Native Stone Company, Inc.

Buff Shell Stone Veneer Home

2012-01-18T12:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.4haystackrow.com/index.php

Magazine article featuring a Colorado home furnished with Native Stone Company, Inc.'s Buff Shell Limestone Veneer.

2012-01-16T12:59:00.000-08:00

http://www.housetrends.com/Housetrends/September-2009/Set-in-Stone/

Trade Show 2011 | Finished Display

2011-03-03T11:32:00.000-08:00

Here is a client's booth at the 2011 Johnson County Home and Garden Show. The stone featured in this outdoor living arangement is our Dimensional (sawn on two sides to sizes 3.5", 7.5" and 11.5" tall) Light Buff Shell Thin Stone Veneer.

A Review on Natural Stone Thin Veneer

2011-03-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

A Review on Natural Stone Thin Veneer

You should install natural stone when you are constructing a house because that will be best always rather using artificial materials. Nowadays natural stone gaining popularity and most of the public are choosing that because of its natural color palette. The genuine palette is no where match with the artificial products. Natural stone has many features and some of them include its hardiness and durability.Its right in saying that everybody needs their house should look stylish and beautiful. Natural stone veneer will be able to provide an attractive and fashionable appearance to your home with a smaller amount of money. Mostly veneer has divided in to two types and they are natural thin stone and manufactured veneer. Nearly all of the artificial stones are prepared by combination of natural stone components, cement and colors which will be capable to offer a look as natural pebble. There are various types of stone available in this category which gives the colors that you ever dreamt off. Natural stones are thin compare to man-made stone. Most of the time man-made stone have need of cleaning waterproofing and protection and they are not withstanding with challenging weather.

Natural veneer can be set up something like a fireside enclosed space. Moreover you can install stone thin veneer in many other places such as kitchens, room, shower area or bathroom and in existing part of your home. Thin stone can be utilized for business and residential buildings. There are many foremost advantages of thin stone which include:- The weight of this thin stone is very light.- This stone will not break off easily.- Thin stone does not lose color or fade.- This thin stone is durable. - Natural stone will install swift and easily.- It is presented in a variety of texture, colors sizes and shapes.- Veneer is easily installed in several parts, together in the interior and outer surface of your home.

There are two sizes available of thin stone, they are thin and full size. The veneer has breadth that varies starting 3/4 to 1-1/4. Thin Veneer is light weight and because of this reason it can be set up quickly when compare to full size that will help in cost savings. Transportation costs also will be cheap in thin veneer and this will be an additional foremost advantage because in one truckload you can transport almost 3600 square feet whereas 1000 square feet in normal veneer. Veneer has life time assurance because of its durability. Furthermore natural stone can add value of your home and this is eco-friendly by its nature. You can install natural stone veneer by yourself because set up of this stone is not very complex. Even if you find any problem in the installment than you can hire a service provider who will do the job for you with full happiness

Spring is almost here!

2011-02-18T13:30:00.000-08:00

Spring is almost here! Get new ideas for your home and yard and support our local area businesses!

Visit the Kansas Garden Show this weekend at the Kansas Expocentre in Topeka, Kansas.

More info on upcoming trade shows to come.

Landscaping Season!

2010-07-28T09:50:00.001-07:00

It's summertime and that means it's LANDSCAPING SEASON!

We have a wide variety of landscaping products and are making more daily.

We have several different types of retaining wall stones, depending on the size of your wall. We have our dry stack stone that comes in three different colors for a smaller wall or our large Dove Gray wall blocks that are installed by machine.

Our flooring stone is also popular this time of year. We have several different options of limestone and sandstone to create a beautiful, custom patio.

Needing a new addition to your patio furniture? We have limestone benches, table tops and planters. If you're needing a custom piece, we can do that, too.

Don't forget that we also make engraved name/address posts. These make great gifts and are always a hit!

Call us or email today and we'll help you get started on your project!

785-478-9359
Swanson@doglegs.com

Ideas For Using Natural Stone Veneer In And Around Your Home

2010-05-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

Ideas For Using Natural Stone Veneer In And Around Your Home
By Jacob Peter

A welling place is not just a roof over the head. It is an ideal place for leading a dignified existence. It has to present a look of splendor and grandeur. It has to register in the minds of the visitors and onlookers an exalted gradation for the occupants of the house. Real thin stone veneer is a product of beauty that exemplifies the appeal of the walls, fireplaces, interior wall coverings and also facades in addition to exterior wall coatings. Nowadays, stone veneer finds a place in many areas – countertops, kitchens, cubicles, bathrooms and many other places – because of their feel of the décor and also due to the value it gives the house.

