Natural stone cladding is also known as Stone Veneers, Cultured stone, and Stone Features are made from natural stone. Using stone wall cladding will create an unrivaled aesthetic, you will find no two stones are the same. They all possess unique rich color variations and textures. it will not deteriorate or fade over time.

Do up your home with Top Source Slate! We offer the widest selection of natural stone cladding panels that you can use to create your ultimate interior and exterior wall features. With so many styles available in the Top Source Slate range, you’re bound to find the right product to suit your project.

What is natural stone cladding？

Z stone wall cladding is a popular material for both interior and exterior applications, Each panel is composed of pieces of natural stone mounted on a cement mortar base and reinforced with fiberglass mesh to avoid the risk of detachment allowing for the easy mounting of slabs and rustic or antiqued blocks. The Z-shape of the panels enhances the aesthetics of the project.

Our stone cladding panels are comprised of layers of stacked stone in a variety of sizes, from long and narrow strips to thicker, more rectangular pieces. These natural stone cladding panels generally offer a neat and tidy symmetrical look that is contrasted by unique, organic textures.

Features of stone wall covering

• Quick and easy to install. No special skill is required.
• Extremely cost-effective compared to traditional stone masonry.
• Minimal wastage. No mess, no fuss.
• Available in a wide range of natural stone cladding finishes.
• Suitable for both interior and exterior applications.

What is stone cladding made of?

Natural stone wall cladding panel is made of natural stone chips from the best selection of Slate, Quartzite, Sandstone, Marble, Granite, and others. Ledgestone panels have a unified and linear appearance and making them a great choice for most outdoor and indoor applications.

How to produce stone cladding?

As a professional stacked stone cladding manufacturer, factory, supplier & Exporter in China, Stone cladding is our important export category, and the production process is as below.

• Place blocks in a metal frame mold at either end to form a rebate
• Prime internal faces with a light oil release agent
• Lay first application of cementitious mortar
• Insert steel reinforcement mesh
• Lay the second application of cementitious mortar.
• Apply a thin brushed application of adhesive glue to increase the bonding of the smooth-sawn cut back of the stone.
• Lay individual pieces of stone into the mortar, chipping ends to remove saw cut edge, and chip each piece to fit.
• When dry, remove the stacked stone panel from the frame and wash it to remove any dust or dirt from the surface.
• Ledgestone veneer panels completed allowing for drying.

The different sizes of stone cladding?

The natural stacked stone feature wall cladding panels are of two normal sizes: 550 mm wide by 200 mm high and 610 mm wide by 152 mm high. The thickness is 35 – 45 mm at the stone face. and all vertical edges are hand dressed which provides a much neater and more seamless finish.

The different BACKED types of stone cladding?

There are currently two production methods, the surface is exactly the same, mainly reflected in the back.

Cement-backed mounted

Exterior natural stone cladding is an innovative natural stone panels system, consisting of natural stone pieces mounted onto a cement-backed reinforced ‘Z shaped’ panel that simply slots together to create a stunning natural stone facade.

The weight of the panels is approximately 80 kilograms per square meter

Features: The traditional way of making, stronger, heavier, less quantity in a container.

Partial cement & mesh

Part of the back is pasted with cement, and the bonding point is on the edge of each chip

The weight of the panels is approximately 70 kilograms per square meter

Features: This production method is also very mature, it is strong, more labor-intensive, and lighter in weight, and it can be packed more square meters in one container to save shipping costs.

Whole cement & hooks(Sky Panel)

Z stone cladding panel comes in a pre-formed mortar-backed panel and each panel has an inbuilt stainless steel clip in the back

The clip provides a secondary fixing point and we recommend using.

The weight of the panels is approximately 80 kilograms per square meter

Features: The clip provides a secondary fixing point and we recommend using these clips at heights over 3m.

Stone cladding corner

The decorative cladding corner piece is designed to match the stone cladding and to finish off the wall edges for easy installation. the corner pieces are available in all ranges of natural stone cladding.

They are 200mm high with a 300mm return on one side and a 300mm return on the other, they work seamlessly with the normal Z Stone panel, providing a seamless finish on corner details.

Corner Sizes: standard size 400X200+200X200mm

Thickness:30-45mm(Note: thickness can vary slightly)

Each Box Contains 0.44m² & Holds 4 pieces of stone cladding corner.

