Category: Makeover Ideas

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Innovative Faux Brick Panels Applications Installation Makeover Ideas

How To Use Faux Brick Panels To Wrap An Existing Post Or Column

We all have seen, in our own home or in other places, those ugly metal or wood posts used to hold a porch or the load bearing beams in a basement.

before wrapping with faux brick panels
Before wrapping with faux brick panels

In most cases people use faux wraps to clad these posts and make them look like real brick. In some cases the size of these pre-made faux brick wraps is either too large or too small. This doesn’t mean we have to give up. With the help of faux brick panels you can make your own size wrap around any size post or column.

The beauty of these panels is that you are not limited to a specific look. You may make the column larger at the bottom and tapered toward the top.

This is accomplished by mitering and beveling the cuts on each piece installed.

To start you should deiced the overall size you want, to this dimension subtract the thickness of the brick panel and come up with the size of the frame or box to build around the existing posts.
You can also make a more narrow size column by avoiding building the frame and install the panels directly over the post.

You may build the box or frame out of plywood – for exterior use we recommend marine plywood or pressure treated wood.

Pre-Made faux brick wraps
Pre-Made faux brick wraps

At this point pick a starting point and use the left side of the first panel.

When you reach the first corner of the frame go on the back of the panel and make a pencil line right at the corner. This is where you will be miter-cutting the faux brick panels.

Mark the back of the brick panel and cut here
Mark the back of the brick panel and cut here

Using a table saw or a circular saw make the 45 degree cut with the good size of the panel facing down. You want to angle the saw so that the back of the panel will have the shorter side of the cut. You also want to take the least possible material out of the front side of the Use brick panels to wrap any material.
The left over piece is not waste, rather is the piece you will need next.

Take this piece and miter it again to match the angle of the previous pieces. This should leave you with a triangle-shaped piece of material.

Miter the other half of the brick panels to match the angle
Miter the other half of the brick panels to match the angle

At this point you may put the two mitered pieces together to check the quality of the cut. If they meet nicely you can proceed to mark the right side with a pencil, right were the second corner of the frame is.

Continue these steps until you have completely wrapped the first row of panels around the box/frame.

For every row of brick panels you should stagger the seams so that they don’t always line up in the same vertical line.

Now you should use a sanding block to smooth out and blend together the individual bricks at the very tip of each corner. Cover the sanded areas with caulking and when dry apply some paint from the Touch-up Kit available for ordering online.

Sand and touch up the corner areas
Sand and touch up the corner areas

You are not bound by any rule when using faux brick panels from fauxstonedepot.com because their versatility and flexibility is unmatched by any other product that looks as realistic as this.

Enjoy!

 

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Faux Stone Panels Advantages Innovative Faux Brick Panels Applications Makeover Ideas

Improving Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Most homeowners in the US and around the world spend a huge amount of time thinking and planning ways to improve the curb appeal of their hard-earned home.

Coral Stone Panels Outdoor
Coral Stone Panels Outdoor

Some start from the landscaping and move to the look of the façade and the replacement of cheap siding. This has to be a careful process because choosing cheap materials to replace an already low quality product can have adverse consequences.

Siding Made Easy
Siding Made Easy

The type of siding we often see is vinyl, wood or aluminum. We all know how much maintenance wood requires and what wood peckers and bugs can do to it. Aluminum and vinyl are not really a good representation of wood, stone or brick.

If these are the look you have in mind you may want to consider

A great use of panels of imitation stone
A great use of panels of imitation stone

stone wall paneling and faux brick wall panels that have been designed and created with the above limitation from other materials. These panels have been designed to look absolutely real and without the need to constantly maintain them. As mentioned, you may want to take your time to choose a product you won’t have to replace after a couple of years.

One other reason for using products that are fake, panels that are easy to install and a stone look that is very realistic is the fact that you will add an extra insulation layer to your walls. Vinyl and particularly aluminum don’t provide any insulation. With faux stone and brick paneling you actually add a R5 factor to your insulation.

