time you will need at least minimal drawing skills.
The technique of making large artificial decorative stones with your own hands differs in many ways from this technology and is more complex. But if necessary, its description can also be found in special articles.
Recently, decorative stone has become in great demand. After all, this material is ideal for interior and exterior decoration of premises and buildings. The main reason for this lies in the low cost and practicality of the material. In addition, today you can purchase decorative stone of any shade and texture. The range of such products is quite large. In addition, the production of decorative stone can bring good income.
Where to start
Where to start producing decorative stone? A business plan is an important component of any enterprise. The future of the organization depends on how it is compiled. The future activities of the enterprise are based on this document. In addition, preliminary planning makes it possible to consider all options for organizing production, calculate risks, and assess how feasible the project is.
In addition, a business plan allows you to determine the amount of initial capital, identify ways to sell finished products, calculate approximate profits, and so on. Of course, you can develop such a document yourself. But if you have no experience, then you should seek help from highly qualified specialists.
Technologies and raw materials
To start the production of decorative stone as a business, you need to know what technologies are used today. As for the components of the solution, for its preparation you will need:
- plasticizers;
- hardening accelerators;
- mineral pymentes of various shades;
- fillers;
- cement.
Setting up the production of decorative stone is not so difficult. After all, a fairly simple technology is used to produce such material. In addition, the work does not require specific equipment or extensive experience. To produce facing material, two technologies can be used: vibration casting and vibration pressing.
Features of vibration casting
This technology for the production of decorative stone has its own characteristics. Therefore, you should think carefully before choosing a manufacturing method. Among the advantages of vibration casting, the following should be highlighted:
- color saturation;
- high surface quality;
- relatively inexpensive equipment;
- large range.
As for the advantages of vibrocompression, we should highlight the low cost of finished products, as well as fully mechanized production.
Selecting a room
To start producing artificial decorative stone, you should select a room. It is best to choose a building located away from residential areas of the city, for example, on the outskirts of a populated area. In this case, the rental price will be significantly lower.
As for the area of the production workshop, this figure should be more than 100 square meters. In addition, separate rooms are required for the arrangement of the staff room, warehouse and drying. There are no special requirements for the building where the decorative stone will be produced. The main thing is that the premises are not in disrepair.
What equipment is needed
The production of decorative stone is simply impossible without special equipment. To start the enterprise you need:
- drying chamber;
- concrete mixer;
- forms;
- vibrating conveyor or vibrating table;
- vibrating sieve
To make such a finishing material, complex devices are not required. You will have to spend no more than 40 thousand rubles on a concrete mixer and a vibrating table.
In addition to the above, for normal operation of the workshop you need to purchase shovels, buckets, hammers, spatulas, an electric drill, and so on. The biggest expense item is molds for the production of decorative stone. To start your own business in this area, you need 6 pieces. Moreover, one such form costs about 8 thousand rubles.
To reduce their costs, many manufacturers make their own molds. In addition, this allows you to start manufacturing products of any shape and texture at any time.
Is staff required?
As a rule, production requires at least two workers for normal operation. One of them usually does physical work. His responsibilities include carrying materials and tools, mixing solutions and loading ready-made finishing materials.
As for the second employee, he must be well versed in the technology of manufacturing finishing materials. The specialist must strictly monitor not only the quality of the finished product, but also how the equipment operates and whether there are any failures. It is better to hire a former builder or foreman for such a position.
The production of decorative stone can be made more profitable if it is supplemented with the production of foam concrete. In this case, a third employee will be required, preferably with the qualifications of a technologist. Such an employee will not only develop the recipe, but also organize the entire manufacturing process and control technological aspects.
Cost calculation
The production of decorative stone is not a complicated process, but it requires certain costs for raw materials. To make 1 square meter of finishing material you will need:
- 6 kilograms of cement - 35 rubles;
- 19 kilograms of sand - 15 rubles;
- 0.06 kilograms of plasticizer - 2.5 rubles;
- 0.15 kilograms of pigment - 9 rubles;
- depreciation of 6 forms - 6 rubles;
- electricity costs - 0.2 rubles;
- transportation costs - 5 rubles.
