What is flexible stone and how to make it yourself?

The market for finishing materials in Russia continues to actively develop. In 2022, despite the economic crisis, demand for them increased by 5.7%. New products are emerging in this segment. One of them is flexible stone (flexible or soft brick). This is a reliable and inexpensive material that can significantly update and improve the design of a room.

For entrepreneurs, the business of producing flexible stone promises good profits, since the material has a low cost. Here we will present a detailed business plan for organizing the business, consider what is important to take into account for a successful start, and provide approximate calculations of payback.

1. Properties of stone and scope of application 2. Flexible stone: production technologies 3. Standard (classical) technology 4. Original (bulk) technology 5. What is needed to open the production of soft bricks? 6. Documents 7. Premises 8. Personnel 9. Equipment for the production of soft stone 10. Materials 11. Marketing and sales 12. Financial plan: calculations of profitability and payback

Properties of stone and scope of application

Flexible stone is an elastic building material of small thickness that replicates the texture of natural stone.

Produced in the form of wallpaper or tiles. The thickness of the canvas is 3-10 mm, and this makes it very convenient for decorating rooms. Flexible stone is available in different colors and textures. It is used for finishing facades, fences, interior and exterior parts, and in landscape design. Its other name is façade thermal panels.

The material has good technical characteristics. Service life is up to 35 years, can withstand temperatures of -30-650°C (does not burn), is light in weight, very flexible and easy to install. Resistant to environmental influences, harmless to humans.

Types of scarifiers

But in the article we will talk about the medical meaning of the concept “scarifier”. So, in medicine, this device is actually used for bloodletting. To collect capillary blood, various types of this device are used - children's and standard. Standard ones are used to make incisions on the skin of an adult. They come in different types: with a spear in the center of the plate or in the side.

There are automatic devices that use a small needle packed in a capsule instead of a blade. The needle can be of different lengths, it is not visible when used, which is ideal for collecting blood from children.

Flexible stone: production technologies

Industrial production of stone does not require special skills. True, the services of a technologist will be required who can create a high-quality product and organize the technological process. However, there are no special requirements for ordinary workers in the workshop.

Low labor costs and product costs are important advantages of this business.

Construction material can be created using 2 technologies. The first is suitable for people who do not plan to invest large amounts of money in business, the second is needed by those who are ready to invest serious money in the business. Below we will look at each of the technologies.

Standard (classical) technology

Involves minimal investment in fixed assets, more suitable for an entrepreneur planning to open a small workshop.

The production process consists of several stages:

1. A textile base (fiberglass) is prepared, onto which the stone is attached.
2. Mineral raw materials (marble chips, quartz sand) are treated with pigments.
3. Dissolve the adhesive.
4. The raw materials are applied to textiles and secured with glue.
5. The flexible stone is dried and hardens.
6. The finished product is cut into sheets of specified sizes.

A minimal set of technology and equipment is used. This will reduce costs and set a low price for the finished product (to gain a foothold in the market).

Original (bulk) technology

Organizing a business using this technology is much more expensive due to its features.

Firstly, you can open a plant in areas with sandstone deposits, which is used for the production of flexible bricks.

Secondly, to process materials you need special equipment that can work with raw materials and grind them.

A section of sandstone is applied to the fiberglass. It has a unique natural pattern and is more resistant to natural influences. The textile base is treated with an expensive polymer binder. After processing in a drying oven, a beautiful material is formed with the “imprint” of the natural layer of stone.

This product will be more expensive. It can be promoted on the market as a premium building material.

4.Interior use

Due to its lightness, flexible stone is used in interior design in a wide variety of options.

