Manufactured Stone Veneer’s Smaller Footprint

Natural stone facades require thousands of pounds of quarried stone per installation, requiring extensive mining operations. While many quarries strive to reduce their overall environmental impact, there is no getting around the sheer quantity of stone needed for an all-stone exterior. It also uses vast resources to transport due to its overall weight. 

Manufactured stone veneer has the beauty of natural stone without the environmental drawbacks of natural stone. Resource materials are a fraction of what is required for stone veneer quarrying, and installation is straightforward with far less waste than natural stone. The lightweight nature of manufactured stone means the environmental cost of shipping is significantly reduced. 

Will Manufactured Stone Veneer Last?

Yes! Manufactured stone’s blend of resins, pigments and textures not only accurately mimic the look of natural stone but also help it resist harsh weather conditions. Natural rock is highly porous and requires mortar that is prone to degrading. While manufactured stone can be installed with mortar applications, many types can be dry-stacked and require no mortar, again consuming fewer resources than traditional stone. 

High-quality manufactured stone will also have pigments blended through the entire veneer, so if a stone should chip, there will be no loss of color to highlight the damage. This is a significant improvement to less expensive veneers that show a white or gray core if nicked. It is also easier to repair a manufactured veneer because there is no need to source or quarry new rock, wasting further resources. 

TriLite Stone is dedicated to the highest quality manufacturing processes and integrates pigment throughout the entire stone. Contact us today for a beautiful, long-lasting indoor or outdoor stone veneer renovation. 

Meta: Manufactured stone veneer consumes fewer resources than traditional stone exteriors, making it an excellent option for eco-friendly renovations.

As you contemplate building a home, the atmosphere of your home is one of the most important aspects to consider. Stone exteriors are well-known for inspiring feelings of security, stability and warmth for your family and friends. Until the late 1800s, stone buildings were painstakingly assembled, one hand-cut stone at a time. It was a time-consuming and potentially expensive undertaking for a little slice of heaven. Then, near the beginning of the twentieth century, quarry workers began cutting thinner stones for the masons who figured out how to attach them to load-bearing walls, beginning the stone veneer industry. We now have two options for achieving the look of stone: natural stone and manufactured stone veneer.

As you plan your new home with a stone exterior, there are several aspects of each type of veneer to consider.

Appearance

Thanks to recent improvements in veneer manufacturing, the distinction between natural and manufactured stones is no longer as apparent as it once was. Today’s high-quality manufacturers yield stones that are can’t be distinguished from natural stone. Add to that the variety of colors and styles available, there are few limitations to the look you’re going for.

Here at TriLite, we make sure the color goes all the way through, so even if it gets scratched or chipped, it still looks like stone. We also provide a 50-year warranty so you can feel sure that your home’s appearance will hold up for decades to come.

Building Codes

In general, natural stone is heavy and must be cut to a certain weight per square foot to comply with local building codes. On the other hand, manufactured stone is lighter and generally meets the local code. If you plan to build in a homeowner community, you will also need to become familiar with the HOA and other local rules about stone veneers.

Sustainability

Many homeowners are conscientious of the environment and the sustainability of the building materials used in their homes. However, natural stone quarrying is generally more destructive to the environment, more labor-intensive to produce and often more expensive. The process produces dust and uses harsh chemicals, damaging the environment. There are also a finite number of quarries from which to harvest the stone for veneers. Once they are depleted, there is no way to replenish them.

In contrast, manufactured veneers may be made from recycled materials and use more materials mined than just natural stone. Also, manufacturing plants can be found nearly anywhere they are needed, not just where Mother Nature planted her rock gardens. When you’re ready to take the next step in the home building process, call or email TriLite Stone and we’d be happy to help you put a stone exterior on your slice of heaven.

What is Super-Stak?

Super-Stak is a faux stone panel designed to give properties an authentic stone or rustic appeal. The panels can be easily screwed onto walls without more expensive and heavy mortar. Super-Stak panels come in a wide range of colors to give your property the appearance of natural stone.

What are the Benefits of Super-Stak?

Using Super-Stak panels on the exterior of your property really increases its curb appeal, and curb appeal increases value. Of all the common renovations and improvements analyzed, Remodeling’s 2020 Cost vs. Value Report found that adding stone veneer was the No. 1 project for adding value to the property. Increasing the curb appeal of your property can also increase the likelihood of a successful sale or finding new renting tenants.

