How to Install Fake Rock for Fireplaces
- 1). Measure the area where you want to install the fake stone. For example, some homeowners might just want the fake brick along the base, jamb and mantle, whereas other homeowners might want the stone around the hood as well. Measure your preferred installation spots and write down your measurements precisely.
- 2). Measure your sheets of plywood to the desired lengths and widths, marking them off with a piece of chalk. Place your plywood on two sawhorses or a comparable form of support and saw the plywood off at your marked areas using a circular saw. Always cut away from yourself and wear protective eyewear.
- 3). Drill pieces of plywood to the exterior of your fireplace in the dimensions that you wrote down. Secure the pieces with a handheld drill. Paint the plywood a light gray or light sand color.
- 4). Cut out your pieces of rock from polystyrene foam using a utility knife. Use pictures of the rocks you want to imitate to guide your cutting. For example, use pictures of sandstone or flagstone to imitate the smooth, sometimes jagged shapes of the rocks.
- 5). Apply synthetic rock fiber to the plywood using a trowel, continuing in this manner until you cover the entire wall. Place your pieces of "rock" in rows and columns along the plywood, pressing them into place. Allow them to dry thoroughly.
- 6). Mix shades of black, tan, white, gray and other shades on a paper plate with nylon brush. The exact shade of your rocks is completely up to you; however, use your photos as your guide in order to keep it realistic. Apply the paint lightly to each rock. Allow them to dry completely.
Source...