| Our engineered stone is made using a unique two step
coloring process. The first step is called the "body
color", which is color that is added to the concrete mix
before it is poured into the molds. This color permeates
and goes all the way through each concrete stone. Most cast stone
companies do not add color to the concrete mix in order to save
a couple of pennies per square foot during the manufacturing
process. We think that the extra step is well worth the
slight cost increase, because it allows us much more control
over the end result - much as a designer will use specific base
colors for effect in faux painting. In order to compensate
for this lack of a base color, many manufacturers use heavy
coloring over the face of the manufactured stone, giving it a more
"painted on" appearance. During handling and
installation, it is inevitable that the surface of the stone
gets a few scratches. This is not a problem, since the
scratches look like tooling marks on natural stone.
However, these marks look more natural if the underlying color
is closer to the appearance of the engineered stone face, and not just all
white or gray, particularly on darker colors. The second
step to our coloring is to apply dry mixtures containing iron
oxide pigments and other ingredients that bond into the face of
the stone to produce a durable "face color". By
combining specific body and face color combinations and blends,
we produce a stone that has lasting durability and color
fastness. We offer a wide variety of cobblestone, river rock,
and limestone looking stone.
Another advantage of our stone is apparent if you examine the
back of each piece. The stone is scored while the concrete
mix is still wet, to rough up the surface. This feature
helps the stone adhere when being installed and is helpful to
the installer.
Many manufacturers add lightweight aggregates to their mix to
try to reduce weight. These additives are normally softer,
brittle materials that tend to float to the top when poured,
which means they appear on the installation side of the fake stone.
You can tell when these materials have been used because the
back of the stone is brittle or easily scratched. We feel
that this compromises the structural integrity of the material.
Our exterior stone is light for quick and easy installation without using
these additive ingredients. |
