With such a wide range of masonry products available, it can be difficult for homeowners to settle on the right building stone for their non-structural projects. Do you want artificial stone or natural? Limestone or granite? If you aren’t working with a designer, you may not even feel familiar enough with your options to choose at all. Here at Kafka Granite, we’re dedicated to providing high-quality specialty building materials and aggregate, as well as acting as a resource for homeowners, builders, and designers alike.
Today, we’re clueing homeowners into the benefits of a product that is growing in popularity for home projects: natural thin stone veneer. If you’re on the hunt for a building material that conveys all the high-end allure of natural stone while cutting shipping and installation costs, this material will fit flawlessly into your project. Here’s what makes this specialty masonry product ideal for a wide range of projects in, on, and around your home.
1. Versatility
Building facades, fireplaces, decorative interior walls, pillars—name a project, and natural thin stone veneer can be incorporated to lend your new home a unique look. With the right surface preparations, including a metal lath anchored down, this masonry product can be applied over a variety of surfaces, such as plywood, paneling, concrete, and even metal, without the use of costly footings required by full bed veneer.
2. Natural Look
Natural stone will likely always have a place in home design, simply for its beauty and unique profile. Not only does it lend a rugged, yet sophisticated look to outdoor features, but it can also serve to bring the beauty of nature indoors. And because each piece of natural thin stone veneer is unique, any project that incorporates it will take on a distinctive, timeless look that you won’t find replicated in your neighbor’s home. When it comes down to character, manufactured stone simply can’t compare.
3. Lightweight
Thin stone veneer weighs in at less than 15 pounds per square foot, or up to 75 percent less than full veneer. This makes it significantly easier and more economical to install because it doesn’t require footings or ledges. But that’s not to say that you should tackle this project entirely by yourself. To ensure that everything goes smoothly in the installation process, we do recommend hiring a professional stone mason to accomplish the actual installation.
4. Affordability
The positives of thin stone veneer don’t stop at a light weight; that weight also lowers shipping and installation costs drastically when compared to full veneer building stone. That stone mason you’re contracting to install your new thin stone veneer will have a much easier time shaping and laying this product, making it ultimately cheaper in terms of installation and shipping costs. That being said, the overall cost of your project will depend on the type and quality of the stone you settle on, as well as the scale and requirements of your chosen project.
5. Durability
The oxide colors and other chemicals in cast concrete materials make projects that incorporate manufactured stone prone to fading over time. In contrast, natural thin stone veneer consists entirely of quarried rock and will retain its color and integrity as it weathers, leaving you with a beautiful, lasting project. This makes the material ideal for exterior features like building facades or fire pits that will be exposed to wind, rain, and other weather events.
6. Various Color Combinations
Natural stone is available in a vast variety of types and colors, meaning that the sky’s the limit when it comes to the color palette you can create or complement with your project. At Kafka Granite, we source our exclusive line of natural granite, quartz, and marble stone from quarries across North America. From airy gray tones to warm shades of burgundy, you’re bound to find a unique hue that makes your home project stand out.
7. Attractive Cuts
You might think picking a color is the difficult decision, but wait until you get to the point of choosing between numerous different cuts of stone. Are you looking to convey the beauty of natural stone, but with an ultra-contemporary feel to it? A sawn dimensional cut will serve you well. More interested in adding some country farmhouse flair to your facade? A heritage blend will create that desired feeling of old-world country charm. The choices may seem dizzying, but the good news? High-quality natural thin stone veneer looks handsome in just about any cut and color combination.
Natural Thin Stone Veneer from Kafka Granite
Kafka Granite’s range of marble, granite, and quartz building stone comes in a wide variety of shades and cuts—but no matter which one you choose, you’ll be imbuing your new home feature with a beautiful, natural look. If you’re interested in utilizing natural thin stone veneer in your next project, contact Kafka Granite today. Our knowledgeable sales team is ready and willing to answer any questions you may have and help get your home project started off on the right foot.
