How to Clean and Maintain Natural Stone Veneer

Natural stone veneer is a popular solution for new home construction and remodeling projects. Drive through any newly developed neighborhood and natural stone claddings are featured on the exterior of ost homes. Stone projects permanence and class.

Inside, as well, natural stone is the cladding of choice for family rooms and fireplaces, accent walls, and even bathrooms. Back outside, family entertainment areas and patios feature stone fireplaces, walls, walkways, and seating areas, made from natural stone.

While we think of stone as eternal, even natural stone veneer products accumulate dirt and grime, particularly on outside surfaces, and benefit from periodic cleaning.

What are Natural Stone Veneers?

Natural stone veneers are produced from real quarried stone and cut into thin easy-to-apply veneer panels, tiles, and accessories that dramatically reduce labor and on-site waste. ProCoat Systems, a distributor of quality building materials in the Rocky Mountain Region, is a partner of several world-class companies. One standout company is RealStone Systems™ , a producer of the highest quality natural stone veneer products.

RealStone products are available in a wide variety of color tones, styles, finishes, stone types, uses, formats, and sizes. Stone veneers may be quartzite, marble, sandstone, ledgestone, slate, granite, limestone, and travertine,

Maintaining Natural Stone

Over time, stone attracts soot and dirt particularly on exterior surfaces and specifically in joints and junctions. Natural stone can be porous and absorb dirt, rain, or other moisture that eventually causes staining.  If not periodically cleaned, the appearance of the exterior wall or fireplace surround can take on a dingy appearance and may become more difficult to clean.

Care should be taken to not overly scrub, but to gently clean the surface of the stone cladding.

Begin by rinsing the stone with water to remove any loose debris and dirt.

There is no need to use acids nor harsh chemicals. These can stain the surface of the natural stone and forever alter its appearance. Simply brush the dirty areas with a soft brush and mild detergent with water, and the exterior surface of the stone should return to a like-new appearance.

After brushing, rinse away any detergent that may linger since this also can leave a residue that could compromise the color of the stone. Allow the wall to dry, making sure that all soot and grime have been removed.

Contact ProCoat Systems

The experts at ProCoat Sytems understand the installation and maintenance of many types of interior and exterior cladding, whether manufactured or natural. As a partner to several world-class producers of quality construction and remodeling products, the ProCoat professionals are available to discuss your project.

Phone ProCoat Systems at (303)-322-9009.

This post was originally published at http://www.procoatsystems.com/clean-maintain-natural-stone-veneer/

The Ins and Outs of Stone Veneers

Quality stone veneer is becoming the material of choice for many home construction and remodeling projects. Beautiful, natural-looking, durable, lightweight, easy to install, and economical, stone veneers offer a highly sustainable option for interior and exterior use.

Exterior Applications for Stone Veneer

Properly applied stone veneer claddings provide beautiful, long lasting exteriors that add curb appeal and sophistication to otherwise ordinary homes and businesses. Whether as wainscoting or a complete exterior covering, quality stone veneer can transform any home from simple to gentile.

And, resurfacing an entryway with stone veneer will create new first impressions at your front door.

Stone veneer works beautifully for cloaking columns and porches. In outdoor entertainment areas, a beautiful stone veneer fireplace with an adjacent stone veneer- preparation area, wall, or seating area adds charm to the setting. Supplement these with well-placed lighting and the area can become a wonderland of nighttime splendor.

Stone Veneer Interior Applications

A well-chosen, beautifully installed stone veneer fireplace surround creates a re-imagined focal point for your living area. Family rooms take on a lodge-like feel or stately and elegant appearance with the right stone veneer covering, mantel, and hearth.

A stone accent wall changes the ambiance of any room. Because high-quality stone veneer from ProCoat Systems is relatively thin, the space within the room is not compromised.

Adding stone veneer to an interior wall can change the ambiance of the room. Whether you choose to dress up a dining room, create a warm and elegant atmosphere in a bedroom, or enhance the grandeur of a dining room, quality stone veneer adds a natural feel to the surroundings.

Create a Bathroom Spa

A stone accented bathroom is pure elegance. By creating a spa-like atmosphere, homeowners can enjoy a feeling of nature-in-private as they shower or bathe. Textures may range from rustic to serene while optional shades can be creamy or dark.

Contact ProCoat Systems for Quality Stone Veneer Products

ProCoat Systems represents the top manufacturers of high-quality natural and manufactured stone veneer products. Stone veneers today have evolved to encompass all of the positive attributes of whole natural stone, like beauty and durability, without the negatives of difficult installation, excessive waste, and cost.