The figure increases significantly when using ready-made mixtures from other manufacturers. As a result, to produce a square meter of finishing material you need 72.2 rubles. But that's just the cost. The average cost of material on the market will be at least 650 rubles. To increase profits, you can launch and offer services for laying decorative stone to clients.
Costs of a medium-sized enterprise
Typically, large enterprises do not buy the mixture for the production of decorative stone. They make it themselves. As a result, the costs are:
- manual equipment - from 8 to 12 thousand rubles;
- table workers - up to 10 thousand rubles;
- electric drill - up to 5 thousand rubles;
- vibrating table - from 30 to 70 thousand rubles;
- monthly rent - from 10 to 20 thousand rubles.
In order to increase the range of their products and offer regular customers new textures of facing materials, such enterprises must use at least 10 different forms. Moreover, the cost of each can range from 4 to 7 thousand rubles. A project like this pays for itself within a year. In general, to start your own business in this area, you need at least 300 thousand rubles.
Advertising and sales of products
The dry mixture for the production of decorative stone is very convenient for making facing material at home. However, this option is not suitable for a medium-sized enterprise. Purchasing individual components of solutions allows you to save significantly. And to increase profits and attract customers, you need properly designed advertising and reliable points of sale.
After production starts, you can place advertisements on the Internet and in the media. Advertising must be effective and noticeable. If necessary, you can distribute brochures and leaflets directly on the street or distribute them through mailboxes.
It is best to sell finished products yourself, without resorting to the help of intermediaries seeking to purchase a quality product and resell it to receive a certain percentage. This will keep the cost of decorative stone within retail prices.
Most often, such finishing materials are purchased by designers, architects and companies involved in the construction and renovation of buildings. If the production of decorative stone is fully established, then you can take part in various exhibitions. Don't miss events related to the construction industry. This will make it possible to conclude more profitable deals for the supply of large quantities of decorative stone.
Is it possible to succeed
The production of decorative stone is a fairly simple, but profitable process. If you correctly draw up a business plan and follow it, you can create a medium-sized enterprise. This will significantly increase your income. In addition, such production pays off within a year if the advertising campaign is carried out correctly. If you have the necessary initial capital, the production of decorative stone is a profitable and promising business. The most important thing is the creation of a reliable market for the sale of finished products, as well as the production of high quality material. Without these components, it is difficult to succeed in such an industry.
The idea of producing decorative stone as a business is interesting. We’ll talk about whether it’s profitable to do this below. After all, even before starting a business, you need to evaluate the market and weigh all the pros and cons.
Due to its aesthetic properties, as well as its low cost, this material is in high demand. And if in your region there are not yet enough competing companies producing it, then it makes sense to invest a certain amount of money and soon achieve a net profit.
The advantages of such a business
Artificial stone today has many advantages, which make it so popular in construction, renovation and decoration of houses, both internally and externally. Among them are especially distinguished:
- environmental friendliness, safety for human health;
- resistance to any aggressive external influences (ultraviolet radiation, chemical agents, temperature changes, moisture, mechanical damage);
- using casting molds it is given a variety of configurations;
- is light in weight;
- it is easy to work with;
- has a long service life;
- There is a choice of a wide variety of colors;
- high levels of aesthetics.
For the manufacturer, such parameters as low production costs, ease of production, and the possibility of selling in large volumes are important, since this material is very popular among public and private developers and decorators.
In order to cover all market needs, it is advisable to produce it in two versions at once:
- For external use, pigments, various protective additives and dyes are added to cement and sand.
- To create decorative stone for finishing the interior of a room, the base is made of gypsum, which is already supplemented with oxide pigments, cement and pozzolanic substances during the process.
This type of building material is used not only for cladding walls, creating steps or window sills. Decorators use it to make magnificent countertops, bar counters, fireplace portals, unique sinks, etc. It is not surprising that the production of decorative stone as a business is a promising and successful direction even for a beginner.
Another feature of this business is that you can start with small capital investments. If you produce decorative stone with your own hands, for example, at home, this will significantly save the cost of special equipment and renting a separate production facility. This is a great opportunity to see if this type of business is worth pursuing and expanding.
Where to begin?
