If you want to improve your home’s curb appeal, installing stone veneer siding is the way to go since stone (or synthetic stone lookalikes) gives a refined look and offers extra weather protection.

The cost of installing stone veneer siding can range from $14,250 all the way to $33,250, depending on the house’s size, type and exact materials used for siding, as well as the brand and contractor you chose.

Installing a siding is a long-term investment, and ensuring the quality of the product is necessary for the siding to last as long as possible.

In this post, we’ll talk about all the factors that influence the price of stone veneer siding, the pros and cons, and how it compares to other siding options out there.

What Is Stone Veneer Siding?

Stone veneer is a protective and decorative covering that makes the house look like it’s made from stone.

At its core, stone veneer is a thin piece of cut stone or an artificial material cut, shaped, and colored to look the part. Since veneers are thin, they are not load-bearing and are only used for final decoration.

Stone veneer siding is made as a combination of natural stone, cement, iron oxide, and mold aggregate pigment used to color the stone. Stone veneers were initially strictly made of thinly-cut natural stone, and then manufacturers started using cement around the 1950s. Some manufacturers make thick-cut slabs of natural stone and mold them.

Compared to other siding options such as natural wood, brick, or full stone, stone veneer is a more affordable investment that provides the same beautiful look as natural stone.

You can install it outside as an accent siding over wood, fiber cement, and other siding materials.

Average Stone Veneer Siding Cost

The average cost for stone veneer siding ranges from $14,250 to $33,250. The national average for this type of siding is $23,750.

As stone veneer is much more affordable than natural stone, the least you can pay for it is $9,500, while the maximum cost of stone veneer with additional features you might want to implement is $42,750.

Project	Average Cost
Entire House	$14,250-$33,250
Front Wall	$1,900-$8,550
Windows	$380-$3,600
Half Stone Veneer Half Vinyl	$1,235-$4,750
Foundation	$2,850-$12,825
Square Footage
Per Square Foot	$3.80-$19.95
250 Square Feet	$2,375-$10,450
500 Square Feet	$4,750-$20,900
1,500 Square Feet	$14,250-$64,125
2,000 Square Feet	$19,000-$85,500
Additional Cost Factors
Installation	$9.50-$42.75
Labor	$5.70-$22.80
Underlayment	$400-$500
Material
Natural Stone	$3.80-$19.95
Faux Stone	$7.60-$18.05
Manufactured Stone	$3.80-$19

Furthermore, the price range will vary depending on your needs and if you choose to install stone veneer on the whole house exterior, on select few walls, or over the foundation line.

For example, if you want only the front to be stone veneer, you must pay from $1,900 to $8,550. For a foundation cover, the price of stone veneer siding ranges from $2,850 to $12,825.

Cost of Veneer Stone Siding Per Square Foot

Since using cut stone or artificial materials makes the price vary significantly, you can find stone veneer that costs from $3.80 to $19.95 per square foot.

Furthermore, the price for installed stone veneer siding ranges from $9.50 to $42.75 per square foot.

The labor cost, ranging from $5.70 to $22.80 per square foot, can also vary wildly depending on the type of veneer you’re adding and how easy it is to reach all the areas of the exteriors.

The price for installing stone veneer siding on an average house in the U.S. ranges from $14,250 all the way up to $64,125. For a house above average, surpassing 2,000 square feet, your expenses can add up to $85,500.

Did you know? Installing stone veneer siding on your house increases the resale value, and after selling the home, you can get almost all the investment money back, over 95%.

For this reason, if you intend to sell your home, replacing your vinyl siding with stone veneer will earn you a favorable ROI while making the house more attractive for prospective buyers.

Furthermore, to increase the property value, you don’t need to add stone veneer siding to the whole house. Only on the front will do the trick.

Cost To Install Exterior Stone Veneer

Installation costs can vary depending on the coverage. For installing stone veneer siding on the entire house of 1,000 square feet, the price ranges from $14,250 to $33,250.

However, if you have a house with more than one floor, you will have to pay more since this price refers only to a single-story home. A stone veneer façade on the whole house can cost up to $90,000 for large houses.

On the other hand, if some property owners want to install stone veneer only around the windows or garage doors, the installation price ranges from $380 to $3,600.

How Much Does It Cost to Put Stone Veneer on the Front of a House Only?

