Faux stone panels instantly transform prefab or mobile homes.

The eponymous prefab started to become popular in the United States following World War II, when returning soldiers sought to capitalize on the “G.I. Bill” to find their own slice of the American dream.

Produced cheaply and quickly in factories, these prefabricated and modular homes are normally transported to their final destination by flatbed truck; and then installed on foundations similar to regular homes.

Others are transported as trailers, with the wheels removed when they arrive at their installation site.

These days, modern building materials and standards make most prefab houses match up to regular building codes; which is why, despite being called “trailers” or “mobile” homes, only about 5% of them are ever moved after installation.

Faux stone or rock veneer panels are quick and easy to install

Faux stone panels can be used in several ways to enhance the exterior of a modular or prefabricated home; but the most common option is installing them as skirting or wainscoting.

This is a great way to cover any gap between the ground and the lower corner of a mobile home or prefab; plus has the added benefit of keeping animals, insects and pests out.

There are many stone and rock veneer panel options to choose from; but we recommend options that resemble brick or stacked stone; giving the impression that the prefab is built on a solid rock or stone foundation.

This subtle detail can often totally transform the appearance of a trailer or prefab; giving it a unique look which is a benefit amongst homes that notoriously “all look the same.”

Faux stone panels also have the advantage of being molded from weatherproof, light and durable polyurethane; making them tough and resistant to the elements.

Unlike a real stacked stone or brick foundation, installing stone veneer panels is a quick and simple job; accomplished with nothing more than a regular wood saw, caulk and screws.  Our  panels are also highly affordable; another good match for beautifying a modular home or trailer.

Check out the pictures we’ve posted of faux stone panels that were used in past customers’ projects. If you’ve used our panels on your own trailer or mobile home, we’d love to see pictures – email them to info@fauxpanels.com.

Alan installed faux stone panels on concrete and wooden frames, for plenty of storage space beneath the counters

“In the beautiful Arizona desert, the kitchen makes a wonderful addition to our backyard,” Alan writes, enclosing pictures of his beautiful kitchen design. “We use the kitchen almost every night.”

“The space we used to build the kitchen is on the south side of our home.  It originally had an ugly aluminum shed there, and small tree struggling to survive.”

“The first step in building the kitchen was to remove the shed and the tree. We then leveled the ground and put in a brick patio. I followed that up by designing and building light standards out of rough-cut recycled cedar.”

“We built the kitchen itself around a large charcoal grill, custom made by my younger brother. There’s also a gas grill and a side burner.” Using those as a guide, Alan plotted out the mechanics of the kitchen itself. “We planned for the kitchen to have under-the-counter storage and tile counter tops.”

Some people might have built the counters out of brick or stone, but Alan instead decided to go for the lighter and more versatile approach of wooden framing, concrete and faux stone panels.

“I built the framework for the kitchen counters,” he writes, “and then applied faux stone panels to complete them. I glued the faux panels directly to the concrete, or screwed them to the plywood frame. Regardless of where the went, the panels went on easily and I completed the installation in just a day.”

The result was a beautiful stonework outdoor kitchen completed in a fraction of the time and budget real stone would have required – and it gets exactly the same reaction.

Alan's stunning faux stone panel outdoor kitchen looks like it can withstand many more Arizona summers

“To this day, we continue to get “ooos” and “ahhhhs” from guests that join us for cookouts in our outdoor kitchen.”

What’s really remarkable about Alan’s outdoor kitchen isn’t that it looked great when he built it, but that it continues to look great even three years later.

“The faux stone panels are exactly the same as they were the day I installed them,” he tells us. “The only maintenance I do is to spray them off regularly.”

That’s pretty impressive, given that Arizona weather can be as brutal as it is beautiful. “In the summer, the temperature in Arizona can easily reach 115 degrees – and that’s in the shade!”

The panels have also withstood some serious usage. In addition to firing up the grill just about every day to feed his family, Alan boasts: “We’ve hosted two weddings, numerous parties and countless other family gatherings – all with the kitchen as the centerpiece!”