ProCoat presents a full range of stone veneer options available in every style, color, texture, shape, and size.

For more information, visit the ProCoat website to view new ideas and the array of natural and manufactured stone veneer options.

Or, for questions regarding material choices and installation,  phone the experts at ProCoat at (303)-322-9009.

This post was originally published at http://www.procoatsystems.com/ins-outs-stone-veneers/

The Versatility of Beautiful Stone Veneer

Stone veneer can be a beautiful, long-lasting and stylish addition to any home or business interior or exterior. By providing texture, atmosphere, and refinement to any room or exterior structure, manufactured stone veneers are a high-quality cladding for fireplace surrounds, interior walls, exterior columns and wainscoting, and other elements.

Homeowners add curb appeal and value to their homes by installing stone veneer siding. Businesses intensify their presence and improve customer perception by upgrading exterior elements of their building with top quality stone veneer cladding.

What Types of Stone Veneers are Available?

ProCoat Systems of Denver, a supplier of high-quality cladding materials to the construction and remodeling industry in the Rocky Mountain region, offers a broad spectrum of stone veneer products for new construction or remodel projects.

Top brands like Cultured Stone® Veneer and ProStone® by Boral, Coronado, and RealStone Systems offer consumers an almost infinite number of textures, colors, stone types, and patterns to match their taste and budget. Each product is as durable and easier to apply than natural stone since these require less cutting, fitting, and shaping and therefore result in less waste. These products are highly durable and easily meet all building codes.

Quality stone veneers are perfect for:

• Exterior and interior fireplaces
• Stone walls and facades
• Commercial retail and entertainment areas
• Stone showers
• Accent walls
• Pool spillovers and surrounding walls
• Water features

Application of Stone Veneers and Preventing Water Intrusion

Accumulated moisture can be a threat to the life of any stone installation.However, when properly applied, stone veneer products are effective in preventing water intrusion. The stone itself does not absorb moisture, but the installation must include measures to prevent water from accumulating behind the exterior veneer. This usually involves three areas of attention. They are:

• Prevent moisture from entering at seams where the veneer meets doors, windows, gates, etc. Special attention to eliminating gaps should be applied to these locations.
• Extra flashing is important at joints, corners, and bends.
• Create weep holes for accumulated moisture, if present,  to escape

Quality stone veneers are rugged and longlasting of properly applied.

Stone veneer applications can alter the ambiance of an interior space or dramatically highlight the positive features of an exterior. Choosing the right stone veneer for your intended feature depends on the mood you are attempting to project. Will your fireplace surround deliver the comforting lodge-like feel you envision? Will the new stone veneer in the bathroom create the spa-like elegance of your dreams. Will the new exterior wall project rustic informality or sophisticated grace?

Contact ProCoat Systems

For more information regarding the selection and application of stone veneers for interior or exterior use, contact ProCoat in Denver and the Rocky Mountain Region.

Visit their website for ideas. Or phone the ProCoat professionals at (303)-322-9009.

This post was originally published at http://www.procoatsystems.com/versatility-beautiful-stone-veneer/

Interior Stone Veneer Applications

The beauty and elegance of a stone veneer interior wall establishes a tone of warmth and comfort that painted surfaces cannot. On a fireplace surround, a well-chosen stone cladding imparts that lodge-like appeal that is perfectly suited to relaxing with a book or enjoying the company of friends and family.

Even in the kitchen as an attention-grabbing accent, a beautiful stone veneer backsplash can change the entire mood of the room and add that touch of class to a previously dull food preparation and gathering space.

Stone Veneers for Interior Applications

Many of the natural and manufactured stone veneers used for exteriors are also appropriate for internal use.

ProCoat of Denver offers the finest stone veneer products for new construction and remodeling. Whether your preference is for natural or manufactured stone veneers, ProCoat offers a range of products to fit any taste and budget. Because the veneers are often only 2” thick, they provide a real perception of substantiality and depth while minimizing the minor space reduction resulting from the additional thickness added to the fireplace.

Fireplace Surrounds and Mantels

Probably more than any other area of their homes, most often homeowners have embraced resurfacing fireplaces and mantels with stone veneer. Relatively easy to install and economical, high-quality stone veneer is available in many shades, textures, colors, and natural stone types.

