Using handmade stone veneer for your home – whether it it's to enliven an interior feature wall or decorate a fireplace surround, or to enhance the look of your house's frontage or outdoor living space – is an attractive, flexible and cost-efficient alternative to using natural stone.
Stone cladding is made from reconstituted stone that is cast in moulds, and this means that it is far lighter than natural stone. It also makes stone veneer a good deal cheaper to instal. In addition, there are a wide variety of styles and colours on offer, meaning that you can choose a colour, look and style that precisely matches your design concept.
During the stone veneer manufacturing process a base colour is mixed and blended into the reconstituted stone, which means the colour is an integral part of the finished product. This also means that, like natural stone, colour changes or fading are minimal and so exposure to the elements will not significantly alter the appearance of your stone cladding, even after many years. Another advantage is that during the manufacturing process the colouring of your stone veneer can be customised to complement your decor and the overall look of your home.
Stone cladding can be applied to any clean, structurally sound wall or surface, including brick or plastered walls, masonry or cement, plywood, wallboards and panelling. Furthermore, as it is much lighter than natural stone, there is no need for additional foundations or for other structural alterations, meaning that it is a good deal easier and cheaper to instal. Likewise, stone veneer's light weight also means that it adheres easily to almost any surface, so you can achieve the look you're after in areas of your home where it might not be possible to use natural stone.
As stone veneer is handcrafted, most patterns and designs will include prefabricated corner pieces so it can be easily installed around corners, meaning you can achieve a unified look without colour or texture variation. It also means that the installation process is relatively quick and straightforward, as the prefabricated pieces are designed and made to be applied in a specific pattern.
Stone veneer is highly durable and minimal maintenance is required. Washing the stone to remove any dirt or debris occasionally is all that is required. If you are using it indoors, spillages are easily cleaned away and stone cladding does not stain. In addition, stone veneer is non-combustible and so is both an attractive and practical solution for a fireplace surround. It is also extremely resilient, meaning that it can take a good deal of wear and tear, making it ideal for installation in a busy family or living room.
There are many advantages to installing handmade stone veneer – its ease of installation, low maintenance, durability and the wide variety of colours and styles available means that stone cladding will enhance the design and look of your home both inside and out, and at a fraction of the cost of installing natural stone. It's a great choice for either a new house or a renovation project and can be adapted to suit any kind of design concept or style.