Have you priced natural stone lately? You may find it in the ground but it is anything but dirt cheap. Natural stone has been used for years in high end homes to add a touch of elegance. This association with sophistication has given it a certain prestige that makes it very expensive to build with. So, many people are turning to manufactured stone.
Manufactured stone is essentially concrete that has been shaped in a mold and given iron oxide pigments for its coloration.
The result is a product that is indistinguishable from natural stone and it has three huge benefits over it:
- Selection. If you have ever worked with natural stone, you know how hard it is to find a piece that is the right texture and coloration for you. Since the shipping costs are so high for stone, most buyers are stuck with what is available locally. With manufactured stone there is no limit to your options. You can have a stone created and shipped to your door that looks exactly like what you would find in China, New Zealand or anywhere else in the world.
- Ease of use. A big plus of manufactured stone is its lighter weight. It takes less people to assemble it and there is less chance of injury while working with it. Also, it can be any size or shape you need so it is very easy to put into place. Natural stone on the other hand, is nearly impossible to cut without the proper tools and a lot of experience with them.
- Price. By far the biggest reason to choose manufactured stone over natural is its significantly lower price. Since natural stone has to be properly shaped and cut before it can be used in a project, it is very labor intensive. This extra labor translates to a lot of extra dollars in the price. Since manufactured stone doesn’t need the extra work, it is much cheaper to produce.
Native Custom Stone has a huge selection of manufactured stone and stone panels for your next project. Locate a distributor or contact us today for more information about using our manufactured stone for both commercial and residential developments.
