Stone Veneer vs. Natural Stone: Which is Best For Your Home

With the growing popularity of stone siding and interior decor in modern homes, it’s time to start looking into your options for remodeling your space to match the trend. Though real stone is a gorgeous addition to your exterior walls, it can be a bit pricey and difficult to install. Enter the stone veneer option. It’s affordable, easy to install, and comes equipped with plenty of benefits for your home. So, what exactly is stone veneer and how does it compare to real stone?

What is Stone Veneer?

Despite its aesthetically natural appearance, stone veneer is not made of actual stone. Instead, stone veneer is a combination of cement and iron oxide pigments blended together to create the stunning look of natural stone. This architectural product is used to replicate the real stone look that many homeowners dream of. Whether you’re interested in lining the exterior of your house with this stone choice or looking to redesign your fireplace as a breathtaking centerpiece for your home, stone veneer is an excellent option.

Stone Veneer vs. Real Stone

When it comes to selecting the right stone for your home, it can be challenging to know which option to choose. You may be wondering what the difference even is between stone veneer vs. real stone and which one better suits your home needs. Read on to learn a bit more about these two stone choices and how to determine which to use.

Stone Veneer

The architectural stone veneer option has become increasingly popular over the years — an unsurprising feat given the long list of advantages it provides. Before you make your final decision between stone veneer vs. real stone, let’s take a look at just what those advantages are and why stone veneer may be your best option.

Some of the key advantages to stone veneer include:

• Easy to buy in-store
• Natural stone appearance
• Ease of installation
• Lightweight material
• Wide range of styles
• Consistent quality

Though this list of advantages might be enough to sell you on the spot, make sure to consider the few disadvantages before going all-in:

• Color can fade quicker than stone
• More prone to damage than real stone

Real Stone

For homeowners interested in a more heavy-duty stone, choosing real stone for your design may be the route for you. Check out the advantages and disadvantages of the real stacked stone option below.

A few of the primary advantages to real stone include:

• More durable than stone veneer
• Color lasts longer than veneer
• Slightly more rustic, natural appearance

Though the real stone choice has a handful of benefits, it doesn’t come without its disadvantages as well. These include:

• Heavyweight
• Requires structural support
• Difficult to obtain
• Few styles

We’ll look a little further into these pros and cons of stone veneer vs. real stone in the following section so you can have all the facts before designing your home.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Stone

As you begin your search for the perfect stone design, consider these few factors that may impact your decision.

Installation Process

Since stone veneer is lightweight and easier to cut, the installation process tends to be a bit smoother compared to the real stone option. With Be.On Stone, trained contractors can install your stone veneer without any mortar, producing a clean and natural stone appearance.

On the other hand, real stone has a somewhat more complicated installation process. Because of its heavier weight, real stone can be difficult to carry and place. In addition, this stone choice usually needs more structural support to hold its weight. Overall, the real stone installation process is likely to take a bit more time and require more work.

Appearance

Whether you’re looking for that classic natural stone appearance or a pop of texture to make your home stand out, both stone veneer and real stone can offer just that. Since stone veneer is manufactured, you’ll have a wider pick of the types of stone veneer you’d like incorporated into your home design. If real stone is more your style, you’ll have a limited choice based on the stones available.

When it comes to appearance, it’s important to keep in mind the wear and tear of both options. Since stone veneer is not made of real stone, the iron oxide pigments may fade quicker over time. Real stone, on the other hand, can withstand the effects of direct sunlight for a much longer time.

Overall Cost

The final factor to consider when deciding between stone veneer vs. real stone is the general cost. Stone veneer is an affordable option both in cost per square foot and in installation costs. Since stone veneer is much easier to install, you’ll likely pay less in labor costs than with real stone. When it comes to determining a budget and learning the overall cost of stone veneer, you’ll want to contact a professional contractor to discuss options.

Enjoy the Beautiful Design of Stone Veneer

Improve your curb appeal and redesign the home of your dreams with Be.On Stone’s stone veneer products. You’ll have the opportunity to achieve that natural stone look without having to handle the challenging installation process or purchasing additional tools and structural support. Browse our wide selection of products online or in a store near you and contact our team today to learn more about the stone veneer options available.