Gypsum composition for artificial stone. Interior made of artificial stone, made by yourself

Natural stone has long and firmly occupied a leading position among materials for interior decoration Houses. With its help, the interior is given a refined, respectable look. The disadvantage of the material is its high price and heavy weight. Decorative gypsum stone allows you to easily solve these problems.

Thanks to the availability of materials and well-established production technology, the production of artificial stones has become popular and is actively used in repair work.

Surfaces artificial stone you can give it any texture, make it flat or embossed, paint it in desired color. Externally see the difference between natural or artificial material very difficult. Even specialists are not always able to do this.

At the same time, gypsum decorative rock has the following advantages:

easy to process;
resistant to precipitation, wind, temperature;
has low thermal conductivity;
easy;
the gypsum surface is easy to clean from dirt;
By dyeing, it is given the desired color.

Gypsum has the unique ability to support optimal humidity in room. When there is excess moisture, it absorbs the excess, and when it decreases, it releases it. In addition, the material is much cheaper than natural analogues. Its shape is convenient for laying, which significantly reduces the labor intensity of the work.

Artificial gypsum stone allows designers to realize any ideas. Its production can be carried out in industrial or home conditions, while in appearance it is practically indistinguishable from imitated materials.

There are several types of surface:

chipped - an uneven coating that gives the impression that the edges have been beaten off with a hammer;
sawn – the edges are smooth but uneven;
rubble - shaped like natural stones (boulders, pebbles);
arbitrary - embodies any designer’s fantasy.

The disadvantage of gypsum is its fragility. How more element, the easier it is to damage it during transportation or installation. Therefore, when using gypsum for interior decoration, they try to place it in places less susceptible to mechanical stress. Often, artificial stone is used to decorate a fireplace, an arched opening, or cladding part of the walls, highlighting a certain area or zone in a room or kitchen.

DIY gypsum molds and stones

Making stone can be done independently. To do this, you will need silicone or polyurethane molds, which can be purchased at a hardware store. The forms are highly durable and will withstand hundreds of pours. Therefore, the selection criterion is not the material, but the desired size, surface pattern, and coating geometry.

The mixture for preparation includes gypsum, modifiers, and color pigments. Adding sand (no more than 10%) will help give the solution strength. The mixture can be painted completely or the paint can be applied only to the surface of the mold. Often used different ways by combining them. To ensure that the finished element is easily and quickly removed from the mold, it is lubricated thin layer wax mixed in a water bath with turpentine.

Often artificial stone is required for interior decoration unusual shape or size. In this case, it is possible to make a silicone mold according to an individual sketch. To do this, select a sample and place it in a box, which will serve as formwork. The surface of the box and stone is pre-lubricated with grease.

Silicone is poured on top. It is compacted with a brush moistened soap solution. Then the surface is leveled with a spatula. It will take several weeks for the mold to dry. The finished form is taken out of the formwork.

The gypsum mixture is diluted with water to the consistency of thick sour cream and poured into prepared molds. A slight vibration for 2 minutes will help to achieve uniform shrinkage. When the mixture thickens a little, use a notched trowel to remove excess mixture, leaving mounting notches on back side blanks.

If you plan to add dye directly to the mixture, it is recommended to dilute it in a large container. Otherwise, it will be difficult to achieve the same color saturation in different batches. The finished forms are left to dry completely for 40 minutes at room temperature.

Preparation for cladding

Using artificial stone for interior decoration, they create a unique interior. Laying the material is not difficult, but you must adhere to the technology. It can be applied to any surface: wood, drywall, brick, concrete. The wall must be level.

However, covering a perfectly flat surface can cause it to come off even with slight vibration. Therefore, first, use plaster to level the wall and let it set slightly. Then, using a notched trowel, furrows are created on the surface. They will help the elements stick more firmly to the wall. The prepared surface is degreased and primed.

When choosing an adhesive composition, pay attention to the manufacturer's instructions. The glue must be suitable for working with plaster. This may be the simplest tile adhesive to which PVA should be added at the rate of 10% of the total amount. To dilute the glue, use a large container, stirring it with a mixer. IN finished form it should be of uniform consistency and medium density in order to fill the installation grooves well.

