Getting Cultured With Stone

Cultured Stone® is manufactured stone veneer that is lightweight, affordable, versatile and beautiful. Unlike the real thing, Cultured Stone doesn't come with all the problems of building and designing with real stone — cost, availability, weight and natural design. Homeowners, architects and designers are no longer bound by restrictions to create beautiful stone accents for their home — indoors and out.

Homeowners want the look of their new home to be a true reflection of their personal taste and lifestyle. Whether you're looking to build a vacation home in the mountains that you want to blend with the landscape or a grand estate inspired by European design, Cultured Stone® has the right stone for you.

Beautiful textures and authentic designs by Cultured Stone® products make it easy for you to achieve the right style you want for your home. For example, by using Carolina Ledgestone you can get the appearance of the Smokey Mountain foothills or you can achieve the look of a Tuscan countryside by cladding your home in Old Country Fieldstone.

These days' homeowners are opting for the natural look of stone to add a more visual impact to their living spaces. Of course, using stone inside the home isn't new — homeowners have been using them around their fireplace for centuries. What is new is that stone has become a very hot design element for use in every room in the home.

Cultured Stone® products come in so many colors, shapes and textures that you can enhance any home décor from sleek and elegant to rustic and weathered. Whether it's the kitchen, great room or den there are many different hues to complement both stained and painted cabinetry and moldings.

Aside from aesthetics, manufactured stone feels just like real stone and reacts to your home's temperature. So whether you're designing a cozy breakfast nook, wine cellar, great room wall or outdoor living area, there's a stone that's right for your home.

Get Creative

Cultured Stone® products inspire creativity, because their selection of veneers and trims can be used in endless combinations. The results are a myriad of opportunities to give your architectural or design project its own unique look.

One way to create a unique look for a home is to blend textures. For example, you can take Country Ledgestone and Southern Ledgestone — are available in colors that harmonize with Dressed Fieldstone. When the stones are used together they create a rugged effect that's great for outdoor settings. Their extensive palette of colors makes their stones very compatible with other contemporary materials such as stucco, wood, brick or vinyl.

Another great way to give a surface a specific look is to carefully select what goes between the stones. There are three basic grouting styles to choose from to create a special look. First you have a standard (raked) mortar joint that is approximately one fingertip or 1/2" in width. For a clean, tailored appearance create a tight-fitted joint using minimal mortar and for a warm, rustic, Old World look use a wide or over grouting technique.