PU stone panel VS natural stone
In recent years, PU stone panel has derived some unique decoration styles from the combination of modern industrial style and interior decoration luxury style. Its simple design, inclusive creativity, and the light and dark changes of lighting have made the interior decoration style more attractive. A new sublimation, it is the burst of inspiration for designers, the guidance of decoration senses, and a decoration mode that uses natural elements to reconstruct space experience.
PU stone panel completely imitates the texture of natural marble and uses artificial manufacturing technology to imitate the three-dimensional characteristics of natural stone, giving the slight sense of nature greater energy and making the entire space more eye-catching, majestic and majestic. As the best-selling interior decoration material in 2024, PU stone panel has shown more advantages and potential in many aspects. Its benefits are known to more designers and it has become a decorative material that everyone is competing to choose.
Which is better, PU stone or natural stone?
The most common decoration materials on the market include natural stone, solid wood materials, composite materials, ceramic tiles, artificial materials, etc. Different materials have different characteristics. So which material is better, our best-selling PU stone or natural stone?
Lightweight performance
Natural stone is a natural mineral formed within the earth, such as marble, granite and quartz, and their natural hardness does not change over time. It requires more manpower and equipment to carry and install, and the installation process is more laborious. PU stone panel is a synthetic material that imitates the surface texture of natural stone. It is made of polyurethane resin and fillers. It has been processed through a foaming process and is lighter than natural stone. It not only has the surface of natural stone, but also allows the material to be foamed, and the weight is only 1/10 of natural stone, which not only saves transportation costs, but also makes installation easier.
Strong plasticity
As we all know, natural stone is extremely heavy, varies depending on the type and origin of the stone, is difficult to process and customize, and requires an experienced stonemason. It’s not easy to cut, and it’s even harder to shape. PU stone panel is very malleable. It can be easily cut, polished, and cropped. This gives you more possibilities for decorating corners indoors and outdoors, and can be easily adapted to different design scenarios.
Weather resistance
Natural stone has good weather resistance and can resist the erosion of any natural climate. Compared with natural stone, the weather resistance of PU stone panel is relatively weak, but PU stone panel has better waterproof resistance. If there are water droplets or moisture on the surface of the wall panel, PU stone panel can easily cope with it, and it will not have any Mildew, more waterproof and moisture-proof, and its weather resistance is also very strong, because it has a special coating that can enhance its antioxidant and UV resistance. After a long period of wind and sun, it will not have any changes.
Material cost
Because natural stone is a unique stone in nature, its price is relatively high due to the scarcity of ores and mining costs. The manufacturing cost of PU stone is low because it can be mass-produced through molds on the assembly line, and the wall panels produced can have an almost identical surface to natural stone. This is why everyone chooses to use PU stone panels instead of natural stone.
Maintenance costs
Natural stone may require regular sealing and maintenance to keep its surface smooth and stain-resistant. After the PU stone panel is installed, it only requires regular care. No special maintenance is required. You only need to wipe it with a damp cloth, and no particularly expensive cleaning agents are required.
PU stone panel VS natural stone: how to choose?
PU stone panel and natural stone have their own differences, so how should we choose when decorating? It is recommended that you make a choice based on your own preferences and consider multiple aspects. Only after multiple considerations can you choose the style you like.
You can refer to the following factors:
Application scenarios
Natural stone is commonly used indoors to decorate interior walls, floors, and countertops, and outdoors it is often used to decorate building exterior walls, providing natural beauty, high hardness, corrosion resistance, and resistance to aging. Its surface has natural lines and patterns, so it can create a unique effect in the decoration of background walls.
PU stone panels are suitable for indoor wall and ceiling decoration indoors and are often used for wall decoration outdoors, providing more flexible design options, being lightweight and easy to install. The surface of PU stone panel is covered with a layer of polyester resin and natural mineral powder, which is cheap and can be dyed and engraved as needed. However, the texture and pattern of PU stone are relatively simple.
Installation method
The installation and maintenance of natural stone are relatively complex and require professional stone workers for processing and installation. Moreover, granite is relatively heavy and requires reinforcement and support. In some countries with relatively high labor costs, or areas without professional masons, these characteristics of natural stone are obviously not easy to solve.
The installation of PU stone is relatively simple and can be directly pasted with glue. Moreover, PU stone is relatively light in weight and does not require reinforcement and support. This is undoubtedly a good choice for countries with labor shortages.
After comparing PU stone panel and natural stone, I believe you will be able to choose a decoration style that suits you. I believe your house will have a different experience after decoration.