In order to think through all the steps in advance and correctly build the organizational process, you should start drawing up a competent business plan. At the same time, you will evaluate the market, the demand for products, the main areas of production in your region, the number and level of competing companies, your financial capabilities and development prospects.
Only after this can you decide whether it is profitable to start such an enterprise and proceed to the next stages:
- company registration;
- search and preparation of premises;
- purchase of special equipment;
- independent creation or search for ready-made suitable forms for the manufacture of decorative stone;
- purchase of raw materials in sufficient quantities to produce the first order;
- conducting an advertising campaign;
- searching for a sales market and large clients.
Download a free stone as a sample.
Documentation
As in any business, in this case you cannot do without registration documents. To produce decorative items, it is enough to create a legal entity (firm) or become an individual entrepreneur. No special licenses or certifications are required.
You need to register with the tax service and choose the appropriate taxation system. You will also need to prepare the premises in accordance with the requirements of the SES and fire inspection and obtain a positive conclusion from them on the progress of the inspection.
If you are unsure of your abilities, then you can use the help of accountants and lawyers to properly prepare the papers, but you will have to pay a considerable amount for this.
What do you need to buy?
To produce decorative stone in sufficiently large volumes, you will need to purchase specialized equipment:
- Drying chamber.
- Concrete mixer.
- At least 6 different shapes.
- Vibrating table or conveyor.
- Vibrating sieve.
- Scales.
- Carts.
- Tools – shovels, buckets, spatulas, hammers, drills, measuring spoons, brushes, sandpaper, etc.
- Packaging material.
To reduce the cost of molds, which are considered quite expensive, some entrepreneurs create them themselves. This will require some skill and knowledge, but as a result, you will not only save money, but will also be able to offer your customers a unique product.
To produce artificial stone, you need to purchase enough high-quality material:
- cement;
- gypsum;
- plasticizers;
- fillers;
- dyes and mineral pigments;
- components for accelerated hardening of the material.
Technological process
The production of decorative stone itself is not difficult:
- Sand and cement are mixed according to a special recipe. Usually they try to maintain a ratio of 1:3.
- Plasticizers are added.
- Knead evenly and sift through a vibrating sieve.
- Gradually add water so that you get a solution that has a consistency similar to thick sour cream.
- If necessary, select a dye and add it in an amount of 2-3%.
- At the end, it is important to thoroughly mix the ingredients.
- The resulting solution is poured into molds to approximately a third of their volume.
After 12 hours you can get the finished material. To give the product an aesthetically attractive appearance, the front side is additionally processed - cleaned and painted. This technology can be mastered even by a beginner and does not present any particular difficulties.
Preparing the premises
It is very important to correctly find and select the building where you will cast stone. Of course, this can be done in a garage, but for high production speeds it is advisable to rent, build or buy a separate room. To save money, it can be located on the outskirts of the city, in an industrial zone.
The area should be about 500 m2. Of these, 150 m2 is allocated for the production itself and equipment, and 300 m2 is for storage of finished products and raw materials. The remaining area is left to create an office for the manager and accountant.
It is worth noting that decorative stone, due to its quality characteristics and resistance to various temperatures and moisture, can be stored even outdoors. It is enough to fold it into neat piles and cover it with a canopy. This will significantly save costs on renting premises.
There are no special requirements for the workshop. It is important that the building is not in disrepair and that relatively comfortable conditions for workers are maintained. It is enough to comply with the following parameters:
- air temperature above 15 degrees;
- good ventilation;
- working electrical networks with suitable load for the equipment.
And for the convenience of loading products, you need to consider access roads for large vehicles.
Transport
Of course, customers can decide for themselves how to deliver the purchased products. But your company will benefit significantly if you perform this function.
For a good reputation and well-established activities, you will need to purchase a loader and an onboard gazelle. You can rent them, but this will significantly reduce your profit.
Staff
For medium-sized production, a sufficient number of employees of different qualifications will be required:
- A technologist who monitors the correct composition of the solution and thinks through new unique recipes.
- General workers (up to 6 people).
- Drivers for forklift and car.
- Accountant.
- Storekeeper if necessary.
