Today’s contractors, architects, and future homeowners are increasingly interested in natural building materials and sustainable techniques. While many materials and design options are available in today’s markets designed to facilitate what has come to be known as green building, stone still offers some significant benefits over all those new man-made alternatives. Read on to discover five reasons why stone is still the superior choice.
1. It’s All-Natural
Stone is an abundantly available natural material that requires no additional resources. Natural Stone Manufacturers can simply source stones of various colors, shapes, textures, and technical characteristics from local quarries, cut them to size, and use them to fabricate beautiful architectural features. This helps to reduce homeowners’ carbon footprints and ensure their homes are built sustainably.
2. It’s Durable
Many natural stones are incredibly durable, enhancing the home's value over time. Stones like slate, granite, limestone, and travertine all age very gracefully and are perfect for highly trafficked areas like kitchens, baths, foyers, and courtyards. With minimal care, they can last for decades, or even centuries, which means there’s no need for homeowners to worry about the impact of replacing stone features on either their wallets or the environment.
3. It’s Easy to Maintain
Ensuring that stone floors, countertops, and other architectural features can withstand the test of time and general wear and tear is relatively easy. Numerous finishes and fabrication options can extend the stone's lifespan, enhance its performance in indoor and outdoor settings, and even make it more slip- and stain-resistant.
Cleaning finished stone is incredibly easy. Homeowners can use mild dish soap mixed with water or purchase specialized cleaners, which tend to be formulated to meet sustainability standards. Regular cleaning and occasional sealing are all that most stone fixtures need to maximize their performance and longevity.
4. It’s Completely Recyclable
Once a stone fixture has outlived its usefulness in a residential home, it can be salvaged or recycled for reuse in other applications. Old stone buildings can be disassembled, and the stones can be used for retaining walls, exterior facades, or pavers. You can search the web for retaining wall contractors near me who can do that for you. Small stones and stone fragments can make mosaics and other unique art forms. Even the scraps and byproducts created during manufacturing can be reused in other applications to avoid sending them to landfills. This helps to prevent unnecessary resource depletion and other negative environmental impacts.
5. It’s Healthy
Using natural stone as a building material isn’t just better for the environment. It’s also better for homeowners and their families. While man-made building materials often off-gas hazardous chemicals or exacerbate allergies and other respiratory issues, the stone has none. This natural material isn’t known to collect dust, pollen, and other allergens and doesn’t contain any potentially hazardous chemicals or other unwanted materials.
The Bottom Line
Many building materials are available in today’s markets, many of which claim to be eco-friendly and sustainable. When it comes to the health of modern homeowners, their families, and the planet, no man-made material can compare to natural stone. Learn more about this versatile building material online or find inspiration for different ways to incorporate it into green building designs to maximize its potential.