You can use stone veneer for the interior panels in your home. It is a formidable competitor and a durable alternative to wallpapers or paint. Redoing is not necessary for a long period. It scripts a pulse of elegance to the ambience which is timeless and updated. It is widely admired because it is easy to install and easier to maintain. It generates an old world charm and also an ultramodern attraction, both at the same time. Living rooms, studies, libraries, family rooms, visitor’s halls – are some more points where stone veneer can be used. A retaining wall in the backyard of the compound can be decorated with stone veneer. You can apply the stone veneer to an existing wall or a new one. It assumes the look of a magnificent rock wall. If proper installation is ensured, your stone veneer wall will retain its charm for a long duration. It will be able to withstand the vagaries of the weather chart and retain its majestic appearance for years to come.

Stone veneer can be fit in fireplaces also. If an indoor or outdoor is fit with a stone veneer façade, it gives the impression that you have spent exorbitant amounts for the purpose which is actually not so. Outdoor patios can assume a feel of class due to the addition of a stone fireplace. Due to stone veneer, redoing or building new indoor fireplaces will be an easier task. Real stone veneer withstands the intense heat of the fireplace unlike bogus man-made stone. You can increase the elegance of the home by using stone veneer for the exterior too. Lower half of the wall or the whole front or the exterior – stone veneer can be applied in all these areas to provide a classy look equivalent to the neo-modern homes of the financial tycoons. You can offer a touch of other worldliness to your home. You can present a grand curb appeal to your home with long-lasting and spectacular stone veneer.

Hundreds of designs and styles, many-splendor patterns and colors of stone veneer are available in the market. Apart from the marketed ones, you can custom-design a stone veneer in tune with your aspirations. Due to its light and negligible weight, stone veneer is easy to install. Due to it’s resistance to the vicissitudes of nature, viz. sun damage or climate strike, it is much in demand.

The Benefits of Using Stone Veneer:
• To decorate the exterior wall of your home.
• For lining driveways and sidewalks around the house.
• For creating wall stone decorative ponds.
• For outlining the windows of the house.
• Can be used around the poolside in houses that have in-ground pools for creating an exquisite taste and an enchanting appeal.

These are many creative styles and imaginative designs for using stone veneer to add extra luster to your place of habitation. House decoration projects receive an additional thrust from stone veneer. The inimitable attraction created by this piece of rock brings an everlasting appeal to the artistic senses of the people. When the exterior of the wall is lined in stone veneer, we can enjoy cooler summers and warmer winters. Energy regulation, prompted by stone veneer, cuts the current bills. If beauty and durability are the prime motives of a house owner, stone veneer is the suitable substitute.

(ArticlesBase SC #1353855)

Brochures

2010-03-04T13:36:00.000-08:00

2010 Brochures are in!

Email to request your copy.

Trade Shows

2010-02-12T12:08:00.000-08:00

Kansas Garden Show
When: Feb 19, 2010 10:00AM - 8:00PM - Feb 20, 2010 10:00AM - 8:00PM - Feb 21, 2010 11:00AM - 5:00PM

Where: Exhibition Hall - Topeka, Kansas Expocentre

Topeka Home Show
When: Mar 05, 2010 - Mar 07, 2010
Where: Exhibition Hall - Topeka, Kansas Expocentre

The Greater Kansas City HOME SHOW

Ready to start your next remodeling project? Need advice for changing your decor and design? Searching for the right look for your lawn and garden? It's one-stop shopping in one spectacular location February 19-21 when the Greater Kansas City HOME SHOW once again returns to Bartle Hall for three terrific days!

WHEN: Friday through Sunday, February 19-21, 2010
WHERE: Kansas City Convention Center - Bartle Hall
TIMES: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

Johnson County Home and Garden Show

The Overland Park Convention Center

February 26 - February 28, 2010

The Johnson County Home & Garden Show is the area's fastest growing consumer show of home and garden products. With over 250 businesses displaying and selling upscale products and services for discriminating Johnson County and south Kansas City homeowners, this show is an opportunity to shop and buy products and services from leading contractors and retailers.
This boutique show emphasizes higher quality products and services that meet the demands of contemporary-minded homeowners who are seeking to improve the value, comfort and appeal of their home.

