When choosing a countertop stone for your home improvement project, you’ll have two options — natural or fabricated stone. So, what’s the difference between the two? In this article, we’ll explore the differences between natural and fabricated stone to help you choose a suitable stone option for your next renovation project.
What are Natural Stones?
A few of the most popular natural stones are Granite, Quartzite and Marble. Once you decide whether or not to go ahead with natural stone for your kitchen or bathroom countertops, we’ll work on setting up a template appointment to review designs; and cut the stone to the proper size for your project. For instance, you can have natural stone custom-cut for various purposes, such as all countertops, landscaping, fireplace, custom outdoor grills, and more.
What are Fabricated Stones?
Fabricated stones such as Quartz and Silestone still contain some of the same ingredients as natural stones. However, their unique design is achieved by combining natural stone bits with pigments and binding them together with acrylic or polyester resins – this allows for more colors, designs, and veining to be created.
Some popular brands in the market that created fabricated stones are Caesarstone, Cambria and Concetto – we carry and work with them here at our Orlando warehouse.
Differences Between Natural and Fabricated Stone
Now that you’re familiar with the two stone options, here are some key differences between them.
Color
Both natural and fabricated stones are available in a wide range of colors. However, natural stones offer better color uniformity than fabricated stones because they are cut from a single piece of stone. Thus, if you want a consistent look, you may prefer natural to fabricated stones for your project.
Finishes and Edges
Fabricated stones aren’t available in a variety of finishes and edges. Generally, they come with rounded edges, also known as bullnose edges. While stones with rounded edges are suitable for various projects, they may be unsuitable for yours. Therefore, if you want custom-made edges, natural stone may be better suited for your project.
Durability
Natural stones are often longer lasting than fabricated ones since most fabricated stones are mass-produced. As a result, the quality of fabricated stones varies greatly, with some stones being more susceptible to issues like peeling, fading, or cracking than others. Thus, make sure you purchase reputable brands like Caesarstone and Cambria to avoid purchasing substandard stones.
Cost
While natural and fabricated stone prices are almost comparable, natural stones often cost slightly more. Natural stones with unique color patterns and crystals are particularly costly because of their scarcity.
Therefore, if your project doesn’t require a unique stone and you want to save on costs, you may prefer fabricated to natural stone.
Verdict: Which is the Best Stone Option for Projects?
Ultimately, there isn’t one stone option that’s better than the other because both have pros and cons. Thus, when choosing between natural and fabricated stone, you’ll need to consider your budget, preferences, and the nature of your project.