Can You Install Stone Veneer As A Kitchen Backsplash?

Beautiful cabinets and countertops look flat and unfinished when the wall space between them is bare. A complement to any kitchen is a stone veneer backsplash, an affordable and elegant product that dresses out the cabinet area in style. There are two common types of veneer natural and manufactured stone veneer but according to Jesse Sanchez, of Jesse's Tile in San Antonio, Texas, they each have vastly different characteristics. Durability, weight, installation and wall surface are factors to keep in mind before selecting which stone veneer you want for your backsplash.
Natural stone Veneer
Natural stone veneer, sometimes referred to as stacked stone, may not be the best choice for a backsplash if cost and do-it-yourself installation is your goal. Sanchez cites the weight of the veneer as a major consideration. Although it's not as heavy as full stone, it's heavy enough that it requires structural support. "Before installing natural veneer as a backsplash, you must prep your walls according the manufacturer's instructions. Depending upon the product weight and the type of wall you're installing it on, you may need to install special footings, wall casings, underlayment or wall ties to support the weight," Sanchez says.
Manufactured Stone Veneer
For kitchen backsplashes, Sanchez suggests using manufactured veneer, made from Portland cement and aggregate stone. Unlike natural and manufactured veneer is a lightweight product that doesn't require any special wall prepping beyond surface cleaning and making sure the wall is structurally sound.
Manufactured stone veneer comes in panels that are 6 inches by 24 inches; are less than 2 inches thick; and have interlocking ends that provide the staggered, individual stacked-stone look.
Installation
You need only simple installation tools to install your manufactured veneer: chalk line; level, trowel, mortar and a wet saw for cutting. "For natural veneer, unless you are experienced in masonry, employing the services of a professional mason may be the best choice," says Sanchez.
Follow the stone veneer manufacturers guidelines for ratio of water-to-mortar mix, specific to the veneer you are using. Spread the mortar compound on the back of the veneer panel to attach the panel to the wall. For any gaps, fill in with small individual pieces of stone veneer, and with a piping bag, pipe mortar into the gap to fill it in. Snap chalk lines across the wall to help keep your panels straight. After setting each panel on the wall, use your line level to ensure you're going in a straight line.
Maintenance
Natural stone veneer requires no special maintenance other than wiping it down to keep it clean. However, Sanchez recommends sealing the manufactured stone veneer with a penetrating sealer.
Quality
Quality plays an important part in durability and satisfaction. While it may be tempting to buy the least expensive veneer, it's not always the best choice. Choose a veneer product that has a stone veneer manufacturers warranty. Opt for a manufacturer who guarantees his product against cracking and offers a lifetime limited warranty. Always check the manufacturer's customer satisfaction rating with the Better Business Bureau before purchasing your stone veneer.edited by china stone veneer

Market differentiation outer wall (2)

Split brick and artificial cultured stone veneer superiority of the product itself has been the high-end consumers. Split brick Popular point is that the ceramic body tiles, unglazed bisque firing blanks obtained, and then manually or machine along the ribs of two links at the split products; while culture stone is divided into natural and artificial cultured stone veneer culture stone, which is based on artificial culture pumice stone products, ceramic and other inorganic materials professionally produced by processing, with green energy, light texture, high strength, good resistance to freeze-thaw resistance and other advantages.
Split tile design concepts more closely tied to nature, fashion yet also very modern culture. Mala Zi design director Chen Qiang said Mala Zi's split with high quality clay brick products as raw materials, vacuum molding and extrusion temperature tunnel kiln firing, natural colors and all kinds of products will not fade; back of the unique waiting groove with a good degree of adhesion to the wall, spalling resistance strong, and acid and alkali resistant, non-slip moisture-proof anti-corrosion, frost insulation, sound insulation and absorption functions. Split brick in appearance and workmanship is unmatched by other tiles.
The same artificial cultural pursuit of natural stone veneer products, through different paving design, creating the effect of different styles, or retro or modern, is used in many high-end villas, luxury commercial and residential district, tourist attractions, schools and other places. Ottawa on ceramic Marketing Vice President Zeng Jing Mei said artificial cultured stone veneer ceramic materials in addition to general inherent corrosion resistance, non-fading, frost, moisture and other excellent performance, but also has a very beautiful color gradient and surface characteristics, allowing design division ideas vividly, reflecting the architectural cultural taste, the overall improvement of architectural decoration grade.
Hanging Ceramic as a new wall materials, with traditional stone, aluminum and glass has many advantages compared to enter the curtain wall industry will seize the market share of other materials. TOB ceramic plate China Ceramics City Hall responsible Zhangsu Ming introduction, ceramic plate originated in Germany, beginning in 2006 domestic production, ceramic plate is a natural clay as the main raw material, adding a small amount of quartz, pumice, feldspar and pigments and other ingredients, through high-pressure extrusion, low temperature drying and 1200 ℃ high temperature baked with green, no radiation, mild color, will not bring light pollution, etc., become the material of choice for one of the building's exterior decoration.

Outside the wall, mostly villas or large buildings stand outside wall use, so it is the number used in large quantities, which requires manufacturers must have a strong production capacity and good delivery speed. Currently, the market is always the outer wall and stone veneer manufacturers customized production, ie after receipt of customer orders, started production.
Like split brick,  cultured stone veneer  of these high-end positioning of the outer wall products sales channel is the engineering, retail accounts for only a small percentage, "At present, there are three factories on the Ottawa, the cultural aspects of the annual output can reach six stone, 70 million square meters, mainly in engineering-based, just to Foshan, the major works on CapitaLand, Poly Real Estate, Rafi Mansion, Times Square, the town of Evian, and so. "

Miele home building materials export manager Liu Xiaohui said Miele family culture stone annual output of 3 million square meters, an order volume in five 1000-50000 m2 varies between receipt of orders, the development of delivery After the customer Kanban, commissioning production to officially put into operation a week time. Currently, successful cooperation Miele home projects are: Country Garden (Southern Region), and Kunming Shenzhen OCT East Golf Estates, Changchun Fawer garden over 50.
For the need to purchase large quantities of products outside the wall construction buyers, the choice of suppliers need to pay attention to what the problem? In this regard, Yu Jianhua very important that the following two points: First, the product quality, including product stability, water absorption, regularity need to consider carefully; Second, the strength and integrity of manufacturers, factory production capacity to be able to meet the procurement requirements , the ability to control the product's color, whether with the replenishment rate of construction progress, and so on.

CHINA STONE VENEER edit

TV backdrop artificial stone veneer

Living in noisy cities, more and more people are yearning for calm and pleasant rural (community Forum) life, so simple, natural style of the home by many people of all ages. Then, use some simple, natural materials, allowing the whole family had a relaxed feel, as the embodiment of the living room TV backdrop important element of style, choice of texture with a natural stone veneer, can achieve very good results. In the simple, natural living room with stone embellishment seems unique culture.
Artificial cultured stone veneer is a kind of new material, is made of natural stone processing, natural color, more noise, ring road, fire and other characteristics, is very suitable for TV backdrop,