Laying the first row

This is the most difficult and important stage. Vertical and horizontal lines are first marked on the wall, which will help orient the direction of the masonry. It is usually led from the bottom up. If a decorative gypsum stone has irregular shape or it is necessary to create an intricate contour on the wall, then first lay it out on the floor.

Glue is coated on part of the wall and applied to the back of the stone. The first block is placed on the wall and pressed, squeezing out the glue. You need to immediately assess the correctness of the position and, if necessary, correct it. Then continue laying the row. Excess glue is removed with a regular spatula. Carefully remove the solution from the front of the bars.

To trim elements, use a grinder or saw. The smaller its teeth, the better. For curved cutting (for example, under a switch), you can use a chisel, and then process the edge sandpaper. It may also be required for precise fitting of elements if the stones were made independently. A grinder with an attachment will help speed up the work. However, when using it, care must be taken not to break the element.

To create angles of 90 and 45 degrees, use a miter box.

Basic stage

Subsequent rows of finishing are laid like a brick - offset. The masonry can be done closely or with seams. To ensure uniform seams, pieces of fiberboard are laid between the rows. They are removed after the work is completed and the solution has dried.

Unfilled seams between elements are sealed upon completion of the cladding. Fill with adhesive mass mounting gun, then carefully apply it in the spaces between the rows. Soft cloth remove excess glue. After the mixture has hardened, it can be given a finishing touch. To do this, brush with paint along the seams and joints.

You can also use special grout. It will help to give the coating a refined shine and protect it from external influences. clear nail polish. It is applied in one layer using a wide brush.

Today, finishing building facades with natural stone is very common. However, such a stone is quite expensive. As an alternative, you can use a solution that involves making artificial stone yourself. It should be noted that stone made in artisanal conditions will not be inferior to natural stone, and you will save a lot of money. Using artificial stone to decorate facades, you can create a unique design. With all this, making artificial stone yourself is not such a difficult task.

Advantages of artificial stone

According to some studies, when properly manufactured, artificial stone can surpass natural stone in mechanical properties and durability. The following characteristic advantages stand out:

Can be produced in thin tiles. This will reduce the weight of the object on which the stone will be mounted.
Can make stones different textures And color solutions.
It is possible to produce artificial stone directly at the site of future installation, so there is no need to spend additional money on delivery.
To avoid polishing, grinding and sawing, you can immediately produce tiles that are smooth to a shine.
It is possible to produce rubble stone of irregular shape.

Note! If you create an imitation of a polymer binder, the product will be thermoplastic. Accordingly, the workpiece can then be formed, bent and joined seamlessly.

Types of artificial decorative stone

Do-it-yourself artificial stone can be made using different technologies:

During manufacturing, the stone is fired at the required temperature. This type stone must be produced over large areas, so it is not suitable for home production.

This stone can be produced at home. Gypsum artificial stone is used only for interior decoration.

The service life of molds for producing stone from concrete is significantly less, in contrast to molds intended for casting gypsum stone. In terms of cost, a concrete stone will cost a little more than a gypsum stone, but such a stone can also be made at home.

Reinforced concrete.

Its production is carried out piece by piece. In this case, production takes place directly on site. Thanks to free forming, you can make cobblestones, artificial boulders and slabs, subsequently creating, for example, a rock garden.

Polyester artificial stone with hot-curing mineral filler.

This stone has outstanding mechanical and decorative properties. However, it is not suitable for home production, since special conditions must be created for it to harden.

Cold curing cast acrylic.

Perhaps it cottage industry. Manufacturing conditions are similar to those required for the production of gypsum stone. After manufacturing, the shape of the stone can be changed, which does not in any way affect the quality of the finished product.

Liquid stone on a helium acrylic binder - gelcoat.

As for its mechanical properties, it is second only to cast. The thing is that a smaller part of the mineral filler can be introduced into the gel. At home, you can make stones of quite complex configurations.