Faux brick applied to and outdoor skirting
Faux brick applied to and outdoor skirting

When planning to spend your hard-earned dollars toward your home you also need to consider the cost of installation. These brick and stone panels can be installed quickly and easily, even by the homeowner. Even if they decide to hire someone, they won’t be stuck with an exorbitant bill. You can tell your contractor how easy they are to install so they can’t really make up numbers.

Panels can be installed over virtually any surface; things you can’t say about stone veneer.

Some of the “real” stone are actually blocks of molded concrete. Both materials are intrinsically going to absorb moisture, which will eventually freeze and crack. Even in areas where the climate doesn’t drop below 23 degrees F you will still see black lines, which are the result of mold growing on the wall.

So, in conclusion, take your time and order samples from various vendors to see all the various options out there.

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Faux Stone Panels Advantages Makeover Ideas

How To Make Your Life Easier When Remodeling A Fireplace

Even with the many innovative products sold on the construction and DIY market we still see a lot of people using the so-called real stone. Although appealing, the real stone they refer to is not on the market. What we see is almost always concrete, a mix of cement, pebbles, gypsum and painted over.
The only things they have in common with real stone is the fact that they absorb water and stains and, are hard to cut and install and create a lot of dust in a home when they are cut.

Fireplace Created With Synthetic Stone Parts
Fireplace Created With Synthetic Stone Parts

As you can imagine by the above statement we prefer to talk about other products, those that don’t take shortcuts when created in the factory. The products that are designed to last and that are geared toward the “weekend warrior” rather than the expensive installer.

Stone veneer can be almost any material. Cast stone is also referred to as stone veneer but it’s really just a cast material that is thinner than other products. It is not necessarily cut down to a smaller thickness, in most cases it is cast in those dimensions.

So, the reason why products like these should be friendly to installers is that many homeowners who want to create or remodel a stone wall or a fireplace do not want to learn to be a mason, nor want to create a lot of dust in their house in the process.

Another reason why they don’t want to use materials that absorb water is that they will create outdoor facades so the material has to be resistant to stains, water and freezing temperatures. These qualities are simply not available to “concrete blocks” therefore they look into synthetic materials.

accessories
Accessories

Using stone and brick made of dense resins allows you to have a variety of accessories to make the projects easy to complete. You can find things like:

Inside or Outside corners

Ledge trim

Outlet trim

And more.

Imitation stone veneer
Imitation stone veneer

When creating your own walls a homeowner doesn’t want to buy a wet saw and learn to be cut dusty materials to create corners. Polyurethane accessories are ready to install and if you had to cut them to size you could do so by simply using a jig saw.

Making the shift from heavy products to light ones is actually risk proof. You can order a panel or two or a small sample to see what you will be dealing with. Most companies will take that product back if you are not satisfied.

The remodeling projects are becoming easier and easier to complete. Stay up-to-date with the available options!

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Faux Stone Panels Advantages Makeover Ideas

Another Great Installation Of Faux Stone Columns On Porch Pillars

There is nothing better that the satisfying feeling of accomplishing a perfect renovation. What if you completed your DIY project in just a couple of hour? You can’t beat that.

Let’s take this porch as an example.
It is in a nice pool area with a great looking stone pavement. It also has a covered porch that creates a sheltered area for cooking and eating at a table.

before image of porch pillars
Before Installing Faux Stone Pillars

The things that do not belong there are those skinny metal porch pillars. They are too small and provide a visual feel of under-sized and flimsy.

One way to ‘beef it up” is to make it look like a real stone pillar.
It could have been accomplished by using a mason or brick layer which would not have been the most economical solution.
One thing many customers don’t realize is that the “real stone” the see in most stores is not real at all. What they’re buying is a mix of cement, rocks and other aggregates. This produces a stone that is porous and that create a dark molds and discolors.
The other drawback is the fact that these “real” stones come in small, heavy, blocks that need to be installed one-by-one, therefore increasing the overall labor.