Mortar stone panels often require the help of a professional mason, but DIYers or professionals can easily install Super-Stak. It’s lighter than real stone so that it can be supplied around the nation, and because you aren’t restricted to local stone, there is a lot more variety.

Super-Stak is much less expensive than real stone and it is environmentally friendly. Additionally, it is easy to maintain; it can easily be washed with soapy or vinegar water and rinsed off with your garden hose. Super-Stak panels hold up well to all types of weather conditions and they won’t crack like real stone.

Where Can Super-Stak Be Installed?

On the exterior of your property, Super-Stak panels can be installed on the front of your garage as a full wall accent, lower wall portions (knee walls), or decorate pillars or chimneys. Another great idea is to install the panels around the front entryway, creating an appealing entrance.

In the interior of your property, these panels can be used to add a brick or stone appearance to the kitchen or bathroom for a rustic look. Super-Stak can also be installed on indoor walls or around your fireplace. To learn more about Super-Stak mortarless panels, click here to download our brochure. If you think that Super-Stak is right for your property, contact TriLite Stone on our online form or call us today at 320-543-2254.

Currently there are no formal certifications or criteria specific to manufactured stone or faux stone products. However, in accordance with environmentally responsible practices specified by the USGBC, our products comply with many elements of the LEED Building rating system.  Specifically, we believe that: 

• A significant portion of our product is of recycled content. 
• Our product uses a resource efficient manufacturing process that is environmentally friendly, requires minimum energy consumption and produces minimal environmental waste.
• Packaging for our products is recyclable or biodegradable.
• Raw materials for the manufacturing process are locally available as defined by the USGBC.
• Our product can be reused or recycled at the end of the application life cycle.
• Our product can be installed using zero or low-VOC materials.
• Our product is non-toxic.
• Our product can be cleaned with low emission cleaning products.
• Our product resists moisture or inhibits the growth of biological contaminants in buildings.
• Our product is affordable per guidelines set by the USGBC, as the total material and installation costs are far less than natural stone.
• Our product is durable, as the life expectancy of our product will exceed other typical products used in building or remodeling. 

We will continually update this webpage and the criteria above as more information becomes available regarding its use in LEED construction projects. 

More information on Green Building Materials and Processes: 

http://www.usgbc.org  U.S Green Building Council

https://ecoact.org/   Ecology/Action Consultancy

http://www.nrdc.org   National Resources Defense Council

http://www.energystar.gov/   Energy Star Product Rating

http://www.green3dhome.com/  Green 3D Home

There is another perk for that remodeling project- saving the planet.  Yes, you can be a “green” remodeler.

What exactly does “green” mean?  Well, there are many websites and resources that provide information on this subject.  In general the “green” remodeler will be making choices that affect the following:

• Water Consumption
• Energy Consumption
• Indoor Air Quality
• Material Life Cycle
• Project Waste 

Water Consumption:  The average household uses 11 gallons of water per day.  There are many opportunities for reducing water consumption with our indoor remodeling choices.

 High Efficient Products. If you are planning on buying new appliances or replacing older fixtures, many products today are available with significantly lower water consumption rates. Dishwashers, washing machines and toilets all have lower water consumption versions.  It is not uncommon to see 30% reduction in water consumption with these products.

• Buy a Dishwasher: Studies show that using a dishwasher efficiently will use less water than hand washing.
• Plumbing Fixtures: Replace showerheads and faucets with low flow fixtures.  You will save water and not even notice the difference.
• Repairing Leaks: A dripping faucet or leaking toilet can waste 100’s of gallons of water; most of these repairs are very simple and inexpensive.

 Energy consumption:  Residential Energy Consumption costs close to 300 billion dollars per year in the United States.  According to the Energy Information Administration total residential energy consumption breaks down as follows:

• Heating/Space heating – 29%
• Air Conditioning – 15%
• Water Heaters – 16%
• Refrigerators – 7%
• Other Appliances and Lighting -33%

 When doing remodeling, one often is purchasing new appliances or even heating and cooling systems.  General recommendations for “green” remodeling include: 

• Purchase Energy Star Rated Products:  Energy Star is a joint program between the U.S Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.  Products such as HVAC systems, appliances and lighting that achieve an Energy Star Label have superior energy efficiency.  Just replacing your incandescent lights with compact fluorescent light bulbs will save 75% on your lighting energy. Not to mention that they last 10 times longer.

