Outdoor Performance Of Faux Brick And Stone
Many installers and contactors often ask if it is wise to switch from using real brick and stone to faux brick and faux stone.
The first thing we do is understand if they are aware that real stone is not what they are considering. Real stone is really expensive. What most people see on the market is not real stone but cast concreted, molded in the shape of stone blocks.
This alone is usually an eye-opener.
The next important conversation is about the performance of real brick and stone in outdoor conditions.
We explain that most people have come to accept the fact that “real products” can deteriorate, crack, and separate under the stress of humidity, rain, and temperature fluctuations. These are considered “normal” in the construction world.
What may do not know is that some products made in resins, like polyurethane, do not have these issues.
The versatility of real brick is also an issue.
In many installations, the bricks need to be cut at 45 degrees to create a return or a mitered corner and save time in the installation process. When mitering materials like brick, it is very difficult to keep the various parts glued together. Usually, these separate because the level of adhesion is poor with these products.
With faux polyurethane materials, you will have a great bond within the parts and can also use caulking for a successful blending of the parts and texture.
Polyurethane faux sheets are also somewhat flexible and can be easily machined. You can miter-cut a panel on a table saw without chipping the material. These products can be easily shaped and cut with any carpenter’s tools and do not require wet saws.
The Easy Way To Create A Stacked Stone Wall
Many ask us if the products in our testimonials real stacked stone are. They are always quite surprised to find out that it is in fact faux stone in the form of panels.
They also go on with asking how difficult it must have been to create that stacked stone look with panels of fake stone.
Stacked Stone Wall Made With Panels
In reality, using Antico Element’s panel is a lot easier to make any plain drywall area look like a real stone wall, much easier than the so-called real stone. The reason we are a bit skeptical about using this term is that many do not know that what today is called real is just cast concrete, that comes out of the mods looking like real stone. Many decide to use cast stone with the hope their wall will look more real. Even with the amount of work required to install cast stone they still can’t get the project to look real; all the joints and corners remain visible and often looking fake.
Bad looking corner made with cast stone
So, how did Michael M. create his fireplace looking so rich?
A great looking project made with faux stone wall paneling
How did Richard and others make his staircase and fireplace look so real? Was it hard?
- They did a little research and asked us a couple of questions on how to cut faux stone panels and how to treat the edges.
- Ordered the panels online, received them with a paint kit and instructions on how to contact us in case he had some more questions.
- They made no preparation of the existing wall because these faux stacked stone sheets can be installed on virtually any surface; there was no need to go to your hardware store and get those heavy concrete backer-boards.
- They applied construction adhesive in the back of the panels and used a finish nail gun or screws to fasten them to the wall.
- Some of them were cut at 45 degrees to make turns and with the help of a table or circular saw, caulk and touch-up paint the corner transitions were made completely seamless.
Mitered Corners Made With Panels
Even in cases where you must install the stacked stone panels on concrete, you can simply shoot power-nails directly on the surface and just paint the nail head. Our panels are designed to withstand outdoor stresses. You may take a look at some more information here:
https://www.anticoelements.com/content/11-faux-stone-panels
Here is a perfect example:
Corners made with Antico Elements Stacked Stone In Glacier
If we say these products are easy to use and shape it is because we always hear these comments from our clients.
Just give it a try, you will understand!
#fauxstone #fauxStonePanels #FauxStoneWall #DIY #StackedStone
#faux_stone #faux_Stone_Panels #Faux_Stone_Wall #DIY #Stacked_Stone
The Beauty Of Brick Polyurethane Panels For Backsplash
Who says you need to spend a fortune to create a kitchen backsplash that looks like a million-dollar?
The conventional belief is that it is necessary to spend a ton to create a realistic and rich brick wall, for interior or exterior.
Using expensive, real brick for any project can surely add up to a large bill. Most people believe this is the only way you can create a brick wall that looks like the real thing. Needless to say, many things have changed in the past twenty years. A lot of products have been created that make projects such a kitchen backsplash or a store backdrop a breeze.
Kitchen Brick Backsplash
We constantly hear installers say they were hesitant at first. They were quite skeptical in switching from real brick to faux brick but then, after trying the new product, they vouch not to go back to the old brick types.
There are many reasons why this faux product amazes homeowners and installers alike.
