| There are few decorative elements that set off a home as well as a stone fireplace. It brings an outside, rugged feel to a room that can help to break up the monotony of sterile painted walls. However, few homeowners take advantage of the many uses of stone throughout their home such as for floors, in the kitchen or even in the bathroom. |
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| Stone, whether smooth, textured or rough, is the very essence of timelessness . It’s rainbow of colors and textures suits any architectural style and can be a backdrop to showcase fireplaces, stairs, windows, wood beams and many types of flooring. It can come rough-hewn from a cliff or smooth from the bottom of a stream. In addition, it can fixed with mortar to face a wall or stacked in layers. |
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Using whole pieces of rock can put a strain on walls and floor supports because of the weight. The excessive weight is also a factor in higher shipping costs.. By cutting the rocks and applying them with mastic or other glues this drag can be reduced considerably. These are called stone veneers and come in three main categories:
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Real,
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Cultured and
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Brick face.
Real stones
Real stones are just that – real stones. They are selected for their color and shape and then cut. Unlike some manufactured stones, natural stone will not fade or discolor with time and is not affected by scrapes and bumps on the surface. |
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Stone Fireplace. Picture Compliments of Owen Corning. |
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Manufactured Stone Veneers
Manufactured stone veneers are replicas of natural stones. These are usually made of Portland cement cast in molds and tinted with iron oxide pigments. The veneers weigh approximately 1/4 the weight of full-thickness stone and come in a wide variety of styles, colors and textures. |
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Owens Corning Cultured Stone
Polyurethane faux stone is durable and very lightweight but, unlike the manufactured veneers, would not fool anyone into thinking it was a stone product. This may be a great product for a more industrial look like a shopping mall backdrop, but will lack the warmth and detail most would be looking for in a home application. |
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Brick Facing
Brick facing is exactly that: brick. However these can come in thin slabs so that facing a wall gives the impression that the whole wall is solid brick. The spaces are finished with mortar. The nice feature about this idea, is that you have as many different styles and colors as a there are paint chips. |
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Mortarless Brick
Another fine brick product is mortarless, or dry bricking. Vertical strips of strapping are affixed to the wall. A metal strip, or header, is then screwed onto the base of the wall and the bricks are stacked in an interlocking fashion.On each brick a hole is drilled on the upper tab and the brick is fastened to the strapping by a screw. On the corners another metal strip is placed vertically which holds the corner pieces. |
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The lower part is the brick face and the upper is the tab to interlock it to the one above. The back tab locks it.
Pictures Compliments of Novabrik International Inc. |
| So, when you reach the top of the wall the whole face appears to have been bricked – but with no mortar. |
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Norstone Rock panel in charcoal. |
Norstone Rock panel in gray. |
Norstone Rock panel in white. |
| Whatever product you choose; brick, stone, or cultured-cement stone, the end result will be a striking feature to your interior! |
