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Cast (Veneer) Stone
Using natural looking stone to give the interior
of any dwelling a warm and textured appearance
is one of the hottest trends in decorating
today. Most of this stone is not real river
rock, fieldstone, or limestone. It is instead
an artificial material that is just as hard
and weatherproof as stone and virtually impossible
to distinguish from the real thing.
Cast stone is much less expensive to purchase
and to install than natural rock. It is made
from a mixture of various crushed rock, recycled
concrete, hardening agents and permanent
mineral oxide tints. This mixture is poured
into stone shaped molds and hardened. Because
they are only one to three inches thick,
these cast stones are not nearly as heavy
as real stones. They can be mortared to interior
walls constructed from plywood, drywall or
cement board and do not have to sit on top
of a costly poured concrete foundation.
Consider the following if you
are thinking
of installing cast stone:
- Cast stone is most frequently used in great
rooms, family rooms, hall ways, and country
kitchens, but it can be used in any room
in the house. It is a popular choice for
bathroom showers. It can be used on the exterior
of the house to line foundations and to create
columns and impressive entries.
- Cast stone with a flatter surface is better
for kitchen backsplashes and
shower stalls
than jagged fieldstone types
because it is
easier to keep clean by wiping
it off with
a cloth or sponge.
- If you are planning to use cast stone in
more than one area of your
house, it is often
best to stick with one type
so that each
room relates to the whole design.
Cast stone
mixes beautifully with materials
such as
brick and wooden shingles.
Cast stone is a practical and
durable home
construction choice. It is cleaned
by occasional
vacuuming. |
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