The following information on how to create custom colored stone veneer is geared towards the Do It Yourself community. This posting will cover an advanced coloring technique that can be used with all types of concrete stone veneer molds. Step 1 starts where our basic “How To” page page leaves off.

Instructions

Basic Items needed

  • Stone veneer molds
  • A Concrete Mix
  • Rags
  • Color Matched Paint

Step 1 Custom Color Matching: Take your color samples to the paint department at your local paint supplier which has a computerized color matching system. Ask for your custom paint to be created using the highest quality masonry paint available.

Step 2 Blending the Paint: Simply mix the paint at a ratio of 1 part paint to 1 part water.

Step 3 Preparing the stone veneer to be painted: The only prep needed for the stones is saturating them in water. The water will carry the paint deeper into the stones. There are various ways you can go about saturating the stones in water. Some people use a concrete mixing tub and some people use a water hose.

Step 3 Applying Paint: Using a lint-free cloth dipped in paint. Using a water soaked cloth, wipe or dab the excess paint from the surface of the stone veneer. The harder you wipe or dab the stones the lighter the color will be. Just like painting a piece of paper, the stones can be painting with as many different colors as you can fit on the stones.

Step 4 Ready for installation: Paint drying and paint curing are not the same thing. Keep in mind that the paint can be easily scratched during the curing process. Paint is dry to the touch in a few minutes at proper temperatures, but will take up to 30 days to cure, depending on the type of paint type.

Step 5 Stone Care: Taking water exposure into consideration will greatly extend the life beauty of your stone veneer. Daily exposure to water will initiate a process called efflorescence. Basically, a white calcium crust will build up and eat away at concrete which has regular exposure to water.

Stones purchased at a local supplier are scratched up due to excessive handling and stacking. If you want clean and scratch free stones then you will want to NOT stack or excessively handle the finished product.

Now it’s time to add your own spin and you’re done!

Happy stone making