Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Key Differences Between Manufactured And Natural Stone Cladding

If you will be building a new house, or perhaps making improvements to your current home, you might be thinking about getting some kind of stone cladding design to complement one or more of your rooms. Stone cladding designs were once all made from natural stones, but it is now quite common for people to choose manufactured stone cladding to get a similar appearance. A lot of people do not care whether it is real stone or not, wanting just the appearance, there are still many others that do prefer to have the traditional, natural stone cladding. In fact, there are a few important factors that anyone getting stone cladding designs in their home should really take a look at.

As it is the primary reason why the majority of people want stone cladding, its appearance is, of course, one of the main factors that should be looked into before purchasing. Manufacturers have done a good job at replicating the appearance of natural stone cladding, so it can be a bit hard to notice the differences between them and manufactured ones without looking closely. One of the major distinctions you can see, however, is in the colors of the stones, where there tends to be a wider range of color variations with manufactured stone cladding than natural stones. Because natural stone cladding is composed of real stones taken from nature, the color palette is somewhat more limited with natural stones, as you cannot control the coloring process.

The matter of durability is another key factor, one which many people only wanting the stone cladding look might easily overlook. This might not necessarily be as straightforward as you might think, if you consider the fact that there are always differences in quality for both manufactured and natural stone cladding materials. Most manufacturers used cement based materials to make their artificial stones, so the quality of these materials will determine whether the stone cladding will be more or less resistant to chipping and breaking. On the other hand, the quality of natural stone cladding will be determined by what kind of stones are being used and which sources these come from.

Then, of course, there is the all-important matter of how much will it cost to have natural stone cladding versus manufactured stone cladding. In most cases, natural stone cladding will cost you a bit more money, since there is a lot involved in sourcing and cutting the stones to shape, in addition to the weight causing higher shipping costs. Still, it is possible to find plenty of manufactured stone cladding at higher cost than natural stone, since many manufacturers do use high quality materials and also put a lot of time and effort in their products' designs. Either way, you should be able to find choices suitable for your budget, whether you decide on manufactured or natural stone cladding rock panels.

No matter what your specific resources are, you should be able to make your home as comfortable and beautiful as you feel. Especially since you will be giving up so much money, and perhaps convenience during installation, you should definitely get whatever kind of stone cladding your feel will be best for your home. All you have to do to expand the range of options you have to choose from is take as much time as possible to explore the internet, while also visiting local retailers and wholesalers.
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Advantages Of Stone Cladding For Interior And Exterior Design Work

Stone cladding is a way to get the look of a stone building without using full-sized stone pieces. Thin pieces of stone are cut thin and either used as is or are attached to a another material to form sheets, such as those that imitate brick or stacked stone. These sheets are attached to the walls or floors of a building to give it the appearance of having been constructed out of stone.

Stone cladding can emulate the look of rough-hewn stone, but that isn't your only option. The stone wall cladding is available in many different types of stone, including things like brick and sandstone. Sheets of marble or slate are also available, as are sheets of rock that only look like these more expensive natural stones. These replacements are often made out of lighter, less expensive materials such as concrete or polished rock. There are also other smooth stone options that look similar to marble or slate.

Exteriors aren't the only place to use stone cladding. Interior design work with interior stone cladding is another option. Stone clad accent walls are a good way to get the look of an exterior space inside. Stone cladding can also be used as flooring, depending on the finish. Fireplaces are probably the most common way to use stone cladding inside. Stone cladding gives you the ability to create a stone fireplace without having to actually tear out the old fireplace and install a new, stone one.

There are many reasons to choose stone cladding to improve the look of your home. The weight of cladding is much less than the weight of full sized stones. Unless you are starting from scratch, there is a good chance that the building you own cannot structurally support full-sized stone added to the walls. Cladding is much lighter. You can usually safely add it to existing structures without too much concern over added weight.

Some areas are not good places to build stone buildings, but cladding allows you to get the same look. Any place where earthquakes are common, for example, is not a good place to build a stone structure. It also allows you to build a new, modern home, with all the modern advances in insulating and energy conservation, for example, that still looks old. You can also use them in areas where full-size stone is not available due to transportation costs or limitations.

Building with stone veneer is significantly more expensive than using cladding. This includes not only the cost of the materials themselves, but also the cost of transporting and installing those materials. You can create a much more expensive looking home than you would normally be able to afford.
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Decorating Your Home And Yard With Stone Cladding

Many people these days are searching around for a good way to decorate their homes, and the number of options out there can be quite extraordinary. For anyone who wants to make something a little bit more unique, stone cladding might be the way to go. In the following post, we'll take a closer look at just what is involved when you're dealing with natural stone panels veneer. You'll be much more prepared to deal with the necessary work once you have done so.

When it comes to defining stone cladding you'll usually see it referred to as a means of decorating a building of a different material with some stone pieces. Many architects will use stone cladding to improve and diversify the appearance of a building that is made of either steel or concrete.

You will find some people using the term "stone cladding" to refer to a synthetic version of the rock construction. If you are looking to get the same overall effect of stone cladding without paying as much for actual rock, this will be the way to go.

