Stone Veneer: Features and Uses

Thin Stone Veneers and Residential Exteriors

With its unique profiles and textures, stone siding can make a home’s exterior stand out, adding comfort, character, and beauty. As natural and textured home trends continue to rise, many building pros and homeowners are gravitating towards thin manufactured stone veneer as a way to get the authentic look of stone without the associated cost or difficulty. Using manufactured stone veneer is an easier way to incorporate the aesthetic of stone without a full exterior rebuild.

Stone veneers can come from either natural or manufactured stone. Compared to full bed stone, thin stone veneers weigh less and are more affordable and easier to install, while also offering design flexibility, low maintenance, and long-lasting durability.

What is Thin Stone Veneer?

Thin stone veneer - whether natural or manufactured - is stone siding weighing less than 10-15 lbs per square foot. This makes it roughly four times lighter than full bed stone.

Natural thin stone veneer is a thinner cut of building stone, or full bed stone. Like building stone, natural thin stone veneer is one-of-a-kind, because no two pieces are identical. It features imperfections, textures, and tonal variation that has formed over thousands of years. In addition to its authenticity, natural stone also remains a more sustainable building material.

Advances in manufacturing techniques have improved the quality of manufactured stone veneer, allowing it to more closely replicate the uniqueness of real stone. Skilled manufacturers can create a thin stone veneer that’s almost indistinguishable from real stone. As the craftsmanship of manufactured thin stone veneer has improved, both options have become more popular for exterior siding.

Benefits of Thin Stone Veneer

Easy to InstallThin stone veneer is easy to install for builders and even homeowners looking to DIY. In particular, manufactured stone veneers are easier to handle and cut, and can adhere to a greater variety of surfaces, including wood, cement, brick, and metal.

Lower CostThin stone veneer is a fraction of the cost of full bed natural stone. It’s also lower weight so it costs less to transport. Given its light weight, thin manufactured stone veneer is also easier to install within a shorter time, making installation costs more affordable too.

Design FlexibilityThis benefit applies specifically to manufactured thin stone veneers. Natural stone is inflexible, while manufactured stone veneers are suitable for curved surfaces. Manufactured stone gives the homeowner or builder more options on where to incorporate the stone with its malleability, around a bay window or column, for example.With manufactured thin stone veneer, you can choose from a wider range of design styles. This versatility makes it easier to infuse personality and color trends into your home design.

Manufactured thin stone veneer also offers design options like color, consistency, and texture. Natural stone is only available in color variations found in nature, which can add an unrivaled uniqueness but makes it less versatile than manufactured stone.

Durable and Easy to Maintain
Both natural and manufactured stone veneers are low-maintenance exterior siding materials. Architects, homeowners, and builders prefer to use building products that can withstand the elements. Both natural and manufactured thin stone veneers are durable choices for the exterior of a home.

Conclusion

Thin stone veneer is available with either natural or manufactured stone, each of which has its own benefits. It's a popular choice for builders and homeowners looking to accent, anchor, or enhance the exterior of a home. 

Thin stone veneer can be a better choice than building stone veneer, since it's easier to install, lighter, and less expensive than similar options. Manufactured thin stone veneers are also more flexible than many materials and last a long time with little maintenance. 

For residential exteriors, thin stone veneer is a rising trend. Since stone is naturally occurring, it offers sustainability and durability. Natural stone comes in trending colors and complements today's popular home styles. Stone is a quality outdoor building material that stands up to moisture and weather but also works for indoor accents. 

Visualize your next project and check out our full stone collection here. To discuss installation and design with a team of experienced staff and purchase all the supplies needed for your next project, find a Brickworks Supply Center near you.