The production of artificial stone is a truly successful business plan. Production of artificial stone - manufacturing technology Equipment and technology for manufacturing artificial stone

Many stone makers often do not know how to sell their decorative stone. They call their friends and say: “Hi, I make stone inexpensively, call me if you need anything.” But as a rule, such “advertising” is not only ineffective, it is generally ineffective. People are simply not interested in your products, they don’t need them, and they will quickly forget about your offer. There may be 1-2 sales, but I am not writing this article for this reason, but in order to set up constant sales.

Advertising needs to be shown to target customers and only then will there be sales. Who is the target buyer? This is the person who is looking for where to buy the product he needs, and it is in those places that he needs to show his advertising. Where can the target buyer look for products? I only know 2 options:

Construction stores;
Internet.

Internet advertising

Own website

If you make and set up a website correctly, you can receive a lot of orders without spending any money at all. For example, I started producing decorative stone in the spring of 2017 and immediately made a website - at first, of course, there were no orders. But now, when more than six months have passed, the site is ranking well in search engines and has even surpassed some competitors in positions. And now this is my main source of orders. But before creating your resource, you need to assess the demand in your region for this product. To do this, go to wordstat.yandex.ru, select your city and enter phrases characterizing your product into the line one by one:

Decorative stone;
Gypsum stone;
Gypsum stone;
Gypsum tiles;
Decorative brick;
Brick tiles;

I would like to clarify that the site needs to not only be created and posted, but also optimized: write texts with the necessary keywords, write meta tags, configure it so that it loads quickly, optimize photos, etc. Otherwise, a stupidly dangling website on the Internet will be of no use.

So, we continue to assess demand. After you have entered the first phrase, you need to write down the phrases that appear below and that suit you. Below is a screenshot from the statistics service for Novosibirsk.

Then we enter each phrase into the same service only in quotes. This will give us a more accurate value to write down.

We perform exactly the same operation for all phrases that interest us and add them up. For example, you got 60 exact impressions for all phrases. This means that approximately 60 people a month are looking for a stone on the Internet (in Yandex). This is a good indicator and these are all your potential clients.

Perhaps many will not understand how a person will get to your site? It’s simple: a person enters into Yandex (or Google): “buy decorative stone in Novosibirsk.” And if your site is promoted, it will be visible in the top ten in search results. Then the person follows the links and if he is interested in the conditions on one of the sites, he will call and place an order.

You will not start receiving orders from the site right away; first it must be indexed, then gain age, etc. Also, the position of your site is affected by competition in your region; if there are many competitors, then the site will take longer and more difficult to promote; if there are few (as in my case), then quickly.

By the way, I do not advise you to use free website builders like wix and the like. I have heard only negative reviews about them, over time they ask you to pay money so that your site continues to work, in general they tighten the screws. You need to create a website yourself and register the domain in your name so that there are no problems. In general, the costs for the site are approximately the following:

Domain - 100-200 rubles per year;
Hosting - 100-150 rubles per month.

Once you have assessed the demand and realized that it makes sense to create a website, you can start building it. I recommend using the engine for a WordPress site - it is free, has many add-ons and themes. You can read how to create a website on WordPress on the Internet, I won’t talk about it. There are also many different forums where you can ask your question and get an answer.

After you have created a website, upload information to it, make each stone on separate pages, write meta tags for each page. Describe each brick in detail: dimensions, quantity in 1 sq. meter, add a few photos. If so, then write about it. Indicate prices, painting options, perhaps you coat the tiles with varnish, etc. Don't forget to place a statistics service on your website to track traffic.

I did all this with my website, now about 5-10 people visit my website a day. Over time, if you engage with the site, it will rise in search results, and there will be more traffic.

If you are also engaged in installing stone, then you can make pages for such requests as “balcony decoration”, “”, etc. Those. a person is looking for something to decorate, for example, a balcony. From a search, he gets to a page with an offer to finish a turnkey balcony. I did this and lowered the price of the stone slightly, provided that they would place an order for the stone + labor.

A quick way to get clients to your site

There is one way that will allow you to receive customers from the first day of website creation - contextual advertising. How it works: you create advertisements, for example, in Yandex Direct, they appear above the search results in Yandex and people follow them to your website. The disadvantage of such advertising is that it sometimes eats up a lot of money. Plus: quickly attracting clients.

You pay per click on your ad. It happens that there were 20 clicks, but there were no orders. In my city, the average cost per click is around 25 rubles - acceptable. I used this method in the very beginning and thanks to this advertisement for antique bricks. But advertising, as well as a website, needs to be properly configured in order to reduce financial losses and remove unnecessary visitors.

Notice boards

There are several other sources for advertising on the Internet, these are sites: Avito, Pulse Tsen, etc. You can place free advertisements on them. I advise you to make as many advertisements as possible and describe your product in detail in each one. Otherwise, sometimes I go there to see what’s new from competitors and often see ads that have one photo of poor quality, a one-line description and that’s it. There is nothing about the size of the stone, nothing about the color, it is unclear what they make it from. Personally, I wouldn't be interested in such an ad.

Make an account on Instagram, publish photos of the stone in different colors, it happens that, for example, one color of the stone does not attract anyone, but everyone will buy another, although the stone is the same. Color plays an important role in sales. Create groups on social networks. I have a VKontakte group where I publish everything about decorative stone. Occasionally people write, for example, today there was one order for 5 squares.

By the way, today I noticed that for the boldest request, the group became the first place in Yandex, and this cannot but rejoice. You just need to periodically add something to the group so that it doesn’t seem abandoned.

There are also sites such as Pulse Prices, Blizko ru, etc. You also need to post free ads on them. Often these sites are in the top search engines for the right queries, and this is what we need. By placing your product, you find yourself in a category with competitors’ products and there is a chance that they will order from you.

Nowadays, the Yula application is beginning to gain popularity, and I have listed my products there too. There are not many orders from there, but they exist. There people write more often than call.

Thanks to all these platforms and my own website, I receive on average one call a day, every second one places an order. Of course, I still have a lot of work to do to develop the same site, I need to take more photographs of stones of different colors, add new types of stones, and so on. But there is not enough time for this yet.

Advertising through stores

Another good source of orders is product placement on construction stores. Our product is only available in one store, and even then we didn’t even plan to be placed anywhere at first, but the owner of the pavilion himself called and offered a scheme of work for a percentage: he hangs stands on the walls of the pavilion and does his own promotion. He takes orders, they pay him, he sends us our share and we make the stone. We have only one small stand 40 by 40 cm and for the entire time there was only 1 small order.

