Rock & Water

Sculpting stone was thought to be the only way to shape the natural material used in buildings through the centuries. However, scientists and archaeologists have determined that the Great Pyramids of Giza are comprised of natural carved stone and a limestone-based concrete, becoming one of the first recorded uses of faux stone. Stone was also decorative and used as statuary, balustrades, finials and obelisks in European gardens. By the mid-1600's, artificial stone, or molded stone became popular as the demand outweighed the supply. Artificial stone has evolved into a highly sophisticated building material used in all facets of construction.

Which material is best for your particular application? It really depends on what you intend to use the rock for. If it's strictly for decoration and you don't plan on moving it around a lot, then concrete may be the way to go. Concrete rocks can look awesome if properly molded and tinted. Cultured stone used to side homes and commercial buildings is an excellent example of rock cast with concrete. Most concrete fake rock is solid cast and not really designed to cover objects in a yard or garden.

If you need a fake rock to cover something in your yard or garden then plastic is probably your best bet. Plastic rocks are lightweight and easy to move around. This can be a bad thing in windy areas, however. Many a plastic rock has been spotted tumbling through the neighborhood in a gust of wind. And once recovered the rightful owner rarely has a collar on it tagged with a name, address, and phone number to notify for it's safe return! Luckily many higher end models are equipped with a staking system allowing one to securely fasten the edges to the ground. Another benefit of a plastic based molding material is U.V. Resistance. This is ideal as it creates a very effective barrier against sun fade.