Creative Faux Panels

We’ve just added a new line of wood panels called “Elite Panels” to the main site. These products come in two styles: “Wood Grain” and “Pecky cypress”. Elite wood panels cover your ceiling or wall with the look of solid tongue-and-groove planks. The panels install easily, cover large areas quickly, fit together seamlessly and add R-3.8 insulation. This line also has accessories like Faux wood planks and Faux wood trim. All the items in the elite line can come unfinished or walnut stained.   Here are a few sample photos of the Elite Panels in some of our customer’s homes: Click here to view more photos.

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Here at FauxPanels.com we make all of our panels* out of High density Polyurethane, NOT Styrofoam! Polyurethane has huge visual, durability, and health benefits over Styrofoam. Disadvantages to Styrofoam: Can break easily Can begin to deform at temperatures as low as 167°F (75°C), melt at around 200°F (93°C), and flow at around 250°F (121°C). In addition to causing structural failure, melting polystyrene can actually fuel a fire. Long-term exposure to small quantities of styrene is suspected of causing: Low platelet counts or hemoglobin values, Chromosomal and lymphatic abnormalities, nervousness, difficulty sleeping, and other acute or chronic health problems associated with the nervous system. Benefits of our Polyurethane Panels: Polyurethane has a closed cell structure which provides protection from moisture and therefore will not rot. Further, the closed cell structure prevents paint from peeling from the surface. Polyurethane products provide no nutritional value and as such also resist the growth of mildew and fungus. Polyurethane panels will not crack or warp when properly installed. Polyurethane products are not affected by ultraviolet rays when properly coated. In special formulations, Polyurethanes can withstand continuous use at 200°C (392°F) or higher. Most panels can be Class A Firerated Non toxic. No CFC’s in our manufacturing process. Do not admit toxic gasses or vapors. Can be used with water based stains and finishes. 100% free of ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons. *Except Nailon panels

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Entrance with Nailon Stone in Glacier White

There are two towns in the area where I live that are about six miles away from each other, yet virtually a universe apart when it comes to their building aesthetic. One of them is your classic New England village, with stately old whaling captain houses - lots of white wood and black shutters. The other is well…not. The majority of the town is covered in little summer cottages and restaurants that are every bright color you could imagine, usually in the pink and purple families. We’re not talking understated lavenders and roses here…

Exterior with Glacier White Nailon Stone

So shocking magenta or violet may not be your cup of tea, but the average white wood house isn’t really your bag either. You might want to consider the look of white brick or stone. White looks good with everything, no matter what your landscaping or surrounding areas look like, yet the texture can give your house that little something extra. And what a more perfect time to spiffy up your home’s exterior than spring?

Luckily faux panels are super-easy to clean, and if after awhile you feel like a change, they easily can be painted. You just might want to avoid that can of Pepto-Bismol pink.

Colonial White Nailon Brick

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Craig W. from Florida completed renovations to his home prior to selling and sent in this photo of the house’s completed exterior with Nailon Desert Buff  faux stone siding. Craig’s finished result is an excellent example of a house with terrific curb appeal – attractive, tidy and ready to make a great first impression to prospective buyers.

 In addition to the fresh look of the installed paneling, you’ll notice a few elements of the front exterior of the home that would draw in potential buyers.

• The front door looks new and bright, with an interesting window detail in the middle to catch the eye.

• There is a nice mailbox with surrounding vegetation with the house number clearly visible.

• The bushes and flowers in the front garden are neat, well kept and symmetrical.

• The white stones bordering the flower bed and the walkway nicely set off the green grass.

• The white lattice on the right side is a nice visual touch while also hiding the gutter.

• Wind chimes hung by the door can create a nice welcoming sound for visitors – you should make your house appeal to all the senses after all!

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A little tradition is starting here at the Faux Panels blog. Most of the photos of finished projects that are sent by our customers are beautiful, but once in awhile I see one that particularly tickles me as an ingenious use of the paneling.

This week the “Fauxny Award” is given to this striking patio couch, trimmed with Oxford Stacked Stone panels in Light Tan. The outdoor sofa-style seat was created by the Featherlyte Outdoor Furniture Company of Knoxville, TN and is a beautiful addition to our Spring Spruce-Up series.

This isn’t your boring old patio furniture. The paneling blends in nicely with the surrounding scenery and looks very cool and sophisticated. I can just see myself laying out on a fine spring day with a good book, the envy of my neighbors as they covet my patio seat. Well done!

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It’s been a beautiful, sunny week. The daffodils and crocuses are all starting to peek out and the birds are getting louder every day. Nothing is better than all these sights and sounds - promising longer days spent in the garden or backyard.

These kinds of days really get me pumped up with ideas on how to get the outside of the house ready to enjoy spring and the summer to come. After being cooped up in the house all winter, I’m seriously ready for some fresh air!

With work and kids and day-to-day life, it’s amazing how fast your yard can start to look neglected. For anyone who owns a home, the house’s exterior is a constant work-in-progress, especially if you live in a four-season area. Raking, weeding and lawn mowing are the necessary evils - but it’s always nice to mix it up with a fun DIY project in addition to the more boring maintenance jobs.

Beautiful idea! A water/rock fountain installed in a patio area, surrounded by
Regency Random Rock faux paneling.

Little garden ponds or fountains can add a really nice accent to your garden, deck or porch - whether you’re aiming for that serene, Zen feel of a still-water pond, or prefer the pleasant murmur of water trickling out of a fountain.

