by Mark Haverstock

Telluride's Volterra is a small chopped blocky and rectangular sandstone mix reminiscent of stone, hand hewn by Roman legions, used to build throughout Northern Italy. Sebastian flagstone driveway compliments exterior garage wall.

Thin stone. Thinrock. Natural thin veneer. Whatever you choose to call it, this skinny version of full-dimension stone is the latest building and decorating solution in the industry.

	Breathtaking arches at the Baccio Restaurant, Minnetonka, MN, feature Buechel Full Color Castle Rock.

Natural thin stone veneer (TSV) is a genuine stone product, quarried directly from the earth. Unlike most artificial or manufactured stone, natural thin stone veneer is colorfast, will not fade or discolor, and resists chipping and scratching. It's the perfect material for use where size or weight limitations are a problem. TSV typically ranges from 3/4 to 11/2 inches in width as compared with full veneer at three to five inches and full-sized stone at eight inches or more. "The great thing about it is that it is real stone and it doesn't look like a veneer," says Dennis Buechel, President of National Stone Veneer International.

Thin stone veneer has the same desirable qualities and is much lighter than its full stone counterparts. Versatility is the big advantage to TSV — it can be used on interior walls, on fireplaces, or on the exterior walls of a home or building. It can be added to existing structures without little modification. Applications are only limited by your imagination. And these thin veneers come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, textures and sizes to suit any construction or decorating need.

Custom blending of thin veneer stone from Robinson Rock is used to match addition to original structure.

Creating a Market
The use of thin stone veneer wall construction dates back more than 100 years and has evolved from hand-chiseled secondary facade elements to primary facades fabricated with modern stone cutting machinery. Since the late 1950s, thin stone construction has played a considerable role in defining post-modern architecture. Most of the thin stone during this era appeared as large slabs attached to precast concrete or steel frames. Today, it comes in small manageable pieces that adhere easily to both interior and exterior walls.

	Telluride's Greystone shows off the split face of the stone and gives this project a distinguished look.

TSV in its current form has been available for about 30 years. "We started doing thin stone veneer in 1977 as a layered material," says Scott Buechel, Executive Vice President of Buechel Stone. However, these early products had some limitations. If someone wanted a return on the stone to make it look as if it was a full bed-depth, it just wasn't available. Ten years later, Buechel addressed this issue by adding corners to their product line, giving TSV the appearance of a full masonry product.

Pasvalco has enjoyed enormous success in thin stone sales during the last year. "We've done a good bit of marketing through trade shows and I've been very pleased with the results," says David Anderson. "I believe we can triple what we did for last year's sales." They target stucco contractors who currently install artificial stone and give them an option for customers who want a natural alternative. Architects routinely specify artificial stone, but now many homeowners are demanding real stone to give their residences a sense of solidity and permanence.

Thin stone veneer makes excellent wall covering and gives this kitchen an old-world look. Pictured is Telluride's Rico Stack.

Though thin stone veneer is quickly becoming a hot seller, Lee Robbins of Sawing Systems believes the market is still in its infancy — the best is yet to come. "Five to ten years from now, TSV will be really huge," he says. "Not too long ago, manufactured stone helped to create a market for natural granite counter tops. It's going to be a very similar thing with TSV. The manufactured stone is now creating a market for natural stone as distributors are now taking on natural lines as an option for their customers."

Robinson Copper Cliff veneer adds real stone look to driveway entrance.

In Demand
Thin stone veneer occupies a price point between manufactured stone, brick, and full-size masonry stone. "Many times if people are aware there is a natural product, people would rather put natural stone on their project instead of manufactured — unless cost is the issue," says Buechel. But if you really compare natural stone against the better manufactured stone, cost really isn't that much of an issue. According to Architect Rae Price of Peridian International, the cost factor for real stone versus good-quality artificial stone amounts to only a difference of about 10 percent.

	A cutaway of typical thin stone veneer installation on frame construction.

What's popular in TSV today? There are about as many answers as there are customers. "It's a local decision, often based on regional tastes," suggests Bill Halquist, President of Halquist Stone. "For example, Cleveland, Ohio, prefers sandstone, but if you go a few hundred miles south to Columbus, Cincinnati, or Dayton, light gray limestone and light beige colors are in demand. Customers in the southwest prefer desert colors that stand out, such as bright browns, bright pinks, bright greens, and multi-colors of red." He suggests that consumers pick stone as a decoration. "We like to think of it as rigid and strong, but many choose it like wallpaper to fit a look that they want."

Thin veneer stone adds a rustic look to an indoor fireplace. Pictured is Buechel Blue Ridge River Rock.

Anderson says fieldstones and the more rustic colors appeal to their New York and New Jersey markets. "It blends with the style of structures in our area." Buechel agrees that rustics are big sellers and also notes that earth tone colors are really popular right now. "But it really goes back to what designers and architects are currently trying to promote."

