I’m have catalogs for Cultured Stone (by Owens Corning), Eldorado stone (by Stonecraft), and Coronado stone. All are manufactured stones and the samples I have seen are comparable in appearance. Are several manufacturers essentially producing the same quality of product, or does one brand or another offer a significant advantage? Thanks.
Steve
Skim-coating with joint compound covers texture, renews old drywall and plaster, and leaves smooth surfaces ready to paint.
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Replies
I've been to a Coronado facility in Greenville SC with big wall sections done up, and from my eyes, it doesn't hold a candle to Cultured Stone. Not in the detail or variety. I did 700 sf of Cultured Stone brand, and didn't spot two chunks the same in the whole lot. And the details are so sharp it makes the other two look like a poorly focused photo to me.
I'm with Cloud Hidden. I've recently been researching the material for a pending project where a false stone veneer is likely to be required for a number of reasons. As Cloud Hidden noted, you have to look at the total installation, not just a few sample pieces. By all I've seen and heard, Cultured Stone is the front-runner in quality in this material.
We have no less than 4 plants in a 50 mi. radius. One is an Eldorado plant. I think you'll find many plants and many brands regionally.(and each will have different quality, even among the national brands with there regional plants)
This is one of those products that does not travel well. They make it where they need it.
Thank you all for the advice. I will order the Cultured Stone next week. I'm not too worried about shipping damage (although I hadn't considered that part of the equation!) as I too am fortunate to have a manufacturing plant nearby. Thanks again for the advice. I just hope they have the particular stone I want in stock. The local rep says if the warehouse is out of a particular stone it could be a couple of months before the next production run.
Steve
A couple months OR MORE. My stone was out and not due for manufacture for a long, long time. Do we choose another or wait and finish who knows when. Well the rep kept looking and found some with another distributor. It was one of those, take it now or it goes to someone else, deals.