• For wall decoration, both in the living room or hallway, and in the children's room and in rooms with high humidity. The walls of a large hall in a private house, lined with this material, look especially attractive. Due to the fact that it is very easy to care for and easy to clean, it can also be used in a child’s room and there is no fear that children will paint on the walls and irreversibly damage the surface. During operation in wet rooms, it was noticed that moisture does not collect on the surface in the form of condensation, which means the material is breathable. This is one of the most practical ways to use it.
• For finishing the fireplace area. Many people like to install electric fireplaces in the living rooms of their apartments. These devices are often built-in, which means creating special niches for them. Naturally, in order to quickly and easily cope with this task, many use drywall, which is later decorated with various materials. The most common are artificial stone or gypsum bricks. But a plasterboard structure is not always able to withstand the weight of facing materials; it is in this case that it is important to use flexible stone. Its surface is not afraid of high temperatures and is suitable for lining even real fireplaces and stoves.
• Surface cladding of decorative columns. This element of architecture has not yet gone out of fashion and is actively used to decorate modern interiors. Of course, not everyone can afford to use natural stone as a material, and this design will have considerable weight. Therefore, plasterboard frames of round or rectangular shape are often made, which are decorated depending on their preferences. There are a lot of options for finishing rectangular column posts, but with a round shape it is more complicated. This is either painting or decorative plaster, which is not everyone’s cup of tea. Finishing with flexible stone will allow you to easily cope with this task, without leaving even a hint of joints. A monolithic surface with a natural color will not make you doubt its naturalness.
• Frescoes based on flexible stone will help create a unique indoor environment. This is especially true for rooms where there are not so many options for diversifying the decoration. For example, in the bathroom, where there is always high humidity and it is necessary to approach the choice of facing materials with particular practicality, it is now possible to decorate the walls with various designs. These can be luxurious gardens or the sea coast. The design is applied to the base using UV printing and is completely safe for health. Even after several years, such a fresco does not lose the brightness of the colors and clarity of the design.
• This unique material has found its application in the main room of each apartment - the kitchen. The work area, which is often protected from steam, moisture and grease splashes by tiles or tempered glass, may well be lined with flexible stone. You have the opportunity to get a natural pattern without seams and save a little money when compared to a glass backsplash. By the way, you can give preference not only to plain surfaces, but also to UV printing. Such a coating will be practical, easy to maintain, durable and original.
• An interesting feature of this material is its light transmittance. You can make unique decorative lighting fixtures with your own hands. If you cover the surface of the lamp with flexible stone, it will not only look very impressive, but will also emit a soft, pleasant light. Glowing spheres, flat light panels or wall lamps, the surface of which is covered with this material, look very beautiful and unusual. Such elements will help create a special atmosphere in the room.

What does it take to start a soft brick production?

To calculate the business plan, we chose the production of flexible stone using standard technology. So the start-up investment will be less. The biggest expense item is the purchase of equipment. Each month, most of the money will be spent on paying employees.

Table 1. The amount of initial costs for a business producing colored crushed stone.

The calculations are relevant for a city with a population of up to 1 million people. Additional costs take into account the costs of utilities, advertising, and preparation of the premises.

Stages of building a business

The idea of ​​manufacturing thermal panels and flexible stone as a business can be a good start for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to work in the production sector, but do not have multi-million dollar investments. The business plan should consist of the following points:

• concept development, demand and competition analysis;
• familiarization with production technologies;
• registration of permits;
• preparation of the premises;
• purchase of equipment, inventory;
• establishing the production process;
• search for sales channels.

Documentation

The choice of organizational and legal form depends on the planned production volumes and sales channels. Working as an individual entrepreneur is suitable for small production, selling goods to friends and small construction stores. LLC (legal entity) is recommended for those who intend to produce more flexible bricks and cooperate with network companies and wholesale intermediaries.

When registering an activity, the OKVED code 23.99 “Production of other non-metallic mineral products not included in other groups” is indicated.

The product is not subject to mandatory certification. It can be done according to specifications, although it is better to obtain a voluntary GOST R certificate. The presence of a quality certificate for a product will improve the entrepreneur’s position in the eyes of wholesale and retail companies and increase the chances of concluding supply contracts.

Room

The area of ​​a mini-factory depends on production volumes. More than half of the total space will be occupied by warehouses. According to the terms of the business plan, the size of the premises will be 150 square meters. m. In the absence of sufficient capital, production can be organized at home (for example, in a garage)

We organize several zones in the work shop:

• rooms for preparing adhesive solution and mineral raw materials;
• rooms with equipment for applying mortar, drying and cutting flexible bricks.

The plant also equips:

• warehouses for storing raw materials and finished products;
• rest room, locker room;
• bathroom;
• administrative premises.