For one, the overall cost is a fraction of that of regular brick. Faux brick panels may seem expensive but when you factor in the rest of the costs you will soon see the benefits.
Another Kitchen Brick Backsplash
Any person can embark on this type of project, without the need to hire a bricklayer.
Faux brick sheets are made of a product that repels food stains so it is very easy to clean.
This product is now being used in very many types of projects. You can find them in homes, offices, grocery stores, and many bars. It is also used in many trade show displays. It’s not just the convenience of installation but also the savings in shipping it. Being such a lightweight product, the cost of shipping it is greatly reduced. There is no mess left in the home since this product does not require a wet saw or mortar!
Go ahead, be another installer who will say “no more real brick”.
Don't forget to check out our Testimonials Page.
The Completed Job
When Faux Brick And Stone Panels Are Made With Quality.
It is safe to say that during every project, whether it for residential or commercial, the installer appreciates the quality of the product and the ease of use.
At Antico Elements we never lose track of what is important to the installers and designs.
The last thing an installer needs is an issue with the quality of brick panels or how hard they are to install. Back when real brick and stone were the only options, the mason would just be used to the time it took to create a wall. Today, after testing and appreciating the value of faux brick paneling, most installers will not go back and use real brick.
Let's say you need to design and create a TV show's set and background. Let's also imagine that you need a light-weight set that can be moved to make room for the next show. You really can't use real stone (or cast stone) or real brick. In the video below from our great supporters within the Dude Perfect team, you can see how real materials would never work in that set.
(you can see our product at 0:25 minutes)
You could also use some pressed board or vinyl panels but, the quality is clearly not up to par with polyurethane molded panels.
We do all the work for you.
The molds are created from a real brick panel. This original panel is made of real reclaimed bricks from a demolished building so the molds that result from it will reproduce an exact replica of the original.
If you add the way we paint each brick one by one, by hand, you really can't compare the quality to any other faux product.
The white brick panel used in the set above
Let's not forget about maintenance and removal.
Real brick is porous and it will absorb any stain. With acrylic-painted imitation panels, the wall will be waterproof and super easy to clean.
In many cases, these sets or trade show booths are taken down and reused somewhere else. If you install the panels with screws, you can easily take them down and reuse them many times.
We have perfected the custom products manufacturing so, if you have a specific color and texture in mind, we can easily create a new product. You may click HERE to use our contact page.
Thank you!
EditorWall Brick And Stone Panels Help TV Set Designs And Retail Stores Designs.
We are often approached by designers who have spent countless time trying to create a backdrop for a retail store or TV talk show set that incorporates a brick or stone accent. They confess to us that it would have been much easier to install brick or stone panels instead of trying to use real brick and stone, or even worse, trying to faux paint that look.
One of the challenges in our market is to let store outfitters, display booth designers, and many others know that faux stone and brick panels exist. Once they find out they usually incorporate them in the design and drastically reduce the time it takes to design and build a project.
Stages look incredibly better with stage lighting pointing directly to the stone panels from above. You can't create the same feel by using wallpaper or faux painted bricks.
TV-Show set using faux brick panels
Selling the panels is for us just part of our focus. We focus on helping broadcast professionals and trade show booth designers in creating outstanding designs that meet the needed time frame and budgets.
We can create custom products, panels with different sizes and textures as well as custom colors.
If you are in the trade show business you have probably seen how long it takes to install reals stone and real brick and how long it takes to take the booth down. All that work is also employed for just one show.
A lot of work needed for real stone
When using panels you can install the booth in hours but most of all, your clients can reuse the panels. All you need to install them is either use screws or even velcro. All of the materials can be reused many times, with a considerable saving.
No-Mess Installation With Faux Stone Paneling
Stores and booths should be designed to get the customer's attention, not just create a place to hang your products. Spending a few extra dollars per square foot provides an incredible ROI for the designers and the final client.
Imitation Brick Paneling For Siding And Home Skirting
There was a time when homes were built on a foundation of real rocks and bricks. That was not only time consuming but expensive and it would let humidity and cold rise to the house floor.
Today we have learned to raise and isolate homes and all kinds of buildings from the floor.
This presents different but smaller challenges. There is a crawl space beneath the home that needs to be covered with affordable and visually appealing products.
Thankfully companies like Antico Elements come to the rescue!
We have created imitation sheets of brick that look incredibly real and beautiful.