We are not located in at the moment in stores due to the lack of individual entrepreneurs (and many need this to draw up an agreement) and problems with stands. But I heard that for many this is the main source of orders, the main thing here is to make beautiful, catchy stands.

What else can you do?

Create simple conditions and bonuses for customers. For example, we provide free delivery within the city for orders over 10 sq. m. meters. We don’t take advance payment for unpainted stone, we just accept the order by phone and do it. Even if a person refuses, we will not lose anything; we will sell the stone over time. If you have a car, you can take it to show people the tiles for free. They most often need to touch the stone before ordering. From my experience, I can say that 90% of people order tiles after you show it to them. During the meeting, you can tell what and how in detail, recommend something, people like it. Well, don’t inflate the price, take the average, for us it’s 950 rubles per 1 sq. m. meter (in stores) and make it a little smaller. We sell unpainted for 500 rubles, painted for 700. Our competitors have both painted and unpainted for the same price.

Try to find teams of finishers and designers. Offer them a stone at a discount, and there will probably be orders. I haven’t done this yet, so I can’t tell you in detail yet. I will definitely implement this scheme in the future.

Artificial stone has been known since time immemorial: ordinary brick and hardened lime mortar are also artificial stones. But only in our days has artificial stone been recognized as the No. 1 material for interior decoration and amateur landscape design. The reason is that using modern materials and technologies, you can make quite a decent artificial stone with your own hands. At least some of its varieties, because There are many types of artificial stone.

Why?

Natural stone is an expensive and, oddly enough, capricious material. Take a look at the picture. A traditional Japanese Tobiishi garden and an equally traditional European rock garden are more expensive than the villa shown on the left. For tobiishi, the blocks must be selected in accordance with the sacred requirements of Zen, and the slate slabs for the rock garden must be selected according to the design conditions. And the stone is suitable only from certain deposits, based on the requirements of strength and durability. And you need to bring it in such a way that it doesn’t turn into rubble along the way.

Sawn or chipped finishing stone is cheaper, although still very expensive. And it’s expensive to work on it: not tiles, each one needs to be tried on and selected according to the location. And it heavily loads the wall or ceiling - it’s heavy. You can’t prick or saw through thin layers – it will crack and is fragile.

Artificial stone mechanical properties and durability can exceed wild natural stone and is certainly not inferior to it even when made at home. In addition, it has important advantages:

It can be made in thin tiles, which reduces the weight of the object several times without losing strength.
If the colors and textures of the surface are rich or unique, it can be made of a standard shape and size in plan or shaped exactly in place.
Can be manufactured at the site of use, which eliminates transportation waste.
Can be produced immediately smooth to a shine, eliminating the cost of sawing, grinding and polishing.
It can be made of irregular shape, completely imitating rubble stone, but of a predetermined size and configuration.

Additionally: imitation of stone using polymer binders (see below) produces thermoplastic products, which, after manufacturing, can be bent, molded, and connected to each other without seams.

What is he good for?

There are countless types of artificial stone products. It is used to line walls, internal and external, and is used to make decorative elements for interiors and furniture, kitchen sinks, window sills, countertops and entire furniture, see fig. In the latter case, the thermoplasticity of polymer artificial stone is used.

In addition, you can make figurines, trinkets, and souvenirs from it at home. There are technologies that allow you to get the effects of tiger, cat and snake eyes. There are craftsmen who make netsuke from artificial stone, which Japanese experts do not immediately distinguish from real ones. But all this already relates to the field of jewelry craftsmanship, but you can get the hang of making an artificial decorative stone with your own hands that is unusually similar to labradorite, pink eagle or serpentinite. It seems that they have not yet gotten to the charoite with malachite of Danila the 21st century master, but, keeping in mind the capabilities of the material, this is a profitable endeavor.

Types of decorative artificial stone

According to the source materials and manufacturing methods, artificial stone is divided into the following types:

Ceramic – during the manufacturing process, firing takes place at a certain temperature. Production requires large areas, trained personnel and significant energy consumption.
Gypsum molded (cast) – production is possible at home at minimal cost, but is only suitable for interior decoration, because not frost-resistant. The minimum temperature in the production room is +18 degrees Celsius.
Concrete (cement-sand) molded , left in Fig. – the cost price is slightly higher than gypsum, because The mold resource for concrete is less, but is also suitable for production at home or in a small utility room. Frost-resistant, production is possible at +12 Celsius and above.
Freeform reinforced concrete (monumental) – manufactured individually, most often at the place of use. The free-forming method is used to make artificial boulders, cobblestones, and natural-looking slabs.
Polyester with hot-curing mineral filler (in the center in the figure) - in decorative and mechanical qualities it can surpass natural analogues, but the compound hardens at elevated temperatures in a vacuum, therefore it is unsuitable for home or small-scale production.
Cold Cure Cast Acrylic - suitable for home production under the same conditions as gypsum. If hardening is carried out on a vibration stand (see below), the totality of its qualities is close to that of a hot-cured stone. Thermoplastic at 175-210 degrees, allows additional molding after casting without loss of quality of the finished product.
Liquid artificial stone prepared on a gel acrylic binder - gel coat (gel coat, gel coating). The mechanical properties are somewhat inferior to cast ones, because A smaller proportion of mineral filler can be introduced into the gel, but at home, spatial products of complex configurations can be formed using gelcoat.

About acrylic stone

The main advantages of acrylic stone are the complete absence of pores and chemical resistance. In everyday life, this provides excellent sanitation and hygiene: the moisture absorption of acrylic stone is about 0.02% by weight; for comparison, for granite - 0.33% and for marble - 0.55%. Acrylic stone can be washed with any household detergent.

The second, already decorative advantage is the combination of viscosity with strength, which is more typical for plastics than for mineral materials, which makes it possible to make stone wallpaper. Industrially produced acrylic stone slabs have a thickness of 6, 9 and 12 mm, but this is due to its subsequent transportation. For on-site use, acrylic stone can be made in sheets 3-4 mm thick. Of course, such sheets require very careful handling, but if a suitable shape is available, they can be made to the full height of the wall.

And finally, decorative artificial stone with an acrylic binder has low thermal conductivity combined with high heat capacity. This gives a feeling of living warmth when touched, to the point that you can sit naked in an unheated empty bathtub made of liquid stone without experiencing discomfort.

