Stone cladding gives people more options than ever to create the look and feel of natural stone without going through all the hassle and expense of installing the latter. With different manufacturers across the country producing manufactured stone, there is no doubt that all tastes will be satisfied when this beautiful material is used to cover the exterior of homes. Artificial stones are produced using mixtures of lightweight concrete or other substances that are poured into molds that are specially prepared to create the appearance of real natural stone.
These manufactured stones are then painted using special coloring processes to give them the finishing touch and provide the appearance of stones found wherever they are found naturally. Stone veneer is produced to appear as thin slices of stone. That makes applying them to the exterior of a home easy to accomplish, even for DIY enthusiasts. Instead of using masonry mortar like a mason would when building a brick or stone wall around the exterior of a house, special mortars have been created to make this process simple and easy to accomplish.
It’s not uncommon to hear people say they’d like to add a brick or natural stone facade to plans they’re making for a new home, but often feel it’s too expensive to seriously consider. With artificial stones, that cost is reduced by a third to a half of what it would be to install the other options, so it’s within the reach of almost anyone to give their homes the look they’re looking for. Stone cladding isn’t just for the exterior of the home, either.
Since fireplaces are one of the most sought-after features for those looking for new homes to move into, manufactured stone is a great choice for giving an old home a new look or adding value to new construction. Manufactured stone is finding its way into other applications as well, as it doesn’t require the same application techniques as with brick and mortar, there’s no reason anyone these days should do without the look of stone.
Stone cladding is usually produced in much thinner layers than is possible with natural stone. That makes it ideal for placing on interior walls that mimic those that have traditionally only been found on the exterior of structures. This gives rise to many design elements that could only have been dreamed of before. The cost of natural stone alone has kept many from incorporating this design feature into their homes. That is no longer true with the incredible variety of quality products being produced such as artificial stone.