Custom blends are also becoming popular where customers want to create their own look or fit with an existing structure. "We've matched some projects on the east coast," says Lesa Bannon, Vice President of Corporate Communications for Robinson Brick. "For example, we've closely duplicated the stone on a 150-year-old farm house when they were building the addition to help maintain the original look." She notes that customers can blend existing stone colors — for example a 50 percent mix of their Trailhead and Tuscany products.

Advantages
The primary advantage of TSV for builders starts from the ground up. Thin veneer stone is basically a facing product and doesn't require a ledger, footings or wall ties like conventional full-size stone. The stone isn't supported by the footing underneath — it's supported by the wall. "That's where a lot of the savings is," says Halquist. "You build a conventional frame house instead of framing it for masonry. The thin stone isn't necessarily less expensive, but the framing is." You can also make a decision to add stone at the last minute without much additional preparation.

	Tudor-style house features Robinson Seabed Thinrock.

To a large project, there are significant savings from an engineering standpoint — the amount of structural reinforcement that would be required. "We frequently see builders use a full-size stone at the base of a project and then go to thin veneer up on chimneys and higher elevations that can't carry a heavy load," says John Gallegos of Telluride Stone. "This also amounts to cost savings by not having to carry a structural component all the way up."

Labor costs are less with TSV because it goes up faster and easier than full-sized stone. "You save because you can put up more square footage in a workday — it's lighter weight and you don't have the structural issues associated with full-size stone or brick," says Bannon. Several suppliers, including Robinson Brick, actually place the product in the containers laid out in the pattern used for installation. Installers can literally open the box and put it right up on the wall.

"You technically don't need a trained stone mason to put it up, unless you're looking for an artistic touch or a little more creativity," she says.

TSV materials are cost effective in other ways. "It saves you money because you can get more from the same raw material — you can produce more," says Paul Ballif of Delta Stone. "Installation is easier on the masons so you have less fatigue."

Appearance is probably the strongest selling point. There's not a noticeable difference between the regular veneer and the thin veneer stone, especially with current cutting techniques that produce L-shaped corners. "When you do a corner, you're doing a wrap around that has the appearance of a full-size stone," says Gallegos. "You're not going to notice the difference, especially if it is a jointed look. If you have a window return or a ledge you want to return back to, you can cut the corners into various sizes so it looks like you have a full-size piece going back."

Beauty is more than skin deep. Manufactured stone doesn't often have uniform color throughout. "When an installer puts in manufactured stone and they have to trim a piece to fit, they have to color the edges," says Anderson. "If there is damage such as chipping, it needs touch up or patching." Manufactured stone is also susceptible to fading. Neither is an issue with natural stone.

Natural stone is one of the most sound and visually appealing building products available. Pillars and exterior walls on this residence reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright's designs feature Buechel Chilton Rustic thin veneer.

Cutting Edge
There's really nothing new in fabrication equipment as far as technologies or concepts according to Robbins. "The machine is basically a two-headed veneer saw with blades 36 inches in diameter," he explains. "You set the stone up, saving the faces for the application itself. Ideally, it would be 11/2 to 3 inches thick so you have two faces and no waste."

The thin veneer saw, based on the company's 511-C dual-headed saw utilizes a manually fed conveyer, with belt speed adjustable to the density of the material. "You put a stone up on either or both sides of the conveyer and lean it against the fence," says Robbins "There's nothing else holding it — no clamping device," Once the blade makes contact with the stone, the stone doesn't move — the blade simply slices through it. Robbins notes features on these saws vary somewhat, as they are built to individual customer specs.

TSV producers like Robinson Brick are also making the cut with quality control standards. "We've tested all our thin stone veneers for freeze/thaw — they're suitable for use in all regions of the country," says Tony Fabrizio, Vice President of Manufacturing and Quality for Robinson Brick. "To my knowledge, we're the only company that's manufacturing thin stone that goes through this testing process. We manufacture them under ISO 9001 standards."

Good thin veneer is real stone and looks like it. "The side adhering to the wall is obviously cut, but with our process we have very strict specifications for the look," says Fabrizio. "We don't allow any chisel marks or saw cut marks on the face of the finished product; it should look like it was picked up off the ground and stuck onto your wall." Ninety degree corners also contribute to the authentic appearance. When you put it on a column or the corner of a fireplace, it looks like a solid piece.

Special Delivery
TSV is lighter than full size stone or full veneer, but requires careful packing to protect it. "When you're loading a pallet of fieldstone, you don't have to worry about the handling," says Robbins. "But with thin stone, it has to be layered very precisely on a pallet, or some kind of buffer needs to be placed between layers to keep the stone from cracking during transport. Breakage can be fairly high — especially for limestone."

Halquist Kensington Blend thin veneer frames windows overlooking the pool.

Shipping in quantity can be economical enough to make up for the extra handling that is needed. With full-sized veneer, you could only put 48,000 pounds of material on a flatbed truck to ship, which means if the material is three to five inches thick, you can only ship about 800-100 square feet of material. With thin stone, you can ship up to four times that amount. "What's happened is geographical, because of the cost difference in the shipping, we're finding that people are willing to take stone into parts of the country they didn't used to," says Gallegos. "Now we can ship the stone around the country — to Boston or other locations on the east coast for example. People are starting to look at a larger range of products as a result of the thin material."