About quartz artificial stone

Among the hot-curing liquid stone, quartz artificial stone stands out (on the right in the figure with stone samples) - ground vein quartz (filler) with a binder made of polyester resin PMMM (polymethyl methacrylate). Its thermal strength is limited to 140 degrees, but in mechanical properties and durability it surpasses the best of natural stones. Let's give some data for comparison; The values for rapakivi granite and marble are indicated in parentheses separated by a fraction:

Impact resistance DIN, cm – 135 (63/29).
Bending strength, kg/sq.cm – 515 (134/60).
Compressive strength, kg/sq.cm – 2200 (1930/2161).
The same, after 25 cycles of “thermal swing” from –50 to +50 Celsius – 2082 (1912/2082).

Note: Rapakivi granite or ocular granite is a particularly high-quality variety from deposits in Fennoscandia. Rapakivi lined some metro stations in St. Petersburg.

Equipment and materials

To produce cast artificial stone, in addition to free-form stones (liquid and monumental), specific materials and equipment are required:

Vibration stand.
Models for making casting molds (if ready-made molds are not used).
Release compound – it is used to cover both the model during the production of the mold and the mold before casting the product so that it does not stick to each other.
Foundry molds.
Foundry mixtures - compounds.
Pigments.
Sand tray-pillow for homemade silicone molds.
Thermal gun – for final molding and welding of parts made of acrylic stone.

Note: Products made from liquid stone cannot be subjected to vibration treatment during curing, even if they are placed on a vibration stand - they will creep apart.

Vibration stand

The vibration stand is the heart of the entire decorative stone manufacturing process and the key to the quality of the final product. Its design, which ensures hardening with proper homogeneity (uniformity) of the mixture, is shown in the figure. It’s easy to make such a stand yourself. The main principle is that vibrations of the stand platform should occur predominantly in the horizontal plane. Subject to vibration treatment it is possible self-production artificial stone comparable in quality to industrial stone.

Note: advice to carry out vibration curing by shaking, moving or twitching the mold manually comes from people who have no idea about the physico-chemistry of hardening compounds for artificial stone.

Any low-power electric motors are used as vibrators; their total power is 30-50 W per 1 sq. m of stand platform area. It is advisable to place at least two motors in the corners of the platform, and preferably 4. If one is used, then it is better to place it in the center of the platform, and place pallets with forms on the sides. The motors are powered through a rheostat or thyristor regulator; this is necessary to adjust the vibration strength, see below.

Eccentrics are mounted on the motor shafts. It is not necessary to make turned ones; U-shaped bent pieces of rod or strips fastened with screws are quite suitable. Motor rotation speed is 600-3000 rpm. A lower speed will cause the mixture to stratify, and a higher speed will not provide the required vibration force. The vibrators are tightly, without any gaskets, attracted to the platform with steel bands and screws or self-tapping screws.

The platform is made of dense layered material 8-20 mm thick: good plywood, fiberglass, getinax. Its layering is important: mechanical vibrations in the platform should propagate more or less freely in the horizontal direction and quickly decay vertically. The tray with forms is secured to the platform with brackets using screws or self-tapping screws.

The springs must be identical and sufficiently rigid: under the weight of the platform when fully loaded, they must be compressed by no more than 1/5 of their length. In addition, the springs must be wide so that they do not noticeably bend in the vertical plane under the weight of a fully loaded platform.

The mechanical characteristic of springs is linear, i.e. they must be cylindrical from wire of uniform cross-section. Any progressive springs, in particular furniture springs, are unsuitable. The spring installation step is 300-600 mm along the length and width of the platform, i.e. for a 1x1 m platform you will need 9 springs. In the platform and chassis (base) of the stand, holes or ring grooves must be selected for the ends of the springs, otherwise the platform will slip.

It is better to make the stand chassis wooden, in order to absorb the same overtones; metal can ring. It is installed on a support (table) using adjusting screws - the horizontal position of the platform must be maintained accurately.

Stand adjustment

To adjust, the stand with the vibrators turned off is fully loaded: a pallet with filled forms is placed on it and secured. In order not to waste the working mixture, the models according to which they were made are placed in weight molds.

Then use a bubble level to check and use the chassis adjusting screws to set the platform horizontally. After this, place an ordinary earthenware saucer with a bearing ball with a diameter of 5-6 mm directly on the molds, turn the vibrator regulator to minimum and turn them on.

Smoothly adding power, make sure that the ball begins to bounce on the saucer, and then carefully reduce it until it again begins to simply run around the saucer and occasionally tinkle. This completes the stand adjustment.

Notes:

When switching to another type of product, the stand must be adjusted again, both horizontally and in terms of vibration strength.

The orientation of the eccentrics on the motor shafts does not matter much; vibrators only introduce the platform-springs-damper system into resonance. To make adjustments easier, you can turn on the vibrators at full power with an empty platform, turn them off, notice in what position the eccentrics have stopped, and rearrange them uniformly, but this is for those who like to tinker with little things.

Video: making decorative stone from cement using a vibration stand

Models

Ready-made industrially produced decorative stones or suitable natural stones are usually used as models for casting molds. In both cases, the range of sizes, shapes and reliefs of the final product is limited. Meanwhile, almost everywhere, literally under your feet, there is an excellent material for making your own unique models: simple gully clay. No permission is required for its use in moderation; gully clay is not considered a mineral because Not suitable for pottery or construction. But for models it is quite suitable.

Analyzes for fat content, adhesion, organic impurities, etc. It’s also not necessary, just kneaded and molded. For three-dimensional models, the clay is mixed thickly until it has the consistency of plasticine. To prevent the model from cracking during drying, it is sculpted on a block from waste wood, polystyrene foam, packaging cardboard, pieces plastic bottles etc. The blockhead is filled with plasticine to such an extent that the clay layer is no thicker than 6-12 mm.

To make models of facing tiles of a certain size, a grid is made from strips of thin, smooth plastic. It is undesirable to use metal: it can rust or get caught by a burr. What height should the grille be? There are two possible cases:

6-12 mm for gypsum and concrete stone and from 3 mm for acrylic - for liquid clay without modeling.

20-40 mm for thick clay with stucco.

In both cases, a flat shield is covered with plastic film, a grate is placed on it and its cells are filled with clay. The shield must be placed in advance in a place protected from direct sunlight, otherwise the models will crack when drying. A lump of clay mortar is “slapped” next to the grate to control drying.

Clay is poured into a low grate to the top and left to dry as is. Once dry, each tile itself will acquire a natural, unique relief. Thick clay is placed in a high lattice in a layer of thickness under the final material (see above) and the desired relief is formed manually. You can make inscriptions, bas-reliefs, hieroglyphs, magic signs, etc.