30.5×30.5cm Natural Stone Mosaic Tiles for Bathroom

How to install stone cladding?

If you want your home to look beautiful for a long time, then you must install the natural stone cladding appropriately. The key is to follow the right steps and be safe while installing. So, if you want to install stone wall cladding in your home, you are in the right place.

Here is your complete installation guide.

Prepare The Surface

The first thing you need to do is prepare the surface on which you will apply the stacked stone cladding. Here are the steps you must follow for surface preparation:

Lay out the stones on the drywall to understand the pattern you want and outline it using a pencil or marker

You need to apply multiple layers of water-resistant barriers from bottom to top. I.e. Two layers would be ideal.

Horizontally apply the metal lath (corrosion-resistant) by making use of galvanized fasteners.

You must get through to the studs by one inch.

You have to hit every stud every six inches on the vertical center.

Install the latch with an overlap of a minimum of one inch.

Make sure the surface is a little rough so when you are applying the mortar scratch coat, the rough surface will help to hold the mortar in place.

You should also apply a store-bought adhesive to the wall using a trowel.

Once you follow all these steps, your surface will be ready for the application of natural stone cladding panels. So, you must move on to the next step.

Install the Natural Stone Cladding

The next thing you need to do after preparing the surface is to install the natural stone wall cladding. You can multiply the width and height of the specific area you need to cover. Be sure to subtract the openings, like windows and doors.

Once you do, you will have the complete surface area you will need for the natural and manufactured stone wall cladding. Here are the installation steps you need to follow:

While measuring cornerstones, you need to measure the exact linear meterage of external corners, including windows and doors with corners

You will need one bag of mortar per square meter of the stone

If you want to know the additional bags of stone you will need, you can multiply the respective corner’s linear meterage by 0.3.

Before installation, you must also cut the stones to the right size. You can do this by using your measurements and an angle grinder to cut the piece.

Then, apply stones one-by-one to the outlines in the same pattern

After attaching the stones, let them dry.

You may also follow this DIY process for less hassle:

Drill a hole in the different stones for secure placement

Attach the stone to metal framing or steel brackets

Apply the fixed natural stone wall cladding panel to the wall for a thicker appearance and a safer experience

Grout the Joints

Once you are done applying the stone to the surface, it is time to get a grout bag and fill it with some mortar. You need to ensure to cover any broken edges with the mortar. After it is dry, you can use a tool to force the mortar in any gaps to seal it.

Installation Notes

• Suitable for cladding a brick, block, or precast concrete wall
• Cost-effective and easy to install, grouting is not required
• The wall surface must be clean and free of dust, dirt or paint, etc.
• Apply a generous amount of adhesive to the back of each panel and the wall surface to ensure maximum adhesion
• Make sure the bottom row is level and straight
• Fix the stone cladding panels in a “brick” pattern or offset, never on top of each other
• Fix stone cladding panels as tight as possible to each other, avoiding unsightly gaps

Benefits of stone cladding

• Cost savings on labor and material compared with traditional masonry
• Made from natural stone only 30mm thick –no need for special sills
• Achieve your desired look from 4 stunning color options – no lines
• No additional fixings over heights of 3m
• Fixed external corners available
• How long does stone cladding last?
• Stone cladding is extremely durable. Once applied or installed, it can last for the life of your building offering long-term durability and requires low maintenance.

What is the stone cladding panels application?

Stone cladding can be used in a variety of applications from interior & exterior stone cladding to wall decorations. residential, commercial, fireplace, and landscaping decoration.

Such as the wall of living rooms, fireplaces, kitchens, planter walls, and pools. feature wall stone veneer, Lobby areas, counters, Reception areas,

wall decoration, wall cladding, wall capping and stone covering, facade wall covering, etc.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you should better understand natural stone cladding. We hope you will use the information from this article when selecting natural stone covering.

If you are looking for stone cladding manufacturers and suppliers, we recommend checking our products. Our popular products include stacked stone, ledgestone wall cladding, split face wall tiles, marble stacked stone, waterfall stacked stone, dry stack stone, crazy paving flagstone, and so on.

We have more than 15 years of export experience and offer samples before order placement. To get a customized quote