Stone houses are environment friendly structures that display an aesthetic sense of its owner. Easily available, stone can be considered as one of the most durable construction materials with a wide range of texture options.
In ancient times, various civilizations made use of stone to build their houses. This was because stone was probably the only available building material excluding mud and trees. Even in the modern era, eco-friendly houses have gained immense popularity because of their magnificent properties. Houses constructed with the help of stones are capable enough to resist fire, wind, water as well as various insects including termites.
Some stone houses provide a natural, unique appearance that reminds one of the European castles.
To avail the maximum benefits of these artistic constructions, it is suggested to use durable stones such as granite and avoid stones the wear down over time, such as limestone. Furthermore, purchasing of previously chopped stone is a wiser alternate to escape from the time consuming and laborious phase of stone cutting. However, the top suited stone for home construction is one, which is available in the respective local area so that transportation does not become an issue.
Sustainability and durability adds an extra spark to the elegance of these stone homes without costing much for maintenance and care. There are many historical examples to speak about sustainability of simple yet graceful stone houses where they have witnessed many centuries.
Pyramids, made up of stone, attributed to be a one of the beautiful creators, across the world, are best examples to display stone's strength. Various historical stone buildings, especially constructed following the European-style stone houses have been around for thousand years and will probably remain the same for centuries.
Beside environmentally friendly abilities, stone homes also deserve a round of applause for their natural beauty that does not demand any painting or siding. In addition, the stone homes are comfortable nests and if constructed with passive solar design, they have ability to store heat within its walls. The absorbed heat is likely to radiate throughout the house, all night, creating a cozy and warm environment for the users. Above all stone homes are easy to clean and can be washed with simple water.
Proper planning as well as availability of a construction expert plays an important role to maximize stone home benefits. Furthermore, it is crucial to choose a quality stone along with proper technique to assemble them. It can be seriously harmful to choose an inferior quality stone that is not strong enough to support the required weight.
In spite of an array of benefits, the stone home owner also faces some difficulties with them. Customization is one such issue. For older homes, replacement of stones may present a particular challenge.
Some expensive stones, commonly used for flooring, including tiles may be cold and very hard under foot. It's not recommended to use softer stones because they are prone to strains, moisture and scratches.
All in all, however, the owners of stone homes are generally happy with the strength, durability, security, energy savings, environmental soundness and natural beauty of these structures.
Dwight Smoot writes about all types of earth homes that use our natural resources, save energy and create eco-friendly habitats for all.