Dry the models under a canopy in the shade in a light draft. Drying takes 2-5 days depending on the weather. It can be accelerated by hanging a 100-200 W infrared lamp or an electric fireplace (not an oil convection one!) at least 2 m above the models, connected through a powerful diode so that it works at half power. Drying is monitored by a control lump: if its underside is dry and does not wrinkle under your fingers, you can make molds.

Forms

Forms for artificial stone are mainly used in the following types:

Disposable clay models on a lost wax model - for sculpting and artistic casting.

Industrially produced polyurethane (in the figure on the left) - for small-scale production; cost money, but are durable.

Homemade silicone (on the right in the figure) - for home crafts or piece production. Resource – up to several dozen castings.

To make a silicone mold, a model, or a set of models for tiles, is laid out on a flat, stable surface covered with polyethylene and surrounded by a side 10-20 mm above the tops of the models. The models and the inside of the side are lubricated with grease: grease, tsiatim, shahtol. The shield with the molds is set horizontally so that the upper surface of the silicone (which will then be the bottom of the mold) is also horizontal.

You need acidic silicone, the cheap kind that smells like vinegar. Silicone is squeezed out of the tube onto the model in a spiral from the center to the edges and to the side until the cell is filled. To avoid bubbles, the silicone is dispersed with a flute brush, each time dipping it into a foamy solution of any liquid dishwashing detergent. Soap solution is not suitable, it has an alkaline reaction, which can ruin the acidic silicone. After filling the cell with the model, smooth the silicone surface with a spatula, also wetting it in detergent.

Dry the form in the same way as clay, but without infrared illumination, otherwise bubbles will appear. But ventilation significantly speeds up drying. The drying rate of silicone is about 2 mm/day. To control drying, you can place a ring (a piece of pipe) next to the molds and fill it with silicone. It needs to be dried until completely dry.

Video: homemade molds for artificial stone

Foundry mixtures

Gypsum stone

The mixture for gypsum stone is prepared in small portions for one or several products; its survivability is up to 10 minutes. It is advisable to pour the mixture into the mold within 3-4 minutes from the start of kneading. Compound:

Gypsum;

Citric acid – 0.3% by weight of gypsum, to slow down hardening;

Water – 0.8-0.9 by volume of gypsum for the starting layer and 0.6 by volume of gypsum for the main mass;

Pigment – 2-6% by weight of gypsum, depending on the color, selected on test samples.

concrete stone

The base is a cement-sand mortar, but the ratio of the components is the opposite of the construction one: 3 parts cement to 1 part sand. The proportion of pigment is the same as for gypsum. Polymer additives are acceptable. Read more about making concrete.

Cast acrylic stone

Acrylic stone is made on the basis of acrylic resin with a hardener. The permissible proportion of mineral filler, including pigment, is 3:1 based on the finished mixture; the share of pigment (the same 2-6%) is calculated by weight of the filler.

For example, according to the instructions, the resin and hardener should be mixed 5:1; this will give 25% of the compound's weight. 75% remains for the pigment filler. Let’s say that according to the test results, 4% of pigment is required. Then the final composition will be as follows: resin – 20%; hardener – 5%; filler – 71% and pigment – 4%.

That is, we calculate the composition of the compound from the binder - resin with a hardener. Reducing the filler proportion improves the thermoplasticity of the product and its elasticity, but reduces the mechanical strength. Stone chips, gravel, screenings are used as filler. The filler should be washed with dishwashing detergent, calcined and rinsed again with clean water.

First, the pigment is introduced into the filler, then the resin is mixed with the hardener, the filler with the pigment is added and mixed. The viability of the mixture from the introduction of the hardener into the resin is 15-20 minutes; setting time – 30-40 minutes; Ready to use time: 24 hours.

Liquid stone

Materials for liquid stone are quite expensive, so two compositions are used: front and primer. They differ in composition and percentage of filler. Primer composition, in order of component introduction:

Gelcoat – 20%.

Microcalcite – 73%.

Hardener – 1%.

Accelerator – 6%.

The front composition uses 40% gelcoat, a hardener with an accelerator as for primer; the rest is filler with pigment. The pot life, setting and readiness times are the same as for acrylic stone.
Pigments

Pigments for artificial stone are used in dry powder, paste and liquid, mineral and synthetic. Pigment powder is introduced into dry filler or plaster; liquid pigment is added to the mix. Using pigment paste, you can achieve a spotted or striped color of the stone. To do this, it is injected into the knead with a syringe just before the end of kneading.

Separators

Release agents for different types Various artificial stones are used:

For gypsum - a solution of wax in turpentine 1:7. Wax shavings are added in small portions while stirring to turpentine, heated in a water bath to 50-60 degrees.

For concrete - grease, as for clay molds.

For cast acrylic – a solution of stearin in styrene 1:10; as a last resort - high-quality grease (cyatim, fiol).

For liquid stone - stearin in styrene in the specified proportion.

sand cushion

Volumetric silicone mold vibration and heating of the hardening gypsum or acrylic compound can cause it to burst, so before casting it is deepened into clean, dry fine sand, poured onto a pallet, 2/3 or 3/4 full. The horizontalness of the mold's mouth is checked with a level.

Thermal gun

A heat gun is something like a miniature hair dryer that produces a thin, strong stream of hot air. In addition to welding finished parts from acrylic stone, it is convenient to assemble plastic frames when making silicone molds.

Casting

The complete technology of casting liquid stone involves the starting and basic stages. Accordingly, for the sake of economy and quality, a starting (face) and base mixture is prepared. If small flat forms without relief on the surface are filled, then facial mixtures are used immediately.

The starting mixture is liquid, well-fitting to the surface of the mold, with decorative filler and pigment. It is applied to the mold with a brush. Gypsum and cement with sand to start are diluted liquidly; in the acrylic mixture, reduce the proportion of filler with pigment to 60-50%, correspondingly increasing the proportion of resin with hardener.

The base composition is added to the mold after the starter has set. The filler for acrylic is microcalcite without pigment; it will provide a good background against which the decorative advantages of the facial filler will appear. The base gypsum is mixed until it becomes thick and creamy.

When pouring concrete, the basic pouring is done in two steps: after filling the mold halfway, apply a plastic reinforcing mesh that does not reach the edge of the mold, then top it up to the edge. The base fill is smoothed flush with the edge of the mold with a spatula. When pouring acrylic, the spatula must be clean, grease-free, and made of polished metal.

At the beginning of setting, grooves are drawn along the surface of the casting (which will be the underside of the product) for better adhesion to the binder at . During all casting operations, the vibration stand is turned off. To increase durability, cast gypsum stone after removal from the mold is treated with vegetable oil heated in a water bath.

