If you are thinking about investing in stone planters you might want to read this first. The major drawbacks to stone planters include steep cost, not weather resistant and difficult to install—and that’s not all.
Resin, stone, metal and so forth, you have a lot of options when picking the perfect planters for corporate, public or residential use. The material planter you pick is just as important as the plants you put inside. People often underestimate just how much influence planter materials really have.
Stone planters may look great based on first appearances, but they are full of potential drawbacks that will leave you wishing you’d picked a different planter material. For instance, our non-porous, lightweight, graffiti-resistant LLDPE resin planters can be made to imitate the look of stone without all of the maintenance hassles and durability issues.
Here are 5 major reasons to rethink stone planters.
1. Stone Planters Are Not Weather Resistant
It’s not uncommon to assume stone planters are durable, after all stones are durable. In reality, stone planters are not very good at standing up to the elements and are known to break down past the point of return quicker than other materials. As the weather heats up and cools down a natural expansion and contraction process occurs in any material. Since stone is not flexible this natural process causes cracks to form in the planter. Small cracks only get larger until the entire planter crumbles to pieces. Regardless if you live in a mild, moderate or severe climate this will eventually occur, but the more severe weather your region experiences the faster you will notice cracks forming.
Our Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) planters are weather resistant. They are made to withstand the natural contraction and expansion that occurs with temperature fluctuations. As a result, you are far less likely to see cracks form in your planters regardless of extreme temperature changes.
2. Stone Planters Are Heavy As All Hell
It’s true, stone planters are among the heaviest on the market. Add soil, plants and water to an already heavy stone planter and it’s going to become incredibly heavy. So heavy in fact you will likely need large machinery to move it. This makes it difficult to move planters around for remodeling purposes, a special event or based on weather. Plus, it also considerably increases shipping costs, especially if you plan to order in bulk.
Our resin-based planters are incredibly durable but they are also surprisingly lightweight. This decreases shipping costs and makes it a lot easier to move planters around as needed.
3. Stone Planters Are Porous
Porous materials cling tight to stains because particles are able to seep beneath the top layer and become trapped deep inside. If someone comes along and adds graffiti to your stone planter it’s going to be near impossible to remove from the surface no matter how hard you scrub. This is because the colors instantly dive deep beneath the surface, staining more than just the top layer. It’s not just graffiti; many other elements in the outdoors are capable of altering the color and appearance of stone planters.
Our LLDPE planters are stain resistant, even against harsh graffiti. That’s because our resin planters are non-porous and as a result do not absorb stains the same way as stone. All you need is a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove graffiti and other stains from all of our products. In the US alone, millions of dollars are spent every year cleaning up graffiti; simply going with LLDPE products prevents you from spending a fortune to remove graffiti.
4. The High Cost Of Stone Planters
Despite all of the drawbacks to stone planters they are still one of the more expensive planter options on the market. In other words, you’re paying more for a planter that isn’t very durable or guaranteed to last that long. Considering stone planters are prone to damage it won’t be long before you are forced to replace them, at which point you will have to fork over the large amount once again. Stone planters cost more from the get-go and continually cost more in replacements.
Our planters are more affordable and proven to last a whole lot longer, saving you money up front and over time. In fact, all of our planters are guaranteed by a 10-year warranty that ensures workmanship and defects in materials. You’d be hard pressed to score a stone planter that lasts 10-years, let alone comes with a 10-year warranty.
5. Stone Planters Contribute To Landfill Waste
Once your stone planter breaks down the only place for it to go is in the trash. Since stone planters are not recyclable they regularly contribute to landfill waste. This isn’t very green, or good for the environment. If you are trying to get your building project approved for LEED certification you won’t make the cut with stone planters.
Resin planters made by TerraCast Products are recyclable, meaning when they finally do break down (which is going to take a long, long time) they can at least be given new life through recycling. They are also made from 90% post-consumer recycled materials, meaning they are green from the get-go. They are also approved for use on LEED certified projects.
TerraCast LLDPE Resin Planters VS Stone Planters Recap
- Our LLDPE resin is lightweight; stone is incredibly heavy.
- Resin is non-porous and does not absorb stains; stone is porous and does absorb stains.
- Resin is very durable against impact and weather-related exposures; stone is not durable and weathers considerably.
- Resin is lightweight and easy to move, as well as cheaper to ship; stone is incredibly heavy and especially difficult to move, as well as more expensive to ship.
- Resin is more affordable to buy; stone is one of the more expensive planter materials.
- Resin is recyclable; stone is non-recyclable.
- Resin is resistant to cracks; stone is prone to cracking.
But I Love The Look Of Stone Planters—Now What?!
Even if your heart is set on the appearance of stone you can still score the same look without all of the drawbacks. TerraCast’s specially formulated LLDPE resin planters can be made to imitate the look of stone. Contact us today to learn more!