Why spend money on a mason, money on creating a substrate in a heavy-duty material on which to install the cast stone?

Installation Of Faux Stone Posts
Installation Of Faux Stone Posts

Today this can be easily done with four light-weight polyurethane panels that easily glue and screw on a quickly made frame and screwed around the metal posts.
Yes it’s as easy as it sounds.

The four panels interlock seamlessly at the corners, providing a very realistic and rich look. For those who want to completely hide the tiny line at the joints they can apply some caulking and paint it over with our paint kit.
Here is the wonderful finished look.

After Installing Faux Stone Columns
After Installing Faux Stone Columns
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Faux Stone Panels Advantages Makeover Ideas

What House Flippers Need To know

Flipping houses has proven to be a very lucrative smart practice.

Usually he investors will take it upon themselves to renovate the house, doing as much work as they can in order to save on labor cost and to have control over the whole process. Renovating the house is just the first step of turning it into a unique and beautiful home. The second step is putting it on the market and get that big sale that enables the business to flourish.

Home Remodeled With Stone
Home Remodeled With Stone

A vast number of businesses that flip houses now utilize the faux stone panels and columns or faux brick panels that accentuate everything from the backyard to the kitchen. The return on the investment is beyond what many people may expect.

Creating a unique style and great atmosphere sells the house faster and at a better price then regular boring houses that just look like they fixed the essentials. Creating that exposed brick look at a fraction of the price and time can rapidly increase the speed of which they finish the house and turn it into am appealing masterpiece.

This is thanks, in part, to faux stone panels because they are easy to install and do not require any extensive training. They give the house a great facelift and can easily turn the house into the envy of the neighborhood. By adding the panels the house flippers are giving them a great selling point because not only does the incredibly realistic look of stone entice people but it also adds some functional characteristics and can help offer the home at a more affordable price.

The Material That Provides Insulation
MItered Faux Stone Panels

The panels provide an additional insulation at a rating of approximately R-5. So, not only do they add a great quality to the house, but they add a functional piece to it. The panels do not require expensive installation equipment like wet saws. In addition, the businesses that flip houses can avoid using an expensive contractor which usually inflates the price. Who wouldn’t consider a house over another is the energy cost is reduced?

Altogether, faux stone and brick panels have come a long way since the original imitation stone panels. Our panels and accessories utilize the most advanced painting procedure possible. The realistic quality draws in people’s eyes and steals their hearts by turning a plain house into a beautiful one. People who flip houses are always looking for cost effective ways to make their next investment a success. Our faux stone or veneer is the best way to help you achieve this goal.

Stone Post Accents
Stone Post Accents

By customizing the home after a much needed renovation this will not only look great but have a special feature that separate from the rest of the houses home buyers are checking out. This will give that added incentive to buyers and that’s why it helps make house flippers a lot of money.

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Makeover Ideas

Accent Walls – Work Of Arts!

Painting is a great way to update a room with a great amount of impact. To add visual interest to a dull room, try just painting one wall a different color entirely.

Choosing A Wall

Grey Ledgestone Backsplash
Grey Ledgestone Backsplash

First things first, pick the wall that will be the focal point of the room that you’re thinking of perking up!  Great focal points are often fireplaces, a large window, or behind a bed’s headboard.  Becoming visually dramatic, an accent wall will change the mood as soon as you walk into your home.  It’s not only the latest trend, but it also allows you to give your home a mini-make over, if you’re on a budget or short on time.

Finally choosing just the right color for your work of art!

Picking colors can be fun and an artistic expression that highlights your personality. You have to take into account all of your surroundings whether it’s an interior space or an exterior space. How the light interacts with the primary surface and the secondary surfaces plays an important role, as well as, architectural features.

Make sure to apply a primer before you paint a light color over a dark color, or want to cover up a semi-gloss or gloss finish. It helps the paint to adhere and smooth out the surface to be painted. The only time you may not need to prime is if you’re painting a darker color over a matte white wall.

