Zonda - Resource Library

As the aesthetics and reliability of manufactured stone veneer (MSV) has improved, the market for this exterior cladding has increased exponentially. In the last five years, manufactured stone has consistently appeared at the top of our annual Cost vs. Value report as a remodeling project with one of the highest ROI. And it’s increasingly common on homes and light commercial offices, hotels.

However, with the increasing market opportunity comes increased risk for contractors installing it. Like any exterior cladding, manufactured stone must be installed over a drainage plane that directs water down and out, away from the wall. How is this done for MSV? What does code require and what changing developments will affect building practices?

Architectural stone veneer has long been used to elevate the design of building facades, but more recently, it’s found its way indoors and is becoming a mainstay of interior design. “There’s been a real upswing in the number of projects on both residential and commercial when it comes to accentuating a space or an environment with stone,” says Sarah Lograsso, director of marketing for Eldorado Stone.

Hear about what’s behind this trend and the exciting options stone veneer can open up for architects and designers.

High-quality architectural stone veneer is a lower-cost, easier to install, sustainable alternative to natural stone. Though traditionally more often used in exterior applications, stone veneer is making its way into more interior applications across a wide variety of industries.

This course will review performance and aesthetic characteristics of stone veneer and how it’s used in different applications. Learners will also explore how stone veneer contributes to biophilic design principles and helps architects specify for changing residential building trends.

From rusticated design to office-residential conversions, hear more about architectural trends and the forces behind them.

In this wide-ranging discussion we review six key trends—and how they're informing the future of design. The latest take on biophilic design; how are customization and individualization evolving; will circularity become a more important aspect of sustainability. Find out in this Studio Session.