Insider Secrets… Stone Advice

Hello Stanley,

When it comes to your housing exterior, there’s nothing like stone to give your home a cool, earthy, yet modern vibe. But natural stone can be expensive and tricky to install without the help of professionals. A practical, yet aesthetically pleasing alternative to natural stone, is faux stone veneer.

What is Faux Stone Veneer?

Faux stone veneer is a type of decorative exterior material generally half an
inch thick and sold as individual stones or paneled pieces. Faux stone veneer
is molded from real stone, manufactured from Portland cement and tested for durability and consistency. It weighs only a few pounds per panel and is available in a variety of colours, stone styles and cuts.

The Benefits

Faux stone veneer is less expensive than natural
stone and is environmentally- friendly without sacrificing quality.

To enforce the illusion of real stone, faux stone veneer comes with 90 degree corner pieces to create the
illusion of real stone wrapping a corner as well as colour-matching accessories. Users can create a cohesive look by coordinating stone and various other building products like stucco or siding on exterior applications.

It is engineered specifically for easy installation with minimal materials so you don’t necessarily need to enlist the help of a professional.

Faux stone veneer can be applied to a variety of surfaces including concrete, stone, brick, plywood or drywall. (Refer to local building codes to ensure that there is a proper drainage system available behind the stone. Metal lathe is needed for adhering the faux stone veneer to plywood or drywall).

It weighs less than full bed stone, meaning that structural reinforcements such as special footings or foundations should not be necessary. This means one less step in your installation!

Text by Zakiya Kassam

Photos and information provided by Stone Selex