Definition of Cultured Stone

• Most cultured stone is made from a combination of cement, stone aggregate and oxide pigments, which give it color. It can be purchased preformed into boulders, blocks, facades, counter tops and tiles, or custom made. If you have a favorite natural stone, such as marble or granite, a cultured-stone dealer can duplicate the texture and color of the material. Even if your tastes run to less-favored stones such as soapstone, flagstone, limestone or some exotic hybrid, they can be perfectly duplicated by a cultured-stone manufacturer.
  
  

Practical Uses

• Kitchen counter tops are one of the most common uses of cultured stone in home interiors. It may be the sole counter top material, or mixed in with natural stone or butcher-block counters. Since it's synthetic, it doesn't absorb food particles or odors, require repeated surface treatments or breed bacteria. Cultured stone also is a favored covering for the facades of residential wood-fired pizza ovens, because it's heatproof and cleans up easily. This durable stone substitute is also used to build outdoor kitchen islands regularly exposed to natural elements.
  
  

Decorating Plusses

• One of the drawbacks of natural stone is matching it to the other colors in the kitchen, or merely finding several slabs that match each other. You can order cultured stone, though, in any color or finish you choose, including picking the grain or vein patterns in the pieces, and mix and match different stones in the same room. If you tire of a chosen cultured stone, it can be removed or replaced with minimal labor or cost.
  
  

Other Advantages

• Besides requiring less maintenance than natural stone, and having anti-bacterial surfaces, cultured stone is generally priced at a quarter to a third of what comparable natural stone costs. It's also typically lighter than natural stone, so shipping costs are usually lower than for natural stone. Cultured stone requires no special construction skills, and is attached with epoxy glue rather than screws, so you can install it yourself. During remodeling, you can add cultured stone to the kitchen decor and be assured it will perfectly match the older stone.