| This article is the result of one of our customers | | | | lightly. This will cause the color to sprinkle down |
| asking how to make a "sandy-yellow colored | | | | and give you a DUSTING effect. Apply the color |
| stone with brown and tan colored highlights, so it | | | | into the molds randomly. You just want a very |
| will look like natural stone". They went on to | | | | light coating, as described in our coloring |
| explain that they had seen that colored stone in a | | | | techniques instructions. Turn your mold upside |
| stone yard, and its cost was over $6.00 a square | | | | down, and tap the mold once or twice to dislodge |
| foot. They wanted to make the stone | | | | any excess color that sticks to the oil. Now you |
| themselves to save money. They were able to | | | | are ready to pour. |
| duplicate the stone, and save about | | | | Creating the base color for your manufactured |
| ninety-percent of the retail cost. Here are the | | | | concrete stone: Weigh out and mix 5-6 ounces of |
| instructions we provided. The basic techniques can | | | | Yellow or Buff concrete color into a forty pound |
| be used to attain virtually any concrete colors you | | | | bag of Sand Mix, (less than two-inches thick), and |
| may desire. | | | | mix it thoroughly (dry) into the concrete Sand Mix |
| The Basics of Manufactured Stone Making at | | | | before adding water. If you are using a different |
| Home: If the stone you want to make is thicker | | | | volume of concrete, adjust the quantity of color |
| than two-inches, you should use bags of premix | | | | you add accordingly. After the color is disbursed |
| concrete to make the stone. If the stone is a | | | | throughout the dry concrete mix, add your water |
| veneer or is less than two-inches thick, you want | | | | to the mix per the instructions on the bag and |
| to use bags of Sand Mix to make your concrete | | | | blend it well until all of the color is even throughout |
| stone. Just follow the instructions on the bag as | | | | your mix, and you have a nice "toothpaste" |
| far as how much water to use to mix your | | | | consistency to your concrete. |
| concrete. You can also use Portland cement and | | | | Now pour your colored concrete mix into your |
| sand, and measure and mix your own batches of | | | | molds: Pour your mix in the molds and vibrate to |
| concrete, which will save you a little money if you | | | | lessen the chance of bug holes and bubbles in |
| are doing a larger-sized project. But you need to | | | | your stone, and to help compact your mix. Set |
| weigh the convenience of premix bags of | | | | the filled molds aside on a level surface and cover |
| concrete over the savings gained versus the labor | | | | with a piece of plastic sheeting. Any kind of plastic |
| of mixing your own batches. Unless your project | | | | will be fine. Leave the molds for at least 24 hours |
| is a large one, the premix bags are normally a | | | | or more. The longer you leave them, the stronger |
| better option. | | | | they will be and easier they will come out of the |
| Purchase your molds from reliable USA | | | | molds. Temperature is a factor that helps |
| manufacturing sources: You need to start with | | | | determine the set-up time of the concrete. The |
| good quality concrete molds in the style and sizes | | | | warmer the temperature, the faster the concrete |
| desired. You can review our other articles | | | | sets. |
| comparing plastic molds to rubber molds | | | | De-mold your stone and you should have pretty |
| elsewhere or on our training website if you don't | | | | close to what you are looking for--- sandy-colored |
| know the differences. Be sure that the mold | | | | yellow stone with brown texturing and highlights. If |
| masters of the molds you purchase were taken | | | | there are areas that are too dark or brown, you |
| directly from actual stones, tiles, and pavers. I | | | | can rub a bit with your fingers to disburse the |
| personally always try to purchase products made | | | | color more evenly. After de-molding, set aside to |
| in the USA, and from companies that have been | | | | cure and dry. Don't worry, the color will get quite |
| in business for a number of years. If there is a | | | | a bit lighter as it dries, but do not force dry. |
| problem, you can then be assured that they will | | | | Interrupting the curing will cause the concrete |
| be around to help you. I also look for companies | | | | stone to lose some of its strength. Ideally, keep |
| that provide on-going free support and guidance | | | | the stone covered in plastic for at least a week |
| with my project. And by all means, compare | | | | after de-molding to aid the hydration and curing |
| prices for similar size and types of molds. | | | | process. |
| Purchase from a company that offers its | | | | Let us know how your stone turns out. Photos |
| customers a website that is dedicated to | | | | would be great in any case... good or bad. If you |
| customer service and offers instructions, finishing | | | | don't like the way the stone turns out, which I |
| techniques, installations and offers other helpful | | | | doubt will be the case, a photo will give us an idea |
| information. Anyone can print out some basic | | | | of what went wrong. I've just done some tiles in |
| instructions--- they are available on Google! But | | | | the various colors to use as new color charts, so |
| what if you have a unique situation or custom | | | | the Yellow or Buff should give you what you |
| project you are working on? That is when the | | | | want. If it's too yellow for you... use the Buff color |
| support factor is important. | | | | as the base for the next batch. Buff is a little |
| Use a Mold Release to extend the life of your | | | | "tanner" than the yellow, but remember that the |
| molds: You should always use a mold release of | | | | Brown "DUSTING" of the molds should tone the |
| some kind. It aids in de-molding your stone as well | | | | Yellow down quite a bit. |
| as prolongs the molds useful life. Spray or wipe | | | | Manufacturing Stone with other natural-looking |
| your mold release into your molds. If using an oil | | | | colors: This technique can be used to attain just |
| release, just wipe out any excess oil to lessen the | | | | about any color or combination of colors you |
| chance of what are referred to as bug holes. If | | | | could want. If you'd like a gray base color with |
| using a water-based mold release, follow the | | | | pinkish and gold tones like we illustrate on our |
| instructions, and then wipe a bit of vegetable oil | | | | websites with our Ledgestone, you would replace |
| into your molds. | | | | the do away with any base color, and just use |
| Add concrete color "dusting" to get the | | | | the "dusting technique" described above with |
| color-blending of natural stone you want: Take a | | | | Yellow, Brown, Red, and Black concrete color. |
| paper cup and punch a few tiny holes in the | | | | Good luck with your project, and please do get |
| bottom of it. Fill it halfway with either Brown or | | | | back to us with feedback as to how the coloring |
| Dark Chocolate Brown powdered concrete color | | | | turned out for you. And we always like to see |
| (I'm assuming that you have some of our | | | | the results of our do-it-yourself training articles, so |
| powdered concrete colors). Hold the cup over | | | | feel free to send photos of your projects. |
| your oiled molds and tap the side of the cup | | | | |