Have you seen the beautiful stonework on your neighbors’ homes and eyed them with envy, wondering “Is that real or is it fake?” From a distance, it can be hard to tell whether it’s real stonework or simply a fake stone facade.
Even up close, you may have to run your hand over it to see if it’s authentic. Imitation stone manufacturers create products that come close to looking real — but there’s no substitute for genuine stone.
As you select materials, you’ll find there are many pros and cons to choosing manufactured vs. natural stone. Let’s take a closer look at which is the right choice for your home.
Real Stonework
Natural stone almost always looks the most stylish and authentic on high-end homes. It suits the value of your property and evokes a sense of history. Your luxury community or homeowners’ association may even have rules requiring the use of real stonework on your home’s exterior to maintain an upscale appearance.
In terms of expense, keep in mind that all types of natural stonework are going to come at higher prices than imitation stonework. This is due to the added cost of the materials themselves, the delivery charge, plus the extra time it takes to install stone masonry properly.
Virtually any type of stone can be sourced for your home, although it’s going to get expensive trying to obtain more exotic cuts. Some of the most common types of exterior stone in the U.S. are quartzite, flint, travertine, granite, marble, slate, fieldstone, limestone, and sandstone.
If you’d like to use a type of stone that’s native to your area, ensure it’s appropriate for the durability and design style you desire. Here in our area, sedimentary stone like limestone, sandstone, and shale are all around us.
The most commonly used option for real stone on MC Homes builds is limestone. It’s durable, weather resistant, and of course, it looks great installed.
Fake Stonework
Fake stonework, also known as faux stone, cast stone, manufactured stone, or a facade, comes in many forms. It’s a budget-friendly solution that’s often easier to find and faster to install than authentic stonework.
It’s lightweight compared to real stone. And, most notably, significantly less expensive than laying real stonework. When making budget considerations, using faux stone might be an advantageous trade-off if it means keeping other items for your dream home wish list intact. And, despite the lack of authenticity, you can still get a stunning style and texture that many passers-by will likely never notice.
Most faux stone resists wear, mold, stains, weather, and pests. You just need to stay mindful of its deficiencies, such as constant exposure to certain substances, like pool chemicals. The National Association of Home Inspectors recommends using genuine stone rather than manufactured stone around pools and spas if this is your desired application.
Selecting the Right Stone with MC Homes
This is the type of conversation you will have with us at MC Homes in the design phase of your home, when we discuss the budget and material costs to achieve your desired look. As is the case with any MC Homes build, you aren’t going to get sticker-shock when you see the final price tag. We work with your budget to make sure we get as many items on your wish list as possible and are happy to recommend what we think would be a great alternative if materials start to push the budget to the max.
Reach out to us today to discuss the merits of real stonework vs. fake stonework for your home. Finding the right materials to build your ideal dream home is at the heart of what we do!
MC Homes: Reflecting you in every build.
