Making the Most of Manufactured Stone Veneer

Home buyers today demand products that offer resilience and sustainability, which is why builders may want to learn more about manufactured stone veneer.

Sponsored Content

When it comes to making decisions about which products to install inside their homes and on the exterior, today’s homebuyers have more on their minds than aesthetics. 

In fact, the top priority is sustainability, followed by quality and performance, according to a Green Builder Media COGNITION Smart data survey. 

Source: COGNITION Smart Data

In the face of natural disasters and extreme temperatures, homebuyers want to know that their homes can withstand some of the harshest impacts of climate change. In addition, they want to make choices that match their desire for a comfortable and attractive home while reducing their impact on the environment. 

Manufactured stone veneer, which is a lightweight manmade alternative to natural stone, offers a sustainable option for interior accent walls throughout a home as well as exterior uses. The material comes in a variety of textures and colors and can be nearly impossible to distinguish from natural stone. 

Cultured Stone’s manufactured stone veneers are produced in molds with a lightweight aggregate concrete mix that includes up to 58% recycled materials. The final product weighs as little as eight to 15 pounds per square foot, which means it typically does not need concrete footings for support, which in turn reduces the carbon footprint of the building. The R-value of manufactured stone veneer is similar to wood.

Manufactured stone veneer can be recycled when a home is remodeled or torn down by reusing some of the stones or as “clean fill” for some projects.

Resilience and Durability

Just like natural stone, manufactured stone veneer stands up to extreme temperatures, wind, fire, hail and storms. Cultured Stone’s manufactured stone veneer has a Class A fire rating and has been tested through freeze-thaw cycles to prove its viability for use on buildings in mountain ski resorts.

The product is durable for both interior and exterior use. Cultured Stone’s manufactured stone veneer comes with a 50-year limited warranty. 

Today’s homebuyers, particularly Millennials and those in the Gen Z generation, value resilience and durability for their homes. In fact, 85% of Gen Z buyers said they would pay more upfront for upgrades that add to the resiliency of their homes in a Green Builder COGNITION survey.

Source: COGNITION Smart Data

Why Consider Manufactured Stone Veneer

In addition to the sustainability and durability of manufactured stone veneer, designers, architects and builders find that the product can be used for lasting appeal in a variety of ways. 

Homes can be clad in manufactured stone veneer completely or it can used with other materials as an architectural accent. The product can resemble brick, river rock, or rustic stone, and can be created in hundreds of colors and finishes.

Inside, manufactured stone veneer can serve as a focal point to surround a fireplace, as a kitchen backsplash, an accent wall in a living or dining room, or in a bathroom. Depending on the style of the home and the desires of the homeowner, the material can have a sleek, smooth marble-like finish or even resemble coral. 

Since manufactured stone veneer can be approximately one-third lighter than stone and comes packaged in boxes that are simple to transport, the installation process can be faster than building with natural stone. 

To learn more about the sustainability, versatility, and return on investment of manufactured stone, as well as to gather tips for designing and installing manufactured stone veneer, download this free eBook .