Video: simple production of artificial stone - from mixture to finished material

Part 1

Part 2

Molding of liquid stone

Products made from liquid stone are made by spraying or enveloping, direct or reverse. When applying directly, a base made of wood, fiberboard, chipboard, MDF is first covered with primer with a layer of 3-4 mm, and then a decorative layer is applied. This is simple, but the surface of the product is rough due to protruding filler granules, which requires labor-intensive grinding and polishing.

The reverse method is more technologically advanced: with a bowl for washing, it can be made independently in 2-4 hours, and if ready-made matrices are available, mass production is possible. In the reverse method, the matrix opposite to the product is covered with a separator, a compound is applied, a wood base board is applied and pressed down with weights. If the inner surface of the matrix is mirror-smooth, then the tabletop will be the same without additional processing.

Monumental molding

Boulders, blocks, and flagstone are formed from a concrete composition on a block covered with pieces of thin flexible reinforcing mesh with wire clips. First, prepare a very dry solution without pigment, with a minimum amount of water. They cover the blockhead with cakes of it so that their edges touch. After the base has set, but while it is still wet, prepare a working solution of normal consistency with pigment, and use it to bring the product into shape. Cover from rain with a film canopy for the period of complete hardening (40 days).

Stonehenge in the garden

Landscape artificial stone must have an ancient appearance; for this, it is aged a day or two after setting:

Rub the entire, sunnier side with ocher mixed with gas soot; Carbon black as a pigment is commercially available. This will create the appearance of weathering crust.

- - - Similar business ideas:

Artificial stone is used to decorate the facades and interiors of buildings. With the help of this material you can add amazing beauty and originality to any structure, as well as convey a certain appearance of the Middle Ages. The cost of producing artificial stone is not much different from the production of ordinary stone paving slabs . But the selling price differs significantly. Artificial stone is an expensive finishing material, the cost of which starts from $30 per 1 m2, which makes the business of producing artificial stone very profitable.

What materials are needed for the production of artificial stone

For the production of artificial stone, matrices made on the basis of polyurethane rubber are used. Plastic injection molds for the production of paving slabs in in this case won't fit. Why? Because to produce stone, you need matrices that have high elasticity, which is what conventional plastic molds lack. However, not all rubber (polyurethane) matrices are suitable for this. Most of the forms offered on the market are either prone to severe deformation (which is unacceptable for stone) or are not strong enough. Therefore, real casting dies for making stone are not cheap. Only with the help of highly elastic and high-quality molds can surface details, even fingerprints, be accurately reproduced. This is what makes artificial stone a valuable and expensive finishing material.

In other matters, the high cost of injection molds is more than compensated by the selling price of the stone. With a production cost of $5 per 1m2, the market value of the product is already $30-40 per 1m2. The benefits are obvious.

Artificial stone production technology

The technology for producing stone is not fundamentally different from the production of the same tiles. The technological chain includes such stages as: preparing a concrete solution, pouring the finished mixture into a casting mold, compacting on a vibrating table, stripping, holding/drying the product. The composition of the concrete mixture is still the same: cement, sand, water, coloring pigments, modifying additives. The differences, perhaps, are in the proportions of elements and types of dyes (which should give a natural color to the stone).

What equipment to choose for the production of artificial stone

Similar production technology involves the use of similar equipment. The production uses: a vibrating table for forming and molding, a concrete mixer, casting matrices, weighing equipment, a drying chamber, transportation means, shelving and other workshop equipment. The cost of a complete set for organizing a mini-production is at least 300 thousand rubles. In this case, the main share of costs, as noted above, is the purchase of elastic forms.

Features of artificial stone production

Despite the similarity in the production technology of artificial stone and paving slabs, there are also many differences. It is these differences that make ordinary colored concrete an elite finishing material, which is extremely popular among banks, diplomatic centers, expensive restaurants and other “major” establishments:

1. Some types of artificial stone can be produced using the free pour method. That is, without the use of vibration casting. Free pouring is used only in the manufacture of artificial facing stone. This stone is produced on the basis of modified universal-purpose gypsum (GCP).

2. The production site takes up much less space than in the production of other similar materials (tiles, printed concrete, etc.). The reason here is simple - the holding time of the concrete mixture in molds during the production of stone is 2 times less than during the production of paving slabs. And for gypsum-containing concrete - as much as 10 times.

3. Equipment for the production of stone must be configured for increased dosage accuracy. The slightest inaccuracies are unacceptable - the parameters of the external gloss and the color of the finished stone depend on this.

4. The profitability of the stone production business is higher than the production of conventional paving slabs. Even though the cost of technology is the same, retail prices differ significantly. Why? Yes, because luxury finishing, by definition, cannot be cheap. And the elite quality of artificial stone is determined by the fact that it is visually indistinguishable from natural stone.

5. A high price difference suggests targeting different buyers. Hence the differences in product sales mechanisms.

Step-by-step plan for opening an artificial stone production business

Even one person can start a business producing artificial stone in his own garage. To do this you will need:

Analyze the market, study competitive products;
Register with the tax office;
Prepare premises for production;
Purchase special equipment and inventory;
Purchase matrices, forms;
Purchase raw materials;
Conduct an advertising campaign;
Organize sales of products.

How much can you earn on products?

When selling 100 sq. m of artificial stone, the monthly profit is more than 60 thousand rubles. Payback of activities occurs within 2 months. You can increase profitability by diversifying the assortment and organizing sales through hardware stores.

How much money do you need to start a business?

To organize a business you will need about 170 thousand rubles:

Vibrating table and vibrating sieve - up to 70 thousand rubles.
Drill - up to 6 thousand rubles.
Concrete mixer - 20 thousand rubles.
Tables for work - up to 10 thousand rubles.
Inventory - 14 thousand rubles.
Rent of premises (if necessary) - 20 thousand rubles.
Racks for finished stone - 15 thousand rubles.
Registration at the tax office - 1 thousand rubles.
Other expenses - 14 thousand rubles.

Which OKVED to choose when registering a business?

23.61.1 - manufacture of products from concrete, cement.

What documents are needed to conduct business?

To run a business producing artificial stone, you will need to register as an individual entrepreneur. To do this, the tax office at the place of registration of the applicant must provide:

Statement;
Photocopy of passport and birth certificate;
Receipt for payment of state duty.

When using hired labor, it is advisable to register an LLC. It is also necessary to obtain permits from the SES and fire inspection.

Which tax system to choose

When producing artificial stone, preference is given to the taxation system of the simplified tax system or UTII.

Do I need permits for the production of artificial stone?

Own production of artificial stone is not subject to certification and licensing.

