The faux stone cladding is an excellent choice to add an element of style to your house. It is available in a variety of styles, including ledgestone and fieldstone as well as designs designed to resemble techniques from precision masonry to looser stacking.
It is also lighter in comparison to natural stone (12 pounds per square feet) that can lower installation costs as well as the need for foundations or wall tie. However, there are concerns about the durability and long-term use of this stone that are worth taking into account.
Interior and Exterior Design Materials
Real brick and stone are heavier and more costly to carry, cut, and install as compared to high-density polyurethane. This is why fake brick and stone are often chosen over the real thing.
The term faux stone can also be referred to as cultured stone or manufactured. It’s a concrete material cast in molds and coated or stained so that it appears like various types of natural stone. The most common uses are wall coverings or ground cover for areas that suffer from moisture such as surrounding hot tubs or swimming pools. Faux stone may require sealing every 2-3 years so that it doesn’t fade color due to long-term exposure to UV rays as well as moisture.
The real stone veneer comes from the earth. It is then divided or cut from rock which has formed in the natural course of thousands, or many millions of years. This is the case with round New England fieldstone gathered from the remains of abandoned stone walls and farms. It can have a more individual and distinct design featuring a variety of textures and tones that are not possible to recreate in synthetic materials like dyes or cements.
Characteristics and Advantages
Although both natural and fake stone can give an ideal look to your home, both cement paint possess distinct characteristics, which make them better fits for certain types of construction projects. The real stone can be the ideal material to outdoor areas, particularly spaces with a rustic ambiance in them. Faux stone, on the contrary, can be a great option for projects that are outdoors.
The faux stone is molded and cast into distinctive shapes and sizes to mimic the look of a variety of varieties of stones. It is also much less heavy than natural stone, and can be set up without foundations, footings, or wall ties.
Since it is not natural-formed It will have to be regularly sealed and could be susceptible to color fade by exposure to the sun’s UV rays as well as moisture from water or rain. This can be prevented through the application of a non-film-forming, breather type sealer for masonry to your stone.
Choosing Between
In the construction industry, increasingly, homeowners are looking for environmentally friendly products. This has impacted many industries which includes the manufacturing of stone and masonry sector. Many natural stone manufacturers have started introducing green strategies to their business as well, which means there are several options for builders as well as homeowners looking to go green when it comes to their home design.
The production of faux stone involves mixing cement with aggregates, and particular pigments to achieve the appearance of various types of stones. It is able to be cut to create unique, detailed designs and looks much like natural stone. It’s also a cost-effective and durable option than natural stone.
If you’re planning on utilizing manufactured stone in moisture-prone areas like around pools or hot tubs, you should be certain to apply silane-based, film-forming, breather masonry sealer. If not, it may be prone to an issue called efflorescence, where water dries out from the stone and forms an ugly layer on the exterior of your wall.
Design Style and Material Selection
The process of remodeling your home can be an investment of the time and cost. It is important to select the materials cautiously to make sure that the home’s structure lasts aesthetically and structurally. Natural stone is the best option to fake stone because it doesn’t require much maintenance and has a long-lasting durability against severe environmental conditions.
The porous nature of faux stone makes it more pliable than natural stone, and is therefore prone to moisture damage. The result can be an issue known as efflorescence which occurs when the lime within the stone is transferred onto the outside. The result is a sloppy, ugly layer looking like a streak of water on the stone’s surface.
Faux stone also fades in direct sunlight during a span of many seasons. The tints used in the stones can fade as well, and it’s hard to modify when they begin to fade. This is why we recommend the use of URBANCONCRETE outdoors in sunny conditions or around hot tubs or pools.
