Using/Applying Stone Material
This Stone material can be used in several ways, as structure siding, an earth retaining wall, stone streets or foundations. If used as originally designed, for structure siding, it should be glued to cardstock for strength. Use lightweight cardstock of about 1/32" thick. Having designed your building, cut out all walls, windows and door openings.
1. Cutting and Placement:
We highly recommend placing the stone sheets over the area you plan to cover and mark the perimeter. With a scissor or sharp knife, cut out the stone material at the line you just made, and dry-fit it to where you plan to apply it to check for exact fit.
Note: Some Campbell Kits have opposing walls which the stone material butts-up to stone material at a corner. Follow the detailed steps for each kit so your walls properly fit.
2. Painting:
A. Painting the material is a simple process. This plastic material has been designed as stone so have some multi-colored gray or earthen colors available. Start by giving all walls an even coat of a light gray primer, which is compatible with plastic, let dry. Note: It is very effective if you start with a light gray primer, then add additional darker gray colors after (light to dark).
B. Then using a wide brush (lightly just on the top surface) apply various darker grays, browns, and even rust colors. When those are dry, weather the bottom of the wall with black or dark colored weathering cauk in uneven, random strokes, overlapping them in a rather sloppy fashion.
3. Gluing:
A. For bonding the cardstock to the stone, use a contact cement such as Wilhold's Goo or other standard contact cement (small tubes of contact cement can be found at most home centers/hardware stores). Ordinary white glue is not satisfactory for use with the plastic material.
B. Spread an even coat of glue on the cardstock and backside of the stone material. Let it dry to the touch, then apply it to the cardsotck. Be VERY CAREFUL when aligning/applying the stone material with your cardstock. Once contact cement adheres, it almost impossible to remove it. You only get ONE chance at it. Weight the material to dry without warping (use a weighted object like an old book). When dry use a sharp knife against a straight-edge and cut out all of the walls leaving a little excess Stone on the card's side edges to cover the corner joints. Clear all Window, door, vent, etc. openings.
C. When all painted and glue walls are dry install the windows and doors, vents, etc. and assemble your structure. When the wall assembly is dry a noticeable gap may appear at the outside corners. Using the same adhesive used to bond the stone to the cardstock, simply fill in the gap as you would fill a crack in a plaster wall with Spackle and add paints to hide the wall joints, using as many applications as necessary. Finally weather the stone structure under the roof eaves, window castings and at the corners using a dry-brush type technique and a weathered black paint.