Beginning businessmen make many mistakes even in basic things due to a simple lack of experience - not every person with general knowledge about business will be able to open their own enterprise and receive a constant income from it, most simply go bankrupt and receive nothing except bank loans. We will describe in detail every step of opening your own business producing artificial stone and will help you not only open your own company, but also not go down the drain. In the current market, it is better to open your own enterprise in the construction business, because the service sector is developing very slowly, and the construction business quite rapidly. You don’t want to develop your business for forty years in order to earn a decent profit? It is for this reason that we will consider the production of stone as great way earnings, because you will have several significant advantages that will allow you to become successful.

We recommend reading:

Let's start with the fact that the owner of the enterprise must always understand the production process from beginning to end. If you are not a professional in your field, then you will be torn apart by someone who is a professional, remember this. Stone production is not a very complicated process, and after a preliminary study of the industry, you will immediately understand how everything works here, what equipment is needed and how much raw material is spent on production. In addition, we do not need to hire expensive personnel; any worker or builder can pour the solution into the mold, and this will reduce our operating costs. These are just a few benefits that will make you successful. Read to the end and you will find many more useful tips.

How to start an artificial stone production: renting premises

As with any production, the main thing for us is not to be located in the city center, but to find premises with inexpensive rent, good wiring and a source of water. Now we will tell you in detail how to select a room according to these parameters and why we have identified these particular characteristics.

Let's start with the fact that stone production requires a lot of water and the delivery of industrial water will cost you a lot. It is best to look for premises near large water extraction wells or near a water treatment plant; here you can easily buy cheap process water and have it delivered to our plant almost free of charge. The ideal option would be to open your own well and get water for free, but drilling a well is expensive and it cannot be drilled everywhere. We’ll make do with the most acceptable option, and when the business starts generating income, think about drilling, if possible.

We will deliver our products by truck directly to the customer, so there is no need to locate production in the city center. And you won’t be able to put a mini-factory in the city center, too high level noise and rent is huge. Outside the city you can find a spacious room of 60-100 square meters with a price of 20 thousand rubles per month. This kind of premises is ideal for us, since the cost of production will be lower and there will be space for a warehouse of products.

After renting the premises, you need to repair the wiring. This is an important point, the enterprise draws a lot of electricity and if something malfunctions, you can either destroy the equipment or burn down the entire premises. It is advisable to immediately find a room with good wiring, but it is very rare to come across inexpensive 60-square-meter rooms with 380-volt cables. Repairing the wiring will cost us 8 thousand rubles, this is the first capital expenditure of our enterprise.

We recommend reading:

Equipment in a manufacturing business always takes the most money, it takes some getting used to. The first step is to buy the forms into which we will pour the material. To begin with, you need to buy 6 pieces. Polyurethane forms cost 8 thousand rubles apiece, we will spend 48 thousand rubles on them. This is the basis of our production; thanks to the forms, we will receive high-quality stone with a special texture - the more interesting it is, the more customers we will have.

The forms will be installed on the floor, but we will lay out the finished products on work tables. The total area of the tables should be approximately 20 square meters, this will be enough for comfortable work with stone. One table per 2 square meters will cost 700 rubles, so it turns out that 7 thousand rubles are spent on tables. To the costs of tables we will add the purchase of other small tools - 5 thousand rubles.

A solution of sand and binding materials is poured into the molds that we have already purchased. We will mix this material in a special metal compartment, its price is 6 thousand rubles. For large volumes of production, a compartment with a larger capacity is needed, but we are not yet such a huge company that we can produce a lot of products. We will mix the solution in the compartment using a drill with a special attachment for 5 thousand rubles. Buy a high-quality drill, you will be able to work with it for a very long time.

We are considering a work option in which we will transport the goods at our own expense, paying for the services of the transport company. Still, buying a truck is very expensive, and it won’t pay off at first, when there are still very few customers. When production volumes increase and there are also several customers, you will be able to think about your own vehicle.

We recommend reading:

Search for personnel for the production of artificial stone

We need to hire two workers who will do all the work at the enterprise, but each will have their own responsibilities. One employee may have no knowledge at all about the construction business and the technology of production of goods; he will do dirty work - kneading mortar, carrying materials, carrying finished products and loading them onto the client’s car. You can find a worker for this position at the employment center and the person will not demand a lot of money from you - 12 thousand rubles a month will be enough for someone who does not earn at all.

The second employee of our company must have an understanding of construction and understand all the details of the production process. In principle, it is possible to train former builder or a foreman to work with equipment and make quality products, if you do not find a professional in this field. The salary will be 18 thousand rubles per month, plus 3 thousand for training a person in all the intricacies of production. You will carry out all calculations, purchase of materials and sales of products yourself.

Production of artificial stone: business plan for expenses and income

To begin with, we will describe capital expenses for the purchase of equipment, repairs, and so on. We need to buy six molds into which we will pour the material, the price is 48 thousand, several tables for 7 thousand rubles, small tools for precise work with products worth 5 thousand. We will form the material for the artificial stone in a special compartment for 6 thousand rubles. We will need a drill and a special attachment - 5 thousand rubles. Capital expenses also include registration of a company and renovation of premises - 11 thousand together. Operating expenses consist of rent, wages to workers and purchase of supplies. Our monthly expenses will be 70 thousand rubles, at least.

We recommend reading:

Income will depend on the quantity of products produced and sales opportunities. There is little secret– in order to sell all the goods that are being produced, first collect orders, and then start making stone. This will allow you to avoid filling your warehouse with products that no one will buy. Our workshop will be able to produce 30 square meters of artificial stone tiles per shift, the price of one meter is 850 rubles. We charge the minimum price for tiles in order to more realistically assess the potential income. The market price of the produced tiles will be 25,500 rubles, the cost will be 8,500 rubles. Net profit per day is 17 thousand rubles. It is worth noting that if you arrange supplies to construction companies, stores selling construction materials and constantly find customers with unique orders, then your profit will be constant, and production volumes will need to be increased. Stability comes first, right?

Beautiful appearance, environmental friendliness, excellent sound-absorbing and heat-insulating characteristics, as well as resistance to high and low temperatures– all these qualities are inherent in artificial stone, which has become widespread in the modern building materials market.

This is easily explained by the affordable cost of the products, the ease of finishing work, as well as the ability to implement any design solutions. Artificial stone can be given any color and texture you want, and it fits perfectly with almost all types of interior decoration.

Why is the production of decorative stone a highly profitable and in-demand type of business? The low level of competition in this niche, the demand for the product in the market, the low purchase cost of raw materials, minimal energy costs and the simplicity of organizing the work of the enterprise make this type of activity attractive to every person who wants to open a profitable business.

