The Faux Stone Fireplace... Extraordinary Custom Designs!
The faux stone fireplace has come a very long way from the hideously fake stone look of the 1960s and 1970s . . . . .
Thanks to significant advances in product develop- ment and finishing techniques, many of today's
faux stone hearths are barely discernable from the "real deal." In fact, the best examples are
virtually impos- sible to distinguish from their natural stone counter- parts!
Amazingly, a
natural stone
look can be achieved with a variety of different materials today, including numerous blends or mixtures of cast and manu- factured stone, concrete, gypsum and plaster. The versatility of these prod- ucts, particularly in the hands of a skilled artisan, is truly mind boggling.
The custom and semi-custom designs pictured on this page reflect the wide range of different
looks that are possible with a faux stone fireplace. The beautiful example at right with a smooth
pearl marble finish is made from glass fiber reinforced gypsum (GFRG), a natural mineral mixed with
water and glass fiber that can be finished to resemble limestone, marble and alabaster.
The two heavily carved examples below, also made from glass fiber reinforced gypsum, are finished
to resemble
travertine,
on the left . . . . and
limestone,
on the right.
The elaborate mantel at right is made from decorative plaster and finished to resemble highly polished
marble with carved and gilded accents.
Unlike gypsum or plaster, which can only be used indoors, most cast stone mixtures can be used both
indoors and out, such as shown in the example at right, below.
The casting blends and finishing techniques employed to create many of to- day's
cast stone
hearths are so advanced that they can closely replicate the colors and textures of natural stone.
Similarly, the fine hand carved detailing found in natural stone products can now be reproduced in
quality cast stone blends, as shown in the examples below.
One cast stone type enjoying a resurgence in popularity is
Scagliola,
a mix- ture of crushed marble, limestone and travertine. Principally developed by Italian monks in the 17th
century, it is virtually indistinguishable from hand carved quarry stone. The fireplaces directly below, from Francois and Co. (except bottom row, right), are
outstanding present day examples of that centuries' old art form.
If you're aiming for a less formal and a more casual look, such as the example pictured below, please
click here.
Regardless of the overall look and feel you're aiming for, you will find a wide range of quality products
and skilled artisans to give you a very realistic nat- ural stone appearance at a fraction of the cost. Not
only will you save on the cost of the fireplace, itself, but due to the lighter weight of faux stone products,
labor costs will be considerably lower because you won't need any additional footings or structural reinforcement
to support your new custom or semi-custom faux stone fireplace.
If you're looking for the best there is in a present day custom faux stone fireplace, you need look no further than the quality products and highly skilled faux stone artisans behind the outstanding examples shown here. For more information about any of these amazing prod- ucts and skilled artisans, please
contact us.
Please check back often or sub- scribe to our
RSS feed,
for we continually add new images as we discover exceptional new talent to bring to you.
Also, if you know of a skilled designer or artisan that you believe should be featured
here, please let us know.
