Stone masonry can be a powerful element in the landscape. When installed by a journeyman mason, stonework will express an old world quality and craftsmanship. Traditionally, this kind of quality comes with significant expense since each stone has to be ‘dressed’ before it was set in place. One cost saving solution came with the advent of ‘cultured’ stone which is a manufactured product that looks like stone and can be applied immediately to a prepared wall with no dressing. Another solution was the development of saw cut natural stone veneer, which can be applied the same way as cultured stone, but is a true natural stone. Neither can fully replace the qualities of full building stone installation, but for many people the alternatives provide a solution that fits the budget.
The traditional process of stone masonry generally involves a 4”-6” building stone. The product will be purchased in bulk, from a quarry, with undefined faces that are often as they were dug from the ground. The first step for the mason is to ‘dress’ the stone. A ‘dressing’ table is set up where masons chisel and chip the stone into the desired shape. More importantly, they chisel off what is to be the exposed side to show the inner beauty of the stones colors and textures. Then the stone is ready to be set.
The type of stone will determine the amount of labor require to dress it. Stones with high metal contents such as mica types can be especially hard and require much more time than the softer stones like sandstones. The quality of the mason will also determine the labor involved in stone dressing. Some masons are particular and require the stone be dressed to expose its fullest beauty. Other masons will chip off a bit of the face and call it good. Building stones are bulky and setting them is time consuming. It is a labor intensive process and that drives the high costs.
Recognizing the consumer’s desire for stone masonry was limited by their budgets; manufacturers developed a product known as ‘cultured stone’. Cultured stone is a synthetic product. Some cultured stone is produced by combining the grindings of natural stone with cement or some combination of adhesive elements. Other cultures stones are fully synthetic combinations of cements, adhesives and aggregates. The ‘faces’ of the cultured stones are poured into molds designed to replicate a variety of natural stone types. The back sides are kept flat and uniform for easy installation. Cultured stone is light and uniform so it can be installed with relative ease and efficiency. And, it is designed so that little if any field alterations or cutting is required. If inspected closely, it is rather easy to realize that cultured stone is indeed a fake, though for many people the cost is worth the compromise.
Saw cut natural stone veneer is the best quality option for stone work at a cost savings. This product is a natural stone. A quarry will split open the stone faces, then saw cut the back sides to create a thin stone veneer that is pre-dressed and ready to install. A good mason will still field cut the veneer some to ensure that the joint patterns are uniform and aesthetically desirable. The natural saw cut stone veneer is heavier than the cultured stone and requires more time to ensure a proper setting bed on the walls. So though the material costs for cultures stone and natural veneer are about the same, the natural veneer will cost more once installed.
There is no replacement for the quality and beauty of natural building stone, field dressed and installed by a journeyman mason. There are a couple of application shortcoming to both cultured and saw cut natural stone veneer. Neither of the manufactured products work especially well on curved applications because their saw or manufactured edges tend to become exposed. With natural full building stone, a mason can actually dress a curve into the face of the stone and has more play in the setting beds. When installed, a mason can point the joints of full natural building stone to create a relief and expose the edges of the stone. That result is a richness of character that cannot be replicated.