A new stone veneer fireplace surround can be reinvented with veneers made from natural marble, limestone, ledgestone, or slate. These are pieces produced from genuine stone cut thin for easy application.

Manufactured stone veneers like Coronado products or Cultured Stone® from Boral replicate the same characteristics as natural stone veneers.

Walls and Walkways

Stone veneer walls at entryways provide a dramatic introduction to a home. Rooms take on a cozier, more elegant feel when a stone veneer accent wall brings texture to a bare room.

And, homeowners may consider creating a softly lighted, natural spa ambiance by adding a veneer stone wall to their master bath. 

Stone Veneer Backsplashes

In the bathroom or kitchen, a stone veneer backsplash with smaller diameter stones or even a mosaic veneer can be a stunning accent to the area while protecting the other surfaces from splashes and drips. 

Contact ProCoat of Denver

For more information regarding stone veneer products for your interior space, check out the ProCoat Systems’ website. Here you will find new ideas and applications that will be ideal for many homeowners.

Phone the experts at ProCoat at (303).322.9009 for more information.

This post was originally published at http://www.procoatsystems.com/interior-stone-veneer-applications/

Fireplace Surround Designs Using Stone Veneer

The fireplace is often the most dramatic focal point in any home or business. More than simply a log-burning cavity, the surfaces that surround fire box can be elegant, rustic, linear, or impressively massive. The fireplace, surround, mantle and the areas above will draw attention and can create the mood. Danes revere a concept known as “hygge” (pronounced hoo-gah) which depicts surroundings that exude comfort, well-being, and coziness. Nothing creates a “hygge” atmosphere better than a beautiful fireplace on a frosty evening.

That sense of well-being can be greatly enhanced by replacing that tired, old fireplace surround with a beautiful new stone veneer. Expand the size, create a beautiful and symmetrical stone surround with rectilinear stone veneer pieces, or recreate that irregular and natural stone lodge-like appeal with rough-surfaced stone veneer.

Application of  Stone Veneer for Fireplaces

Stone veneers are available in a wide variety of styles, shapes, colors, and stone types. These may be either natural or manufactured stone veneers with each piece cut into an easy-to-install size and thickness. Ledgestone, cobble, brook, and ashlar are some common natural stone veneers.

ProCoat System’s Cultured® Stone can create all the same effects and ambiance as natural stone veneer but with lower cost. Durable, the manufactured stone veneers for fireplace surrounds are guaranteed for 50 years when professionally installed.

Getting Started

Once the style and color of stone veneer for fireplace surrounds are chosen and in place, the installation begins. The following steps are necessary whether installing a natural or a manufactured fireplace surround.

Install the Base Layers:

1.   Apply builder’s felt to the entire area to be covered.

2.   Cover the felt with the metal lath that will keep the mortar from slipping. Carefully bend the lath around the corners of the fireplace until the material is flush with the subsurface.

3.   Apply mortar over the metal lath. This will act as the scratch coat.

4.   Once the mortar is applied, use a notched tilling trowel to create a grooved, textured surface.

5.   Let this all stand for at least overnight.

Applying the Stone Veneer

1.   On a flat surface, create a “dry run” with your stones, placing them exactly as if you are applying them to the fireplace surround. Minimize the grout gaps, where possible, and pay particular attention to the fireplace opening and the outer edges of the surround.

2.   Remove any excess material from the pieces.

3.   Install the corner pieces and header stones.

4.   Fill in the spaces between the corners and header.

5.   Fill in the grout spaces.

Contact ProStone Systems for Guidance

Applying a natural or cultured stone veneer to a fireplace surround is an exacting process. An experienced mason will more often achieve the  desired result.

 For advice or direction regarding natural or manufactured stone veneers for fireplace surrounds, contact the experts at ProCoat Systems in Colorado. ProCoat professionals can help you with imagining, designing, and product selection to create your desired effect.

Call ProCoat Systems at 1-303-322-9009.

This post was originally published at procoatsystems.com/fireplace-surround-designs-using-stone-veneer/

New Stone Veneers for Any Application

ProCoat Systems of Denver invites you to witness their variety of exciting stone veneer products from Coronado Stone Products. These may be applied to interior or exterior surfaces to impart just about any unique and beautiful appearance you desire.For over 50 years, Coronado has innovated and replicated virtually every stone appearance that will add elegance and beauty to any indoor or outdoor setting.

To upgrade an old fireplace surround, a dull interior wall, or a tired and unsightly exterior façade, Coronado’s range of stone products from ProCoat Systems are the ideal answer. Durable, attractive, and economical, these veneer products are designed to achieve just about any desired look for a home or business.