It is worth mentioning separately about managers. You can search for clients and carry out marketing campaigns yourself if you have sufficient knowledge and skills to do this. But to quickly develop your business, it is advisable to hire a professional. And although such activities will not be directly related to the production of goods, the success of your enterprise largely depends on it.
Financial calculations
Capital Investment | Cost, in rub. | |
1 | Vibrating table | 70 000 |
2 | Drill | 5 000 |
3 | Concrete mixer | 20 000 |
4 | Tables | 15 000 |
5 | Vibrating sieve | 15 000 |
6 | Inventory | 15 000 |
7 | Company registration | 1 000 |
8 | Shelving | 10 000 |
9 | Forms | 40 000 |
Total: | 191 000 |
But there will also be monthly expenses.
If you sell finished products at a price of 650 rubles and at least in a volume of 1000 m2 monthly, then you will be able to recoup the initial costs in 2-3 months. And these are very high profitability indicators. Obviously, by finding a large wholesale client and setting prices above the minimum, you can make a big profit.
Search for clients
To increase your income and expand your business, it is advisable to conduct a high-quality advertising campaign. To do this you can:
- place an advertisement in local media (newspapers, radio, television);
- disseminate information about the company on the Internet (on forums, specialized websites, or create your own page on in social networks);
- order more expensive advertising (signs, banners);
- hand out leaflets on the streets or place them in accessible mailboxes.
If you manage to conclude an agreement with a large developer or a company for the repair and decoration of buildings, then you will be able to ensure constant supplies of goods in large volumes for a long period.
Video: business from scratch - production of decorative stone.
For many millennia, decorative stone remained the best construction and finishing material. Decorative stone is expensive, so many craftsmen have mastered making stone at home, for example, light gypsum stone or heavier and inexpensive concrete-based stone.
What is decorative stone made from?
In the 60s of the twentieth century, artificial stone began to be actively used in the West - the walls and foundation look organically in the concrete jungle of the metropolis. The idea of producing decorative stone and decorating buildings was picked up by architects and interior designers, pushing an entire segment of entrepreneurship to the development. A forgotten building material is popular again.
Ancient craftsmen long ago learned how to process stone; they distinguished it by type of use, such as:
- construction or hewn;
- finishing or decorative;
- ornamental for jewelry work.
In previous centuries, sand and stone chips, grated pumice and shells, lime and chalk were mixed into the hardening gypsum. Natural dyes were used:
- soot;
- colored clay;
- metal oxides.
Nowadays, stone and its analogue have come into modern construction and arrangement of rock gardens, and today it is difficult to imagine a modern house without them. The decorative stone, a photo of which is presented in the article, clearly demonstrates the capabilities of this building material.
Do-it-yourself decorative stone today is made on different bases, and there are technologies available at home. The molds are prepared independently or purchased from factory models. Recipes, technologies and components are also known - they are offered by specialized companies.
Simple mixtures are based on water, cement and fine, pigment is added. The material turns out to be quite durable, similar to natural stone, and has excellent decorative properties. An option close to ancient methods is made from gypsum, and today polymer materials are used as a binder.
The texture of wild stone has a different surface:
- fine-grained and smooth,
- layered and lumpy,
- chopped and ribbed.
Natural stone crumbles and delaminates upon contact with a tool, while artificial stone does not require treatment. It is immediately given the required shape. The most common varieties:
- rubble, similar to a natural boulder;
- chipped, uneven, resembles chips from an impact;
- sawn, with smooth and even edges;
- wild stone, natural form;
- decorative of any shape, with sagging, folds or bumps, reflects any designer’s imagination.
Advantages and disadvantages of artificial stone.
Advantages:
- Possibility of on-site casting to reduce transportation costs and scrap generated during delivery;
- made in small thin plates to reduce the weight of the finished structure;
- its strength does not depend on the size and shape of the tile;
- the pigment added to the mixture gives the desired shade;
- it is possible to obtain a stone of straight and arbitrary shape;
- allows you to make tile sizes that correspond to the installation location, even taking into account curvature and unevenness;
- manufactured ready-made forms make it possible to obtain a coarse-grained and smooth texture, almost polished;
- it is easy to make material of any irregular shape and broken front surface;
- some technologies make it possible to obtain a more durable analogue of fragile natural stone;
- polymers provide plasticity, and even after manufacturing, you can give a new shape or think over the edge for a seamless connection;
- artificial material often has better decorative properties;
- differs from natural stone in ease of installation, thanks to the smooth back side;
- an indispensable fire-resistant building material for decorating stoves, barbecues, fireplaces and fireplaces;
- quite moisture resistant, suitable for wet areas such as a swimming pool or wine cellar;
- the price of artificial decorative stone is less than its natural counterpart, which requires advanced cutting and processing;
- does not require special care, serves for a long time and reliably;
- Various options for shape, shade and texture allow artificial stone to fit into interiors of any style.
