"10 Reasons to Use Natural Stone"

“Why should I build with stone?” is a question often asked by architects as well as developers.  There are certainly hundreds of reasons and examples we can provide, but in the spirit of the ever-popular "Top 10 Lists," we will offer 10 good reasons to make stone a natural choice.

1.      Natural Stone Fascinates

Natural stone is a natural product whose individual properties are determined by the type and bonding of the minerals comprising the natural stone.  Natural stone holds an outstanding position among all building materials:  components of natural stone are unique specimens that can be combined with each other and with any other materials.  Natural stone is no uniform industrial product…it shows the history of its origin.

2.      Natural Stone Is Ecological

Natural stone as a building material is found in nature in a virtually finished form.  No energy is needed for its actual manufacture.  Energy is only consumed for quarrying and processing, but the share is small when compared to other building materials.  The stone is extracted mostly from relatively small quarries without major blasting operations.  The unused stone waste can be used directly for filling in the parts of the quarry where stone has been extracted or for other practical uses.  Nothing is lost in the complete cycle of natural stone quarrying, processing and the return to nature.

3.      Natural Stone Is Environmentally Compatible

As natural building material, natural stone contains no pollutants that are damaging to health.  Natural stone can be safely used in food areas.  It is incombustible and it is also a Class A building material.  Natural stone also releases no substances that are hazardous to health in case of fire.  Natural stone also requires no auxiliary chemical substances such as protective coatings, impregnating agents or coatings before it can be used as a building material.

4.      Natural Stone Is Varied

No other building material has as many different colors and structures as natural stone.  Various surface finishing processes make variety just about unlimited.  Developers and architects therefore have a broad spectrum of choice, which allows matching to any desired appearance or ambience.  Natural stones are often chosen for their good visual and technical qualities.  Natural stone is available in a variety of different colors, structures and textures.  A suitable natural stone is available for about any requirement imposed on a building material.

5.      Natural Stone Is Individual

Natural stones are quarried from large blocks and cut into desired size by natural stone fabricators.  The size of the natural stone slabs is limited only by the size of the rough blocks and not by stand dimensions specified by production.  The sizes can be adapted individually to meet planning requirements.  Any desired shape can be provided, not only square or rectangular slabs.  Modern processing machines allow inlay work in natural stone.  The variety of the stones and the individual processing and design possibilities highlight the uniqueness of the building material.

6.      Natural Stone Ages Well

Whereas many building materials become unsightly over the course of many years, natural stone retains a natural patina, which is not detrimental to its beauty.  Many natural stones are like good wine.  They only attain their full elegance with advancing years.  Natural stone can also be cleaned easily and inexpensively.  Even centuries-old floor coverings can be ground, polished, and restored to their natural condition.  The lifetime of natural stone is extremely long.  With the right planning and construction, buildings of natural stone have been known to survive for many thousands of years.

7.      Natural Stone Is Three Dimensional

Any desired solid stones can be produced as well as slabs sizes.  Milling grooves and flutings in the stone surfaces can create interesting light and shade effects.  Such processed slabs radiate strength and solidity when mounted on a façade.  Solid components like mouldings, frames and pillars permit an aesthetic structure. 

8.      Natural Stone Is Attractively Priced

If the total cost of a building material is considered over a useful life of 30 years or more, independent investigators show that natural stone is no more expensive than comparable synthetic building materials.  The relatively high investment costs are offset by the low long-term maintenance costs and long life.  The cost of cleaning and maintenance of natural stone is low.

9.      Natural Stone Is Physically Practical

Natural stone has very good thermal conductivity and large heat storage capacity.  Natural stone as a façade material absorbs the heat radiated by the sun and prevents unwanted heating up the building.  Tests show an energy requirement of 100 – 150 kWh/m2 for multi-story buildings with stone facades, in contrast to an energy requirement of 300 – 700 kWh/m2 for the necessary heating and cooling of glass facades.  

10.  Natural Stone Is Durable

The high-pressure resistance values of many natural stones have given the material a reputation of being an everlasting material.  Natural stone is also the most durable material with the lowest abrasion values for floor coverings.  Coverings of granite or similar hard stones show hardly any signs of wear even after decades of use.