A natural stone is one of the easiest to use and at the same time one of the most attractive design alternatives for the exterior of the building. By using natural stone wall, we can give the elevation the character of a Mediterranean hacienda with a swimming pool, modern condominium, or idyllic cottage for weekend holidays. This is due to the specificity of natural stones, which dramatically change the look of our house thanks to their design characteristics.

What are the advantages of natural stone wall cladding?

One of the main advantages of stone wall cladding is its natural beauty and structural character – in contrast to other materials, stone panels have deep differentiation of surface, giving it a third dimension. This advantage is used in those cases where we want smooth, monochromatic elevations broken with strong accents. Most projects assume using stone materials only on one of the walls or around windows. Strong stone structures imitating sharply cut rocks are chosen for them, contrasting with the base coat.

Another benefit of natural stone cladding follows from the above – a reasonable selection of stone types to the character of the place will allow both the stone’s natural look and the products juxtaposed with it to come to the fore. Natural stone wall cladding complements both uniform underlays, decorative renders, and façade ceramics. The key to success here is properly selected proportions and the design corresponding to the personality of the residents.

Choose natural stone cladding is practical because the surface is easy to clean, has weather-resistant properties, and it will last for many years. Moreover, the stone wall cladding material looks expensive, massive, and decent. However, it should be noted that the stone wall is not that expensive, and it is not only available to wealthy people. The advantage of such natural materials is that it improves the energy efficiency in buildings. Such a durable material is harmless to residents and the environment because it withstands humidity, heat, and frost. It is a wear-resistant material that can survive extreme conditions. Such material is also resistant to rodents and insects.

Despite its perfect properties, natural stone cladding requires very little maintenance. Depending on the specified material type, it may be limited to cleaning or may take more complicated forms. Proper using natural stone is important – make sure that there are no gaps between natural stone panels where water could accumulate. This will create good conditions for the development of microorganisms that will cause unsightly efflorescence on our wall cladding. To clean the natural stone wall we can use plain water, steam under pressure, or specialized chemical agents. A very important element of care is natural stones’ impregnation – such wall cladding prevents erosion, stains and seepage. Commercially available impregnates block water penetration, protect against fungal and algal growth and protect against sunlight.

Other types of external elevation

There are many ideas for elevation finishing. The popular is, of course, using natural stone wall, but more and more investors are choosing to use render, wood, or various types of concrete wall cladding.

Silicone render

Silicone render is very popular lately. It is extremely durable, also in terms of color fastness. Not only that, but it is also resistant to harmful UV radiation or precipitation. Moreover, it gets dirty rather slowly. This means that silicone render looks like new for many years and does not require too frequent refreshing.

Mineral render

The main advantage of mineral render is a very high vapor permeability. It allows applying it both on foamed polystyrene insulation and more demanding mineral wool insulation.

Low diffusion resistance allows the building walls to “breathe”. Free removal of water vapor is important as it prevents it from accumulating inside walls. The alkaline reaction prevents the development of microorganisms, fungi, and molds.

An additional asset of mineral renders is complete non-flammability and low price.

Unfortunately, such wall cladding is not a material without flaws. The main one is the problem with the darkening of the shade when in contact with water. This feature makes it necessary to cover mineral render with elevation paint. This generates additional costs and requires more time and labor than other types of render.

Wood cladding

Natural wall finishes are popular when it comes to both the interiors and exteriors of the property. One of the many solutions that have a lot of interest in the current time is wooden wall cladding. Wooden finishes, like stone wall cladding, not only delight with their appearance but also become very practical and positively affect the quality of the rest of the household. Wood cladding allows contact with nature while being a traditional solution. And although it requires a lot of attention and commitment, the aesthetic effect of covering the walls of the house with wooden boards is very desirable and worth interest.