Natural Stone vs. Cultured Stone
Arnold Stone’s Natural Stone Thin Veneer and Natural Building Stone installs exactly as faux or cultured stone veneer without worry from chemicals, fading or cracking. Our Natural Stone Thin Veneer is easy to install and can be confidently cut on-site to accommodate any installation. Because of its durability, natural stone is much easier to clean and can be done without defacing the product.
The Good, The Bad, & The Faux
Faux (cultured) stone is comprised of concrete aggregate poured into forms and casts, then dyed to resemble natural stone. The process of cutting cultured stone differs from natural stone and can easily chip revealing a concrete interior.
Additional information and resources on natural stone can be found here.
ASTM Data
| MATERIAL | ASTM C170 | ASTM C97 | ASTM C880 | ASTM C97 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compressive Strength | Absorption | Flexural Strength | Freeze/Thaw Loss | |
| Cast Stone | 6,420 psi | 1.3% | ||
| Cave Rock | 3,950 psi | 6.6% | 280 | 2.97% |
| Cream Granbury | 12,520 psi | 1.8% | 2,330 | 0.00% |
| Grey Granbury | 11,580 psi | 0.63% | 1,170 | 0.08% |
| Lueders Limestone | 6,410 psi | 4.0% | 1,080 | 0.09% |
| Palomino Granbury | 12,370 psi | 0.45% | 2,200 | 0.05% |
| Rattlesnake | 4,250 psi | 3.5% | 600 | 0.15% |
| White Granbury | 12,520 psi | 1.8% | 2,330 | 0.00% |
| White Limestone | 3,940 psi | 8.3% | 570 | 0.15% |
