The desire to personalize our homes is nothing new. Paint, trim and cabinetry have always been the simplest ways to make changes but are limited in the affects they can provide. The innovation's that building materials manufacturers have devised give the do it yourself in many new ways to decorate and personalize their property. One approach that gives a stunning result is the use of brick or stone materials. One of the easiest projects that the home owner can safely undertake is with the new thin stone veneer products. These product's produce a material that has all the aesthetic characteristics of brick in texture and finish but are ninety percent lighter and require much less skill to yield a good finished result.
Stone veneer comes in a multitude of colors and textures that are best suited for interior use. Let's say your home has an entry way that is plain and some what drab. The interior dimensions of an entry often won't allow us to use full thickness whole brick, but will accommodate thinner artificial stone. Most manufactured stones are usually 3/8's of an inch thick or less, but the width and lengths are the same as whole brick. The principles to apply veneer are much simpler than that of whole brick. Mason's use mortar to put brick together, but the newer artificial stones can be put up using acrylic adhesives that have no VOC, or volatile organic compounds, that are often hazardous. Designing a veneer system for covering your project wall can quickly be obtained from the supplier with the help of new computer software that will let the home owner see the finished project in a virtual view generated by a computer.
Using vendor resources will also give the do it yourself a complete list of the required material's and complete instructions to make a perfectly finished project in a timely fashion. Often without a good set of references, a project can get bogged down because of the lack of information. The home improvement industry has made great strides in information technology geared to the occasional typical home owner project. The utilization of the vendor will be helpful in product selection and helpful tips geared to keep potential problems to a minimum.
Today's stone veneers can be produced in many ways, all of which create the desired effect for the project at hand. Many manufactures produce a fired brick material that uses the same clay base that whole brick are made from. The surface has the same feel and resilience that whole brick provides and come in a myriad of textures and colors that are sure to accent the project. Stone veneers aren't designed for structural needs but do provide a hard surface that will withstand the rigors of day to day life.
Many providers will offer a veneer product made from alternative methods. The use of recycled components is now being widely used to produce products that are every bit as attractive as fired veneer but without the carbon foot print that results from fired brick. Recycled ingredients can range from ground stone and powdered brick scraps that are incorporated with Portland based binders that are cast and formed to give the same look and feel as their fired counter parts. Whatever your choice of products, a veneer project will, when properly done, give the project a professional touch.
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