The ambiance, and the warmth that a fireplace offers you and your family during the long, cold winter months can be the bright spot in your home and the perfect gathering place for family and friends. Now's a perfect time to consider updating your fireplace surround with natural stone or cultured stone veneer in time for chilly nights and the holiday season. Whether your home decor style is traditional, rustic, or contemporary, there is a stone masonry option for every taste. So, if your fireplace surround is looking weathered or outdated, you may want to think about refacing it with natural quarry stone, natural thin stone veneer, or cultured stone veneer.
Stone Fireplace Surround Choices
There are several types of stone fireplace surrounds. You can choose from natural stones taken from a quarry (uncut), natural stone veneers which are quarry stones that are cut into thin slices, or manufactured stone which is made to look and feel like natural stone. If you're thinking of elevating your outdated fireplace or are ready to install a new fireplace or stone feature wall, you can learn more about your options by reading on.
Natural Quarry Stone
A natural stone fireplace is a one-of-a-kind, work of art in itself. Natural stone fireplace surrounds are built with quarry stones which makes it the heaviest of options and requires proper footings and support to carry the weight. The cost of the stone plus the extra labor and materials to ensure this type of support make this fireplace surround more costly than other options, but can also be well worth it. A skilled masonry contractor with an artistic eye can create a show-stopping focal point for your home.
Natural Stone Veneer
Natural stone veneer fireplace surrounds uses natural stone which has been sliced approximately to a one-inch thickness and weighs no more than fifteen pounds per square foot. Because this option weighs much less than using the entire full bed stone, it does not require extra footings and support. Natural stone veneer is an excellent way to incorporate the high-end look of having a real stone fireplace surround into your home decor and save some money in installation and materials costs.
Cultured Stone Veneer
Another popular type of veneer is a manmade material that has the look and feel of natural stone, but is lighter in weight and more affordable. Other names for this type of stone is faux stone, manufactured stone, and cast stone, but the fact is that some of these are made to look so much like natural quarry stones, that even a trained eye would be able to tell the difference without close inspection. Cultured stones are cast in molds taken from quarry stones and and captures realistic textures and details from the surface of the natural stones. They're available in many colors, shapes and patterns which makes them easier to fit into any style decor. Manufactured stone veneer is also significantly lighter than natural stone and does not require extra footings, foundations, or support. This makes it easier and quicker to install which makes the cost about one-third to one-half what natural stone would cost for the same fireplace surround.
Conclusion
Whether you're envisioning a modern, rustic, or eclectic look for your new fireplace surround, the artisans at Gruttadaurio Masonry can create the fireplace of your dreams—for the holidays or for any days. The only thing left that you'll need to create that cozy, winter retreat experience is the hot chocolate.