In fact, Alan’s such a fan of faux stone panels that he’s already planning to use them again.

“For my next faux stone panel project, I’ve removed our old redwood deck and plan to replace it with a brick patio. I’ll use faux stone panels to cover the cedar boards. They’ll go perfectly with the formed concrete I’m planning to use to replace the old pine benches.”

If Alan’s next project turns out to be anything as nice as his first one, we just hope he sends us pictures!

Adding real stone to this attractive fireplace would have been expensive and inconvenient.

“My husband and I wanted our fireplace to be in stone,” she wrote to us, supplying pictures of their recent remodeling project, “but when I started to think about how we were going to do it, I realized we needed an alternative to real stone.”

“My husband had just finished adding real stacked stone to the outside of a home, and I’d seen how much work it was – all the dust, the time consuming process of getting all the stones to fit just right and the mortar clean up using muriatic acid. We weren’t ready to put up with all of that inside our house.”

“Faux stone panels seemed like the perfect solution for our fireplace. It was more affordable than real stone in price, and a lot less time consuming to install – plus no clean up!”

But Patti admits, she had concerns about using artificial stone paneling.

“We were fearful, even after receiving samples, that the product would not look like real stone once it was installed – trust me when I say that we’re very particular about our home.”

But Patti’s fears were unfounded. “Once installed, the simulated stone panels look very realistic.”

Faux stone panels captured the look and feel of authentic stone, without the expensive and difficult installation

Patti’s fireplace design was transformed using our Norwich Dakota Stone Wall Panels – which were an excellent choice for a fireplace as they can be ordered Class A Fire Rated for a small additional cost.

“The faux stone panels were very easy to work with,” Patti wrote. “We did have a minor issue with some of the trim stones coming scuffed up – but worked with a FauxPanels.com customer service representative and were quickly able to resolve the problem.”

To give the stone veneer panels an even more realistic appearance, Patti writes: “we used sanded chalk between the trim stones to give it the real mortared in look.” You can see from the “after” picture how good this looks.

“Our project turned out really well,” Patti wrote, “we’re very pleased with the faux stone panels. With the combination of oak and stone, it’s given our fireplace a much more sophisticated appearance.”

From the “before” and “after” photos Patti supplied, we’d have to agree with her.

Wood and stone veneer brought the middle ages vividly to life.

“I collect things that found in the hall or private chambers of well-to-do Anglo-Saxon nobles,” Linda wrote to us, when she sent in pictures of our Royal Rock Face Potomac Panels in use. “Objects from the “Dark Ages,” dating back to the 10^th and 11^th century.”

To showcase her impressive collection, she’s turned an entire room of her home into an exhibit – and decorated it to match her impressive collection.

“The room I chose was paneled in dark, rough wood,” she wrote, “put there by the people who owned the house in the late 70s. Even the ceiling is finished in this wood paneling.” Most homeowners are quick to tear out such retro fittings, but Linda saw their potential straight away.

“The wood was perfect for what I was trying to accomplish,” she told us. “The Saxons didn’t just use wood to build their homes – they actually believed that homes needed to be made from wood because it was a growing, living thing.”

But two corners of Linda’s display room posed problems.

“The two sections framing the window were finished with wallpaper,” she explained. “I wanted to put rock on these sections, because it was used for walls and churches back in the dark ages.” Linda’s historical artifacts were all recovered from the halls and chambers of well-to-do noblemen, and Linda wanted her room design to reflect styling an Anglo-Saxon noble might have chosen.

“I decided my noble would have liked a bit of stone in his wall,” she told us. “Besides, I like stone.”

But once she’d settled on stonework for her exhibition room, Linda was faced with a dilemma – how to bring her vision to life.

Molded from polyurethene, these faux stone panels perfectly capture the texture of stone and wood.

