The eternal debate of nature vs nurture endures in many forms including the choice of exterior cladding for your new home! Natural stone is simply what is says stone quarried from the earth. It can be cut into a variety of shapes and sizes. Manmade stone may also be known as manufactured stone, cultured stone, architectural stone and veneer stone. It is manufactured by mixing cement with additives, colour and pouring it into a mould. Today there are a wide variety of colours, sizes and shapes available for manmade stone.
Natural Stone
To determine which best meets your needs and preferences the following considerations should be taken.
Aesthetics
Natural stone is unique in shape, colour and texture. No two pieces are the same. It creates a timeless, rich natural look. The hand finishing done by a skilled mason creates art on the exterior of your home.
Manmade stone offers realistic stone looking options as well as more stylized or modern options. There are a variety of colours and sizes. The patterns and colours repeat. It creates a homogeneous look. The consistency in colour and design may be desirable for the overall design of your home.
Manmade stone
The cost to purchase a good quality manmade stone is on par with the cost to purchase natural stone. There are cheaper manmade stones available but the quality sacrificed in terms of aesthetics and durability makes these less desirable or recommended. The real difference in cost occurs in the installation. Natural stone is roughly twice as expensive as manmade to install. This is because a skilled mason is required to install natural stone and the amount of hand cutting and chiselling required extends the amount of time required. Due to the regularity of the shapes and smooth edges manmade stone is comparably easier and less time consuming to install.
Installation
Natural stone requires a skilled mason to install. It is like putting a puzzle together. Each piece is individual selected and hand cut to build the wall. There is a true requirement for artistry and craftsmanship to install natural stone.
Manmade stone is more similar to brick for installation. It stacks neatly and there is less cutting. In fact manmade stone should be cut as little as possible. Cutting exposes the aggregate inside as only the face surfaces are coloured.
Natural stone is durable and lasts for thousands of years in terms of structure and colour. Quality manmade stone is durable however the colours will fade and discolour with exposure to the elements. Maintenance Natural stone can be easily cleaned using a power washer. Manmade stone usually requires manual cleaning as a power washer may remove the colour and depending on the ingredients in the manmade stone soaps and cleaners may result in deterioration of the manmade stone.
Manmade stone
The differences are summarized in the table below:
|
|
Natural |
Manmade |
|
Aesthetics |
Unique shape colour and texture No pattern A work of art |
Consistent colour, shape and texture Repetitive pattern Homogenous look |
|
Cost |
More expensive to install |
Cheaper to install |
|
Installation |
Skilled mason required Longer time required |
Easier to install Less time required |
|
Longevity |
Colour is steadfast overtime |
Fading and discolouration may occur overtime |
|
Maintenance |
Easy to clean with power washer |
Manual cleaning to protect colour and prevent deterioration required |
Natural Stone
If time and money are not a concern my preference is natural stone. However the decision is yours and perhaps manmade may correspond to your style better.