So, it’s up to you to choose which method of making artificial stone. If you want to make stone for interior decoration, then give preference to acrylic and gypsum. As for external finishing work, a material that is not afraid of moisture is needed. Therefore, the best would be a cement-based composition. If we talk about price, then acrylic stone is the most expensive, followed by concrete stone and gypsum stone. To ensure high quality of the finished product, fillers can be added to the mixture: sand, marble chips, fine crushed stone. Among other things, this will save on the source material. Fiber fiber is additionally added to increase strength. This product prevents the appearance of microcracks in finished products. It is recommended to use a plasticizer. This way you can increase the density of the artificial stone, since the amount of water in the solution is minimized.

How to achieve the desired color

To give beautiful view artificial stone, you can pre-paint it. How to do it? Special pigments are used for coloring. For example, they can be applied to the mold immediately before pouring the solution into them. In this case, the form must be partially painted over, which allows you to create an imitation natural stone.

Note! It is extremely important to use not just a color for paints, but a high-quality pigment. They are iron oxide inorganic dyes.

To prevent the paint from cracking or washing off, it is mixed with a fresh solution and first applied to the mold. Subsequently, it will penetrate approximately 3 mm deep into the stone. And this is enough so that the paint does not wash off. As for the volume and quantity of pigment, its specific proportion is determined by the sampling method. To do this, you can make several experimental tiles and, after drying them completely, see what color you get. This is the only way to achieve exactly the color you need.

Let's consider three methods of making stone: from gypsum, acrylic and cement.

Making artificial stone from gypsum

The method of making artificial stone from gypsum is considered the most popular. To produce gypsum stone you will need a set of the following materials:

white plaster,
anhydride,
warm water,
fine sand,
container for mixing ingredients,
matrix,
pallet,
corrugated glass,
water based paint.

You won’t need a lot of work space, but despite this, the work area should be well equipped. It’s a good idea to have racks or shelves nearby on which the workpieces will be laid out. All working tools should be at hand. The entire work process goes according to the following plan:

When mixing gypsum, you should not make a reserve. Gypsum hardens very quickly, so try to accurately calculate the required amount of gypsum solution. Big problem, of course, it won’t if there is some plaster left.
You will purchase gypsum in dry form, so it should be mixed with water; determine the proportion yourself by eye.
During the mixing process, add gypsum gradually, this will make it easier to achieve a homogeneous mass. The consistency of the mass itself should be thick.
To give the future workpiece strength, you need to add sand in the amount of 10% of the total volume of the mixture.
At the next stage, the mold should be greased with wax and turpentine. If you ignore this step, you will not be able to remove the workpiece from the mold. Make a water bath to dissolve the wax. This way you can apply a thin layer of wax to the surface of the mold.
During the drying process, shells may form in the workpiece. To eliminate them, you can pour liquid gypsum.
If you need to add color to the stone, add pigment while mixing the plaster. We talked above about how to do this correctly.
When the mixture is poured into the mold, it is necessary to level it with a spatula and compact it thoroughly.
To ensure that the gypsum is evenly distributed over the mold, corrugated glass is placed on the surface and the vibration process is performed for two minutes.
The plaster itself will harden within 20 minutes. Then glass without special problems separated from the form. The form itself is removed. When all the workpieces have been removed, they must be placed in fresh air where they are completely dry.
After the plaster has dried, you can additionally apply paint in several layers.

After all these steps are completed, the artificial gypsum stone is ready for installation. If you work well during the day, you can make a lot of stones.

Making artificial stone from acrylic

A small acrylic stone can be made within three hours. It must contain the following components:

Hardener 2-4%.
Acrylic resin 25%.
Composite material or other filler 70%.
Pigment.

The work process is quite simple and does not require special technology.

First of all, all the above components are thoroughly mixed.
Afterwards the mixture is poured into the prepared form.
The hardening process should take place at a temperature of 25 ° C. These are ideal conditions.

Note! Acrylic resin tends to stick. Therefore, a form is needed to which it does not stick: metal, glass, polyethylene.

The whole drying process acrylic stone may take about two hours. If there are enough molds, then you can make them with a short interval, and each batch should dry well, and only then it can be removed from the mold.

