Sorry if this has been covered before, but my search isn't working well ... I'm about to start building a house, and we're trying to decide on the masonry portions. I love stone, and all of the houses on our street use it in some fashion, but I'm concerned about the costs.

Does anyone have any experience with cultured stone on the exterior of a house? I've seen it in a lot of commercial uses, but not a lot of homes. Any concerns re: water seepage or colorfastness? Anything else to worry about?

Brick is also an option, but if I can have the look of stone for a lower cost ...

[This message has been edited by phoenix491 (edited 12/10/2011 3:59p).]

Cultured stone is an excellent finish for houses.

You get all the benefits of a low-maintenance material without the drawbacks of supporting heavy weights or having huge thermal mass on the wrong side of your walls.

As with most construction materials, the detailing is key--as are construction personnel versed to deliver those details.

You build the walls, and sheath them, and apply a weatherproof surface as for stucco. You install lath and a brown-coat per standard stucco construction, too.

Good installers will open several boxes at a go, to spread any color the variations around. The corner and edge pieces are important, too.

Also, do not be afraid to mix-and-match the types. The round riverstone can be used to emulate a rubble foundation, you can then spring the flag and ledgestone products above that.

I don't want to scare you off from using it because it can be a good product. But the biggest problem I have seen with it is a lack of people that actually know how to install it properly. There are some very qualified people out there but just because they are can lay brick does not mean they know how to install cultured stone.

beerag: I've heard/read the same about the importance of knowledgeable installers, particularly when it comes to flashing it properly. Otherwise, you have LOTS of places for water to go, and none of them good ...

I see that Acme makes some cultured products. Since I live in Fort Worth, I may have to run by one of the Acme locations here in town and bend someone's ear with my questions.

Anyone have any info on costs for cultured vs. stone or brick? (per s/f)

Well, generally, cultured runs 2/3 to 1/2 the price of brick, and way, way cheaper than "natural" stone.

What that does not take into account is the rather significant savings in the foundation for the house. You only need 2, 2-1/2" of "lip" for cultured stone (and, that can be eliminated, if needs must). For brick veneer you need a 5-1/2" wide 1-1/2" or 3" deep brick ledge everywhere on the foundation above which brick veneer will rise.

That adds about 1 s/f per 2.5 lineal feet of brick ledge to your foundation, and at the "turn down" of the foundation edge, so that increase goes all the way down.

You can coffer the edge out, but, that adds significant labour time and materials to the foundation work.

Where the infrastructure savings really hit are with massive masonry items, like arches for portes cochere, or, especially, chimney breasts.

Further, a traditional chimney in an outside wall is a massive heat sink from indoors to out, conducting cold in during the winter and heat in during the summer.

With cultured stone, you can insulate the wall thoroughly, and use appropriate framing to carry the cultured stone up to whatever height is required. Since the cultured stone is relatively less-expensive, your chimney can be given unique shapes and character, if that is desired.

Now, that presumes you ware selecting for a sealed-combustion, NG burning fireplace that uses B-Duct or C-Duct flues. (Which is what makes sense in Texas.)

If you have to be able to burn wood in your fireplace and vacuum the expensively-heated air out the flue, then, that's very different. You are back to needing a foundation pad which will carry brick loads in the tons, too.

For installers/contractors, it's almost better to inquire with stucco pros about this work. Brick or Stone Masons are used to a completely different sort of wall condition and waterproofing needs. In either event, do not work with anyone who will not provide references, and addresses, to see previous work.

One other note with cultured stone most of the time the corner pieces are sold and priced separately. You don't have to buy these but it will look funny and not all all like real stone on the corners without these "ell" shaped ones.