Before you start, make sure to pick the right location - especially if you’re going for the pond. You don’t want to position it right under a tree and then spend the entire summer picking out leaves or other debris.

Another thing you may want to consider for your pond is adding some fish. A bunch of goldfish or koi swimming around can create a charming effect. Goldfish in particular can keep the mosquito population down – a nice bonus especially when you’re hosting an outdoor dinner party. If you decide to add fish, you may want to consider adding a water pump. Moving water provides more oxygen than still water.

If you’ve decided on a fountain, try putting some rocks on the bottom, as in the picture shown above. The water hitting them will make an even nicer trickle-y noise, and acclimatize the fountain to the surrounding nature. Store-bought rock in the same color can create a harmonious, uniform look. If you prefer a more rustic appearance and don’t want to spend the money, walk along the local shoreline or in the nearby woods with a sand bucket. After a few evening strolls, you’ll accumulate a nice collection of multi-colored stones of different shapes and sizes.

For another water-inspired idea, visit our post “And the Fauxny Award Goes To…”

Happy Spring!

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Growing up in southern Connecticut, I lived in a charming old colonial built by a local blacksmith in the late 1700’s. As children do, I completely took for granted the two brick fireplaces, one in the formal living room and the other in the dining room, with the latter’s back end exposed through the kitchen wall. All that lovely old brick…

Now as an adult I live in a modern house built in the 1980’s that does indeed have a fireplace, but the only thing that surrounds it is a bunch of flat, ugly black metal. Not so inspiring. So how can I reclaim a little bit of that pre-Revolutionary New England charm without breaking my piggy bank? Fireplaces can act as the centerpiece of your home – I really want an inviting place for family and guests to gather and enjoy each other’s company.

Fireplace Before Photo

A recent customer, Bill Nalli from Moravia, New York, sent in these photos from his project using the Regency Stacked Stone faux panels. He’s surrounded a plain black fireplace just like mine with the panels, reinvigorating his entire sitting/television room. He wrote in that he installed the panels all by himself and had fun doing it!

Fireplace After Photo

Whether I go with a more traditional brick panel or try out the stacked stone, Mr. Nalli has given me hope that I can turn my own blah fireplace into something beautiful my kids can remember fondly when they’re grown up – and I won’t have to spend their college funds to get it.

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One of my favorite SNL skits was the one done by Scarlett Johansson and Fred Armisen - “You gotta get yourself some marble columns.” It’s kind of a random topic to parody, but both of their performances literally had me rolling on the ground laughing.

Don’t get me wrong, while I thought this skit was hysterical – it was due more to Fred and Scarlett’s comic enthusiasm than anything. I actually think columns can add really nice visual interest to your home – although the ones they were hawking may not be up your alley.

How about some faux columns? They look really realistic, but lightweight enough that you won’t be lugging around heavy stone or brick and spending tons of money on a professional mason.

One of our customers recently put these Drystack Quarry Gray faux columns up at their model house and sent us this photo.

Another nice use of columns is to set off a yard or border fence. It can turn a boring wood or metal fence into something a little more interesting looking. This photo was sent in by a customer using Majesty Augusta stone fence posts:

Watch this clip for a good laugh – then go get yourself some faux columns!

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Adding on to your house gives you more storage and living space while improving the value of your home. Anyone who has undertaken this kind of project knows that making the addition’s exterior blend with the rest of the house is super important. Otherwise you’ll end up with a patchwork monstrosity that will have your friends calling Ty Pennington and his crew for an Extreme Makeover rescue. Don’t be a DIY disaster!

Things to consider before you begin your addition:

• The materials on your current home’s exterior may no longer be available or prove too costly, especially on older homes. You may need to get creative on finding a similar-looking alternative.

• Your home’s current siding has most likely taken a beating over the years from various types of weather and climate. Keep this in mind when you’re selecting a color for the addition. Nice and bright probably won’t mesh well.

• There may be sections of the addition that are trickier to side than others. Be certain when choosing your materials that it can be relatively easy to install in ALL areas.

A good example of this conundrum is our customer’s addition to his existing brick building. According to Paul Reeves from Bethel, OH, installing real brick or rock in the space above the roof of the addition would have been logistically difficult. I would agree that schlepping heavy bricks or rock up a ladder and installing them above that sloped roof top would be precarious at best, not to mention costly.

Before

Luckily Paul was able to find a solution with forty-two of our Random Rock Potomac faux panels. Take a look at the final result photos below. We think they look great!

After - Close Up View

After - Full View

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A few years ago I took a trip to Arizona with my family. Since there wasn’t much to do in that part of Arizona other than golf, my sister and I left the boys and the links behind to hang at the pool.

I’ve been to my fair share of hotel pools, but this one ranked in the top five. One side was flanked by an enormous stone wall built into a natural formation of massive boulders. My favorite part was the waterfall cascading down the wall into the pool. I’m not sure what about it appealed to me so – maybe I was having a Blue Lagoon fantasy moment or maybe it was just the soothing sound of water trickling down. Either way, if I could transplant this wall into my backyard, there’d be no need for boring golf vacations.

Then this customer’s project caught my eye. Paul M. created his own backyard water wall waterfall with light tan stacked stone faux panels. He ingeniously installed the wall and then hooked up a sprinkler system with water from his canal, recycling the water back down the canal so there was no harm to the environment.

I loved this idea – especially since it would be fairly easy for anyone to implement in their own yard or garden. Although I may have to rethink the whole Brooke Shields bathing suit made out of palm leaves thing…

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