Coolstone is a product that we use to simulate a limestone look for fireplaces, hood vents, outside accents, etc. The examples that you see here saved thousands of dollars and most importantly, weight and structural support. These hood vents were first made with OSB plywood, wrapped in lathe and felt, then applied with a stucco product that dries to look and feel like stone. One trick that we do is hand grind the finished product to give it a smooth, natural look and feel. I've seen some who don't grind and I don't really like it because it looks more synthetic and pitted. You can then leave it a natural grey finish, as shown with the off-white color, or tint it with a glaze that gives it a more antiqued look. You can see how beautiful they turn out if you have a skilled stucco person. The floral details you see were all done by hand, which is amazing to witness. The more linear bands and corbels can be purchased at a foam specialty store to give a more detailed look. These products were drawn on paper, then brought to life so the possibilities are literally endless. Because they don't require much in the way of structural support, you can apply this type of process to sheetrocked columns, display walls, niches or whatever else you can think of.
