What Is Stone Veneer Siding? Here's Everything You Should Know

Homeowners who love the look of a stone exterior may wonder: what is stone veneer siding? Stone veneer is a synthetic siding material that has the potential to be just as beautiful as natural stone without the high price tag, making it popular with homeowners. Stone siding on a home offers fantastic curb appeal, but using natural stone can be rather expensive. To make the best choice for siding your home, read on for everything you need to know.

What Is Stone Veneer?

Stone veneer is designed to mimic the appearance of natural stone and is utilized for a variety of architectural designs—from statement walls to façades. Stone veneer is popular with homeowners because it is difficult for the untrained eye to notice the difference between it and natural stone.

Architectural stone veneer dates back to the late 19th century when it was first created with thick-cut slabs of natural stone. It was not until the 1950s that Portland cement was added to its composition, adding stability to the product, yet unable to provide structural support like that of its natural predecessor.

Stone veneer is used for decorative purposes and is designed to protect against wear and weather. Thinly-cut pieces from real stone create a truly natural look, without the weight of full-bed rock, as they are not intended to be load-bearing. Consult a local stone contracting company to determine whether stone veneer or stone is the best option for your home.

Stone Veneer Pros and Cons

Homeowners have long appreciated the organic appeal of natural materials when constructing or improving their homes. Real rock siding is one such feature, but its high price tag and installation complexities may be prohibitive. Luckily, stone veneer offers a great alternative. 

Pros of Stone Veneer 

• More affordable than real stone 

• Lightweight

• Durable and fire-resistant

• Requires minimal maintenance

• Easy for DIY homeowners to install on their own

Cons of Stone Veneer 

• Color loss over time

• Lack of detail or color depth for some veneers

• Material can be brittle

• Doesn’t support your home like stone

Types of Stone Veneer Siding

Homeowners can choose from three different stone veneer siding options: manufactured stone, natural thin stone veneer, or full bed veneer. Each type of stone veneer varies in thickness and materials used to create the siding.

Manufactured Stone

Manufactured stone is entirely human-made to reflect the appearance of real stone. This type of stone veneer usually consists of cement, natural minerals, and colorant. Manufactured stone can be remarkably hard-wearing and attractive. It closely resembles the original, but certain producers may utilize a kind of strong artificial polymer instead, referred to as faux stone, which leads to feather-light claddings. 

Natural Thin Stone Veneer

Natural thin stone veneer is a genuine material derived from mountain rocks, riverbeds, and stone quarries. It is expertly sliced into one-inch thick sections and can be shaped to lend a smoother, yet elegant and rustic appearance. This veneer is essentially a thinner cut of building stone, which is composed entirely of quarried stone, unlike composite concrete. A superior quality material, a natural thin stone veneer can be applied to the interiors and exteriors of walls, chimneys, fire pits, and fireplace façades.

Full Bed Veneer

Full bed veneer is made similarly to natural thin stone veneer in that it's created from the same real stone materials. The significant difference is its thickness. Full bed veneer is typically between 3 and 5 inches thick. 

Best Places to Use Stone Veneer

You can use stone veneer as both an interior and exterior application, depending on where you’d like to add more texture and interest. Consider these places to put stone veneer:

• Interior and exterior doorways and entrances

• Bathroom walls

• Accent walls within living spaces

• Around fireplaces

• Fences or exterior walls

Stone Veneer vs. Real Stone

Both stone and stone veneer provide the look of a built stone wall. Stone is much heavier than veneer (5 to 7 inches of rock versus 2 to 3 inches), takes longer to install, and it’s usually more complicated and requires professional installation. If it’s installed correctly, stone can last several decades or longer. 

On the other hand, stone veneer allows you to add the look of stone to structures that may not be able to hold up an entire stone wall, or areas that are too narrow for stone. Real stone also costs three to 10 times as much as stone veneer, so it’s a budget-friendly option.

Stone Veneer Siding Cost

Stone veneer siding typically ranges from $11 to $18 per square foot and is generally sold in sheets. When you hire a local siding contractor, the installation costs add between $2 to $4 per square foot for labor. Compared to natural stone siding cost, the difference is quite significant with the average cost being $42 per square foot, just for materials.

The type of stone siding you choose will factor into the cost as well. Manufactured stone is less expensive, ranging in price between $5 to $8 per square foot. Faux stone, which can have a rather artificial appearance, costs between $6 to $9 per square foot.

There are other cost factors to consider, specifically when it comes to installation. The existing underlayment may need to be replaced to properly install the stone veneer siding. For an area of 1,000 square feet, the cost ranges between $440 and $520. You'll also need a moisture barrier to prevent water vapor from seeping under your wall and damaging the foundation. This typically costs between $2 to $4 per square foot.