Neutral furniture colors
Neutral furniture colors

Choose a subtle color scheme. To make the room feel more spacious, stick with white, off-white, or very light greens, blues, or yellows for the walls. Dark colored walls, like blue or red will only make the room seem smaller and stuffier.

Use neutral colors like beige, gray, or brown for furniture, using accent pieces like throw pillows, throw blankets, accent chairs, or pieces of artwork adds color. This way, you can add color without creating a cluttered look.

It’s an inexpensive do-it-yourself project that will heighten the visual interest of your living space.

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Faux Stone Panels Advantages Makeover Ideas

New Wainscot Save Time And Money

Making the wainscot can take a long time and cost an exorbitant rate thankfully faux stone or brick panels reduce the cost to a fraction of the original. The labor is where the highest cost develops and adds to the bill. Most people who go for that design want to renovate their home and increase its value. This project is a great way to add style and life to the house without detracting from its character. It helps the best characteristics of the home stand out fostering an elegant presence.

ledge-trim-sand
ledge-trim-sand

New ways to improve upon the wainscot design have been developing throughout the years, but imitation stone panels have brought about the biggest advance. These panels enable the wainscot to be installed in only a small fraction of the time it used to take: www.anticoelements.com
You may create a wainscot by using our stacked stone panels. This faux stone looks great with a trim adhered at the top to give it a nice finish. It gives you the perception of a well-trimmed and finished area.

Using this style in any house is possible with faux stone products because they don’t chip or fall off after like natural stone. The other veneers of stone don’t give you the best version of stone because of all the downfalls. Other types of veneers include messy installation procedures and tedious production processes like the project to the left.

Wainscoting Stone
Wainscoting Stone

Some faux stone veneer is comprised of concrete which is very expensive and time consuming. The veneer looks like concrete because the paint they use doesn’t work well to reproduce the stone look. Making a good impression in the first few seconds is important which is why the front must look the best it can be. This traditional design can help boost the appearance of the building it is being used on plus it hides aging signs. It used to take days to add this element on a house, but now with the advent of the realistic panels, can be added anywhere. They can even be applied to stucco or cinder block with very efficient results. This will allow any style of wainscot to be developed which will helps people who want to renovate their business or home so it can look its best.

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Faux Stone Panels Advantages Makeover Ideas

Insulation Factor

Insulation is the one of the necessary ingredients in any home or business construction.

The core concept in design is to incorporate the best looking design into a functional system. Insulation is the most important factor in developing cost efficient homes, finding new ways to get the best look and insulation without hurting the checkbook.

Basic Insulation
Basic Insulation

Many of our customers have utilized the decorative panel approach and have found that despite the skeptics these panels look and feel incredibly realistic. Fortunately, they are multi-functional because they add a factor of insulation.

The factor that they provide is fact of R-5. This is great because they can make your home look like a beautiful stone house, combining look and savings. Each imitation stone panel can provide enough square foot coverage to cover at least eight square feet at a time.

Decorative panels which also provide a layer of insulation
Decorative panels which also provide a layer of insulation

This faux product covers a large area quickly and adds an insulation layer without detracting from the essence of the house. They can decrease the heating or cooling cost because the closed cell structure is dense.

The density allows it to absorb the brunt of any heat wave making it a great choice to for any remodeling project.

The waterproof barrier of the closed cells allows it to become impervious to cracks and mold. That means that when a cold front takes over and freezes everything the panels will not be affected unlike real stone. Whether it is a simple fireplace remodeling job or the whole facing of the exterior of the house or business the panels can be used for any application.

ledgestone-white
ledgestone-white

The texture of the stone panels creates a unique character for the home. They make the home appear earthy and modern. This is a great way to boost the insulation factor on your home and create a masterpiece of stone design at the same time.

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Installation Makeover Ideas

Conquering Cinder Blocks

Cinder blocks were invented as a way to increase the structural integrity of buildings at a faster rate but they were not made to be pleasing to the eye. They provide builders with a lot of great advantages, but covering it up with regular siding or paint is cumbersome and requires a lot of maintenance. Nobody wants to have the cinder blocks showing on their home.

