Whether you are building a new home or you’re planning a renovation, one way to enhance your home is with the addition of stone cladding. Cladding is the material used on the exterior walls, but stone can also be used for interior walls, especially as a feature wall to take your home from ordinary to outstanding.
Stone is one of the oldest building materials there is. The difference these days is in the tools that are used to cut it. Such tools were never even heard of years ago and enable stone to be cut more precisely and with different edges than yesteryear. Crushed stone can also be mixed with concrete to create a wall with the same appearance and properties of stone, but at a more affordable price. This is known as reconstituted stone.
There are many different types of stone for building; limestone, quartz, sandstone and their reconstituted counterparts to name just a few. So what are the reasons to consider using this type of cladding?
- It is totally durable, with stone buildings from hundreds of years ago still standing as proof.
- It is easy to maintain – in fact, it requires no maintenance.
- It is aesthetically pleasing with many different colours, shades, shapes and textures.
- There are many ways of using it in a wall to make the best of its natural features.
You might think that a stone wall would be costly, but the price can be more affordable than you may expect, especially when the fact that there are no ongoing costs of painting or any other maintenance is taken into consideration.
Inside the home a stone wall can be used as a part divider between sections such as the kitchen and living area, or have a small square of stone inserted into the main wall as a feature that will entrance visitors and add value to the home. You could replace one entire wall with stone – it would look stunning surrounding a fireplace, for instance. Or you could use it in the foyer to welcome guests when they step inside.
Outside, a home can be built entirely of stone or you can use stone cladding for just those walls visible from the street. This is street appeal at its best and is ideal if you must stick to a budget. You can get the pleasure and value of some stone walls without the cost. It can also be used as part of a wall for a feature area. It could be used to surround the front door or in the front porch as a feature.
There are so many ways in which stone wall cladding can be used in a home that it can be hard to decide just what would suit your home best.