Have you ever inquired a stone veneer contractor or a masonry contractor whether the stone veneer is real or manufactured? You should do that because both look the same. As everybody knows now that, the stone market has become a new hot in the hardscape design.

All you need to know about Stone Veneer

It is worth mentioning here that in terms of material cost, there is not much difference between the real and the manufactured stone veneer, but there are many specifications one of preferred over the other. Here is the difference between real and manufactured stone veneer that you should be aware of to make an informed decision.

Real Stone

Real stone is the natural one, which is mined and cut into different shapes to fit in for different uses.

Manufactured Stone

It is also known as cultured stone. A mix of cement and many other components that are molded and toned to appear as a real stone.

Difference as To Which One Is Better?

A final verdict cannot be given as to which one is better, a real stone or a manufactured veneer. A stone veneer contractor or a masonry contractor would always say that the choice depends upon your preference and for what landscape you require the stone. Here are a few things you should consider before making any decision regarding which stone you should choose.

Real Stone

Although the material cost of both stones is equal, the installation cost makes it way costly to use the real stone. It weighs much more than the manufactured stone. However, the finished look does not show any visual difference in regards with the manufactured stone.

But, there is one feature the real stone holds that manufactured stone lacks. The real stone is chosen and installed to appear as it was always a part of the landscape. One may argue that the manufactured stone veneer serves the same purpose now but only a high-end manufactured stone can serve this purpose and that too only a few ones.

Manufactured Stone

Manufactured stone is a favorite with majority of people because of its problem-solving abilities. It is also more useable because of its high availability as it is used where there are no sources of quarried stone. It is also cheaper as compared to the real stone and weighs 3 times less than that of real stone. Also, it is easy to install. It can be installed up to 30 feet without requiring extra footing. It also is a solution for the wood core walls, as with real stone, an additional reinforcement is required to support the wall’s weight.

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One thing needs to be remembered here that the manufactured stone is not suitable for water applications like pools and fountains because the chemicals and persistent moisture will result in its deterioration.

Another difference that exists between the real stone and manufacture stone is that for real stone installation, you have to go to masonry contractor long island while for manufactured you heed stone veneer contractor.