There are many siding options are but they require skilled veterans who are very familiar with the material. In addition, most siding options are bland and boring. These options don’t make the house pop with unique qualities and characteristics. Fortunately, the cinder blocks can easily be covered with the right siding material the trick is making sure it is water and moisture proof.

Exposed Cinder Block
Exposed Cinder Block

Most people don’t like the uniform look that every other house has so in order to customize your home and cover up that boring cinder block the best option would be using some new and innovative material.

Today’s synthetic resins can be made to look incredibly realistic and it can be formed into thousands of different sizes and shapes enabling people to get different architectural elements. There are some resin panels that save a great deal of installation and general labor time. There is no need for mortar or grout. Simple construction adhesives or screws will fasten the panels to the wall. The panels can be adhered onto any flat surface because it is light and durable. You can instantly remodel your home so it can be the envy of the neighborhood. These panels come in a large variety of styles and colors so that way even neighbors can customize their homes and still have a very unique look. Some more ideas for and pictures for installation can be found by clicking here.

Rock panels in a studio
Rock panels in a studio

A great advantage for developers and contractor is the fact that it can save money on labor and installation. Developers looking to cover up foundations or cinder blocks quickly represent great candidates for this product.

Cinder block fences also pose the perfect application for this product because builders can easily do hundreds of square feet in a day. Those fences can look their best by being given the impression of an actual stone fence.

These products also have a number of different elements that can be used to satisfy the needs of any project. Developing housing communities requires developers to find a fast and cheap way to make them unique which is very hard. Staying inside the budget and deadline range is very important. These panels help save builders’ time and money for their developments. Imagine driving into a community where all the homes were similar yet they had their own special design. The marketing power behind such a community would be very strong because people value a home that is different than any other home.

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Faux Stone Panels Advantages Makeover Ideas

Fireplace Remodeling Without The Hassle

The fireplace is one of the hardest areas to remodel. Finding a product that speeds up the process is essential to getting a great professional project. Using imitation stone can give you the best look at the best price. You save on installation and labor costs and you can make your home look great.

Perfect Fake Stone Fireplace
Perfect Fake Stone Fireplace

Every stone project requires a long time to complete. The best way to avoid a long construction period is by utilizing faux stone walls to create that great stone look in a tenth of the time.

If the fireplace looks blank and boring and it is in dire need of remodeling, then don’t fear a long construction process.

With the following information you will learn how to avoid expensive contractors and tedious masonry labor.

  • First we have to start with the surface. If your fireplace already has brick or stone facing on, it’s no problem. All you have to do to cover it is by using some sheets of plywood that can be screwed onto using masonry screws. This way homeowners can avoid taking off the actual stone facing without an expensive and messy tear down process.
  • Once a flat surface has been created around the perimeter of the fireplace then it is time to take the dimensions. Write down as many dimensions with the tape measure as you can in order to get the most accurate estimate of how many panels you will need to use.
  • Most projects will require cuts to panels. Find a place outside that is easy to clean so when the dust from cutting the panels falls on the project area it can be easily dispersed or swept up. Cutting them on grass is great since it only takes a quick shower from a hose to wash away the dust without any trouble. It is important to remember to cut as you go so that you don’t make any mistakes.

    Mitered Faux Stone Panels
    Mitered Faux Stone Panels
  • Here comes the fun part of applying the actual panels to the project site. When you are putting them on the surface hold the panel in its place for about a minute or two with your full weight to secure the panel onto the substrate. Drive some screws into it.

    Adhering Panels
    Adhering Panels

Once you are done use your touch up kit to paint any spots that may require it. Now you have a new fireplace.

Remodeling the fireplace makes a big difference and adds value to the house.

Creating a unique fireplace means making the best possible product without taking a long time. Finishing that long project in less than a day is worth it because it makes the renovation process a lot easier.