If a homeowner has plans to remodel their home or have a new one built, they may be confused about what materials to use. After all, there are benefits to choosing both natural and artificial stone. The good news is that there are a few key differences to help any homeowner choose the option that best suits their needs and budget.
1. How the Stone Looks
With advanced technology, artificial stone is more realistic looking than ever before, according to professionals in the field like Natural Stone Distributors. Today, artificial stone is manufactured to provide a huge selection of styles and colors that meet different requirements.
While this is true, when it comes to the factor of authenticity, no man-made product will ever be able to compete with natural stone items. Natural stone is something that can take thousands of years to form and, during that process, the appearance continues to evolve with nature and time.
What this means is that every natural stone piece will vary in how it looks. With artificial stone, there is more consistency and repetition in style and color. Also, more of the slabs are identical, rather than unique like natural stone.
2. The Cost
Many people believe that artificial stone is the more affordable option over natural stone. This is true in many cases. After all, artificial stone is approximately 20 to 30 percent lighter than natural stone, and every slab is identical in how it looks. This helps ensure the installation process is not only easier but also much more affordable.
Also, the total cost of a project is going to be dependent on the design and the application of the stone piece. For example, how a kitchen is designed and oriented can play a huge role in how much waste is created and the overall cost of the stone that is selected.
3. Durability
This is one of the primary factors that determine what type of stone is going to withstand the ultimate test: time. The fact is, natural stone is always going to win this competition when it comes to maintenance and durability. Consider many of the ancient civilizations that used natural stone for the construction of monuments. There are many that are still standing to this day. This is true even after many centuries have passed.
The majority of the natural stones available today are much less porous than artificial options, too, which helps to increase their overall durability. Also, natural stone maintenance is much easier. To clean and maintain artificial stone, a person must conduct a rather labor-intensive process.
4. Versatility
Perhaps one of the most appealing benefits offered by artificial stone is the ability it offers to be installed on an array of substrates that may not be structural, like masonry or wood frames. However, if the cladding is needed, the artificial stone is not the preferred option. This is because of some of the limitations that were mentioned above.
When it comes to deciding between the use of artificial or natural stone, there is a lot to think about. For some, the best option is to see the choices in person to decide which one is best for a home. It will pay off to consider the factors here when making this important decision about what type of stone to use in a home.
