Selecting exterior materials is among the main decisions that switches into designing a home, affecting the way the finished home will look and how long it’ll last before requiring repair. Stone is a traditional material for exterior walls that builders still use today. Despite a comparatively high cost in comparison to other varieties of exterior building materials such as brick or various types of siding, exterior design homes offer long-term benefits to their owners.
Appearance
Homes with stone exteriors tend to have venerable appearances. In some instances stone suggests formal, classical elegance. When builders use rougher, more unfinished bits of stone the result is usually to make the house seem to be rustic and built-into its natural surroundings. Stone suggests strength and permanence. Designers sometimes use stone walls for only some of any home’s exterior, pairing it with siding, shingles or brick for creative appearances that stick out.
Versatility
Stone comes in a variety of styles, colors and textures. This gives designers and builders significant amounts of freedom, as well as gives home buyers an opportunity to pick from several architectural styles all within the realm of stone. Granite-block stone exteriors work for Georgian and Federal-style homes, while limestone can create homes that resemble castles or European country homes. Finally, eclectic and unfinished field stones work well in the walls of cottage-style homes and Prairie homes.
Durability
Stone is an extremely durable building material. As an exterior surface, stone resists wear from wind, rain and ice. In addition, it resists fading from sunlight. Stone walls are impervious to damage from insects, which isn’t true of wood siding. Stone home exteriors won’t rot when exposed to moisture. They could withstand fire, reducing the severe nature of damage to a home and the expense of repairs. Homeowners with stone walls haven’t any need to displace siding or paint the exterior, both of which are costly and time-consuming jobs.
Environmental Benefits
Because stone homes last such a long time, they reduce the need to harvest new materials from nature or add old material to landfills. Stone homes will benefit the environment when builders opt for stone from an area source, which reduces the necessity for transporting the heavy material.
