Stone Façade

A façade is the exterior face of any side of the building. It has been an architectural practice to increase the aesthetics effects and decorative features of a structure by treating the façade with artificial stones, manufactured stones, natural stones or flexible stones. More often, a stone façade is also referred to as stone veneer. Aside from beautifying a structure, stone veneer serves as protection too.

1. Types of Stones: The earth is full of varied types of natural stones. There are the sedimentary stone, limestone, fossilstone and sandstone. There are the metamorphic stones that include marble, slate and serpentine. Igneous stones include granite while manmade stones include terrazzo, bricks, conglomerate or agglomerate stones and faux marbles. Know your stones! (www.granitepluskitchen.com)

2. What are the different types of stone finishes: There are different types of finishing for stones. Sometimes, the finishing is all-natural as in the case of a natural cleft finishing seen in slate stones. Some natural stones are cut, honed, polished or sandblasted for the desired finish. This website has a short discourse on the different types of stone finishing. (www.fullertonstone.com)

3. Great Stone Products: This website is actually an online shop where you can choose and order stone veneer for your home. The choices are quite extensive. The materials used for the stone and brick veneer are lightweight. Available on the website are man-made stones, handmade stones, artificial stones that are made to look like river rocks, corals, ledge stones, limestones and even bamboos. (www.great-stone.com)

4. Stone Veneer and Accessories: This website has more than 1,000 stone veneers for exterior use. A fine example is Stone’s Craft Top Rock with its sandstone appearance, randomly emphasized with textures ridges. The color is warm. The edges are smooth. This stone veneer is also structurally-sound for use in facades. (www.lowes.com)

5. Products Stone: This website has a wide range of stone veneer products suitable not only for a building’s façade but also in fireplaces, kitchens, bathrooms, patios, dining and living rooms. Available on this site are high quality stones such as Ashlar, Cliffstone, Coastal Reef, Mountain Ledge, Shadow Rock and more. If you wish for a combination of rocks for the veneer, the manufacturer will gladly accommodate your request. (www.eldoradostone.com)

6. Facades (photos): Here is a slide presentation of different facades that made use of different stones as veneer. Stone veneer s that were used are Cliffstone, Cypress Ridge, Coastal Ledge and Bluffstone. The effect on the aesthetics of the houses is excellent. (www.eldoradostone.com)

7. All Natural New England Stone Veneer: This website sells only all-natural New England Stone Veneer. The stones are of high quality and perfect as stone siding for exterior and interior walls, fireplaces, wine cellars, chimneys, cladding and more. The veneers are available in 1-inch and 3-5 inch thickness. (www.stoneyard.com)

8. Project Gallery: The beautiful stone facades of the residences featured on this website are unique. Though most of the stone veneer finishings were done to the exterior walls, there were stone treatments applied on interior walls too. Used were Fieldstone, Cobblestone, and Drystack in various colors. (www.qualitystoneveneer.com)

9. 16 Stone Veneer Houses that You Must See: A home fitted with natural stone as finishing is bound to be quite expensive. Thanks to the stone veneers, it is now possible to have a stone façade for the home without breaking the bank. Featured here are magnificent-looking homes with stone facades. (www.furniturefashion.com)

10. Stone Veneer Tips: This website has articles relating to the maintenance, cleaning, choosing and buying stone veneer. One tip when cleaning stone veneer is to never use power cleaner and strong detergents as they could damage the stones. Always see to it that there are no cracks on the veneer where water can seep in. (www.saltlakecitystoneveneer.com)

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