Natural stone staircase or wood: what is the difference?
Anyone considering a stair renovation often ends up with two popular choices: wood or natural stone. Wood is warm and natural; natural stone is calm, luxurious and timeless.
Short answer
If you are looking for warmth and a classic appearance, wood is the obvious choice. If you are looking for calm, durability and a modern stone appearance, natural stone fits better.
Differences
Natural stone offers a distinct stone appearance, while wood gives a warm wood appearance. In maintenance, natural stone scores strongly and wood slightly less, because wood is more sensitive to scratches (low for stone, medium for wood). For modern architecture, natural stone fits more strongly, while wood suits a Scandinavian style excellently. In luxurious appearance, natural stone is generally experienced as the strongest.
Wood: for warmth
Wood is popular for its warm appearance, natural material feel, the many wood types and its timeless character. It suits Scandinavian living and rural interiors well.
Natural stone: for calm and luxury
Natural stone is gaining ground in modern homes for its luxurious appearance, ease of maintenance, architectural calm and timeless stone experience. It fits modern designs well.
Maintenance
Wood is more sensitive to scratches and sometimes needs periodic treatment. A stone appearance based on composite is easy to clean and is often executed as low-maintenance, with a closed surface that is scratch-resistant for daily use.
Summary
Wood stands for warmth and a traditional material feel. Natural stone stands for calm, architecture and a timeless stone appearance. The right choice depends on the atmosphere you want and the role the staircase plays in the interior design.
Stone appearance within the portfolio
Within the Omnistair portfolio, EverStep and Signature provide a natural stone appearance.
Unsure between wood and a stone appearance?
Have your staircase assessed or view the materials at the Experience Center.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the chosen system and the execution. Wooden staircases vary widely in price, as do stone-like finishes. An exact comparison can only be made after assessing the staircase.
Many people experience wood as warmer, both visually and in material feel. Natural stone looks calmer and sleeker. This remains a matter of taste and desired atmosphere.
Often natural stone, because the calm, sleek appearance fits modern designs well. Wood, on the other hand, fits strongly with Scandinavian and rural interiors.
Stone-like systems are often chosen for their ease of maintenance and closed, scratch-resistant surface. Wood sometimes needs periodic treatment and is more sensitive to scratches.
Both wood and natural stone are considered timeless materials. Wood follows living trends a little more, while stone has been used in architecture for centuries.