4 Ways to Use Natural Thin Stone Veneer
All photos courtesy of Delgado Stone.
Natural stone is mother nature’s oldest building material and has been used throughout history to create countless commercial and residential features. The characteristics of natural stone provide a balance of beauty and functionality to any project. Thin stone veneer was introduced in the twentieth century, but only in the last 5-7 years has it become a premier choice in the natural stone industry.
What is natural thin stone veneer?
Thin stone veneer is a form of natural stone veneer that has been sawn to approximately 1” thickness with a ¼” tolerance allowed. To be classified as thin stone veneer, each piece must weigh less than 15lbs per sq/ft.
Thinstone Thickness
The introduction of these sawn, lighter-weight pieces created ease of installation and provided the appearance of full-depth stone without sacrificing any of the beauty of natural stone. Here are four of the most common applications for natural thin stone veneer.
1. Fireplaces
Natural stone has always been a popular choice for fireplaces, due to its heat-resistant properties and versatile appearance. Designers and stone masons are now often choosing natural thin stone veneer to save time during construction while still offering the beauty and impact of other natural stone options. Natural thin stone veneer can be used on both interior and exterior fireplace projects to create unique designs.
2. Exterior Stone Cladding
Stone cladding is an ever-growing use for natural thin stone veneer because of the material’s durability and look. When building a home, longevity is an important factor to consider and choosing natural stone cladding is a commitment to durability. Natural stone cladding can be used for entryways, to cover cement foundations, or for the entirety of a home’s exterior. Regardless of the amount of natural stone used, choosing natural stone for home design will continue to be a common trend as long as natural stone continues to complement other home design features. As an added perk, natural stone holds 93% of its original value at its peak, which is a higher percentile than most cladding options.
Connecticut Blend Mosaic Exterior Cladding
3. Natural Stone Walls
If you’re ever been to New England, you’ve seen stone walls that look like they have been there forever. Before mortar, wall caps, and decorative walls, property lines were marked by fieldstone walls that also helped keep animals out. Now retaining walls with decorative natural thin stone veneers are more common because of the ease of building cinderblock walls and adhering natural thin stone veneer to the surface. Walls like the one seen here still serve a function, marking the property line while also contributing to the appeal of the landscape design.
Nutmeg Ridge Mosaic Landscape Wall
4. Outdoor Living Features
Landscape and exterior home improvement projects continue to be a major trend, and natural thin stone veneer plays a major role in these types of projects. More outdoor kitchens, fire pits and fireplaces are created every day. Even using a small amount of natural thin stone veneer can transform a pool project or turn a fire pit project into a statement feature.
Natural thin stone veneer is only at the beginning of its potential and continues to have a positive impact on many different design concepts and features outside of these popular applications. With the sustainable, beautiful, and functional characteristics of natural stone, we will inevitably see more projects choosing natural thin stone veneer.
