House of stone

MANILA, Philippines - Have you heard of manufactured stonewall cladding?

The product has been on the market in the United States for the past 30 years but only introduced in the Philippines in the late ‘90s. Manufactured stone wall cladding replicates the texture and color of natural stone at a fraction of the price. With its precut sizes, installation is a breeze since you don’t need to cut the stone pieces anymore.

GT Stoneworks offers over 50 different profiles in a variety of designs, textures and colors. Just choose the profile and texture you want and you can have it any color combination you desire. For exterior profiles for residential dwellings, its Classic line has finishes that resemble ledgestone, sandstone, riverstone and more, while its Modern line has a contemporary theme that complements any finishes inside the modern home.

 GT Stoneworks marketing manager and architect Kirdwin Cu explains, “Many Filipino families consider their homes their source of pride, a testament of the hard work they put in to acquire such an investment. To make their houses special, they find ways to enhance their exteriors. Wall cladding offers a better alternative to a natural stone finish.”

 The wall generally serves as the focal point of any structure, which explains why wall cladding’s versatility makes it usable both inside and outside the home. A modern design profile used indoors could cut down on painting expense while for contemporary homes it would go well for those looking for a minimalist look.

 Wall cladding is made with a ceramic binder, natural blended colorants and lightweight aggregates. It offers a competitive option to natural stone. Natural stones quarried for use as an exterior finish include marble, travertine, onyx, quartzite, limestone and sandstone. Some of these stones are imported because the color selection from local sources is very limited.

 “Our wall cladding replicates the look of these stones,” Cu says. “Natural stones need to be quarried. Since it is manufactured, our stone wall cladding doesn’t harm the environment so there’s no need to do needless quarrying and deplete the earth’s resources. Using resources that are available locally and naturally, we are able to come up with an alternative to natural stones that matches its beauty, elegance and variety of finishes.”

 Unlike natural stones, wall cladding is also lightweight. A piece of wall cladding weighs about 12 pounds per square foot. Natural stone is heavier, which will need additional reinforcements to anchor onto walls, while GT Stoneworks stone wall claddings adhere directly to the walls by using stone adhesives. To protect the stones from weather conditions, GT Stoneworks also offers sealers to keep away dirt and grime that may accumulate through the years.

As one of the country’s leading makers of manufactured stone wall claddings, GT Stoneworks is a major innovator and indoor and outdoor wall finishing. Their manufactured stones have already captured the attention of architects, property developers and homeowners because of its durability and also for being lightweight and its easy installation. Availability is also not a problem since all designs and colors are readily available for shipment anywhere in the country.

Aside from manufactured stone wall claddings, GT Stoneworks also offers the concrete stamping system, using decorative concrete for floorings of large areas in resorts, hotels, town halls, among others, and are also colorful, full of texture, durable, beautiful and affordable; paving blocks under its paving blocks system and outdoor furniture under the GT Designworks brand.

GT Stoneworks products are available at all Wilcon Depot and Supply outlets nationwide. “Wilcon displays all of the selection of profiles and colors for our wall claddings and floor stamping. We have technical representatives at each store who can answer any questions you might have about our stones as well as give you pointers on area measurement and installation guidelines,” adds Cu.

 For more information about GT Stoneworks, visit www.gtstoneworks.com.ph or call 929-3116 or 927-4765.