What is artificial stone?

It is very convenient to work with artificial stone when performing finishing work, which is why it is popular among craftsmen and customers. This material is used for decorating interiors and exteriors of buildings. It is a special tile for covering various surfaces, the texture of which completely imitates brick or natural stone.

The production of artificial stone is carried out by casting, for which various mixtures are used, which are placed in special molds. The composition of the solutions can be prepared on the basis of porcelain stoneware, gypsum, acrylic, quartz agglomerate, concrete and other compounds.

Important: for interior decoration, decorative stone made from gypsum, agglomerate or porcelain stoneware is used. For external wall cladding, concrete products are the best choice, since this material is highly resistant to external aggressive environments and retains an attractive appearance for a long time.

There are various methods for producing artificial stone, which make it possible to produce facing products that are in no way inferior to natural materials in their characteristics, and the decor is much cheaper and lighter in weight.

To obtain high-quality artificial stone, manufacturers use dyes exclusively on a natural basis. During manufacturing, they give the products the desired color, which does not fade under the influence of sunlight for many years. Artificial products for cladding have not only different compositions, but also shapes, while the stone can be made in the form of decorative cobblestones, bricks or tiles, which allows you to create beautiful original masonry.

Species

Depending on the type of cladding, natural stone chips, hardeners and polymer resins can be used to prepare mixtures. Let's consider the types of artificial decor that are widely used in construction and interior decoration, which are usually distinguished by manufacturing methods and materials used:

Agglomerates. This type of artificial stone is made from quartz sand, granite or marble chips, natural pigments and limestone. Polyester resins are used to bind these components. The main advantage of conglomerates (this is also the name of this type of cladding) is the high strength of the products and increased resistance to temperature changes. This material is widely used in decorating various surfaces; countertops, bathtubs and other products that require increased impact resistance are made from it. It is worth noting that agglomerates are not recommended for use in underfloor heating systems, since the resins that bind the stone and other additives are deformed during heating.

Acrylic artificial stone. This material is usually classified as conglomerates. It has high strength, elasticity and allows you to get a product of any shape and size. Acrylic is used to make countertops, window sills and kitchen splashbacks. The material is highly moisture resistant, safe for human health, easy to maintain and can be easily restored in case of mechanical damage.

Concrete molded. The material for the production of concrete stone is a cement-sand mixture. By adding natural pigments, the attractive appearance is maintained for a long time. Concrete stones are not afraid of frost and are used for walls and plinths outside buildings.

Concrete monumental. This stone is made using the free-forming method with mandatory reinforcement of the product. As a rule, this method is used directly at the site of application of artificial decor. Cobblestones, boulders and stone slabs that have a natural appearance are produced individually from reinforced concrete.

Gypsum cast. Finishing cast stone from gypsum is produced at minimal cost. It is made only for decorating the interiors of buildings, since it is afraid of moisture and is not resistant to low temperatures. The mold method is ideal for producing artificial stone at home.

Porcelain tiles. The production of this type of artificial stone has certain difficulties, since it requires the use of specific equipment, large areas, and a significant amount of electricity is consumed for its production. The composition of porcelain stoneware includes certain types of clay, natural dyes, feldspar and all kinds of mineral additives. All components are thoroughly mixed, after which the composition is compacted in a vibropress and fired. Ceramic artificial stone is highly durable, and its texture can be very diverse. It is used for finishing various surfaces, making steps, floor coverings, sinks and other products.

Hot curing polyester stone. The decor is made using fillers of a mineral nature. For this reason, the compound will harden exclusively at high temperatures, for which vacuum ovens are used. This method of making stone is not suitable at home due to the complexity of the technological process and financial costs. Polyester products are in no way inferior to their natural counterparts in strength and decorative qualities.

Products made from liquid granite are also widely used. Its preparation is carried out on the basis of a binding gel component, which is called gelcoat, and mineral fillers. This technology makes it possible to give finished product complex shapes. You can use liquid stone for countertops, sinks, decorative elements or for making window sills, which are durable and original. In addition, liquid stone with your own hands allows you to make various products by casting, for which special molds are used. The finished composition is poured into them, then the “stone” hardens, after which it is removed from the matrix and subjected to mechanical processing.

Pros and cons

Above we have listed the advantages that artificial stone has. Here we should also add the excellent thermal conductivity of this material. If you decorate a room with such decor, it will be warm even in winter.

Artificial stone is resistant to mechanical stress, so products made from it do not break and they rarely chip. This material has no pores or microcracks, which completely eliminates the development of pathogenic microorganisms on its surface. The advantages also include:

ease of product installation and transportation;
the ability to carry out repair and construction work of any complexity;
production of decorative elements and furniture of any configuration;
ease of repair of damaged products.

Important: Please note that damaged surfaces are restored on site, so there is no need to take them to specialized workshops.

But like every material, artificial stone has some disadvantages:

Products made from it have a significantly shorter service life compared to natural originals.
If the customer wishes to make furniture elements from artificial stone, the cost of the sets will increase significantly. For example, a porcelain stoneware countertop costs more than the same element made from laminated boards or plywood.
Acrylic “stone” surfaces look very beautiful, however, they are susceptible to scratches and are susceptible to exposure to high temperatures. Therefore, countertops made of this material are in less demand among buyers, since hot dishes cannot be placed on them and they quickly lose their attractiveness. For these purposes, it is better to use artificial agglomerated stone.

Artificial stone manufacturing technology

To make artificial stone yourself, no lengthy training is required. To produce decorative items you need to prepare cement mortar, as well as natural pigments of various colors, hardeners and plasticizers.

The technology for manufacturing artificial stone is quite simple, for this reason every novice entrepreneur can organize production. The most commonly used methods are vibrocasting or vibrocompression. If you use vibration casting technology, you will not need to purchase expensive equipment to start a business. This method allows you to obtain a wide variety of products, different colors, as well as excellent quality of the surfaces of the finished tiles. Preparation of the compound using a brick press is characterized by the low cost of artificial stone, and the entire production process is fully automated.

Important: There is a large amount of video material on the Internet dedicated to the production of artificial stone. It is necessary to first assess the conditions in which the production processes of the future enterprise will take place, which will allow you to decide on the choice of technology.