Featured Articles and Websites.

2009-12-31T15:05:00.000-08:00

Frontgate Magazine
Home of the Month

Housetrends.com
"Set in Stone"

4 Haystack Row Home
Featured Home in Cherry Hills, CO.

What Is NATURAL Thin Stone Veneer?

2009-12-31T14:55:00.000-08:00

Through Thick and Thin

What are the advantages and disadvantages of thin stone veneer and how does it "stack" up to full-dimension stone?

By Jennie Farnsworth of Masonry Magazine.

According to most sources, thin stone veneer is lighter in weight, faster to install, and — in many cases — more economical to use than traditional, full-dimension stone veneer. If that's the case, wouldn't thin stone veneer be specified every time the owner wants that old world stone look? Not necessarily.

Although the two veneers are very similar, each type has distinct advantages over the other.

"One item is not the right item for all types of work," says Jamey DeMaria, owner of Jamey DeMaria Masonry in Carmel, Calif. "So, thin stone veneer is a nice option, just like manufactured stone is a nice option for some jobs. There's not one thing that's the right option for every job."

Cost

Probably one of the most debated advantages to thin stone veneer is the overall cost savings that mason contractors will reap in using it.

Jeff Leonard, President of Leonard Masonry, Inc., in St. Louis, Mo., won one out of his three 2003 MCAA International Excellence in Masonry awards for his stonework on a private residence, which included thin and full-dimension stonework.

"When we look at the pros and cons between the thin and the full-depth, the number one factor is that the thin veneer is a faster installation," says Leonard. "The more thin the veneer that we can talk the owner into, the more cost savings we're going to have. You will probably have twice as much production on thin veneer than you do on full-depth veneer. So, first and foremost, it's the fact that it is faster and you get your job done quicker.

"The main cost problem with thin stone veneer is there are certain types of stones that are so hard, they can thin veneer it but it would take so much time to cut through these hard stones, that it's probably not cost-effective," continues Leonard. "If it's a hard material you're going to have to spend more money and the cost-savings may be gone in the end. It gets evaporated because of the material costs."

Scott Buechel, Co-owner of Buechel Stone Corporation in Chilton, Wis., somewhat disagrees.
"If you're making it yourself, the stone itself is going to be more costly per square foot because you will need to make it into a four-inch veneer before making it into a thin veneer," says Buechel. "So it adds a little bit more cost per square foot, but you will be able to get two pieces out of that same stone as opposed to one."

Another aspect is the overall savings in freight.
"Because of the weight, the freight is cheaper," adds Leonard. "You can ship more material, which keeps the material costs down."

Which brings us to our next point...

Weight

The lighter weight of the thin stone means that masons can haul and install it that much faster than the heavier, full-depth stone.

"My nephew completed a remodel on his house. Two masons laid 100 sq. ft. of thin stone veneer each in a nine-hour day with one tender," says Buechel. "Typically, they would have probably gotten about 40 or 50 sq. ft. of full veneer a day."

Also, thin veneer can be essential for bringing stone to non-loadbearing walls, as well as help architects and engineers in the overall design.

"One of the advantages of the thin veneer is that, yes, it's less weight and a lot of times weight is a problem," says DeMaria. "If we're veneering an entire two-story house, how that weight is distributed throughout the building and projects down the walls and into the footings — that's the engineer's nightmare and they like thin veneer because of that."

Size

Obviously, another main advantage of thin stone veneer is how much — or should we say, how little — space it takes up. Traditional, full-dimension stone masonry can range anywhere from two inches and up depending on the structure and building needs. Therefore, thin stone's slimmer profile, ranging from 3/4-inch to two-inches, can be a great alternative for projects with limited space or other special considerations.

Jamey DeMaria Masonry also won Honorable Mention in the Residence category of the 2003 MCAA International Excellence in Masonry Awards for his full-depth and thin stone veneer work on the Schilling Carmel Stone Chateau.

