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In this section, you’ll find product information, specification support material, install tips and guides, and high-resolution textures to facilitate the stone specification and installation process. Our commitment is to help demystify the world of Natural Stone, making it more accessible to us all. If you need technical information, pricing or testing for a specific project, speak to a Surface Shop Pro for more details.
One of the benefits of working with our Linear Stone Veneers or Stacked Stone Panels, is that the installation process is dead simple and straight forward. This work can often be performed by a tile setter or even a home handyman. For the very best results, we always recommend hiring experienced professionals.
Note: Local building codes be followed in the installation of any Natural Stone Veneer Product. Please consult your building authority with any specific questions relating to the local building codes.
Most Surface Shop Linear Large Format & Stone Panels weigh approximately 12.5 lbs per sq ft; therefore it is critical that they are fixed to an appropriate substrate to ensure a successful installation.
Materials may be applied over any masonry surface, concrete block, brick, cement, etc. Painted surfaces must be sandblasted, or otherwise stripped of paint. If a new wall needs to be built of a thinner and lighter substrate, cement board is the correct material to use. Natural Stone SHOULD NOT be installed over drywall or sheet rock. All walls should be checked for plumb and corrected as necessary to within 1/8” tolerance over 10′ and no more than 1/16” tolerance in any 2′.
Make certain the back of each tile is free of dirt, sand, or loose particles. When necessary, wash them completely.
If the back of the tile is dry, dampen it first with a wet sponge, but do not saturate. This prevents the natural stone from pulling the moisture from the adhesive, allowing it to cure naturally and with a stronger bond.
Select a tile thinset adhesive that meets or exceeds ANSI 118.4 and 118.11 standards, and mix per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Note: This Guide is strictly for informational purposes. Professional Installation is recommended. Consult our detailed Installation Guide for more detailed information.
Before you Begin. Always lay Stone Panels and Linear Large Format Stone Veneer, such as STRATA™ or PLANC™, starting from the bottom row and on a level line. This will maintain consistent levels in each row as you work up the wall.
Post Installation Guidelines
Clean Work carefully and meticulously, to avoid adhesive dropping onto the tiles during installation.
Should some thinset find its way onto the face of the veneer, allow it to dry until it is crumbly, then pick it off carefully, and use a soft bristle brush to lightly clean the spot where the adhesive may have left a slight mark.
Excess dirt and film may be removed using clean water and a soft bristle brush. It is important not to allow excessive adhesive to dry on face of the tiles. Carefully remove it with a damp rag prior to it hardening.
WARNING: Acidic cleaning agents must not be used under any circumstances as this will cause unnecessary damage to natural stone and void any warranty.
Sealing Natural Stone
It is always recommended to seal your installation after completion. Refer to Sealer section above for a list of recommendations.
If you’re installing one of our masonry veneer products, such as our Ashlar, Dry Stack, or Terraform collections, an experienced stone mason will easily offer the best results. True masonry work is an art form and results will vary. This makes every installation unique. Mockups are always recommended before full installation.
Masonry Hammer & Chisel
Angle Grinder
Folding Ruler
Graphite Pencil
Level
Pointing Trowel
Thinset
Sponge
Note: Local building codes be followed in the installation of any Natural Stone Veneer Product. Please consult your building authority with any specific questions relating to the local building codes.
Most Surface Shop Linear Large Format & Stone Panels weigh approximately 12.5 lbs per sq ft; therefore it is critical that they are fixed to an appropriate substrate to ensure a successful installation.
Materials may be applied over any masonry surface, concrete block, brick, cement, etc. Painted surfaces must be sandblasted, or otherwise stripped of paint. If a new wall needs to be built of a thinner and lighter substrate, cement board is the correct material to use. Natural Stone SHOULD NOT be installed over drywall or sheet rock. All walls should be checked for plumb and corrected as necessary to within 1/8” tolerance over 10′ and no more than 1/16” tolerance in any 2′.
Make certain the back of each tile is free of dirt, sand, or loose particles. When necessary, wash them completely.
If the back of the tile is dry, dampen it first with a wet sponge, but do not saturate. This prevents the natural stone from pulling the moisture from the adhesive, allowing it to cure naturally and with a stronger bond.
Select a tile thinset adhesive that meets or exceeds ANSI 118.4 and 118.11 standards, and mix per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Note: This Guide is strictly for informational purposes. Professional Installation is recommended. Consult our detailed Installation Guide for more detailed information.
General tips in working with loose laid masonry veneers are as follows:
Post Installation Guidelines
Clean Work carefully and meticulously, to avoid adhesive dropping onto the tiles during installation.
Should some thinset find its way onto the face of the veneer, allow it to dry until it is crumbly, then pick it off carefully, and use a soft bristle brush to lightly clean the spot where the adhesive may have left a slight mark.
Excess dirt and film may be removed using clean water and a soft bristle brush. It is important not to allow excessive adhesive to dry on face of the tiles. Carefully remove it with a damp rag prior to it hardening.
WARNING: Acidic cleaning agents must not be used under any circumstances as this will cause unnecessary damage to natural stone and void any warranty.
Sealing Natural Stone
It is always recommended to seal your installation after completion. Refer to Sealer section above for a list of recommendations.
Natural stone wears the markings of thousands of years of formation, through extreme weather and climate conditions with sands, oxides and minerals from the earth and the sea.
Materials vary in appearance from original sample and from piece to piece upon installation. As with any natural material, no two pieces of natural stone will be exactly alike. Colour, as well as percentage, size and shape of markings, will vary.
Variation is not a material flaw. It’s not that we accept imperfections, the imperfection is the point. Our goal is to minimize surprises and help set realistic expectations with specifiers, contractors and end users.
Prior to ordering, ensure that consideration has been made to understand what variation you might expect when this material is delivered and installed. We suggest blending tiles from all pallets delivered whilst laying.
Corners are the one location on any stone job where a trained eye and even an untrained eye can tell when something is amiss. Whether you’re installing a modular unit, such as our Linear and Stone Panel Collections, or a true masonry veneer, such as our Ashlar or Terraform, having a good plan for your corners is key.
That’s why many of our products come with prefabricated corner units and, for the very few veneers where a prefabricated corner unit simply isn’t possible, we’ve worked tirelessly to come up with tried and true solutions to ensure you get a great corner detail every time.
Stone Panels are made from natural stone, but composed in 6" Tall x 24" Long Unit sizes meant for quick and easy installations, whereas real thin stone masonry comes in various loose shapes and sizes and is installed by a mason.
This installation benefit of Stone Panels is one the primary reasons our clients choose these products, making them very popular for fireplaces in particular.
However, the classic look and feel of true mason-laid thin stone veneer cannot be overlooked, and is often chosen by elite designers, architects, and builders as a style of choice for building stone.
Stone Veneer Wall Panel Products are made from cut pieces of natural stone that have been fit and glued together into a highly calibrated panel that is designed to be easy to install.
Loose stone comes in a variety of shapes and sizes and has a similar installation process to a panel system product, but the installation is more adaptive to making the loose pieces fit together.
All appropriate substrates for stone veneer share two common characteristics: (1) They are cementitious and as such have sufficient strength and durability to hold natural stone; and (2) They are structurally sound, meaning they are either mechanically fastened to load bearing walls or they themselves are load bearing walls.
Acceptable substrates for natural stone veneer include:
Choosing the correct adhesive for installing stone veneer can help you avoid costly mistakes down the road.
Surface Shop recommends polymer fortified thinset mortars for installing all natural stone products on vertical surfaces.
For a list of recommended adhesives, please view our downloadable resource library, section Recommended Mortars.