Installation
Natural thin stone veneer can be applied over masonry surfaces such as concrete block, brick or cement. For clean, untreated exterior masonry surfaces, no preparation is generally needed. Painted or stucco surfaces should be waterblasted or sandblasted, washing away any residual dust.

Frame construction requires some additional steps. Wall sheathing is covered with a water-resistant barrier such as Tyvek. For exterior applications, adding a weep system such as Buechel's EMC-3639 is suggested for the removal of unwanted moisture that could lead to mold or freeze/thaw issues. The next layer is metal lath nailed or screwed onto the wall, six inches on center vertically and 16 inches on center horizontally.

Properly formed corners are essential. "It's important that the mason wraps the corner with the metal lath allowing at least eight inches of overlap," says Kevin Schultz, Masonry Consultant for Buechel Stone. "The other pieces should overlap a few inches as well to tie everything together."

Once the surface is prepared, a masonry scratch coat is applied. He recommends adding an acrylic bonding agent with the mortar because it strengthens the bond between the stone and the wall. "I like to do everything within a few hours so it's one application," says Schultz. "I plaster the wall first, then the back of each stone with a thin coat of mortar stone as we're laying them. When you stick it on the wall, you can actually hear the suction."

Some prefer to do the plaster coat 24 hours ahead of time and then rough it up with a notched trowel. "That's very strong too," says Schultz. "If a mason has trouble with the stone sliding and the plaster coat is applied 24 hrs ahead of time, it will suck the moisture out of the mortar on the back of the stone to help it stick better."

Custom cutting is typically done with the chisel end of a brick hammer. In situations where there is a vein in the stone and the break may be unpredictable, a 4 1/2 inch grinder with a diamond blade is used to score through the stone prior to breaking it.

According to Buechel, the hidden details are the most critical. It's helpful when checks are done on the stone for hardness, density and absorption — especially when you're working with a softer thin stone material. If you're installing in a freeze-thaw climate, it's important that the proper ventilation or the proper weep system is installed. "Because you're only using a very thin layer of mortar, you have an opportunity for moisture to penetrate easily," he explains. "The problem is if you don't get that moisture to come out from behind the stone, you invite potential problems with mold and deterioration of the wood backing structure."

A rich stone look is combined with traditional vinyl siding by adding NSVI Canyon Creek veneer.

A Case for Thin Stone
"I think information about the advantages of thin stone veneer needs to get out to the design professionals," says Price. "Thin stone is an alternative they may not be aware of — one that meets the same kinds of specs as manufactured stone, weighing in at less than 15 pounds per square foot."

Price notes that many recently built structures incorporate foam and are treated with stucco to make it look like precast on buildings, around doorways, windows, trim pieces, and on wainscoting. "What happens is when you're within eight feet of the ground, the surfaces get beat-up and deteriorate as the real material wouldn't," he explains. "To me, the advantage to real stone is you can bump into it or chip it and it is still the same all the way through. If artificial stone gets bumped or chipped, it shows the popcorn on the inside. Durability is truly the big issue."

Another advantage from the design standpoint is that you can use TSV and then easily match it to stone on paving, curbs, or retaining walls — something you can usually get from the same supplier. Typically with artificial stone, you'd have to search for a real stone product to match.

According to Price, you can get, at reasonable cost, the effect and design elements of stone. "Using TSV, you can do a frame building and incorporate stone elements — creating mass and form, giving the structure proportion and a visual/structural kind of strength," he says. "You might take what appears to be a stone bearing wall and run it through a building, creating a very strong architectural element. These effects can be done very economically with thin stone veneer and frame walls without needing the support of concrete footings or CMU walls." The whole idea is that you can use the thin stone in applications to create the architectural elements that were once limited to very expensive buildings.

"When you look at those buildings that are able to stand the test of time, stone is a timeless design material," says Price. "It never loses its elegance or desirability versus man-made materials."

Thank you to the following article contributors: Buechel Stone Corp. W3639 Hwy. H Chilton, WI 53014-9643 (800) 236-4473, (920) 849-9361 Delta Stone 2276 South Daniels Rd. Heber City, UT 84032 (435) 654-3336 Halquist Stone Company P.O. Box 308 N51 W23563 Lisbon Road Sussex, WI 53089 (262) 246-9000, (800) 255-8811 Natural Stone Veneers International P.O. Box 347 Fond du Lac, WI 54936-0347 (920) 923-2800, (877) 923-2800 Pasvalco 100 Bogert St. Closter, NJ 07627 (888) 727-8252 Rae Price, FASLA Peridian International 2600 Newport Beach #130 Newport Beach, CA 92663 (949) 675-2445 Robinson Brick 1845 West Dartmouth Ave. Denver, CO 80110 (800) 477-9002, (303) 783-3000 Sawing Systems Inc. P.O. Box 3754 Knoxville, TN 37927-3754 (865) 525-0600 Telluride Stone Company P.O. Box 3552 Telluride, CO 81435 (970) 728-6201

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