Stone Cladding: The Pros and Cons of natural Stone

There are advantages and disadvantages of every building material dependant on your individual application. Here, we take a look at some of the pros and cons of natural stone cladding to help you decide if it’s a suitable material for your project.

The pros of natural stone cladding

• ʻO ka nani maoli, ʻaʻole like ʻole
• ʻO kona lōʻihi loa a me ke ola lōʻihi
• The extensive range of stone types, colours and formats
• Hoʻomaikaʻi i nā mea ʻē aʻe e like me ke kaʻa a me ka lāʻau
• Offers various finish options to suit applications and can therefore be used in a wide range of projects
• Provides a high level of insulation, which can therefore keep heating and cooling costs down
• Hiki ke hoʻohana ʻia no nā ʻano hana like ʻole, i loko a i waho paha
• ʻAʻole kū i ke ahi
• Hiki ke pale ʻia a me ka abrasion
• Hiki ke hoʻonui i ka waiwai o kou home
• Maʻalahi e mālama i ka wā lōʻihi

ʻO ka cons of natural stone cladding

• Requires a structural substrate, which can then add an extra cost
• Can be labour intensive and time-consuming to install
• A more expensive material than some other cladding products
• Pono e hoʻopaʻa ʻia no ka pale
• ʻO ka hoʻohana ʻana i nā mea hoʻomaʻemaʻe ikaika e hōʻino paha i ka ʻili
• Can trap moisture behind the material if poorly installed which therefore could damage the stone
• Hoʻokomo maikaʻi ʻia e kahi ʻoihana ma mua o kahi papahana DIY

As you can see, there are both advantages and disadvantages of natural stone cladding. The two main advantages driving people to choose natural stone cladding are its aesthetics and durability. Each piece has its own unique textures, colour tones and imperfections making no two stone feature walls the same. A quality natural stone wall will weather well and last many years to come.

The main disadvantage of the stone for some is its heavy nature demanding a structural substrate and in some cases, additional fixtures. Constructing a structural wall for the cladding to adhere to may not be feasible in every situation. This can also increase the cost and the installation time.

For more advice and inspiration about natural stone and feature walls, take a look at our Learning Library.