Faux Siding And Skirting Brick Panels In Tan Color
Because of the nature of these faux sheets, whether they have the look of rock, wood or brick, they can be quickly and easily used around the home skirting area or on a whole façade.
Above you can see a beautiful example of such installation, where the customer was so excited that he posted photos in different places.
Close-Up Of The Tan Panels
We understand that siding installers are a bit reluctant to try new products but we have seen so many of them taking the first step toward the use of faux brick panels and never going back to vinyl looking products.
These sheets are not Styrofoam, on the contrary, they are made of a very dense resin that is designed to be waterproof and is treated with multiple layers of exterior acrylic paints.
There is no hardware required, like metal channels or clips.
They can be put directly over the framing between the bottom of the house and the ground. Some homeowners use cinderblocks, some simply aluminum or galvanized studs and install the faux brick directly on them.
Click For More Info About This Product
The only problem with this solution is making consumers seeing it. Once they do, they never use anything else.
EditorRedecorating Or Remodeling Bars And Restaurants
The perfect way to redesign a bar or a restaurant today is no longer focusing on the look of the products used but the attention to the environment, by using reclaimed material or products that are considered green.
One product that is surely driving a large portion of this trend is faux stone panels that are made of a recyclable resin and that can be easily reused in other areas.
Reusable faux stone panels in a new bar
Most decorative products like stone and brick are not easy to reuse since they are “stuck” on the walls where they are applied. When considering other affordable products most business owners are impressed by the ease of installation and the way the faux stone can be unscrewed because they are simply made of easy-to-move panels.
Remodeling is not the only area where designers are trying to save business owners the time it takes to get things done and the investment necessary to open a restaurant or bar. Even when opening a new establishment the budget is critical. Those who venture in the opening a new business can tell you about the importance of choosing the right product for a stone wall, and all other aspects of the decorations.
In the image below you can see how many cuts and turns in the stone a bar requires to create a welcoming atmosphere. When approaching such a project you might want to consider what’s needed to prepare the structure where the panels or cast stone are installed.
Cast stone application
When using other products you can expect a large number of cracks between small blocks of cast stone that will either need to be grouted or, if left unfilled, will disrupt the flow of the look.
What differentiates a lightly planned opening or re-opening of a bar or restaurant is the welcoming feel that the customers experience the first few times they walk inside. Spending a few extra dollars on a designer’s or architect’s opinion can make a huge difference in the success of the business. Customers don’t only look for quality food but the whole experience and this will surely repay the extra expenses put toward a rich decoration.
EditorCreate Your Paradise With Ease
Anybody who has thought of opening a business started with a dream. That dream has very specific designs and creativity associated with its inception. Building that dream can turn into a nightmare if the right materials and design methods aren't used.
There are many examples of businesses that spend a long time in the construction phase and lose money and time due to delays. Other examples show a rushed job that doesn't come out looking the way it was projected. Sometimes it comes out looking very unsuitable and unappealing due to the wrong materials or colors being used. There should be no delay in creating that paradise with all of your ideas intact. Polyurethane architectural elements enable people to create their vision without being tied down by the constraints of regular masonry.
There are many new additions and advancements that have been made in the industry of polyurethane products.
Building an inviting room or business is all about presentation. If it is a restaurant it may need low lighting or a cozy environment.
Creating the perfect mood is easy when you have the freedom and resources to make your dream come true. Utilizing the right interior design can help boost business or resale value on a home.
Relaxing Spa Setting
For example, there is a spa in downtown Miami that is known for making people feel like royalty when they step inside because of the interior design.
The beautiful columns and the flowing corbels that held modern looking light torches made the spa look like a very luxurious retreat.
They kept the relaxing music in perfect combination with color and smell. They created the ambiance for a soothing experience. Winning over the customer starts with sight because pleasing the eyes is the first step in keeping a customer.
A Winning Design
Creating a great atmosphere is very important for most businesses in order to be successful. Making the client feel special and well taken care of is a priceless advantage. The ability to make people feel welcome or make them feel cozy is the best marketing tool ever used. Imagine walking into a gym where the pool is surrounded by beautiful columns and the coral stone walls and corbels which create a luxurious ambiance that rivaled that of the roman baths.
