Explore the advantages of natural stone in your masonry projects.
Since natural stone is considered one of the strongest and most durable of nature’s materials, it’s a popular choice for outdoor living projects. Natural stone is versatile, ranges in size, and comes in various colors. It also complements other materials – metal, wood, and brick. If you are ready to construct a new masonry project with DelPrete Masonry, consider the many reasons why natural stone is such an appealing choice.
Visually Appealing
Natural stone is beautiful, so projects that use it are distinctive and demonstrate unparalleled character. Natural stone contributes positively to masonry projects because it is visually appealing, provides endless design possibilities, and naturally complements any landscape. Monuments, buildings, and hardscapes that leverage natural stone in their composition offer a calming, emotional connection to people who experience them.
Versatility
Another reason to use natural stone in masonry projects is its versatility. Stone is the most flexible building material in the world. Applications may include monuments, exterior patios, interior flooring, decking, walkways, roofing, pavers, fireplaces, water features, etc. There is a stone variety for most projects, inside and outside, even curbside and poolside.
Stone Finishes for Any Application
Hand-or-machine-applied stone finishes are available to fit nearly any desired design. In addition, some finishes inspire the designer’s imagination while others provide practical advantages like slip resistance. Whether it’s a landscape or a building’s architecture, texture makes stone appealing. Variations in patterns, color, and texture are visually exciting and impossible to copy in other materials. Stone finishes include pineapple, flamed, polished, honed, sandblasted, corduroy, engraved, scored, antiqued, etc.
Stone Can Last a Long Time
Natural stone may be expensive upfront due to the transportation, quarrying, and skill required to install it, but it is well worth it in the long term. In addition, domestic or commercial structures constructed with stone can last for a generation. Even better, natural stone is impervious to insects, rot, and fire.
The Possibilities are Endless
Any pattern, size, or shape may be drawn and reproduced in stone with modern computing. For example, wave-like patterns, astonishing geometric patterns, and textures made by CNC machines are possible. So, combine that with the agelessness and character of hand-tooled, hammered, scored, or adze patterns, and the possibilities are endless.
Natural Stone is Durable
The ability of the natural stone to maintain its essential characteristics of strength, appearance over time, and resistance to decay define its durability. Stone can endure long with the properly chosen stone varieties, sizes, and finishes for a particular application. For instance, slate roof tiles are suitable to shed rainwater on a rooftop, lasting 100 years and even outliving the building’s occupants and artificial roofing materials. However, those same slate tiles could not handle heavy vehicle traffic. In contrast, granite is the primary material for municipal curbs, where its durability and strength have been documented with years of vehicular abuse.
Natural Stone is Less Resource Intensive
Once built, natural stone structures are less resource-intensive. This is because the stone retains heat in the wintertime and keeps it cool in the summer due to its high thermal mass. Also, this reduces the costs of temperature control while offering a comfortable environment for visitors and occupants. Modern builders and architects may choose to leverage the properties of natural stone for some interior or exterior projects but not the structure as a whole.
Stone is Eco-Friendly
Although the upfront cutting, quarrying, facing, and finishing of stone, installation, and transportation might seem time and cost-intensive, natural stone could last centuries. In contrast, other structures will come and go at an even more significant environmental cost. The craftsmen at DelPrete Masonry can incorporate the durability and beauty of block, brick, stone, and other materials to restore new life, aesthetic quality, and stability to older buildings. Contact DelPrete Masonry at 443-250-4193 or by email.
Less Maintenance
Compared to artificial materials, little to no cleaning or chemicals are required to maintain natural stone. Building owners must complete some maintenance as insurance against visual decay. The good news is that stone has proven practices and products to maintain, restore, and rejuvenate any natural stone surface – shower walls, floors, pavers, outdoor patios, indoor countertops, etc.
Enhances Property Value
Using natural stone in masonry projects may even increase resale value. Exterior stone applications boost curb appeal, attracting potential buyers. Perhaps the most essential reason to utilize natural stone in your building project is the increased appreciation you will have for your property as it stands strong for many years.
CONTACT DEL PRETE MASONRY TODAY!
Whether you are ready to start your next masonry project or are still hesitant and have questions, Del Prete Masonry is here to help. We have the experience and expertise to get it right the first time. Questions? Want to visit some of our residential or commercial projects? Ready to set up a consultation? Feel free to give us a call at 410-683-0650 or visit us online. We are happy to serve Baltimore City and County, Harford County, Carroll County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County. To see examples of our work and to keep up with our new and exciting projects, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Tags: natural stone, natural stone construction, stone masonry