Expert: Joan Miller - 11/10/2008

Question
QUESTION: what are the different kinds of stones that could be use as a finishing touch in a structure?

ANSWER: Thank you for your question Jen. Could you elaborate more on what kind of structure you wish to decorate? Did you mean a location inside a house for instance, or for an exterior application? Thank you for your response.

Joan

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QUESTION: i mean for an exterior application, best for residential building..thanks for your response!

Answer
In the stone department, there are two categories you may want to consider. First, the natural stone, the one direct from the quarries, are very popular. Their tones are classic, and pass through time without ever degrading the value of your home. The only negative is that these products are very costly, and also cost alot to install. The alternative in stone, is having the stone "look" but made with concrete. Manufacturers have learned how to copy the look of a natural looking stone using concrete or compressed limestone combined with concrete. I would like to suggest that you visit the following companies websites, and you will find a vast variety of concrete stones that may respond to the look you are searching for. Please visit, Rinox, Arriscraft and Shouldice Designer Stone websites. All companies do serve Canada and the USA, therefore all are accessible for you. They may even suggest a local brick and stone distributor that you may want to visit, in order to see their showrooms. Don't forget to ask for addresses of homes to visit too. That will enable you to see what the product looks like on a larger view, rather than that small panel in the show room! Hope this helps.

Best regards,

Joan