The basics
What Is Exterior Stone?
Exterior stone is natural stone installed on the outside of a home, on façades, accent walls, entrances, columns, and other architectural details, for texture, color, and curb appeal. It comes in two main forms: full-depth stone cladding, which uses several inches of solid stone set with mortar, and thin stone veneer, cut to about ¾ to 1½ inches thick and adhered to a prepared wall surface.
Common exterior stone materials include granite, quartzite, limestone, sandstone, slate, and fieldstone, each suited to a different architectural style and climate. Which one works best for a given home depends on the look you want, the wall's ability to support the material's weight, and how much upkeep, like periodic sealing, the stone needs in your climate. You can browse our full material selection to see what's currently in stock.
Where it's used
What Is Exterior Stone Used For?
Homeowners bring exterior stone into a project in a few common ways. A full stone façade covers the entire front elevation of a house for a cohesive, all-stone look. A partial façade or wainscot treatment applies stone to the lower third of the exterior, below a band of siding or stucco, which is one of the most requested applications we see. Stone also shows up as an accent around a front entrance, framing a doorway or porch, wrapped around columns and porch posts, or stacked into a chimney or fireplace exterior. Smaller accent applications include window surrounds, garden walls, mailbox posts, and outdoor kitchen or fireplace structures.
Each of these applications puts different demands on the stone. A full façade needs a material and installation system rated for structural exterior use, while an entrance surround or accent wall has more flexibility, since it covers less area and carries less weight.
Façades & Walls
Full elevations or partial, lower-wall wainscot treatments.
Entrances & Columns
Doorway surrounds, porch posts, and column wraps.
Accents
Chimneys, window surrounds, and garden or mailbox walls.
Format
Stone Veneer or Full Stone Cladding?
Stone veneer and full stone cladding both deliver a natural stone exterior, but they differ in thickness, weight, and how they attach to a home. Full stone cladding uses cut stone at several inches of depth, set with mortar and typically requiring structural support built into the wall. Thin stone veneer uses natural stone cut down to roughly three-quarters of an inch to an inch and a half, adhered to a prepared substrate such as cement board or a drainage mat system.
Because veneer weighs a fraction of full-bed stone, it generally does not require the added footings or wall reinforcement that full cladding does, which makes it a common choice for renovations and additions. Full stone cladding, in turn, offers more depth and shadow line at the edges and corners, which some homeowners prefer on a primary façade. Both are genuine natural stone, and once installed, most people cannot tell the difference by eye.
Material options
Which Natural Stones Work Best Outdoors?
Several natural stone types are well suited to exterior use, each with a different look and a different set of handling characteristics.
| Stone | Look | Best suited for |
| Granite | Speckled, extremely hard, low absorption | Full façades, high-exposure walls |
| Quartzite | Harder than granite, subtle sparkle | Bright, contemporary façades |
| Limestone | Soft matte finish, cream to gray | Traditional, colonial, Mediterranean homes |
| Sandstone | Warm ambers and rust tones, textured | Rustic, ranch, cottage-style homes |
| Slate | Fine-grained, cleft surface, blue-gray to charcoal | Modern façades, freeze-thaw climates |
| Fieldstone & cobblestone | Irregular shape, weathered surface | Rustic or heritage-style columns, chimneys, walls |
A stone's porosity is worth asking about before you buy. More porous stones like limestone, sandstone, and travertine call for periodic sealing on an exterior wall exposed to rain and freeze-thaw cycles, while denser stones like granite and quartzite need very little upkeep beyond an occasional rinse.
Choosing a material
How Do You Choose the Right Exterior Stone?
Start with the architecture. A modern home with clean lines tends to pair well with slate, quartzite, or a large-format cut stone in a consistent color, while a traditional or Craftsman-style home often suits fieldstone, limestone, or a mixed-color sandstone. From there, weigh climate: a home in a region with hard freezes benefits from a dense, low-absorption stone, while porous stone needs a sealing plan built into regular home maintenance.
Coverage matters too. A full façade is a bigger commitment than an entrance surround or a set of porch columns, so many homeowners start with a smaller accent to test a stone's color and texture before committing to a larger area. Bringing a physical sample to your house and viewing it at different times of day, since stone color shifts noticeably in direct sun versus shade, is one of the most useful steps in narrowing down a final selection, and something you can do by visiting one of our showrooms.
Exterior stone for every style
Work With Our Design Team
We stock natural stone across the color range and finish options that residential exterior projects call for, from bright quartzite for a contemporary build to warm sandstone and fieldstone for a more traditional façade.
Our team can walk through coverage, format, and porosity with you before you commit to a full elevation, and you're welcome to book a design consultation to go over options in more detail. We also work alongside your contractor or mason on material selection so the installation goes smoothly on their end. Trade professionals working on multiple exterior stone projects can also apply for a trade account.
Conclusion
Exterior stone gives a home's façade, entrance, columns, or accent walls a natural material that ages well and sets a house apart on the street. Whether you're planning a full stone elevation or a smaller entrance or column detail, the right material comes down to your home's architecture, your climate, and how much of the exterior you're covering. Our showrooms in Reno, Sacramento, Minden, and Fernley carry natural stone suited to exterior applications, and our design team is glad to help you compare options, check porosity and finish, and plan a material list your contractor can work from. Stop by any of our four locations to see exterior stone options in person.
Note: Some images on this page may be conceptual renderings created to illustrate design possibilities and may not depict actual installations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Natural stone is a common, weather-resistant material for exterior walls, façades, and accents, and denser stones like granite and quartzite hold up to sun, rain, and freeze-thaw cycles with very little upkeep.
Stone veneer is natural stone cut thin, roughly three-quarters of an inch to an inch and a half, and adhered to a prepared wall surface. Full stone cladding uses thicker, full-depth stone that typically needs added structural support. Veneer is lighter and easier to add to an existing wall, while full cladding offers more depth and shadow at the edges.
It depends on the stone. More porous materials like limestone, sandstone, and travertine benefit from periodic sealing when used outdoors, while denser stones like granite, quartzite, and slate need very little maintenance beyond occasional cleaning.
Slate and quartzite are popular for modern façades because of their clean lines, consistent color, and lower-maintenance surface. Fieldstone and sandstone tend to suit more traditional or rustic exteriors instead.
Yes, and it's one of the most common ways homeowners bring in exterior stone. Entrances, columns, chimneys, and a partial wainscot band below the siding are all popular accent applications that use less material than a full elevation.