The square footage of your house front determines this average price. For example, you’ll have to pay about $8,550 to cover 200 square feet.

However, if you want the front of your house to be covered in half-stone veneer and half-vinyl veneer, the price is lower and ranges from $1,235 to $4,750.

Additional Cost Factors

Besides installation and labor costs, the price of covering your house with stone veneer siding will depend on many other factors, such as the size of the project, materials the contractors use, the underlayment, siding manufacturer, and many more.

Materials

Exterior Stone veneer comes in various materials, such as: faux stone and manufactured concrete stone. Faux stone or polyurethane costs $7.60 to $18.05, while the concrete option is $3.80 to $19.

Home Size and Architecture

The bigger the size of the house, the more expensive the cost of installation will be. installment and stone veneer siding materials will be. Moreover, if your house has complex architecture, the overall cost of the project will go up.

Underlayment

Underlayment durability is essential when changing the siding on your house. It’s important to check if the underlayment isn’t damaged so it can support the stone veneer siding.

Also, the underlayment cost depends on the project and the brand of the materials. Since the stone veneer is lightweight, you most likely won’t have any problems supporting it.

Underlayment price ranges from $400 to $500 for every 1,000 square feet.

Where to Buy Veneer Stone Siding

You can buy stone veneer siding online from large retailers such as Home Depot, Lowe’s and Menards, directly from the manufacturer’s website, or from various smaller retailers. You can also discuss the best options with a local contractor.

Top manufacturers of exterior stone veneer include:

– Coronado
– Eldorado Stone
– StoneCraft
– Delgado Stone
– Silvermine Stone
– Gen Stone
– Veneerstone

Veneer Stone Siding Pros and Cons

Let’s look at the pros and cons of stone veneer siding and discuss in detail why stone veneer is a good option.

What Are the Benefits of Stone Siding?

Most homeowners can benefit from installing stone veneer siding as an exterior or interior decorative covering. Here are the most significant benefits of stone veneer:

Weight – Stone veneer is a light covering, allowing you even to install it yourself, unlike natural stone, which is hard and needs professional help.

The lightweight stone veneer also decreases the cost required for installation, considering there is no need to invest money in underlayment or foundation, and the materials are less expensive. Stone veneers come in ready-to-assemble panels and can even be installed by a savvy DIYer.

Cost efficiency – Materials used for stone veneer siding provide better insulation to your home. Thanks to the thermal resistance of stone veneer, it keeps the warm temperature inside the house during cold weather and cool temperature during summer and hot days.

With stone veneer installed, you can save money on utility bills. Moreover, one of the materials you can choose for your stone veneer siding is polyurethane, which increases the insulation level even further.

Impact resistance – Besides the heat insulation polyurethane provides, this material also has high impact resistance. Its durability during challenging weather and rough climates that consistently experience wind and hail storms is far better than other cheaper siding options.

Appearance – One of the benefits of stone veneer is its aesthetic aspect. The stone siding creates a visually appealing look to the house’s exterior and increases curb appeal. And since stone veneer siding looks almost exactly like natural stone, you can create a beautiful look for your house while investing less money.

What Are the Disadvantages of Stone Siding?

There are only a few downsides to stone veneer siding, such as low lifespan, mold issues, and mass production. Let’s take a deeper look at each of these disadvantages.

Lifespan – Stone veneer siding ranks in the middle when considering the lifespan of all siding options. For example, it has a longer life expectancy than wood but shorter than natural stone, which is supposed to last 100 years.

Mold issues – Problems with mold can appear when installing stone veneer siding. Selecting a supplier and contractor that performs quality installments carefully is crucial so the water doesn’t reach the spots between the stone veneer panels and cause a mold build-up.

Mass production – Some stone materials used for veneer siding are mass-produced so you might have the same siding as your neighbors. However, this can be avoided by choosing a unique color or technique for your stone veneer.

Stone Veneer Siding vs. Brick

Stone veneer is considered superior to brick veneers for a few reasons. These mainly boil down to better aesthetics and easier maintenance.

For one, a stone veneer has natural (or artificial) imperfections in the aesthetics. This makes slight damage and degradation much harder to spot and easier to cover up.