Flaws:
- some decorative types have complex manufacturing technology, which increases the cost of the material;
- not every wall is suitable for finishing with wild stone due to its high specific gravity, with the exception of gypsum analogues;
- sometimes requires additional costs for transportation and high-tech installation;
- It is not always possible to ensure a perfect joint between individual fantasy-shaped blocks; gaps must be designed.
To guarantee quality, finishing building materials are made in strict accordance with the recipe and production technology. The components and production technology make it possible to obtain decorative stone of different names and properties.
1. Reinforced concrete stone, the so-called monumental stone, is a free-forming material; it is made piece by piece by hand where it is installed. This is a technology for cobblestones, boulders and artificial granite slabs.
The basis for the mold batch is cement-sand mortar:
- for 3 parts cement in proportion - 1 dry sand;
- 2-6% pigment by weight of the solution;
- add polymer additives.
2. A similar material is shaped stone from the same cement-sand mixture. Suitable for construction and finishing. It is characterized by increased strength and frost resistance. It is made in hangars, workshops and garages in the cool season.
3. Ceramic is the most expensive material, requiring firing or hardening at a certain temperature. Its production requires high energy consumption and the presence of a large free heated area. In addition, trained workers are needed.
4. Gypsum cast decorative stone is the simplest technology and minimum equipment. They do it at room temperature, but it is only suitable for interior finishing work; it does not like temperature changes. The mixture quickly becomes viscous.
It is made in small portions and immediately poured into the prepared form, but no later than 3-4 minutes from the start of the batch. You need citric acid up to 1.3% by weight of dry gypsum, it will slow down hardening, pigment - 2-6% by weight of gypsum plus water. It is better to make several test samples to adjust the proportions.
5. Decorative polyester synthetic material. It is made by hot hardening with the addition of mineral fillers. It is superior to many natural analogues, but the hardening technology requires a vacuum and is done in workshop conditions.
6. Liquid stone on gelcoat. It is inferior in hardness to cast stone; the gel takes less mineral fillers. The mixture is suitable for producing products with complex configurations, such as stone puzzles, but gel-acrylic-based stone is more expensive.
There are 2 compositions - primer and front, they differ in the percentage of filler and composition. Primer composition: gelcoat – 20%, microcalcite – 73%, hardener – 1% and accelerator – 6%. Front composition: gelcoat - 40% accelerator and hardener - as in the 1st composition, back composition - filler plus pigment up to 6% by weight of the solution. The composition sets in about half an hour, after a day the stone can be laid.
7. Cold hardening cast acrylic stone based on acrylic resin. Easy to manufacture, requires strict adherence to instructions and additional equipment, such as a vibration stand. It is superior to other artificial materials in many properties. At high temperatures up to +210°C, you can change its shape without changing quality.
Advice: The absence of pores and resistance to chemical reagents of acrylic stone in finishing ensure impeccable hygiene, so it is suitable for rooms where frequent contamination and cleaning of surfaces is possible - hallway, kitchen, veranda and covered terrace. The material is also known for its low thermal conductivity and gives a feeling of warmth - this is the best choice for a bathtub, toilet or swimming pool.
There are many methods for making stone molds yourself using your chosen method, but it’s easier to buy ready-made ones.
There are about a dozen types of molds for making artificial stone with your own hands, but most often 3 types are used:
1. Ready-made polyurethane, for small-scale production, they are offered by companies producing equipment and selling wild stone technologies, they are convenient and durable, but they cost a lot.
2. Clay molds on a lost wax model, suitable for sculpting and artistic casting.
3. Silicone molds are suitable for making tiles individually at home; they are enough for dozens of castings; they become deformed over time.