Making artificial stone from cement

To make an artificial stone from cement, you will need to first prepare the following tools and material:

Portland cement.
Warm water, preferably purified.
Putty knife.
Container for mixing cement.
Fine sand.
Composition for separation.
Forms for stone.
Mesh to give strength to the stone.

So, when you have everything at hand, you can begin the manufacturing process.

For the first layer, it is necessary to mix sand with cement in a ratio of 3:1. The solution should be distributed in silicone or polyurethane form.
After adding water and thoroughly mixing, the mass should resemble sour cream in consistency.
As for adding paint, it is best to do it at this stage.
So, when the mixture is ready, spread it halfway up the mold.
Then the mesh is cut to the required size, which will be laid in the next layer. This will make the stone durable. After laying it on the mixture, fill the remainder with silicone.
Upon completion of pouring, move over the surface sharp object to create a groove it will provide better grip on the surface.

After all this, the stone should dry thoroughly. After twelve hours, the workpieces are removed and placed on fresh air until completely dry.

Note! Regardless of what you will make the artificial stone from, the molds must be thoroughly washed at the end of the work. This will allow them to be reused in the future if necessary.

Where can I get a mold for artificial stone?

Without such a simple object as a form, it is impossible to make an artificial stone. Moreover, its quality directly depends on the form itself. The easiest way out is probably to go to a hardware store and buy already ready-made forms. However, if we talk about the difference between store-bought forms and those made yourself, then you won’t be able to save much.

The only plus self-made, this is the uniqueness of the form. You can save money by making several forms at once different sizes. Molds can be made from wood and silicone.

Making a wooden mold

At first glance, the option of making forms from wood may seem primitive. But actually it is not. For the base you do not have to buy expensive material. A few old boards and slats are enough to make sides. So that the front part of the stone has a unique appearance, take old boards that may even be slightly broken. But as for the sides, they must be even. The same applies to partitions inside the form. This will ensure that the seams are even during the laying process. Although you can specify a shape of any size and type. It all depends on your imagination and creativity. The entire workpiece is nailed together. It is important to compact it to such an extent that the solution does not leak out of it. This is how you can very simply and quickly make a mold for artificial stone. Filling is carried out using the technology you choose.

This option can be called budget. So to speak, in case others available options No. As practice shows, working with such forms is problematic, but quite possible. Today, there are other technologies that make it possible to make more convenient forms for pouring stone, for example, from silicone.

As for this mold making technology, it will require more time from you. You will need to purchase consumables.

First you need to collect samples for the form. This will largely depend on the shapes and sizes you want to achieve in the end result. For example, you can choose natural stone. Moreover, it can be broken into fragments or the edges of the stone can be ground/cut off. Next, you will need to make a mold for casting. To do this, you need to use an old wooden box. If it doesn’t exist, then you can put it together yourself. Each blank must be well fastened together so that the box does not fall apart during the pouring process. Then place the prepared stones on the bottom of the box. Place them flat side down. There should be a few centimeters between the stones.

Note! To prevent silicone from flowing under the samples, the bottom of the box can be coated with liquid plasticine and a stone can be placed on top of it.

Now it's time to prepare the silicone. There is nothing complicated here. The most important thing is to strictly follow the instructions for preparing it. All components must be thoroughly mixed using a mixer. When the mixture is ready, let it sit for about thirty minutes. After this time, you can begin pouring.

Immediately before pouring the silicone, make sure that the stones are positioned correctly and each one is in its place. In order for the silicone to lay evenly, it must be constantly compacted, this will prevent the formation of voids. Silicone should be poured until it covers the surface of the stones by 50 mm. After filling, place the mold with filled silicone in a dark place for two days. Depending on the external factors, the hardening process can take up to one week. When the mold has hardened, you need to remove the side sides of the box and carefully detach the finished silicone mold from the stone. The silicone mold is ready! You can also make a mold from polyurethane.

Now you know how to make artificial stone and the molds for its production.

