DIY Network's Matt Blashaw saw an opportunity to save money and add style to this garage makeover.

The idea behind DIY Network’s Money Hunters is simple – home remodeling projects intended to make more than their cost back in elevated property value. For hosts Matt Blashaw and Deanne Bell, that’s not always an easy task to accomplish; especially with home prices hovering at some of their lowest levels for years.

Which is why Matt was quick to turn to our faux stone paneling when it came to a recent challenge: The task was to turn a dank garage into a welcoming rec room – and do it for a third of the budget most contractors would charge. With just $25,000 to spend, Matt’s plans of adding a stacked stone accent wall should have been out of the question – but our panels made achieving that iconic look affordable.

“Look like stone? It does to me. But heavy like stone? No.” Matt picked our Windsor Ledgestone Panels because their low height made them easy and versatile for interior projects. “They’re made of high density polyurethane foam – the same stuff you see in car bumpers, dashboards… It’s durable stuff.”

“They look just like the real thing, and the best part about it is that they’re easy to install.” Matt was able to cut the panels to size easily, with a regular miter saw, and then install them with regular deck screws.

“They’re so easy to install,” he admits, “I feel bad. The cameraman is working harder than I am.”

Money Hunters ended up spending $2,000 on the faux stone paneling they used in the project – and compared that to a minimum of $6,000 for a real stone accent wall; not to mention the cost of hiring a mason to install it.

“That’s a steal,” Matt admits.

Check out the transformation yourself in the video below – and see our products featured in other home makeover shows on our videos and TV show page.

We drove the panels down to Bethesda, MD, from our warehouse on Long Island, NY. (Road trip!) Producer David Sibila and the production crew were great. The host, Bill Duggan, wasn’t actually there for the taping – maybe that’s why I got a little camera time. In the video you can see me offloading the panels and showing Leann how they look up on the wall.

So why did they choose FauxPanels.com? The show lets the homeowners select the materials they want for the project. Leann found us on the internet and picked out our red faux brick paneling. They decided to paint it white to match their house – although these days we have a white brick panel available.

The interesting thing about the homeowner’s garage was that it was only 6-8 feet deep, so it couldn’t actually fit a car. They removed the garage door to make it into a nice outdoor alcove. They wanted it to blend in with the rest of house’s white brick exterior – hence the painted faux paneling.

After a long day of filming and paneling, I headed home with my empty van – leaving the homeowners happy and excited about their new converted alcove. Of course, it then took over a year for the episode to air on TV – but the best faux things in life are worth waiting for.