“I looked at real rock, Styrofoam, ceiling tiles and textured paint tiles. The paint looked great, but made the sheet rock bubble.” Naturally, Linda’s first choice was to use real stone, but she quickly realized that; “stone would have required major restructuring to hold the weight.”

After exploring all her options, Linda concluded that; “faux panels were the most authentic look for the right price and ease of use.” She ordered samples direct from FauxPanels.com and eventually settled on our Royal Rock Face Potomac Panels. “This pattern was very close to stones I had seen in England from the 9th to 13th centuries.”

Installation, as expected, was considerably easier than using real stone.

“The panels were light and easy to work with,” she explained. Our faux stone panels require little else but PVC adhesive and screws to mount, and can be cut to size with a regular wood saw. The only comment Linda makes is that; “I’d caution people to cut them outside due to the dust.”

The results of her project are stunning – a true taste of the Middle Ages right in the heart of Connecticut. Her handiwork is even more impressive given how rigorous Linda’s standards of historical accuracy are.

But even though she went “faux,” Linda’s more than satisfied. “I would use Faux Panels again and I would recommend them to others. They saved money on materials and labor and look great.”

But what’s the secret to our faux panels and siding? How do we get them looking so breathtakingly realistic?

Oxford panels are molded directly from real brick, stone and wood

The first step is to find real brick, stone, wood and timber to copy from. We start with truly beautiful examples of the material we want to copy, and then use state-of-the-art techniques to capture every intricate detail and texture perfectly: persevering them forever in very durable, high-density polymer.

Our techniques allow for an unprecedented level of detailing; right down to pits and chinks in each individual brick and stone. Our customers aren’t exaggerating when they say it’s almost impossible to tell them apart from the ‘real thing’ by looks alone.

Following molding, we color them in a variety of natural-looking shades that are practically impervious to color degradation. This allows you to keep exactly the same color and texture no matter how many square feet you intend to cover – something that’s not always possible or practical when using real stone or wood.

It’s this painstaking production process that results in the incredible realism of our wall panels – practically indistinguishable from the ‘real thing.’ What does set them apart, however, is their practicality.

Norwich panels are carefully colored to resemble authentic stone or wood

Ease of installation and affordability mean you can bring the classic elegance of stone, brick or wood to parts of your home you could never do with ‘real’ wood or stone. In addition, our panels are completely impervious to the elements – something that real wood paneling, and even some brick or stone, isn’t.

This gives you immense flexibility in where to install them – from the exterior of your home to a shower, bathroom or basement. To added piece of mind, our Oxford and Norwich lines can be purchased in Fire Rated (other lines can be Class A fire rated as well, depending on the volume you’re purchasing.)

So it’s worth remembering that our faux panels don’t just look ‘as good as the real thing.’ In many ways, they’re actually superior.

Mr. Ellis first built the frame with pressure treated lumber and used exterior grade, 3/4 inch plywood for the sides and underneath the counter top. Stainless steel T-Nuts were then placed on the bottom; 4 in front and 4 in back to level the structure and keep the wood off the concrete pad.

After mitering the corners, the Wellington Dry Stack Panels were installed on the frame with Buff-colored caulk applied to the corners and just a little paint from the Tierra Gold touch-up kit to blend everything perfectly.

With a porcelain countertop, dishwasher and a 4 burner stove top added, the final result was a great-looking, convenient poolside kitchen – keeping the fun of outdoor meals going year round.

Gain some inspiration for your own home makeover project from our photo gallery.

Studies have shown that pouring large amounts of money into lavish remodeling projects doesn’t always guarantee that you’ll make that money back upon sale of your home. In most cases, you actually lose out. Making smart choices equals a bigger return on investment.

Curb appeal is one of the most important factors for a potential buyer. Of course – it’s the first thing they see! In addition to some basic exterior improvements such as clearing yard debris, mowing the lawn, maybe planting some flowers – you also may want to consider replacing your home’s siding – especially if you’re home’s existing exterior is looking worn or outdated.