The production of artificial stone deserves special attention, the production of which will require plaster and polyurethane molds. This type of activity is considered highly profitable, since a 30-kilogram bag of raw materials costs about 340 rubles, while the price of the finished “stone” on the market fluctuates around 600-700 rubles per 1 m². From it you can make 8-10 “squares” of decorative cladding, which in monetary terms is about 6 thousand rubles. The benefit is obvious. The technological process is characterized by high speed and simplicity. The dry gypsum mixture is filled into the tank, after which it is diluted with water to such a state that the resulting solution itself spreads into the molds. Please note that liquid gypsum fills even the smallest depressions in the matrix, so no special equipment is required to prepare the solution. After a quarter of an hour, you can remove the “stone” from the mold, after which it should dry completely. After this, coloring of the finished product is allowed.

The good thing about gypsum “stone” is that it can be given color at the customer’s site, so there is no need to spend money on purchasing pigments. You can sell both unpainted plaster blanks and sell decorative elements, giving them a certain shade.

How to start the production of decorative stone?

Let's consider the main stages of starting the production of artificial stone.

Business registration

Entrepreneurs need to officially register their activities with the Federal Tax Service, for which they will have to register as an individual entrepreneur (best). The following documents must be submitted to the tax office at your place of residence:

passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation (copy);
birth certificate (copy);
application for opening an individual entrepreneur;
receipt of payment of state duty.

Important: If you plan to organize a large production with the involvement of hired employees, it is recommended to form an LLC. To start activities, you will need to obtain permits from the fire inspectorate and sanitary and epidemiological station.

Since the production of artificial stone does not require businessmen to have certificates and licenses, this allows significant savings on obtaining permits. As for the choice of taxation system, entrepreneurs can opt for UTII or simplified tax system.

Search for premises

Before starting production, you will need to find appropriate premises. They will house the equipment. As practice shows, production space outside the city limits can be rented much cheaper.

It is necessary to find a building for the enterprise, which will have premises for production, a warehouse for finished products, drying of products, as well as a workers’ living room. The total area must be at least 100 m². It is advisable to provide production with a good lighting and ventilation system.

Equipment purchase

For obvious reasons, most of the costs are the purchase of production equipment. For equipment you will need:

vibrating table;
vibrating sieve;
polyurethane molds;
drying chamber;
concrete mixer.

In addition, you will have to purchase shovels, an electric drill, buckets, and spatulas. The purchase of a concrete mixer and a vibrating table will cost about 70 thousand rubles. As for matrices, for 1 unit you need to pay about 8 thousand rubles. At the initial stage of production, 5-6 pieces will be required. You can make matrices yourself, which will save you money. This will also make it possible to come up with new models of facing materials and expand the range of finished products.

Purchasing materials

Depending on the type of technology chosen, you should purchase raw materials for the production of artificial stone. If you plan to produce gypsum products, you will need gypsum in bags, powder citric acid(0.3% of the total mass), which slows down the hardening of the composition, and pigment. It needs about 5-6% of the total volume of the prepared mixture.

Artificial concrete stone requires the preparation of a cement-sand base. For this you need cement and sand in a ratio of 3:1 (not to be confused with preparing a building mixture!). You will need the same amount of dye as in the case of making gypsum mortar.

If you plan to produce cast acrylic decorative stone, you need a hardener and resin. To prepare the compound, you should add a mineral filler. Its share, including the dye, is 3 parts of the finished mixture. The pigment in the mixture should not exceed 6% (standard ratio: 71% filler, 20% acrylic resin; 5% hardener, 4% natural dye).

Recruitment of working personnel

To start production, you will need to hire two people, one of whom will be a handyman. This employee supplies the necessary materials, prepares solutions, and also loads the finished stone. Another employee is required to fully master the technology of the production process, maintain the equipment, and also monitor the quality characteristics of the finished stone. If a large production is planned, in this case it will be necessary to invite a technologist to work who will be able to develop a unique recipe for the preparation of decorative stone, establish production technology and keep all processes of the enterprise under control.

Conducting an advertising campaign

An advertising campaign should be carried out when the exact range of finished products has been determined, selling prices have been established and possible production volumes have been determined. Initially, you need to create a business card website, where you should place high-quality photographs of images of the finished stone, a price list, delivery conditions and contact information.

It wouldn't hurt to make business cards to hand out to all potential customers. It is recommended to produce and show samples of finished stones to customers, which will allow them to evaluate the quality of the products. It is important to know the range of your enterprise and technical specifications all types of stone offered.

The work of your enterprise must be declared in the means mass media(print media, television, radio). Also, to promote your business, it is worth creating thematic communities on social networks, which will quickly attract the target audience (people interested in purchasing artificial stone). As an option, you can offer wholesalers individual terms of cooperation, which imply some discount, short production and delivery times.

Search for sales channels for finished products

How and to whom to sell the finished artificial stone? First of all, it is a specific product that is aimed at construction and repair organizations, as well as retail outlets for the sale of finishing materials.

Despite the demand for decorative stone in the construction market, many entrepreneurs do not know how to properly present their products and set up sales channels. The main task of every businessman is to establish relationships with the leaders of the above-mentioned organizations, personal communication with them about upcoming cooperation and the presentation of favorable partnership conditions.

It is mandatory to take part in various events and exhibitions that are dedicated to popularizing the construction business. This will allow a large number of potential clients to learn about the work and products of your enterprise. You should also establish collaborations with design firms, companies that offer architectural services, and building materials markets.

Production of artificial stone - financial plan

Before starting an enterprise, it is necessary to calculate the expenses and possible income in the future. This is not difficult to do. For example, let’s take the calculation of the profitability of products made from a cement-sand mixture.

To prepare 1 m² of artificial stone, you need 6 kg of cement (35 rubles), 19 kg of sand (15 rubles) and 60 g of plasticizer (2.5 rubles). You will also need to consider:

electricity costs;
transportation costs;
depreciation of the matrices used.

It turns out that the cost of 1 “square” of stone tile is about 73 rubles, and its market value can exceed 700 rubles. It is imperative that as production capacity increases, you should have your own team of builders and finishers and offer their services to your customers. This will allow you to earn additional profit.

As for production costs, we note that the most expensive purchase will be the purchase of a vibrating table, which will cost 50-70 thousand rubles. You will also need to take into account the costs of:

rental of production space – up to 20 thousand rubles per month;
desktop – 10 thousand rubles;
equipment and electric drill – 15 thousand rubles.

To open a medium-sized manufacturing enterprise, at the initial stage you will need about 350 thousand rubles. As practice shows, a business pays off by the end of the first year of operation.

Save the article in 2 clicks:

To summarize, we note that the production of artificial decorative stone is a highly profitable and low-cost type of business activity. It is worth considering combined production options, where, along with the facing material, countertops, sinks and other decorative elements for finishing the premises will be produced. Only the production of high quality products guarantees the success of the enterprise.