Until recently, exclusively natural stone was used for cladding the internal and external surfaces of buildings. Naturally, not everyone could afford such decoration due to the high cost of the material. With the arrival of artificial stone on the construction market, anyone can decorate their home with it. It is durable, inexpensive, and visually no different from natural material, but most importantly, you can make it yourself.

In this article we will talk about how to make a mold for. We will also look at what materials can be used and what are their characteristics. But first, let's figure out what artificial stone is.

Fake diamond

Natural Construction Materials have always been expensive. This is primarily due to their extraction and transportation. Enterprising building materials traders one day solved this problem by replacing stone with samples of similar sizes and textures made from building mixtures.

Artificial stone is produced by pouring gypsum or cement-based solutions into certain forms. Frozen samples are painted to give them the color of natural material. According to their own physical properties artificial stone is in no way inferior to natural stone, and in some cases even surpasses it. And believe me, even a professional often cannot distinguish them visually.

Requirements for forms

The production of artificial stone begins with the preparation of special forms (matrices), into which a solution on a certain basis will subsequently be poured. They are needed to give future samples the size and texture of natural material.

The mold for the production of artificial stone must:

What are molds made of?

At home, molds can be made from:

wood;
silicone;
polyurethane.

The most commonly found matrices on sale are plastic, rubber and polyurethane matrices. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of the listed materials.

Wooden forms

Making a mold for artificial stone with your own hands from wood is not the most the best option. The frame of the wooden matrix is assembled from boards, which are knocked into a certain shape. The bottom of the matrix is also made from a board or Naturally, there can be no talk of any figured geometry here.

The required texture is achieved either by using a special embossed plastic substrate, or by using an old board with many defects as the bottom.

Advantages of wooden forms:

low cost;
ease of manufacture.

Disadvantages of wooden forms:

poor tightness;
short service life;
impossibility of manufacturing figured products.

Silicone forms

Silicone molds for artificial stone have the greatest elasticity. This allows you to quickly and without unnecessary problems withdraw ready product from the matrix. Silicone of the highest viscosity is used to produce molds.

Advantages of silicone molds:

high elasticity;
ideal as a mold for plaster;
excellent tensile strength;
relatively inexpensive to make yourself.

Disadvantages of silicone molds:

low chemical resistance;
the formation of air bubbles during the manufacture of the matrix, as a result of which it may have defects.

Where can I get silicone?

Silicone molds for artificial stone are made from silicone, which today can be freely purchased in construction stores. It is sold in a set consisting of the most liquid silicone and a hardener, by changing the concentration of which you can adjust the density of the resulting material. The cost of silicone in stores starts at a thousand rubles per kilogram, which, you see, is not so cheap, but if the form works out, it will work three times over.

You can save a little money if you prepare silicone yourself from silicon dioxide (liquid glass) and an acid hardener or regular alcohol. Such silicone, of course, will not be of particular quality, however, in extreme cases, it can be used to make a mold. It should be noted that the solution based on it thickens very quickly, so all work must be done very quickly.

Polyurethane molds

Making a mold for artificial stone with your own hands from polyurethane is the most common and inexpensive option. Polyurethane has all the necessary properties to create an elastic and durable matrix that will last for many years. His best qualities:

high dimensional stability;
stability;
chemical resistance to oils, solvents, acids;
low glass transition temperature;
low inertia;
high abrasive resistance.

Compared to silicone, liquid polyurethane also benefits due to its high fluidity. This allows you to accurately reproduce the smallest texture patterns that are present on the surfaces of natural stone.

What is polyurethane?

Polyurethane is a polymer material consisting of a polyol and isocyanate. By varying the ratio of these components, you can get a hard or even foamed material. This makes it completely universal for our purposes. Molds for gypsum, for example, are best made from soft polyurethane; for cement, a rigid structure of the material is more suitable. On average, it can withstand 1500-2000 castings, and high-quality factory matrices can withstand up to 4-5 thousand such procedures.

You can buy polyurethane in construction stores. It is also sold in a set consisting of two components: working mass and hardener. The price per kilogram of polyurethane is 700-1000 rubles.

What else is needed?