I wanted something that would look natural to our area in New York yet get rid of the horrible stucco and help our cookie cutter raised ranch stand out. – Sharon M.

A good example of a homeowner’s success siding her house with panels came from Sharon M.. She was kind enough to share photos of the final results she achieved using Regency Stacked Stone panels to update the look of her raised ranch in New York. Not bad for a stay-at-home mom with no carpentry experience. Actually – really, really good!

Using faux paneling for an exterior siding project may be a very good option for you. Not only are the materials less expensive than using real stone, brick or wood – most average homeowners find they complete the installation themselves in a very short time. Not having to hire a contractor – Bonus!!

Click here to read Sharon’s full testimonial and see other customer’s project results using faux paneling.

The main ingredients for a faux stone wall are:

- Your choice of faux stone panels
- Complementary faux stone wall caps and capitals
- A wood-framed wall to attach the panels and caps to
- Optionally, faux columns or posts

Faux stone panels

Start by choosing the stone design and color you like. All our panels are suitable for outdoor use. Panel height is different for different product lines, and this might affect your choice. For most efficient use of materials, you’d want the wall height to be a multiple of the panel height, or a little less.

Faux stone wall caps and capitals

The wall caps come in gray and tan to complement just about any panel color. They also come in two widths. For this project you want the standard (narrower) ones, which are sized to fit a paneled wall framed with 4-inch lumber. The wider ones are sized to fit a paneled 8-inch block wall.

If your wall has some length to it, consider adding decorative capitals on top of the wall cap at intervals to really dress it up.

Wood-framed wall

The core of your beautiful faux stone wall is an ordinary wood-framed wall built with 4x4s, 2x4s and sheathing. It’s really half-wall, half-fence, because you have to sink the 4x4s into the ground and anchor them in concrete to support the wall.

So plan the wall just as you’d plan a fence, anchoring the 4×4 posts no more than 8 feet apart. Then frame a wall between them with 2×4 top and bottom plates, and studs spaced 2 feet apart. Finally, attach 1/2-inch sheathing to both sides. Keep the bottom of the framing and sheathing about 1/2 to 1 inch off the ground for longer life. Of course you need to use pressure-treated lumber and galvanized or stainless-steel fasteners.

When you attach the faux stone panels, use a good exterior adhesive and caulk all joints. The panels won’t rot, so lay the bottom edge right on the ground. Then top it all off with the faux stone caps.

Faux columns or posts

For extra class, you can add one or more faux stone columns or posts to your wall. Imagine your driveway flanked by two massive stone columns, with a stone wall extending out to each side.

Some columns are designed to fit around wood posts, and others attach to a pad anchored to the ground. Locate each column so the panels and end caps butt against the side of the column. Scribe the last panel to the contour of the column, and then caulk the joint to blend everything together. (The photo shows a column in the middle of a fence, but the idea’s the same.)

And when you finish your wall, be sure to send us photos to add to our gallery!

Fieldstone (also known as Flagstone) is characterized by its artsy, mosaic style. One very distinct feature of Fieldstone is that it comes to you in pieces made from 4 different molds, resulting in a less uniform and a more randomized, natural look. Flat stones of varying shapes and sizes are arranged organically, like natural puzzle pieces, creating a lovely, old New England feel, indoors or out.

Another important note about Fieldstone is that it is the only one of its style on the market that’s made of polyurethane – not concrete. So you’ll have no problem installing it yourself, no mason needed!

And as usual, we have tons of color options to choose from. Use Desert Sky’s mix of dusty reds and beiges to add warmth to your dining room, or the deeper grays and steels of the Smoke style to build a new fireplace.

As with the rest of our faux wall paneling and siding, you can install these all by yourself—or with a friend—without a mason. And the Fieldstone panels interlock both vertically and horizontally, just like a real tongue-and-groove installation. Check out more details and installation tips here.

Comment below with how you think Fieldstone will work to meet your decorating or remodeling needs, or post a review to help other readers make a choice. We want to hear from you – we really DO listen!