• – Both natural stone and engineered stone offer eco-friendly benefits.
• – Consider low-VOC sealants and adhesives, not just the main materials. 
• – Look for fabricators that offer local stones, have recycling programs, and have a history of eco-conscious customer satisfaction.

When homeowners look for eco-friendly options for their homes, they often focus on the long-term impact: the right insulation, the right water volume, and the right energy savings. But if you want an eco-friendly home that truly minimizes your footprint, it’s just as important to consider the materials themselves as their effect on your resource usage. At Desert Eagle Stone, we offer our clients access to sustainability-forward material options, including different stones, sealers, and adhesives with lower VOCs, and fabrication services that align with your environmental stance. Learn more about which stone options can be the perfect fit for your home and lifestyle.  

Natural vs. Engineered Stone Sustainability

Both natural stone and engineered stone have their eco-friendly advantages, but they also have their challenges. That’s why it’s so important to weigh the different environmental costs and choose both the material and the supplier you feel is the most sustainable. Consider these advantages and disadvantages: 

Natural Stone: 

• – Pro: This material undergoes minimal processing, reducing energy and chemical requirements.
• – Pro: Natural stone is recyclable. It’s non-toxic, and builders can repurpose slabs or use them to make engineered stone.
• – Con: Local quarrying can limit your options and has an environmental impact. But ordering natural stone from far away requires transportation, increasing the material’s carbon footprint.
• – Con: Natural stone has pores and does require sealing.

Engineered Stone: 

• – Pro: Engineered stone can be made from up to ~70% recycled natural stone, and it’s the flip side of the coin of the natural stone circular economy.
• – Pro: The material is durable and less prone to wear, requiring much less replacement over time.
• – Con: Engineered stone has petroleum-based resin and undergoes significant processing. 

Low-VOC Sealers and Installation Choices

If you select a natural stone material, it needs a sealer to close up the pores and provide a smooth, long-lasting finish. You can minimize many of the environmental and health harms by selecting low-VOC sealers. These include water-based sealers and non-toxic or natural sealers that produce far fewer fumes and have much less off-gassing. 

You can also mitigate the ecological impacts of installation by selecting eco-friendly mortars and grouts. Taking the time to consider the stone materials, installation materials, and any required fasteners, trim, and equipment can minimize the environmental footprint of the project itself, not just the long-term usage of your new countertops and flooring. 

How to Choose an Eco-Conscious Fabricator

Choosing an eco-conscious stone fabricator will go a long way in making your home improvements more sustainable. These fabricators may specialize in sustainable or local materials and know what secondary materials or services you can choose to keep your impact low. Follow these steps to choose an eco-conscious fabricator you can trust: 

• – Ask about their local sources. Fabricators that partner with local or regional quarries keep the carbon footprint of transportation minimal. For every stone, they should offer information regarding its origins.
• – Confirm that they use low-VOC sealants, adhesives, and grout, and ask about the certifications of those products. 
• – Ask about their waste management practices, including whether they treat and recycle water after cutting stone and what they do with stone remnants.

What Affects the Cost of a Full Stone Remodel?

Choosing sustainable and eco-friendly materials will impact the initial price of your full stone remodel. Low-VOC materials and natural stone slabs cost more than standard materials and most engineered stone, but you get a steep ROI in terms of indoor air quality, reduced environmental impact, and more peace of mind.

Additional factors that will impact your full stone remodel cost are: 

• – Square footage
• – Slab thickness and quality
• – Labor rates
• – Project variables, including preparing the installation site, customizing the cut and finish of the stone, and seasonality

Contact Us at Desert Eagle Stone to Learn More About Eco-Friendly Stone Options

Desert Eagle Stone specializes in serving homeowners around the Las Vegas area with high-quality stone materials and installation services, and we offer highly sustainable options to address concerns over environmental impact and air quality. Contact us today to tell us what you’re looking for or to schedule a consultation.

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