The next question is how to make the mold correctly, and what is needed for this, besides the material? First you need to get a master form, i.e. a sample of the stone we would like to produce. And of course, not alone. Typically, making a mold for artificial stone with your own hands involves pouring several initial samples. There can be five or ten master forms, depending on their size and the area of the frame.

Samples can be bought on the market or in the same hardware store, and stones of different configurations and textures can be placed in one matrix.

Next we move on to the formwork, how to do square shape for stone it is possible only with its help. It is better to make the frame from laminated chipboard or MDF. It consists of four walls, with a height exceeding the top point of the largest master mold by at least several centimeters. The bottom of the formwork can be made from DVM or from the same laminated chipboard. The frame structure is assembled using self-tapping screws. If, as a result of installation, gaps have formed between the walls of the formwork, fill them

When the material for the form and stone samples have been purchased and the formwork has been assembled, you can proceed directly to the manufacture of the matrix.

Correctly fixing the master forms

Place the master mold in the frame with the textured side up so that there is a distance of at least one centimeter between them. Now, using the usual method, secure each of them by applying a few drops to the bottom of the sample. There should be no gaps between the bottom of the formwork and the master forms. Otherwise, the silicone or polyurethane will fill them and the samples will be impossible to remove.

In order for the matrix to have the correct geometry, make sure that before pouring the formwork can be installed on a flat horizontal surface. This, for example, could be a table or even a flat floor.

Now we move on to preparing the material for the matrix. Making a silicone mold for artificial stone (or polyurethane) begins with mixing the components. This must be done strictly adhering to the proportions specified in the manual. Any change will result in the form either becoming too rigid or, conversely, not hardening at all. Mixing the components is carried out using a narrow spatula or a regular mixer. After stirring the solution, do not rush to pour it into the formwork. Let it sit for a few minutes so that air bubbles have time to rise to the surface. To make this process go faster, the container with the solution can be heated with a hairdryer.

While the air bubbles are escaping, use a paint brush to coat the sample stones, as well as the unused bottom surface and side walls, with release agent so that the mold can be easily released from the formwork. You can use the usual separator machine oil, but in no case a working off. It is recommended to lubricate the surfaces in several layers so that the porous surfaces of the stone can be saturated with oil. If this is not done, the silicone or polyurethane will penetrate into the pores, resulting in the surface of the mold having corresponding flaws.

When this is done, fill the formwork with an even layer of silicone or polyurethane solution until the master molds are covered with a layer no thinner than one centimeter. Leave the future form to harden for about a day. It is better if hardening takes place at a temperature of +20 °C.

We evaluate the results of our work

After 24 hours, the form can be removed from the formwork. It is better to do this by first disassembling the frame. This will make it easier to separate the matrix from both its walls and stones. If the form is stuck too tightly in some places, pry it off with a utility knife. Having separated the matrix, turn it over with the working surface facing up and let it dry for a few more hours. Afterwards, wipe it with a clean rag without applying strong pressure.

The first matrix, of course, may not be ideal. But don’t worry too much, because experience is acquired, and in order to make a sufficient amount of artificial stone, you will need at least five of these forms.

Natural stone is especially popular for finishing houses and various interior solutions. However, not everyone can use this design in their home due to its cost. That is why the production of gypsum decor has occupied a special place and today we will talk about how many advantages it has this material, what elements can be made from gypsum, what is the composition gypsum stones and how to make a stone from gypsum with your own hands.

Gypsum stone for wall decoration

Advantages of using artificial stone

Decorative gypsum stone

Certainly, natural stone looks very impressive in the interior. However, the cost of purchase, transportation, as well as the large weight of the material does not always allow creating an architectural theme using natural stone. Artificial gypsum stone has special advantages that allow it to be used even when carrying out repair work yourself. Let's look at the main advantages that distinguish gypsum stone:

The weight of gypsum decor is much less than finishing with natural material
The production of decorative stone from gypsum, even with thin bricks, does not incur any loss in strength, while installation and subsequent processing will be quite simple due to the fact that the made element can immediately be smooth
Gypsum decorative stone is more resistant to negative influences and at the same time it lasts much longer than natural material
It is very easy to care for the finish; just wipe it with a cloth when it gets dirty.
One of the main advantages is the ability to choose different colors for the stone. This way you will be able to make your design unique and individual, which cannot be said about using a natural element
The main advantage is the possibility of using gypsum decor for both interior and exterior cladding

