Call it the Target mind-set. Americans crave high style and incredible value, whether it's in products from their local big-box retailer or from their builder and remodeler. So just as you can pop into Target and get a Michael Graves
Design teakettle for $24.99, architects like Jeffrey DeMure are using manufactured stone as a way to make an in-demand look available to homeowners at all price points.
When buyers see [stone] on the home and garden channel or in Dwell, they see it as a threshold of taste and success, says DeMure, principal and president of Jeffrey DeMure + Associates Architects Planners in El Dorado Hills, Calif. Manufactured stone, designed to resemble quarried stone, provides the look homeowners want at the price point many of them can afford, he says.
Builders and architects are specing manufactured stone all around the house, most notably as exterior cladding but also inside for fireplaces, backsplashes, and wine cellars. Home buyers ascribe value to the stone look, DeMure says, and it fits well with a variety of architectural styles.
The desire for affordable luxury is one of the factors that have driven manufactured stone veneer's growth over the past decade. While manufactured stone made up only 1.6 percent of exterior siding for new single-family detached construction in 1998, it doubled its market share to 3.2 percent of siding for multifamily and single-family homes in 2005, according to the NAHB's Siding Exterior Wall Finish study. It's become part of the architectural landscape, DeMure says.
Elegant and Economical
The elegance and versatility of stone is one reason their product is a hot commodity, manufacturers say. We see a lot of growth around the rich, bold look of stone and the ability to tie the rich, rugged feel of stone into the design of the home, says Kevin Grotke, director of marketing for Cultured Stone. In fact, the company's research indicates that homeowners will pay 3 percent more for a home with a manufactured stone veneer entryway.
Manufactured stones, usually made with some combination of Portland cement, natural aggregates, and pigment, are not full-size stones, but rather are pieces of veneer, usually 1 inch to 3 inches thick, that are applied with mortar over a wall surface. New manufacturing processes more accurately capture the nuances and coloring variances of natural stone. Manufactured products are cast in molds taken from natural stones, and manufacturers consult with architects and builders to bring new profiles and colors to market.
We look for stones that have interesting textures and shapes, and even stones that have interesting stories behind them, says Brent Spann, vice president of marketing for
Eldorado Stone. The company has used bricks from 1900s Italian homes, stones recovered from the European countryside, and adobe bricks from the Southwest as inspiration.
These choices allow designers to use manufactured stone in a variety of ways,
DeMure says. Depending on how it's grouted and applied, stone could fit into a Sierra Craftsman-style home or a refined French country look, he explains. It gives me the most amount of flexibility from an architectural style standpoint.
But the most appealing benefits to builders and remodelers might be the time and cost savings. The savings is in the preparation, says Bob Peters, vice president of sales for United Stone Veneer. Manufactured stone is about half the weight of the real thing, so no brick ledge or foundation is needed to carry the load.
Because it's lighter it goes up so much quicker, adds Rick Marcotulli, owner of Elite Stone, a manufactured stone dealer and installer near Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. He says that one of his skilled masons can install 40 to 70 square feet of natural stone per day, but 100 to 200 square feet of manufactured stone in the same time. With high costs for labor and shipping natural stone to Florida, he says the installed cost of natural stone is two to two and a half times higher than manufactured stone per square foot.
Manufactured stone may not have the life span of natural stone, which is already millions of years old when it is quarried, but makers say it should last as long as other quality masonry products such as concrete block or brick. Many manufacturers offer limited warranties ranging from 30 to 50 years.
Furthermore, manufacturers are reaching out to remodelers, pointing out that manufactured stone can add pizzazz without requiring additional foundation support. Homeowners are saying, 'I can add value to my own home; I can add a facelift to the outside,' by adding exterior stone veneer, Peters says.
In or Out?
Exterior walls and entryways aren't the only places designers are using manufactured stone. With the recent boom in outdoor living spaces, stone veneer is sprucing up garden walls, barbecue and grill surrounds, outdoor fireplaces, and more. They're attaching stone to it to make it look more like part of the natural landscape, says Len Przybylski, president of manufacturer Trilite Stone.
Homeowners also are embracing faux stone inside their homes, and not just around the fireplace. Architect DeMure says using stone on walls or kitchen islands helps to blur the line between interior and exterior space. It makes the space feel bigger, he says, an important goal in dense housing.
Faced with the increasing popularity and affordability of manufactured stone, even natural stone providers are getting into the stone veneer business, in which real stone is cut to turn it into a more narrow veneer that is installed like manufactured stone. Architect Dennis Danahy, a principal of Scheurer
Architects in Newport Beach and Palm Springs, Calif., says he's used quarried stone veneer in communities where natural stone is required. It provides some of the same time and cost savings of manufactured stone when nothing but the real thing will do.
With so much growth in the manufactured stone category, the product's makers banded together last year to form the Masonry Veneer Manufacturers Association, with the goal of developing performance and installation standards. The standards, Spann says, will ensure you get something that's really going to be dependable and not have any problems.