The plant premises must be equipped with communication systems: electricity, heating, ventilation, water supply, sewerage. The workshop and warehouses must maintain a constant temperature of 15ºC-25ºC and low humidity.

Staff

We need a technologist with sufficient knowledge and experience. He will be a senior worker in production - control the entire process and the work of the rest of the staff, accept the finished product.

Two workers will be directly involved in production. The whole process is strictly regulated and is not very complicated. You can hire people without experience in this field; they will undergo training on the job.

One person works in a warehouse. He will assist the workers on the shop floor, although his main responsibilities include transporting raw materials to the shop floor and storing the finished product.

We need a driver (with his own car) who will handle logistics and deliver the goods to sales points.

It is recommended to hire a sales manager who will find new customers.

An accountant is needed to keep records.

Equipment for the production of soft stone

Manufacturing using standard (classical) technology does not require the purchase of expensive equipment. Approximate prices are below.

Table 2. Cost of equipment for the production of flexible bricks.

The listed equipment is sufficient to organize industrial production. A low level of investment in technology will allow the business to pay for itself faster and free up funds for subsequent expansion. As additional equipment, you need to buy a mobile cart for transporting finished material to the warehouse.

Materials

To produce flexible bricks you need the following materials:

• natural filler - marble chips, quartz sand;
• dye (artificial pigments);
• binder composition - acrylic, polyester resin;
• decoration (pebbles, quartz or colored sand).

Mineral raw materials are processed with artificial dye and fixed with a special dye. composition, decorated to improve the relief, texture and design of the product.

To further reduce costs, you can use cheaper materials of even smaller fractions - for example, marble sand and quartz dust. However, this will worsen the appearance and texture of the finished stone.

Flexibility can be improved by applying polymer latex to fiberglass.

Making marble: method No. 1

In the first step, mix the dry parts. If you plan to create marble, then mix sand with different dyes in different containers. Marble has veins, their pattern is achieved by using several shades of the same color in a basic base. Having decided on the color and prepared the dry mixtures, you can begin preparing the bases for flexible marble.

The technology involves a dense thin base; polyethylene film, fiberglass or fabric impregnated with water-repellent compounds are suitable. Spread the film on a hard, flat, horizontal surface and cover it with a thin layer of acrylic latex. To make flexible marble with your own hands of high quality and durability, without waiting for the surface to dry, start “painting” the stone with dry mixtures. Once the entire area is filled without gaps, press the sand onto the base. You can use a sheet of glass, a rolling pin, etc. Leave the product to dry, this usually takes about a day. If you are making several sheets, they can be stacked on top of each other; the necessary gap between the plates will be provided by the padded strips. Hair dryers and electric fans will help speed up the production of flexible marble.

Marketing and sales

Here are several groups of buyers interested in finishing materials:

• construction companies and finishing teams;
• construction stores and wholesale and retail chains;
• wholesale intermediaries.

The best option is to find a wholesale buyer and sell him large volumes of flexible bricks.

The level of competition in the market is assessed as average and below average. This creates additional opportunities, but still does not free the businessman from the need to make additional efforts to promote the product.

Here are some advertising methods:

• actively promote the stone via the Internet, create a website, sell goods online;
• publish advertisements in the media and in thematic publications;
• Post advertisements in entrances and cottage communities;
• Conduct email campaigns to potential clients.

Reviews

Evgenia, Vladivostok

We decided to do a major renovation in the kitchen. We spent a long time choosing the material and came across a new, original flexible stone for me. The plan was to make an apron out of it. In appearance, the material is similar to wallpaper, flexible, easy to cut and bend, and glued to the surface with tile adhesive. After gluing, be sure to apply varnish to the “wallpaper,” preferably in two layers, to make it easier to clean. For me, this is a good purchase, because flexible stone is an environmentally friendly, breathable, and also a beautiful material that is suitable for finishing anything.

Sergey, Kovel

We thought for a long time about finishing the façade of a commercial building. We were choosing between a “wet” and a ventilated façade, but having stumbled upon flexible stones on the Internet, we decided to learn more about this material. As a result, after reading the presentation, we settled on this option, which justified itself 200%. It seems that the characteristics are even better than those of marble plaster, and the price is reasonable.