Brick and Stone Siding Pros in Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh Stone Siding

There are many siding materials out there, and each has both good and bad qualities. Aluminum is affordable, but it is easy to dent. Vinyl is also inexpensive, but can crack under pressure. Wood looks great, but is hard to maintain. For just about any siding out there, you can find some kind of aesthetic or physical flaw. That's where stone siding comes in. Stone as a material is incredibly durable (stones have been around for quite some time, and they aren't going anywhere anytime soon). Aesthetically, stone is very appealing and has an air of authenticity that few can ignore. An excellent choice in Pittsburgh, stone siding is hard to beat for durability, looks, or performance.

Benefits
Pittsburgh experiences quite a variety of weather and temperature conditions in a given year. One month there's rain, the next there's snow, and in the summer it gets hot and muggy, while the winters can get downright frigid. With this kind of environmental cornucopia, it can be hard for a siding to perform well all year round. Stone, however, has seen it all before, and can indefinitely stand up to whatever Mother Nature throws at it.

Durability aside, Pittsburgh stone siding is a good choice when it comes to looks, too. Unlike brick, where not a lot of variation is available, you can get very different looks by using different kinds of stones. Sandstone, limestone, and granite are all popular choices with very different appearances, but giving the stones a different cut can make even more variety. Rough stone looks different from finished stone, field stone looks different from river stone, and so on. With all the options available, you're sure to find a type of stone siding that will be a perfect fit.

Get to Know your Local Mason
When working with stone, there's no substitute for an experienced hand. If you want your stonework to look good and to perform to its highest potential (not to mention, last for a good couple centuries), hiring a mason is a necessity. Stone is an extremely difficult material to work with, and only an experienced mason will be able to really do it justice.

If you're not positive that you want stone siding and you want to get a better idea of what options are available when it comes to residential stonework, it might be a good idea to just talk with a mason for a while. You'll be able to get a better understanding of what masonry will look like on your property, and some good advice about what will work best for your situation.

Drawbacks
While options for Pittsburgh stone siding are plentiful, and the benefits are pretty impressive, one thing that stone siding can't do that other siding materials can is be cheap. If you want this kind of quality, you're going to have to pay for it. If you consider, however, that a one time installation of stone siding can last several lifetimes without needing a repair, the initial price is truly a worthwhile investment.

Prices
To install stone siding, Pittsburgh residents should expect prices to start at $10,000 and go up from there. Stone also takes a while to put up, so be prepared to have a crew around for a few weeks. Despite the job duration and high initial cost, people who get this kind of work done are usually quite pleased with the end result. Nearly everyone who has had stone siding installed would recommend it to others.

Stone Veneer
If you want the look of brick or stone without the price, there's another option: stone veneer. Pittsburgh is home not only to those who want to look good, but those who know a good deal when they see one, as well; stone veneer will make both happy. Instead of laying whole stones or bricks, a thin layer of veneer allows you to have the look and feel of these materials without the high cost. Pittsburgh stone veneer companies are well versed in the tricks of the trade that will leave only you knowing that your stone or brick is only an inch thick!

Aside from the price, there are other reasons why homeowners opt over the real thing and install brick and stone veneer. Pittsburgh residents who want the look of stone indoors will find that the performance of stone veneer is even more impressive inside than it is as a cladding material. Additionally, Pittsburgh stone veneer installations are likely to go a lot faster than true brick or stone masonry. Instead of having the look you want cost you a bundle and take forever to put up, you can choose a very convincing veneer project that will be next to indistinguishable from the real thing!