What would you say is the single most crucial factor in a successful thin stone veneer building or design project? At Kafka Granite, we’d have to say that high-quality stone products are the most important ingredient in a job well done. Which begs the question: how do you figure out how much thin stone veneer you actually need for your project? This query can be daunting, particularly for homeowners—which is why we’ve put together some helpful information to help you assess the approximate square footage of thin stone veneer you’ll need.

Before we get started, we do want to stress that a formal takeoff should always be performed by a professional mason. But before you get one on the line, this simplified method can give you a preliminary estimate of the material you’ll need to purchase to complete a project.

Calculating Your Thin Stone Veneer Needs

To figure out how much thin stone veneer you need for your project, multiply the length by the width of the areas to be covered. Instead of trying to take tricky, piecemeal measurements, you can simply calculate the total surface area of the wall or feature and then subtract the square footage of openings like windows and doors. This is the total square foot of your project.

Thin stone veneer flats are sold by the square foot, while corners are sold by the linear foot. Corners cover the exterior of a feature to its edge, rather than the interior. Make sure to measure the linear feet of corners, pillars, fireplaces, doorways and any other features that will require 90-degree corners.

How Much Thin Stone Veneer Do I Really Need?

The rugged beauty of natural thin stone veneer makes it the perfect material for almost any decorative project, but it also means that each unit of stone is different. Whether you’re going for a streamlined look or more of a mosaic pattern, your thin stone veneer will likely need to be cut, snapped, or otherwise modified to ensure that it fits in the desired space.

Essentially, you’re bound to wind up with some amount of stone trimmings that aren’t usable—meaning that you’ll actually need to order more than just the bare minimum square footage that you estimated. The last thing you want is to have to place your project on hold while you await another shipment! Again, a professional stone mason is the best person to accurately determine how much thin stone veneer you’ll need to cover the whole project.

Thin Stone Veneer vs. Full Veneer

Thin stone veneer offers a number of advantages when compared to full veneer—it’s lighter per square foot, doesn’t require footings or wall ties, and is comparatively more affordable to ship and install. Kafka Granite’s natural thin stone veneer has a nominal thickness of ¾” to 1½” and meets industry standards for weighing less than 15 pounds per square foot. When installed correctly, thin stone veneer looks nearly identical to full veneer, which is several inches thicker and therefore, heavier!

The difference in weight translates to lower shipping and installation costs, making natural thin stone veneer an excellent choice for both interior and exterior non-structural projects. In fact, you can get about 3.75 times the coverage per shipment of thin stone veneer.

Installing Thin Stone Veneer

As with calculating how much thin stone veneer you’ll need for a specific project, we recommend letting a professional stonemason handle the installation. While thin stone veneer can be installed over a number of different surfaces, they first need to be prepared. At the very least, outdoor surfaces will need to be waterproofed to industry standards. Certain surfaces may also require a non-corrosive wire lath and a setting mix.

Natural Thin Stone Veneer for Every Project

If you’re on the hunt for a cost-effective method of incorporating natural stone into your project, thin stone veneer will fit the bill beautifully. Kafka Granite is proud to offer an extensive selection of natural thin stone veneer in a variety of colors and cuts. Feel free to reach out with any questions—we don’t perform formal takeoffs, but our knowledgeable sales team is always happy to chat about your project and provide an estimate!