The Benefits of Building with Natural Stones vs Modular Block Stone

One of Formecology’s specialties is building natural stone retaining walls and steps. Our natural stone is locally quarried and not pre-manufactured. This means less carbon footprint with no factory manufacturing and less transportation. Another eco-friendly property of natural stone is its ability to infiltrate, store, and filter run-off. We use limestone, a Wisconsin trademark, a regionally-inspired hardscape that helps to make one feel connected with their home state.

No two natural stone walls are the same, as each stone has its own distinctive texture, fissuring, and stratification. Natural stone costs more, but certainly pays back in its beauty, longevity, and sustainability.

Modular block stone on the other hand, while easier to build with and cheaper, is often unsustainable and not as visually interesting. Modular block stone is often made of concrete or classic brick. Traditional brick and mortar are especially susceptible to crumbling under pressure resulting in cracks and a changed wall structure. Natural elements such as flooding, freeze/thaw cycles, and sun exposure, degrade modular stone. The look of it is often dull and does not have much variation in texture at all.