• Use sunlight for natural lighting and heating. If your remodeling allows, consider designs and layouts that take advantage of natural sunlight for energy use. Then use Energy-efficient windows, doors, and skylights to help lower a home’s heating, cooling, and lighting costs.
• Improve Insulation: Higher R value insulation in the attic and walls, more energy efficient windows and doors, as well as good old fashion caulking and sealing can reduce energy consumption while improving the comfort of your home.
• Advanced Lighting and Environmental control systems: Use systems that can be programmed to change the temperature settings to minimize energy use. Include motion sensors tied to dimmable lighting controls in your new lighting systems.  Ensure that low or non-use rooms consume minimal heating or air conditioning energy.
• Turn Down Your Water Heater:  Many homes still have the water temperature set at 140 F to 150 F.  This temperature is certainly not needed for hygiene and with your purchase of more energy efficient appliances; you should be able to get along very nicely at 125 degrees F.

Indoor Air Quality   Paints, sealants and adhesives emit volatiles during application and curing and air borne residues can linger long after the project is over. Use zero- or low-volatile organic compound (VOC) products to improve your indoor air quality.

 Any areas of your home that have moisture are havens for mold; mold is toxic and should be removed by qualified professionals.  Make sure you are eliminating sources of moisture penetration and removing water damaged materials as part of your remodeling.

 Materials:  There are many choices for the remodeler who wishes to use “green” materials. General criteria for green building materials are:

• Recyclable?  – Can the material be torn down and reused for another project?
• Long Lasting? – Does the material last longer than the typical materials. (Ideally it should last forever).
• Are they made from recycled materials?
• Was the manufacturing process environmentally friendly?  Was minimum energy used and environmental waste minimized?  Were locally available materials used?
• Is the packaging recyclable or biodegradable?

 Answers to the above questions are not always easy for the average do-it-yourselfer to get.  Here are some ideas for your material planning.

• Check out “green material” websites and stores:  There are a number of companies that are now specializing in green building materials. Even if you don’t buy directly from them, you can do a little research and get plenty ideas on what you could use for your project.
• Check out the products website:  There are a number of materials that may not have official green ratings or certifications.  For instance, manufactured stone or faux stone products do not currently have a green rating, but still may be environmentally friendly.  Go to the company’s website and check out their environmental policies.
• Wood– use wood materials that have the FSC certification.  This means that the wood was processed and manufactured in a sustainable fashion.  Wood meeting these criteria will have the FSC logo stamped on it.
• Paint – Many paints are reconstituted from recycled paints. Also, consider cleaning instead of re-painting.
• Long Lasting Products:  Check out the expected life of the product, sometimes for a modest cost increase you can purchase a product that lasts substantially longer.   The ideal green material should last a lifetime.  Purchasing products that will need to be replaced in 5 years is NOT green thinking. 

 Project Waste Generated.  One of the environmental consequences of any building project is waste generated by the construction process. Using materials where the waste is recyclable or biodegradable is helpful, but careful planning and project management can significantly reduce the waste generated.   Can excess materials be returned?  Should that last can of paint be a pint instead of a gallon?  Are you planning and measuring carefully to ensure that you are not over purchasing? 

Why go Green?  If you are wondering if you really want to go green on your remodeling project, please consider the following: 

• We all need to be responsible stewards of the precious resources on this planet. If every one of the 150 million households in the US just made a few changes, the overall all impact on energy and environment could be colossal.  Global warming is a fact and our natural resources are limited. 
• Lower Energy Costs:  The average home owner is spending nearly $2000.00 per year on energy.  It is not unreasonable to save 15% to 30% of your total cost with just modest improvements. In addition, future legislation from an environmentally friendly congress may increase taxes based on energy use, so your potential liability for living in an energy wasting home could increase.
• Home Value:  Statistics are starting to indicate that “green” homes have a higher re-sale value.  The “greenness” of your home may be an important consideration for the next buyer; this attribute will probably increase in importance over the next decade.
• Tax Savings:  The economic stimulus package has included a lot of federal tax incentives for energy saving expenditures.  Qualified products could generate tax credits of up to 30% of the product cost.  See www.energystar.gov for product lists and estimated tax savings. 

Hopefully, with spending just a little more time in research and planning, you can have the lifestyle enhancing benefits of from your remodeling project, plus now have the satisfaction of taking a small step in making your home greener. 

 If you want more information on green building, go to www.usgbc.org and learn more about the LEED -Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design- green building project rating system.