Post #431357 by TabooDan on Wed, Jan 28, 2009 7:10 PM

Here's a shot of the shelf unit and a bit of the fireplace:

After finding some of the real rock (one piece attached in above photo) at a stone/building supply shop, I decided not to go through with it. It want really the cost but more of all the work. It isn't alot but just enough where I started to think twice about it. I was just going to PL Premium all the stones on and then grout around them. That way I wouldn't have to use a mortar to get them mounted to the face. I figured I would do it anyway but then I started to wonder if it really was the look I wanted.

I remembered seeing some stone designed paneling stuck to part of a wall at a local building supply shop. I went in to see if they had any of it available and they said they hadn't sold it in years.
Shit, I said..... THIS WAS PERFECT!! Haven't sold it in years!! How great is that!! Just what I need!

Something that isn't quickly available made it more interesting to me as it made it more original. And being that it was old and not too common was cool. I was trying to do the fireplace different and original but still have an authentic look. I knew I had to track some down.

None of the usual places carried it. The more specialized places for paneling and plywood's could get some sort of what I had seen but lacked that "look" I wanted. I was starting to have alot of trouble finding any.

I was recommended by one of my suppliers to check out a place that they order from. They do not deal with the public but was told to see this guy and he will let you know if they can get it.

This is a picture of the rock that I could find in white. Kind of hard to see but the one on the left:

You probably all know the brick one on the right and probably have seen this white one as well.

I called this new supplier and asked if they had any of the dark colored paneling that looked like stone. He said they had white and beige. Crap, I thought, as those were the colors everyone else had.
He got me to hang on a minute and went and checked the "Old" samples. He came back and said that he thinks he might have another panel but it is a darker color and hasn't sold any in "forever"!
I thought, this is it, haven't sold any in forever??!! I hauled my ass down to the warehouse the next day.

He pulled out the old samples for me and showed me the one he was talking about which I thought was pretty damn cool and old looking. PERFECT!! I got them to put two sheets (4x8) on hold for me as I still couldn't deal with them. Even though I had a business, they still would only go through the suppliers they dealt with and who have accounts with them.
So I got it ordered and picked it up two days later. It was funny because when I first got it, it was quite warped from being stored and strapped for so long. They had only one lift left and said I was lucky as they stopped making it years ago and they can't get anymore. Done deal!!

Photo's coming........