"We put about 225 tons of full-dimension Carmel Stone — our native stone — on that job," says DeMaria. "There was a lot of detail work that we actually designed and fabricated on the job site. Since I had my full-dimension stone there, we were able to accomplish whatever the owner chose to have done. There were a couple of fireplace inserts inside that were not specified to be stone, but the owner decided he'd like stone, so we cut one-inch thin veneer. We had all of the flexibility that way.

There have been plenty of times when we've done Carmel Stone jobs and you've worked your way up to an area and, for one reason or another, the framing didn't leave you the dimension that you wanted," adds DeMaria. "We're usually going to use six inches for the veneer with Carmel Stone, and for whatever reason, a lot of times there will only be two inches left in certain little areas. So we'll just create our own thin veneer to do that."

DeMaria states that the thinner thickness is also an asset to engineers.
"It's sometimes easier for them to tie it all together when they don't have to deal with the six- to eight-inch veneer," says DeMaria.

Details

Full-dimension stone veneer has a slight advantage over thin stone veneer when it comes to the details. Without proper materials and preparation, mason contractors can sometimes be limited in their use of return corners, corbels, lintels, keystones and other details when it comes to the use of thin stone.

"When you've got full-depth you can make the corner return whatever depth you want it to be," says Leonard. "Thin veneer can't do that."

Much like other types of masonry, weight can work against thin stone with the use of certain details. Craig Swirzon, Technical Representative for Arriscraft International in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, had this to add concerning one style of thin stone veneer: thin bed adhered stone wall system.

"For the United States, we refer to ACI 530 [ASCE 5/TMS 602]," explains Swirzon. "Basically, what that states is the weight restriction for a thin set masonry application is 15lbs/sq.ft. You can't go above 15lbs/sq.ft. because, essentially, what happens is the unit becomes too heavy.

"Let's say you start with a 3/4-inch thick unit and you want to get the corbeled look, so you step it out another half-inch, which brings you to 1-1/4 inches. At 1-1/4 inches, for our material, you're right on the line — you're right at 15lbs/sq.ft."

"If you then take our material and want to go another half-inch, you're at 1-3/4 inches thick," Swirzon continues. "That will be too thick because now the weight is above the 15lbs/sq.ft. limitation. So there are some weight restrictions in terms of how you apply it.

"Now, again, that would be true of any masonry you are using," he cautions. "You can only go up to a certain thickness and you have to take into consideration the weight of the units."
"If you are going to do more detail work, like corbels, lintels or keystones, you'd have to prep for it in advance for the thin veneer," adds DeMaria. "That's not a big deal, but a lot of times as we're working the client might come up with ideas and the house is already framed. With this scenario, we wouldn't be able to accomplish the changes for the client. With full-dimension stone, you have a little bit more flexibility.

Framing

"You have to remember when you are going to use the thin veneer, you have to frame the wall correctly to receive it. The stone itself needs to adhere right to the wall that you are going against," states DeMaria. "So, if you have a battered wall — an angled wall that started out wide at the bottom and narrow at the top — then, of course, the framework would need to be battered so that you can create the battered stonework."

"It's really important, number one, to get the details right from the beginning," agrees Swirzon. "So the designer has to make sure that the details are right, that moisture is being flashed away from the wall system. Then, secondly, we have to get it constructed properly and making sure that we get a good marriage between detailing and construction."
Freeze-thaw IssuesAnother advantage to full-stone veneer is it's ability to accommodate various joints and dry-stacking.

Photo courtesy of Douglas Abel"If the homeowner wants a dry-stack look, I'm going to encourage at least a minimal mortar joint to prevent moisture from getting behind the masonry wall," says Buechel. "Whether it's freeze-thaw climates or not, if you get moisture behind it and you're not using good masonry practices, you're going to get stress fractures up through your scratch coat."

Swirzon agrees.
"If the detailing isn't 100% perfect or it wasn't constructed correctly, moisture can get into the assembly and behind the masonry units," he says. "If you're applying it like a tile and moisture gets into your mortar bed or attachment system, when the moisture freezes it will expand by 10%. When it expands by that 10%, you can get the units actually popping right off the wall.

"Thin veneer works very well in the Southern United States, where they don't have freeze-thaw cycling. Once you get a little further north where there is freezing, there can be a potential issue with the moisture causing the unit to fall off the wall."

MindsetThe final factor is not a physical, economical or technological point, but rather a state of mind.

