Stone Veneer: Natural vs Manufactured
October 20, 2017Stone veneers can add an interesting, elegant, and beautiful aesthetic to your custom home. They make great exterior and interior accents. Here’s what to consider when you’re thinking about adding stone veneer to your custom home design:
What Is a Stone Veneer?
A stone veneer is a covering made from stone as its name implies. It is meant to protect what it covers and is aesthetically pleasing. You may have seen one of these surrounding a fireplace or in the exterior design of a house.
It comes in two forms: natural and manufactured. The natural version has been made from real stone, whereas manufactured has been created.
Natural Stone Veneer
Natural stone veneer uses, well, 100% real stone. It’s a very sturdy material that’s naturally appealing. It comes in many different forms with varying degrees of patterns, colors, and usability. Particularly popular are fieldstone and ledgestone. There are many to choose from!
A nice aspect of natural stone is that it will maintain its color for an incredibly long time. The cost of stone itself will depend on which type you choose. Installation is roughly the same between natural and manufactured stone. However, natural stone is pointedly heavier. It’s advised that you do not install, or cut, natural stone on your own unless you are a professional.
Manufactured Stone Veneer
Nowadays, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to tell the difference between natural and manufactured stone veneers. You would need to have a very dedicated eye to pick out the difference. Despite manufactured stone being a mix of cement and other oxides, it looks the same as actual stone once it is complete!
The biggest differences between natural and manufactured stone are in strength and color. Manufactured stone is nowhere near as strong as natural stone, so it will not be as sturdy. If it’s located outside, manufactured stone will be weathered down by rain, hail, or snow over time. Installation, however, is much simpler and less risky.
There are several types of stone veneer and styles to consider for your custom home. A stone veneer, whether exterior, interior, or both, could be the missing piece to your dream custom home. Take a look at a few of our featured projects to see stone veneers come to life!