Nothing conveys the feeling of solidity and tradition on the exterior of a home more than stone. Commonly used across not only home exteriors, but also utilized along the border of fireplace surrounds and walls – this timeless material has been used for as long as we can remember as a sturdy and ascetically pleasing option as a home building material. At the same time, few exterior house elements are as expensive and difficult to source and install as real stone. This leads many homeowners to look for alternatives such as faux stone panels, a substitute for both natural stone and manufactured veneer stone.
So today we will be discussing everything you need to know when you decide to use Faux Stone Siding Panels in your next project.
What Exactly Are Front-tek’s Faux Stone Siding Panels?
Faux stone panels are usually made with lightweight porcelain and decorated with a stone design making them super easy to cut and apply. With a price point much below their natural alternative, faux stone porcelain panels for facades are a lightweight, ventilated, strong and unique option designed with installation in mind. Their greatest advantage is their application process, created to withstand any weather conditions no matter how severe, their unique open-jointed cladding system ensures a simple installation and even easier repairs for a beautiful exterior without the headaches real stone can lead to. Faux stone porcelain exterior panels can often be as small as 2-foot by 4-foot, going all of the way 6 up to as large as 4-foot by 8-foot, and typically weigh about a few pounds per panel which make for a speedy installation process.
Appearance
One of the best things about faux stone panels is that they often pass as real stone from a distance. Bargain faux stone panels, such as the ones made of veneer can look incredibly fake, while this faux stone made of porcelain looks just as real as natural stone. That’s why it’s wise to take advantage of any free samples from manufacturers and retailers, and you’ll instantly see if this product is right for your home.
Durability
Faux stone siding panels can be extremely durable depending on the type chosen, these durable sides can take lots of environmental abuse with their high resistance to scratching and damage. Due to their unique makeup, the siding ensures low water absorption meaning a high resistance to frost and other winter abuses.
Fire Rating
Typically when you think of a stone that is fire-rated, you imagine a real stone. Surprisingly enough, these faux stone porcelain panels are actually fire-rated. Fire-rated panels should conform to ASTM E84 Class-A, meaning that the panels can withstand a controlled surface flame spread evenly across the entire surface of the panel with a smoke density test for over five minutes. It is crucial that you specify that you are looking for a fire-rated product because not all faux stone is rated for fire.
Next, we will compare the faux stone porcelain product options you have to choose from to help you get a sense of what your options are.
Some faux stone panels can be composed of foam, meaning different fire rates and in many circumstances lower durability. Manufactured Stone, another counterpart to natural stone, is made of a mineral composite meaning they always are fire-rated and tend to have medium levels of durability. The installation of manufactured stone is considered medium to difficult, being easy to cut but you have to use mortar in implementation. Natural Stone is real stone, so it’s always fire-rated with a high level of durability. This stone is typically the most challenging to cut and uses mortar to construct.
To sum up what we discussed, we put together a pros and cons list as a quick way to see the advantages (and disadvantages) of using Faux Stone Panels on your next project.
Pros
- Lightweight panels
- Easy Installation
- Will not rot
- More water resistant
- Lower priced
Cons
- Less durable than stone
- May require more maintenance
- Similar, but not the exact look of natural stone
Conclusion
Overall, there are many aspects to consider before buying Faux Stone Panels to cover your siding. Faux stone can convey a feeling of solidity and tradition in a home, without really being stone. Faux stone porcelain panels are a great alternative for both natural stone and manufactured veneer stone.
