Architectural Stone Veneers: Authentic and Appropriate Technology
Stone veneer is a unique product that is both handmade and mass-produced as well as hand-placed by masons on a building site. Some stone veneers can also be specified as a panel but each panel has the appearance of a hand-placed finish. Each flat of stones is part of a stone profile that is based on regional rock formations. Individual molds replicate the unique characteristics of real stones that have been selected by researchers and collectors from geologic formations. The individual pieces are formed in molds that have the shapes and hollows of an actual stone. The base color is blended and mineral oxides are applied to provide an authentic appearance of a specific geologic formation. “The authenticity and natural look of the stone is what will attract a customer,” Spann says. “The ability to also create custom colors and blends by taking some stones from different profiles and mixing them gives architects the creative control they love. And a manufactured stone allows you to match up with existing stone even many years later.”
Confronted by the cost of transportation, environmental degradation and difficult, costly installations, designers seeking to use stone as a means to bring natural finishes and the nuances of natural colors into their projects can choose a lightweight and more affordable alternative with an authentic natural finish. Lightweight stone veneer is a cementitious product that can be used by designers in many creative applications. Used as an exterior and interior finish on libraries, churches, schools and hotels, this material has proven to be versatile as it is a good environmental choice. Designers have incorporated stone veneer in projects that have both a traditional as well as modern aesthetic. Stone veneer is used in residential projects as well as in commercial settings and excels as a surface material for retaining walls.
TEMECULA LIBRARY – SELECTING AN APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY
The 34,000 sf library was completed in 2006 and was designed as a “place to learn; a place to explore; a place to discover old traditions and new opportunities.”2 Choosing a manufactured stone veneer as a finish material allowed the architects to keep within budget and use the lightweight properties of this veneer as a design feature. The dramatic glass entry is contrasted by the stone veneer cladding, creating a metaphor between the old and the new, celebrating the culture and future of the community in this project. According to Craig Whitridge, LEED AP, BD +C, the project architect at LPA Inc., “The key to making the finished product look like real stone is having an installer that understands the material and knows that it cannot simply be taken out of the box and placed on the wall like it was a box of ceramic tile, where all of the pieces are uniform and the same. The installation of manufactured stone veneer requires an installer with an artistic flair and the ability to sort through the pieces and assemble them in a way that achieves a natural look. Otherwise, the finished product tends to look like a layer cake.” Through careful installation and design, Temecula Library is an example of how this product can make a statement that reflects the environmental values of a community. |
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