Range of  New Coronado Stone Products

For over fifty years, Coronado Stone has been a top innovator of quality stone products. Their line of veneers are unsurpassed in beauty, style, and durability. Each year, the experts at Coronado introduce new products that broaden consumer selection while staying abreast of new trends. The veneer products have been unsurpassed in matching the unique qualities of a broad range of stone types, textures, and colors. Whether the material conveys the look of natural split limestone or even barn wood siding, they are incomparable in delivering elegance, warmth, or even a rustic appeal.

To enhance their extensive collection of natural and cultured stone veneers, ProCoat offers twelve new Coronado products that will enhance the interior and exterior features of any home or business. 

Decorative Bands

Decorative Bands include:

●     4” Chiseled Limestone in Silver Ash, Cream

●     4” Country Beige with French Limestone, Country Beige

●     4” Chiseled French White with French Limestone

●     6” Chiseled French Limestone in Country Beige

●     6” Chiseled Limestone Band with Colosseum Travertine in Mushroom

These newer additions to the ProCoat System line of architectural precast stone complement their existing portfolio of quality stone veneer products. These are durable, lighter in weight, easier to apply, and less expensive than natural stone. Moreover, these timeless veneers are undetectable from natural products.

Contact ProCoat Systems in Denver

For more information about ProCoat System’s range of stone veneers and tiles, visit the ProCoat Showroom to view firsthand how attractive and versatile the Coronado products are. Alternatively, phone the experts at ProCoat to learn more about their products and installation.

Phone 303.322.9009. Also you may visit ProCoat’s website at http://www.procoatsystems.com/ to learn the ways ProCoat can help you with your project.

This post was originally published at http://www.procoatsystems.com/new-stone-veneers-application/

McNear Retaining Wall Blocks: Your Options

A well-constructed and attractive retaining wall can provide privacy or a defining barrier for contrasting elevations in your landscape. A retaining or dividing wall can be an interesting focal point for your property with the right design, construction, and materials.

Retaining or freestanding walls do not need to take on the tired look of standard concrete blocks. McNear Brick and Block products from ProCoat Systems provide a choice of many permanent colors and elegant styles.

About McNear Brick and Block,

Founded in 1868, ProCoat’s strategic partner, McNear, is the oldest brick-making company in the California and one of the most innovative in the nation. Not satisfied with their traditional products, McNear artisans have developed unique solutions for the most demanding jobs. Durable and aesthetically pleasing, these retaining wall systems maintain their beautiful appearance for decades. McNear's proprietary Versa-Lok® system ensures solid retention and resists the forces of even the harshest weather conditions.

Colors, Shapes, Sizes of Retaining Wall Blocks

McNear’s Versa-Lok retaining wall blocks are available in a selection of colors, styles, and textures. The custom color mixes are blended throughout each block during the manufacturing process. Infusing the color allows each block to retain the original color no matter how much damage the wall may endure.

The Corsican retaining wall block is produced with the same texture on each side to present the same look no matter what the visual perspective may be.

The sizes and shapes of each block allow for greater creativity in design. The following choices can be used throughout or mixed and matched to enhance the appearance of the wall or other surface:

Standard:  16” x 12” x 6”

●     Halves: 8” x 12” x 6” (One-half Standard unit)

●     Accent: 12” x 4” x 12”

●     Half Accent: 6” x 4” x 12” (One-half Accent unit)

●     Cobble 8” x 6” x 12”

●     Handy-Scape: 16” x 6” x 11”

For Caps and Footings, ProCoat and McNear offer:

●     Rectanguar Cap: 15 5/8” x 3 5/8” x 12”

●     A & B Caps: 14” x 3 5/8” x 12”

●     Square Foot Standard: 18” x 8” x 12”

●     Square Foot Corner: 9” x 8” x 17.5”

Sustainability

McNear wall blocks are made from 40% recycled materials. Not only does the process of recycling used material save the environment from even more raw material extraction, but a significant amount of energy is conserved by reducing the mining and transportation of the raw materials.

Contact ProCoat Systems

For more information and assistance with retaining wall design and McNear retaining wall blocks, visit the ProCoat website or phone the experts at 303.322.9009. 