With a rock-solid reputation for beauty, affordability, and durability, manufactured stone should continue to show up in more spaces. Cultured Stone's Grotke has seen significant increases in landscaping, tennis court, and gazebo applications. Its wide variety of colors and textures allows for complementary looks between manufactured stone and other natural products, he says, ensuring that faux stone is an authentic match. -- BUILDING PRODUCTS
Faux-stone makers offer a seemingly endless number of profile and color options, but designers and manufacturers are finding a way to add even more creative flair with custom looks and complementary accessories.
In one California community, architect Dennis Danahy wanted a slump stone look with a light washed stucco over it. He approached Eldorado Stone with his idea, and they made it for him. "It worked out beautifully," he says.
Manufacturers also are offering accessories and detailing materials, like pre-cast stone for corners, transition materials for stone to wood or stone to stucco, sill plates, trim pieces, and more—and in complementary colors. Manufactured stone installer Rick Marcotulli says those accessories make it easier for him to offer a turnkey project. "We [can] do all the stone, all the trim for the windows," he says. "That makes it a lot easier for the clients."
Manufactured stone may be the most popular faux-stone material, but it's not the only option. Here are three additional products that also provide the look of stone.
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| Exterior Portfolio by Crane. BellaStone exterior panels offer the aesthetics of natural stone in a format that installs at least 50 percent faster, mounting directly to the wall without any prep work or special materials, says the maker. The insulated faux-stone panels are a composite of real stone aggregate fused or embedded into a high-performance polymer and weigh 20 percent as much as manufactured cement stone, the company says. BellaStone provides an R-value of up to 4.0 and reduces sound transmission. 800-366-8472. www.thinkoutsidenow.com. | Nailite. Manufactured with an injection-molding process using a polypropylene formula, these hand-cut panels provide the look of classic stone and install simply, according to the firm. The color-through resin panels contain polymers to shield against ultraviolet rays and stabilizers for protection from intense heat. Panels are more than twice the thickness of conventional siding. 888-300-0070. www.nailite.com. | Nichiha. Canyon Brick, Field Stone, and Quarry Stone fiber-cement siding panels utilize nano-technology, a microscopic layer of water engineered to protect the panel surface from dirt and environmental elements, says the company. When rinsed with water or rainfall, grime and stains automatically wash away, the maker adds. The panels have rich copper and earthtones, mixed with grays. 866-424-4421. www.nichiha.com. |
| Eldorado Stone. Manufactured in much the same way as Eldorado Stone, Eldorado Brick is a veneer product in which each brick is unique. The manufacturer uses a combination of pronounced textures; various lengths, heights, and thicknesses; and a multitude of colors to create each brick. RomaBrick, one of four profiles, and Bracciano, one of 14 colors, are pictured. 800-925-1491. www.eldoradostone.com. |  |
 | Owens Corning. With a blend of dark, smoky hues and areas of striking contrast, Cultured Stone black Rundle Country Ledgestone authentically replicates the smooth, blocky Rundle rock of the Canadian Rockies, according to the manufacturer. It is the 12th color in the Country Ledgestone line. 800-255-1727. www.culturedstone.com. |
| TriLite Stone. Stackstone, in the mist color, is a sharply cut stone with varying dimensions that sits fairly tightly, says the company. The color is a light cream with some varying color accents on the face of the stone. 888-786-6626. www.trilitestone.com. |  |
 | United Stone Veneer. A versatile stone that can be installed dry stacked or grouted, Tuscan Fieldstone (pictured in the autumn color) features a detailed rustic face and Old World texture, says the maker. It is suited for both interior and exterior applications. The company offers seven stone styles and 23 colors. 877-424-4442. www.unitedstoneveneer.com. |
| Centurion Stone. The Pennsylvania Ashlar pattern features irregular stones and is patterned after natural stones native to the old South. The manufacturer offers more than 25 patterns and 200 colors, as well as a complete line of accessory items and corner pieces. 800-786-6352. www.centurionstone.com. |  |
 | Coronado Stone. Capturing the rustic look of a European villa estate, Venetian Villa has oversized stones and brilliant colors, the firm says. The company offers 24 individual profiles in 72 color schemes, with custom colors available. Stone profiles include villa stones, ledgestones, rubble stones, and irregularly shaped fieldstones. The manufacturer also produces thin brick, floor tiles, and pavers. 800-847-8663. www.coronado.com. |
| StoneCraft. This house features cobblestone in the manufacturer's Valley Forge color. The sandstone-textured profile is roughly chisel-cut into rectangular ashlar shapes. Stone sizes range from 4 to 21 inches in length and 21/2 to 12 inches in height. The stone veneer is created using a mold-making process from actual stones, and natural ingredients create a geologically accurate texture, the maker says. 888-580-6448. www.stonecraft.com. |  |