Decorative gypsum stone can perfectly imitate natural bricks, since its surface can be:

Butovaya - externally such elements as large stone boulders
Chip - an uneven surface; when viewed, it seems that the edges of the material are chipped
Sawed - although the stone has uneven edges, they are smooth and not sharpened
Arbitrary - in this case, the design is created in any order using the selection method according to the form
Decorative - in this case it is possible to combine various surfaces to create one and complete picture

Possibility of self-creation

DIY gypsum stone

Creating plaster decor can be done with your own hands, and it is not necessary to have any skills, because the skill will come in the process. Let's look at what materials and tools you should stock up on before you start making volumetric elements on one's own:

Gypsum - the material is initially white
Anhydride
Sand and water
The container in which the kneading will take place
Forms by which creation will take place
Rolled polyethylene
Electric drill
Water-based coloring pigments
Fluted glass

I want to say right away that you won’t need a lot of space, because to carry out quality work it will be enough to prepare a couple of square meters. At the same time, I advise you to immediately purchase ready-made molds into which gypsum stones will be poured in the future. This will make the whole process much easier.

Important! Silicone molds are best suited; they highlight even the smallest details of the element being produced. In some cases, you can use wooden, as well as metal and plastic forms.

In addition, at a hardware store you can buy a special composition that is used for silicone molds. After processing with its help, it will be much easier to remove the products.

Important! The advantage of gypsum anhydride is that the anhydride, when mixed with water, can increase in volume up to 30%, while it slowly turns into gypsum.

Gypsum decorative stone is created in this way:

When the forms are treated with a special composition, paints must be applied to them - in this way it is even possible to create a two or three-color element. For application it is best to use a flat brush
For proper mixing, it is better to use two containers and in one of them, using a drill attachment, mix plaster and sand, and in the other - water, modifiers and surfactants. If you want the gypsum stone to be completely colored, then pigments should be added to this mixture
No need to knead large quantity material. The gypsum mixture is made at a time - it must be thick enough, because the liquid solution will not only take a long time to dry, but will also lose the necessary strength properties
At the next stage, the mixture is poured into the matrix and after it begins to set, all excess is removed with a spatula. The composition sets quickly enough and therefore the product can be taken out within half an hour. But you can use it much later

A few words about plasticizers

Wall decoration with gypsum stone

Plasticizers are in great demand in construction work, because due to their advantages they significantly simplify manufacturing processes and improve the properties of solutions. A plasticizer for gypsum allows you to achieve good fluidity, strength and at the same time ensure good shrinkage.

Important! Plasticizers are harmless to human health. Therefore, you can work with them independently and without any fear.

What can be achieved using plasticizers:

Increasing productivity by reducing the amount of working mixture
You can work with plaster even under unfavorable conditions
It is much easier to control the fluidity of the material used

Several well-known plasticizers can be used for gypsum, here is a list of them:

Sika ViscoCrete-G2
Vianplast
Fluid Premia 325

Plaster, for example, is also a mortar that is created using binders, aggregates and water. In this case, gypsum can act as a binding material.

Self-installation of gypsum stone

What can you do with your own hands? - Yes, almost everything! Besides the fact that you can create gypsum stones with your own hands, carrying out the installation process yourself is also quite simple. However, before this, it is worth studying the technology, finding out how long the plaster dries and choosing an adhesive for high-quality adhesion.

First of all, you need to choose how the installation will take place: seamless or with seams. If you decide to use the second option, then remember that the consumption of gypsum stones will increase by about 10-15%. Installation of tiles must take place on a clean, solid and prepared base.