This post was originally published at http://www.procoatsystems.com/mcnear-retaining-wall-blocks-options/

Exterior Veneer That Will Inspire and Awe

To make your home truly stand out and bolster its curb appeal, consider a new high-quality, low-maintenance exterior stone veneer to cover that tired wood or stucco siding. Alternatively, consider creating a more inviting outdoor area for entertaining by adding stone veneer wainscoting or other features to the rear of the house.

Economical and easy to apply, the application of a high-quality exterior veneer to just about any surface can transform your home into an elegant and inspiring living space.

Alternatively, if your place of business could use some dressing up to project a classier image, stone veneer additions from ProCoat of Denver can be the best possible solution to renew an uninteresting building.

Selecting the Right Stone Veneer

ProCoat of Denver offers a broad selection of the finest cultured stone veneer products available.  Partnering with Boral®, maker of the world’s most elegant stone veneer products, ProCoat offers products for virtually every exterior application. Whether for siding, wainscoting, doorway arch, columns, walls, outdoor fireplaces, or accents, ProCoat exterior veneers are an economical solution that can render a transformation that is genuinely magical.

For homeowners seeking to upgrade the appearance and add warmth and character to the homes, high-quality cultured stone veneer makes sense. Stone veneer is long-lasting, maintaining its original appearance for decades. The product can add significant value to any home by upgrading the overall appearance and covering some fading features of the existing siding.

Cultured stone veneers require little maintenance compared to other siding materials.

Boral Style Options

Versetta Stone® is a mortarless stone veneer panel that imparts the beauty and style of traditional masonry without the cost and labor. This beautiful material is perfect for siding and other outdoor features such as columns, walls, and posts. Versetta comes in Ledgestone and Tight-Cut styles with colors and textures ranging from Graphite and Terra Rosa to light gray Mission Point and multi-hued Plum Creek.

ProStone® by Boral offers the natural look of real stone without the cost. ProStone offers several stone styles including rounded River Rock, irregular FieldStone, horizontal Ledgestone, and perpendicularly patterned and versatile Tuscan Cobble. Each style comes in a choice of 33 different color blends to match any particular preference.

Warranty

Boral Stone products come with a 50-year transferable warranty. This assurance demonstrates the manufacturer’s fullest confidence that their cultured stone veneer can withstand continual sunlight, rain, snow, and high winds. The product is also fire-proof.  

Contact ProCoat Systems in Denver

To learn more about these high-quality, easy-to-install stone veneers, contact ProCoat Systems at 303.322.9009. The experts at ProCoat will be pleased to provide more information about these products and their installation.

ProCoat Systems of Salt Lake City—The Area’s Best Supplier of Natural Stone Veneer

At ProCoat Systems of Salt Lake City we are committed to bringing the area’s contractors and design professionals only the very best in natural stone veneer product lines. That’s why we carry a full selection of installation solutions for both indoor and outdoor applications that are hand assembled thin stone veneer quarried from sources in Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

Natural Stone Veneer You Can Count On…

Many discerning clients will insist that nothing but natural stone veneer will do for their project. No matter what style of natural stone veneer your project requires, from ashlar, brook, cobble, dry stack, field, or ledge stone, rough or honed, we can usually fulfill the vision of your client in whatever available color they demand. If the client’s project requires the contemporary look of stone planking, or even trendier offerings made for accent walls, backsplashes, and fireplace surrounds, we carry or can acquire those special styles too.

Also, in these increasingly environmentally conscious times, both residential and commercial clients who desire the appearance and durability of natural stone veneer over other options may have concerns about the energy consumption and pollution generation.

If you need to allay such concerns, or meet some environmental certification standards, look no further than ProCoat Systems of Salt Lake City’s extensive Realstone Systems line up. Realstone uses the tailings of quarrying from other projects, thereby making use of a resource that may otherwise go to waste. Turning such tailings into a thin and lightweight natural stone veneer product for installing on interior or exterior walls ensures that the energy inputs and quarrying that have already been expended is just about as “green” as any veneer product gets.

Hands On Assistance When You Need It

At ProCoat Systems of Salt Lake City we are committed to seeing you and your crews totally succeed at installing natural stone veneer. After all, our reputation with you is on the line with every installation, just as yours is with your client. Whether you need sample after sample for a difficult to please end user, or technical help to create flawless interior or exterior installations, we stand ready to help you.

Contact the contractor’s desk at ProCoat Systems of Salt Lake City and let us explore what we can do for you and your projects.

This entry was originally posted on http://www.procoatsystems.com/procoat-systems-salt-lake-city-areas-best-supplier-natural-stone-veneer/