Manufactured Stone
Manufactured Stone is becoming more and more popular for both the interior
and exterior of homes. Manufactured Stone is a man made stone manufactured
primarily for decorative accents. It is made up of cement, natural
aggregates, and iron oxide pigments. In order to give Manufactured Stones
a realistic shape they are often created by using a mold of a natural
stone. Using Manufactured Stone in your home has both its advantages and
disadvantages.
Manufactured Stone chimney
(work in progress)
One of the main benefits of Manufactured Stones versus natural ones is
that Manufactured Stones are much more lightweight. This is an advantage
because it places less weight on the foundation of your home. This
is a particularly important factor if your home is built on unstable
ground.
In addition, when using Manufactured Stone you are not required to have
a brick ledge on your foundation. This is mostly due to the fact that
the back of a Manufactured Stone is flat allowing for excellent surface
contact.
Manufactured Stone is also faster and less difficult to install than natural
stone. It is also easy to find, and simple to replace.
One of the major disadvantages is its price. It can be a costly investment
compared to natural stone which is more readily available and in some
cases free.
Manufactured Stone chimney finished
In addition, if Manufactured Stone is not installed properly it becomes
obvious that the stone is artificial. This is particularly true if
large gaps are left between stones. Since these stones are not as thick
as real stones this flaw will be apparent if installation is not done well.
Another drawback is that most Manufactured Stones are not colored all
of the way through. This means if a stone has to be cut during installation
the cement colored interior may show through. You should heck with
the manufacturer to find a style that colors the stone all of the way
through to avoid this.