You might also find that you want to use natural stone cladding, which involves actually making rock panels to use in the walls. In many cases, the weight of the real rock panels will mean that you need to use mechanical means to keep the rocks in places. Many people have found that a stone clip be the most effective attachment technology to use.

When you start planning your next stone cladding project for your home, it will, of course, be necessary to make sure that the stone veneer that you choose for your home actually fits with the rest of the look of the neighborhood. It can often be helpful to talk to different stone cladding suppliers to see what kinds of stone cladding other people from your region have been purchasing.

Another important consideration will regard where you end up installing stone cladding. It can be very surprising to see just how much the appearance of your home can change by the simple addition of just a little bit of stone wall cladding. One very common place where you could put a nice natural stone veneer would be surrounding your entire fireplace. By adding just a bit of stone wall cladding to the opening around the fireplace, you can make the whole structure a much stronger focal point for your entire living room. In the decorating world, the idea of putting stone cladding in your home should cause you to feel quite excited by the prospects.
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Where Can Stone Cladding Be Installed?

When it comes to decorating your house, you can find some great inspiration just about anywhere you look. If you have someone who can give you great advice about what to do, you should be able to accomplish any aesthetic project you like.

Many people in the past few years have discovered the natural stone cladding and found some great ways to make it work. You can learn a lot more about how to effectively use stacked stone cladding in the house by taking a look at the post below.

If your home has a fireplace, you will probably enjoy having a natural stone veneer around it. Traditionally, the fireplace is the place in the house where a family can gather at the end of a day and spend time together. Of course, you also want it to be a part of your home that is essentially fireproof. The inside of most fireplaces will be made of either a cement or metal material, and this will often be extended to well past the opening of the fireplace. Most people who choose sandstone cladding will find that some natural stone panels placed artistically around the fireplace can bring the entire room together.

If you are looking to spice up the way your kitchen looks, this might be another great place for stone cladding. Kitchens today are a far cry from the rural kitchens that people have been using for years. Now, we are using appliances and fixtures with smooth edges and minimalist designs. Many people want to set off some of the smooth lines of the kitchen appliances with something a little bit more rugged and natural, and a natural stone veneer made of stone cladding can be the perfect solution. Many people will talk to stone cladding suppliers in the area to get a better sense of which varieties of stone will work the best for the kind of appliances in the kitchen.

Finally, rock panels can be the perfect way to accent any outdoor patio that you have. If you have a wood deck with a beautiful stain on it, you can make the entire effect even more pronounced by putting a stone veneer on the walls around the patio. Even if your home is made of brick, a good stone veneer can make your house the pride of the entire block. If your yard has a small waterfall or a pond, stone wall cladding can be a great way to surround it. You might want to consider the addition of some subtle lights to put in the pond, as this can create some truly astonishing shadows on the stone cladding that your guests will absolutely love.

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Stone Cladding Makes The Stone-Look Affordable

Veneers have revolutionized the dentist industry. However, veneers are not limited to the dentist office and are actually used in many different settings including home improvement. Stone veneer, also called stone wall cladding, can be used to cover wood and give it the appearance of stone. If you are thinking about imitation panels that you just hang on the wall, stone veneer is nothing like that. The technique used to create stone veneers and stone faux panels is similar but not the quality;  real stone is used to make stone clad walls.

Unlike flimsy panels, stone clad walls are strong and durable. And they resemble real stone because they are stone unlike panels that have stones that resemble paper mache. Polymers are also a part the material used in stone cladding. Stone is very popular as evidence by how often it is feature in home design publications. I'm sure you've even hoped to have stone in your home but thought it was too expensive. You may have assumed many of those looks were outside budget when, in actuality, they were stone veneer.

Stone veneers look and feel like the real deal even though the stone is manufactured. You don't have to be rich to have the rich look of stones in your home thanks to the advance technology that is responsible for stone cladding. Outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers, especially, like the look of stone veneers. Stone cladding also looks great in cabins and homes placed in natural environments. They can also give an old-world quality to wine cellars and dens.

Stone cladding looks great indoors but it also looks great outdoors too. Adding stone veneer to the street-facing wall of home will definitely get your home noticed. You don't have to stop at your house either when it comes to stone veneer because it can also be used to cover a fence. It would cost an unbelievable amount of money to erect a real stone fence on your property; especially if you have a substantial yard. With stone veneers you can have the same exact look for less than half of the cost. The people driving and walking by would never know the difference either; even if they reach out and touch it.

It is very easy to apply sandstone cladding to an existing would wall. To begin, a layer of weather resistant material is laid over the wood to protect it and the back of the veneer as well. After laying down the lining, nails, to attach the stones to, are hammered in the wood. Next, a thick coating of mortar is spread over the lining. Lastly, the manufactured stone is pressed into the mortar. Wet mortar is easy to wipe off; if you make any mistakes it is advisable to address the issue quick before the mortar dries.

Panels are another way that people get the stone look without using actual stone. These type of cover ups look extremely fake. The technique behind stone veneers, including the use of real mortar, is what makes it looks so authentic.
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