"In the Carmel/Pebble Beach area, which is a high-end residential area, the emphasis on the houses I'm working on is almost the complete opposite of thin veneer," states DeMaria. "They're going about their housing project with the idea that their home is going to last for generations, and they're not really looking for shortcuts to finish it. Usually when I'm talking to them, they want an authentic stone-style of lay, what generations of masons have done, and they want to create a very authentic style of house."

"There's a psyche about all of this," Leonard agrees. "Even though thin veneer is natural stone, it's not the full-depth natural stone."

"There is absolutely very minimal difference, if any, on probably 90% of the thin stone as opposed to the full masonry," states Buechel. "There's something about it; it's the prestige of having the full stone on a house, but when you look at it you can't tell the difference. It's a mind over matter syndrome."

Conclusion

So what's the answer when it comes to using thin veneer or full-dimension stone veneer?

Buechel weighs the advantages of each type and simply states: "What are you trying to accomplish out of your project?"

Meanwhile, DeMaria answers the question from a proud stonemason's point of view.

"You could do two houses, side-by-side, one full-dimension stone and the other thin veneer, and literally not be able to tell the difference if the jobs were prepped correctly," says DeMaria. "My background is I'm a fourth generation stonemason here in this area and we still do our installations the same way our great uncles did. In my opinion, price-wise and authenticity-wise, the top of the line is full-dimension stone."

Then there's one aspect that's on everyone's minds.

"There are so many different materials you can put on a building now that we've got to figure out a way to compete," Leonard states. "Masonry can be replaced by so many different materials on the skin of the building that we've got to get more cost-effective. We have to figure out better ways of keeping masonry materials on the skin of these buildings. Thin stone veneer just happens to be one of them."

Landscaping Stone

2009-12-31T14:41:00.001-08:00

Frontier tm Flagstone

Dove Gray Wall Blocks

Outdoor Fireplaces

2009-12-31T14:33:00.001-08:00

Buff Shell

Cut Stone

2009-12-31T09:54:00.000-08:00

Dove Gray Panels

Buff Shell Hearth Stone

Buff Shell Entry Surround

Buff Shell Interior Window Sill

Buff Shell Profiled Window Sill

Buff Shell Window Surround

Buff Shell Profiled Fireplace Surround

Bull Nosed and Profiled Buff Shell Fireplace Surround

Rustic Buff Shell Mantle

Vanity Top

Buff Shell Door Surrounds, Wall Caps, Window Surrounds, etc.

Buff Shell Wall Caps

Buff Shell Arched Window Surround

Buff Shell Door Surround

Thin Stone

2009-12-31T09:50:00.001-08:00

Buff Shell Thin Stone

Combination Veneer Stone

2009-12-31T09:32:00.000-08:00

Blue Buff Shell Veneer

Buff Shell, Cottonwood, and Dark Gray Veneer

Cottonwood Veneer Stone

2009-12-31T09:17:00.001-08:00

Tumbled Cottonwood

Random Rubble Cottonwood

Tumbled Cottonwood

Tumbled Cottonwood

Dimensional Cottonwood

Dove Gray Veneer Stone

2009-12-30T09:38:00.000-08:00

Tumbled Dove Gray

Dimensional Dove Gray

Dove Gray Web

Buff Shell Veneer Stone

2009-12-30T08:45:00.000-08:00

Dimensional Buff Shell

Regular Rubble Buff Shell

Dimensional Buff Shell

Random Rubble Buff Shell

Welcome

2009-12-30T06:11:00.000-08:00

Welcome,

Native Stone Company is a family business, owned by native Topekans, Bob and Alice Swanson. We are currently moving toward the third generation of ownership.

We specialize in high-end residential and light commercial projects. We do not sell exclusively to one market, therefore allowing us to work with builders, masons, homeowners, landscapers and do-it-yourselfers.

We produce and sell beautiful, native Kansas limestone. We specialize in stone veneer and dimensional cut stone, such as sills, headers, hearths and mantles, profiled and custom pieces. There are four different colors of limestone that are offered, making the customers personal choice unique. We also offer an assortment of landscaping stone.
Our stone plant is located in Topeka, Kansas. A wonderful central location to help better serve our customers. We sell and ship stone all over the United States, so no customer is ever too far away.