Long before the first stone rolls off the manufacturing line, it’s been designed to be imperceptible from natural stone on the wall, with styles and colors that look authentic while truly elevating the appearance of both homes and commercial buildings. From the inspiration to the molds to the raw materials to the finishing techniques, each element has been carefully engineered to create eye-catching, beautiful results.
How Manufactured Stone Achieves Authentic Looks
One of the core reasons MSV looks like natural stone is because each one starts with natural stone. Manufacturers use natural stone to make their master molds, which allows them to capture the texture and intricate details. Picture a bundt cake pan and how the finished cake has the ridges from the pan mold.
But while the look appears like natural stone, the manufacturing process actually makes it easier to achieve on the wall. When creating a range of stone molds for a particular style, manufacturers pre-engineer shapes and sizes to fit together while still feeling random. This helps speed up installation versus natural stones, which may be shipped in slabs to be chiseled and cut on site to course out over the wall.
Many manufacturers pallet and ship their MSV stones with product size ratios that allows masons to apply the stones quickly without spending time figuring out proper order nor worrying about repetitive looks across the wall. Smaller boxes are often available to accommodate interior remodels and other projects with less space or lower quantity needs.
Endless Color Possibilities for Manufactured Stone
Just like shape and texture, natural stone products also directly inspire and guide the colors of MSV. The concrete mixtures used to craft manufactured stone are carefully formulated to emulate what’s found in nature. Some manufactured products are also hand-finished with color to elevate the natural detail.
This level of control over color also provides for more aesthetic opportunies than can be achieved with natural stone. If a design calls for a hue or reflects a trend that’s hard or expensive to find in nature, manufacturers can create a custom color. They can even work with housing developers to create custom color palettes for master planned communities and neighborhoods.
The manufacturing process allows for consistency that natural materials can’t guarantee, making MSV an ideal choice for commercial franchises using the same hues and profiles across their branded properties, as well as making it easier to match products for additions or repairs down the road.
Technology Advancements Continue to Enhance Manufactured Stone Aesthetics
Not only do manufactured stone products offer a vast array of authentic looks today, the aesthetic benefits are advancing with the pace of technology. From new mold materials that provide more stability for greater detailing to material and pigment techniques that enhance color depth, the possibilities only continue to grow to ensure manufactured stone delivers the beauty and authenticity project owners expect.
To learn more about manufactured stone veneer, visit CMHA’s Technical Resources page.