The Way to Create Concrete Fascia Stones
You may make your fascia stones called stone stone or veneer cladding, from precast and concrete molds. The expression of your fascia stones is dependent on the shape of foundation colors, the molds and pigments you utilize. Your very own artistic flair in the way pigments are applied to the molds individualizes your own work. Add other aggregate or Perlite, like stone rock or shale, to the concrete mix.
Protect Your Clothing
Wear an apron, dust mask and goggles to protect yourself and your clothes from your dust of Portland cement and Perlite.
Rub petroleum jelly in your arms from irritating your skin, to prevent dust.
Put on waterproof gloves to protect your hands, or rub on your palms liberally with oil jelly, making certain to get the jelly beneath your fingernails as well.
Educate Your Molds
Lay your mold on a sheet of plywood for easy handling.
Fill a spray bottle with water and mist the mold thoroughly.
Dip a pigment brush into the desired color and apply pigment to one stone mold at one time. Glue the sides of every mold as well as the bottom. Mix colors or apply unique colors to mold, ussing a separate brush for each color. Be certain where they fulfill to get a look, in a mold, to blend colors. Leave areas of the mold with no pigment if you want the cement color to show through.
Mix Your Concrete
Place 5 gallons of water into your concrete mixer. If you’re currently using color additives add foundation color to your water. Follow the instructions together with the color product for the amount. Mix well.
Pour 47 pounds — half a bag, if you’re using luggage — to the mixer of Portland cement.
Add 5 liters of sand to the mixer, and then place half bag, or the 47 pounds, of Portland cement to the mixer.
Turn on the mixer, and allow the sand and cement until it has reached a lean consistency, or to blend for one minute.
Pour 5 gallons of Perlite. Perlite absorbs water, which means that your mix may become stiff. Add water as needed to keep your mix. Add another 5 liters of Perlite to the mix, Following the first Perlite addition is blended into the formula. Continue adding water and Perlite until all 25 pounds of Perlite are added to the mix. The consistency of the end product should be just like a stiff batter, not stiff enough to hold its shape, but not watery.
Fill Your Molds
Dump concrete onto the molds. Distribute the concrete evenly over the mold form, eliminating excess using a trowel.
Shake the mold form for 30 to 45 seconds, by hand, or to get 10 seconds on a table. Because Perlite can split into layers, so weakening your stones it is important not to shake the mold form long, together with excess vibration when you utilize Perlite on your mix.
Roughen the surface of the concrete by running a large hair pick over the stones. This rough surface is the back of the stone, making it adhere during use as fascia.
Heal the Stones
Wrap your mold in plastic and place it aside to cure for 24 hours.
Upwrap the mold form and eliminate fascia stones.
Cover your stones in plastic again. Store them to allow them to harden and heal. Properly cured stones are harder and more durable than stones that aren’t given adequate time to heal.