Advice: A sand cushion is required for silicone molds; vibration and heating cause them to burst. Before casting, the mold is deepened into sand in a tray up to 3/4 of the height to reduce deformation, and the horizontalness of the immersion is checked with a water level.
Additional materials.
1. Pigment for building mixtures is offered in catalogs and stores for building materials in various forms: liquid, paste and powder. The synthetic pigment powder is evenly introduced into plaster or other dry filler, the pigment paste is introduced into the prepared batch. By the way, thanks to the pigment paste it is easier to get uneven coloring - layered or spotty; it is injected with a syringe directly into the batch at the end of mixing.
2. There are separators different types:
- for cast acrylic;
- for concrete mortar;
- for gypsum composition;
- for liquid stone.
They are sold with ready-made instructions and a detailed recipe. You can also use high-quality lubricant - cyatim, fiol.
3. A heat gun is a device like a small hair dryer with a strong jet of heated air.
4. A vibration stand is the main machine for making stone with your own hands, guaranteeing high quality of the final product and ensuring the uniformity of the hardening mixture.
Advice: You can make such a stand yourself - there are detailed instructions and videos on the Internet, for example, on making decorative stone on a cement base using a homemade vibration stand.
The simplest technology.
1. Sand is mixed with cement for the first layer 3:1 until smooth, for coloring a suitable dye is added about 2-3% relative to cement, mixed with water until sour cream thick, the liquid pigment is pre-diluted with water.
2. The finished mixture is evenly poured halfway into the mold, compacted and distributed by shaking and tapping. To reinforce the stone, a metal mesh is placed on the 1st layer, the 2nd layer is poured without pigment and cross-shaped grooves are struck with a nail for adhesion during installation.
3. After 10-12 hours, the finished stone can be removed from the mold and laid to dry completely. The mold must then be cleaned and rinsed with Fairy after each pour.
4. In the process of monumental molding of a large block, the base is formed on a blank covered with reinforcing mesh and wire, onto which thick cakes without dye are laid out in layers. When the base has set a little, prepare a solution with the addition of pigment of the desired consistency and make the final shape. When artificial boulders harden, they are covered with a film from rain for about a month.
At home, decorative stone is made in several ways. Let us dwell on the description of what has been proven in practice.
2. 1 liter of silicone sealant based on acetic acid is evenly squeezed into it, the layer is lubricated with grease or another separator so that the finished stone does not stick.
3. The sample stone is pressed into a box with silicone until it is completely sunk in it, right up to the back surface, the excess silicone must be cleaned off, and the mold dries for a couple of days.
4. After complete drying, the sample is carefully removed from the mold box. The finished silicone is soft and elastic.
5. The gypsum mixture according to the recipe is kneaded until it becomes thick with sour cream and pigment, and poured into a mold greased with grease. After the first layer, it is advisable to reinforce the tile with a fine metal mesh, pour in a second layer without dye, shake to achieve leveling and leave to dry. If the gypsum sets quickly, interfering with the reinforcement process, the mixture is diluted with milk - then it takes longer to thicken.
6. It is better to drown the mold in sand on a pallet to preserve the silicone mold, and press the plaster with corrugated glass on top so that the uneven back surface is better attached to the wall.
Advice: There are labor-intensive methods for making stone, such as quartz, that make it possible to obtain the highest quality and durable building material for cladding. Having mastered some techniques, you can open your own business.
1. The finished decorative stone is attached to any dry surface with additional sheathing. Installation, with or without jointing, is done using cement mortar, construction adhesive, the stone is cut with a grinder at low speed with a concrete disc.
2. Before starting installation, it is better to make a sketch of the finished work or use a picture with similar material. The stones are laid out according to the pattern on the surface for the most beautiful placement and fit of the fragments.
Additional decoration.
For a long time, stone was not only widely used in architecture, the Japanese decorated Tobiishi gardens with it. Today, for special design purposes, the stone is additionally painted or primed on part of its surface, so that green growth is more likely to form in the rock garden. They rub it with ocher and soot, making it old, and the protuberances on the south side are rubbed with red lead to obtain the appearance of tanning and weathering.