Although man-made veneer is often chosen because of its “predictability”, 100% natural veneer stone is the only way to go if you are concerned about installing the best possible product in your home.
In this article, we’ll show you why natural veneer stone is the best option for your project.
A Side by Side Comparison
If you compare natural stone veneer alongside man-made options, you’d quickly discover a surprising number of differences.
Origin of Materials
Natural stone is just that – 100% natural and the result of quarrying from the earth. On the other hand, man-made materials are often a slurry of Portland cement, aggregates, and iron oxides baked in molds to look like stone. While they can appear convincingly natural, if you are going for authenticity, nothing beats natural stone.
Durability
Surprisingly, many natural stone products can be used structurally while the man-made materials are too weak or too easily compromised by weather, water and time. Size and thickness is no issue for natural stone, and it can be used as full blocks and as veneer. However, man-made materials are limited in functionality and can typically be made only up to two inches or less in overall thickness. Face sizing varies widely between the two, but with natural stone one can go up to 18″ in size.
Color fastness
Love colored stone? Well with man-made stone, you can get it in any color you desire, however it will fade over time. The color in natural stone does not fade with sunlight and it can also be found in almost any sort of stone, while man-made options are often limited to sandstone, fieldstone or ledgestone.
Other considerations
To be fair, you must also consider that natural stone is much heavier, requires proper installation, and it can be a bit pricier than many man-made options.
However, if you wish for a long-lasting and superior product, it is natural stone veneer that you will want in your project. StoneHardscapes provides you with an amazing selection of natural stone veneer and pavers, as well as a team of experts ready to help you make the right choices for your needs.