It is the glue that plays the most important role in the process of surface design. The quality of adhesion between the material and the base will depend on its choice. I must say that a wide variety of adhesive solutions can be used for tiles:

PVA glue
Acrylic and cement mortar
Liquid Nails
Special tile adhesive
Mastic
Mounting sealant

The choice of adhesive solution depends on the type of surface and your personal preferences. The adhesive is applied to the cladding element using dotted lines. If the finish is seamless, then start installation from the bottom row. In this case, it would not be superfluous to make preliminary markings on the wall, along which you can trim the material. All elements are pressed tightly against the wall, while pressing them down allows excess glue to protrude along the edges. They can be removed with a slightly damp cloth. Each piece is tightly attached to the previous finishing element. After finishing the cladding, it should be treated with acrylic or polyurethane varnish. In addition to the fact that these materials will give the finish moisture-resistant properties, they will also create a rather impressive appearance. This treatment significantly increases the service life of decoration using gypsum stones.

In the previous article we told you how to do it. Now we will move on to making artificial stone with our own hands. It is suitable for cladding buildings from the inside or outside in places hidden from direct exposure to precipitation. This is due to the fact that artificial stone is made on the basis of gypsum, a material that has the property of absorbing moisture and being destroyed by its excess. However, it has an advantage - gypsum does not subsequently release salt, as happens with concrete stone.

Materials and tools for making artificial stone

gypsum, preferably G-16, also known as model plaster (G-14 is also suitable - general construction)
filler - river sand, sea sand, any screening, be it marble or granite
lemon acid
iron oxide pigment yellow, brown and red
bucket 10 liters
a construction mixer or a powerful drill with a mixing attachment
spatula 10 cm wide
sprayer for spraying flowers
polyurethane mold for artificial stone

Making artificial stone with your own hands

We prepare the mold for making artificial stone for work. Place it on a level surface. This is necessary to ensure that the tiles are even and uniform in thickness. We lightly paint individual segments of the stone with red pigment. To do this, in a small container, stir a little pigment into small quantity water. Carry out work in a room where the air temperature is not lower than 18 degrees. This way you will reduce the time of gypsum crystallization.

Pour one and a half liters of water into a bucket, then add 50 grams of yellow and brown pigment, 5 kg of gypsum, 2 kg of filler, and citric acid on the tip of a knife. Mix it all with a mixer.

You should get a thick mixture, like sour cream. If the mixture is dry, add water. If it’s liquid, you don’t have to add anything, the plaster will harden just like that. You can make batches different colors without mixing pigments. In the future, we will even out the color, and multi-colored tiles will give the future stone a more natural look.

After this, we proceed to filling the mold. Pour the mixture from the bucket carefully into the molds, filling each tile. Tap the mold with a spatula to avoid formation. air bubbles. Our gypsum will flow slightly longer than regular gypsum, since citric acid slightly slows down the process of its crystallization. During the operation of the mold, try to achieve the maximum correct volume of the batch so that you do not lose the rest of the material or, conversely, there is not enough of it.

Smooth the surface with a spatula, removing excess plaster. It is important. It is necessary to make sure that the stone does not have any excess plaster left on the edges. It will harden and interfere with the laying process. You'll have to tap it with a spatula.

Wait about 15-20 minutes, and when the plaster begins to set, use a spatula to make a cross pattern. This will make it easier for the tiles to stick to the wall.

After 40-50 minutes, the tiles can already be taken out. Check by tapping them with a spatula. If the tile starts to ring, it is ready. If not, don't try to remove it, you'll only ruin it. During the work, determine optimal time to remove tiles.

After removal, it is necessary to place the tiles in the sun or simply on a flat surface in a ventilated and heated room. This way they will dry faster. It is ideal to lay the tiles on a mesh from a panzer bed or any other mesh surface. This will allow air to flow evenly to the tiles, ensuring they dry evenly.

Now the tiles need to be painted. Take a half-liter water bottle, dilute yellow pigment in it, screw on the sprayer and treat the surface of the tiles with it. It doesn't matter if it's uneven. Let the pigment dry for several hours, then treat the tiles with a simple clean water, and then painted again. This will create uneven pigmentation.

Place the finished tiles aside for future finishing work. This simple process will allow you to significantly save your money. By working even a few hours a day, you will gradually create the amount of artificial stone you need.