Additionally, stone veneers are typically made from actual stone while most brick veneers are made from vinyl molded to look like brick. Although it’s possible to find genuine brick veneer siding, it’s rare.

On the other hand, genuine brick siding requires much more effort to pull off, as full bricks need to be set into place, skyrocketing the installation costs.

You do get higher-quality siding, but at a much steeper price tag. Additionally, brick siding isn’t fit for indoors as it can take too much space.

Stone Veneer vs. Faux Stone

One of the materials from which you can make stone veneer siding is faux stone. There are differences between natural stone veneer and faux stone veneer. Each has its benefits, and deciding which is better is subjective and depends on the homeowner’s needs.

Faux stone veneer is considered the lightest and requires the least installation labor out of all stone veneer sidings.

It also provides the best insulation compared to natural stone and manufactured stone veneers. It’s impact-resistant and mold-proof, while natural stone veneer has better fire resistance.

On the other hand, natural stone veneer has more customizable options regarding material and color. It’s more durable and has a longer life expectancy, while faux stone has the shortest life span of all three.

Exterior Stone Veneer vs. Vinyl Siding

Regarding durability, resistance, and lifespan, stone veneer is a clear winner compared to vinyl siding. Stone veneer siding lasts almost twice as long as vinyl and have better impact and fire resistance.

Stone veneers are a better choice when it comes to maintenance and installation as well. Vinyl can get damaged very quickly due to challenging climates, snow, and rain, requiring annual repairs.

Vinyl sidings don’t have pest and moisture resistance either, hence another point for stone veneers.

Another aspect where stone veneer takes the lead is appearance. The look of stone veneer siding has more visual appeal than vinyl and provides many colorful options. On the other hand, vinyl siding has limited colors.

How to Maintain Stone Veneer Siding

(Image: https://genstone.com/)

Stone veneer siding requires minimal cleaning for a perfect look. Dirt and debris can be removed with water and using detergent, if necessary, for more persistent stains.

Gentle scrubs with a brush will do the trick. Furthermore, dust can be removed with a vacuum with one of the lighter suction applications.

Some substances can damage the stone veneer, and it’s not recommended to use acid or vinegar for removing dirt, especially if you have faux stone or manufacturer stone siding.

Did you know? Most stone veneer siding weighs one pound per square foot, resulting in easy installation and no pressure on the foundation. The Romans used this lightweight siding for their structures combined with Roman concrete. Colosseum was actually faced with a marble veneer.

How Does the Cost of Stone Veneer Compare to Natural Stone?

Stone veneer is a more affordable option compared to natural stone siding. Depending on the stone, whether genuine or faux, stone veneer can cost up to $19 per square foot, while natural stone can cost even twice or three times as much.

Some stone sidings cost $45.60 per square foot, depending on the manufacturer and other expenses.

Can You Put Exterior Stone Veneer Over Siding?

The answer depends on the condition of the existing siding. If the siding is in good condition and isn’t damaged by other factors like moisture, you can add stone veneer siding over it.

It helps that the stone veneer is very light, and you don’t need to support the walls.

However, if the existing siding is damaged, it must be replaced with new underlayment. All in all, your contractor can determine whether your existing siding needs replacing or not.

Can You Paint Stone Veneer Siding?

Yes, you can paint stone veneer siding. However, you need to consider a few factors before you do it, mainly the material of your stone veneer. Cement doesn’t accept the pain as well as other stone veneer sidings.

It’s also necessary to prime the siding twice before painting it. After you apply the primer once, wait for it to dry and repeat the process.

After that, you can apply desired paint. If you prefer a gloss finish, you should use satin latex paint.

How Long Does Stone Veneer Siding Last?

Stone veneer siding is very durable and has a lifespan of 30 to 75 years.

With proper maintenance, the siding should reach its life expectancy. Luckily, you can replace sections of stone veneer with identical pieces without taking it all down.

Is Stone Veneer Good For Siding?

Image: https://www.silverminestone.com/

Stone veneer is a top choice if you want your siding to have a natural stone siding look without spending much money.

Stone veneer siding is a durable, affordable, and visually appealing option that will protect your house from fire damage, stormy weather, and challenging climates, fulfilling the purpose of siding.

Every homeowner wants their house to have a visually attractive look, a neat landscape, and curb appeal – you get all that when you install exterior stone veneer.