The serene environment is not just created with relaxing music or exotic smells, but great interior design as well. The right design can include adding caps like a deco capital for the top of a column or intricately carved corbels that show off gargoyles or angels. The polyurethane is hardened into an exact representation of a variety of stone pieces that can revolutionize the way a room looks.
The goal of any design is to instill a welcoming feeling for the patrons or homeowners. Design can play a big role in the development of a business.
Using our coral stone balusters and corbels can accent the room like never before. It makes a big difference in the impression it gives to other people because of the design. They will create a wonderful ambiance. There is a long list of different elements that we replicate to perfection, but the major point here is that any project is possible in polyurethane.
EditorPrevent Floods In Your Neighborhood.
Today we want to talk about something a bit different from our usual topic but equally important to homeowners and builders.
Preventing flooding in your neighborhood is a great way to reduce insurance costs and damage to homes.
Drainage is not a thought on the forefront of most people's mind; therefore fixing the problem before it starts is difficult. The following article dives into a great method for reducing floods.
Rain Garden
Drainage can be an expensive issue for many neighborhoods that use a lot of parking space and concrete driveways. Sewers can only drain so much at any given time. The best form of drainage is the natural kind. Trees and shrubs can help the ground absorb the water in a productive manner.
Using a different array of plants can help make your front lawn ready for heavy rains. The plants also make your lawn look more spacious. By building a rain garden you can help prevent the neighborhood from getting flooded in the future because it will catch a majority of the water. Storm water can harm the ground because of all the toxic elements it carries.
There are many benefits for building rain gardens that help the rest of the Eco-system. Rain gardens can help the Eco-system by preventing storm run-off from entering the local water table. The gardens purify the water of any other toxins that could affect the water table.
Designing A Rain Garden
Rain gardens are simple to make and can be done almost anywhere. All that is needed to start is some good permeable soil. The best way to make a successful rain garden is by finding the right location. It should be located in a downward sloping area.
Essentially, find a low spot that usually catches the most water after rains and snow melts. The garden should have stone or blocks set up around the perimeter to help prevent the soil from eroding. Once you have set up a strong perimeter, add a generous amount of thick soil and start planting.
Use the following plants as a guideline and not a narrow choice criteria: Maidenhair Fern, Serviceberry / Shadbush, Indigo Bush, Red Chokeberry, Wild Ginger / Canadian Wildginger, Lady Fern. Those are just some of the plants that will help make your rain garden become a successful preventive tool against flooding.
The best way to ensure success of the garden itself is by gathering the correct plants and historical rain flow characteristics. The geography and slope of the land is one of the most important. Once you have adhered to all of these rules then you will have certainly helped prevent future floods.
EditorAffordable Remodeling
Remodeling can be a stressful process but that changes with the advances made in the home improvement industry. Tools and remodeling products have been evolving in every generation. Saving money while remodeling is not so tricky when using the right materials and methods.
Saw blades are designed with more accuracy and sharpness. Computers now give us more exact construction methods. The handheld tool has been redesigned to have a longer list of different capabilities in order to accommodate many uses.
Chemicals are created to form stronger bonds. Alloys are being designed that are stronger than their previous counterparts. With all of the advancements being made the goal is not only to make different projects easier but cheaper as well.
Power To The People
Products like faux stone panels enable individuals to do projects such as home renovations or business remodeling themselves. It helps make large remodeling projects affordable. Compounds like polyurethane have been improved upon over the century leading to great architectural elements that aid people in their remodeling project. It is a byproduct of the petroleum refining process and has an incredible amount of longevity. Its manufacturing process has also been upgraded so the atmosphere is not hurt by the emissions of the production.
Start Of Renovation
Polyurethane is a hardened resin which is then painted to look exactly like the architectural elements it represents. The product comes in many different forms. They save a lot of money for people who can’t afford to remodel their homes using regular contractors and traditional construction methods.
Remodeling is an essential part of the economy helping keep the values of home in an attractive profit margin. It stimulates different sectors in manufacturing as well as labor. Polyurethane products may seem insignificant to most people that don’t know about it or have never used it but in fact, it is a beacon in the home improvement industry.
It serves as a rallying point for people that are ready to make their home better without diving into a series of crippling loans or credit card expenses. This product makes it possible to make anyone’s home or business into a luxurious retreat. By changing your home or business you can revolutionize it so it looks better in a fraction of the time it used to take.
Editor