Applying a paper-thin stone surface onto a wood panel was once thought impossible, but Richter USA, Inc. has developed the methods used to create a real stone veneer that woodworkers, furniture makers and cabinet makers can process with its Stone-Veneer product line.

According to Richter, the Stone-Veneer is made from sheets of real splitable Indian slate rock. Because of the different geographical locations of the quarries the company uses, it is able to offer different colorations of the slate used for the Stone-Veneer.

The Stone-Veneer product line is described by Richter as light, flexible and ultra-thin. Because of the natural three-dimensional surface of real stone, the actual thickness of the Stone-Veneersheets range from 1mm to 3.5mm.

The Stone-Veneer can be cut with standard saw equipment and is appropriate for residential and commercial applications, including floors. Standard sizes are 1.210mm by 610mm, and special sizes and trimmed sizes are also available.

Richter says there are four groups within the Stone-Veneer product line:

• Stone-Veneer – Available with three backers: GRP (Glass Reinforced Polyester) which is standard, and Fleece, and Peel & Stick, which are options. Stone-Veneer is available in seven colors: Autumn, Autumn White, Autumn Rustic, Multi Color, Terra Red, Black Slate and Black Line.
• Quartzite – Available with the same three backers as Stone-Veneer. Quartzite is available in four colors: Copper, Jerra Green, Ocean Green and Silver Shine.
• Sandstone, Sahara - Mined from sand pits in Northern Germany, Sandstone is approximately 90% pure quartz. Once mined, the sand is bonded vertically with thermoplastic binders onto large sheets of textile fleece. The color variances of the sand are from white quartz to dark brown, and occur naturally. It is applied to a fabric mesh-structure, allowing for great flexibility. The backing also allows three-dimensional forming with heat.
• NanoStone - NanoStone is natural Stone-Veneer without the GRP backing, instead bound together with a water-jet impregnated and tightened fleece backing. An optional backing is an added natural fiber (100% recycled leather). NanoStone is available in six colors: Autumn, Autumn White, Autumn Rustic, Multi Color, Terra Red, Black Slate and Black Line.  

The average cost of Stone-Veneer is around $7.20 per square foot, says Richter. Although the initial material costs do not attain a savings, other factors such as weight, time, and installation costs - such as mortar - show a savings for Stone-Veneer in place of slate tiles, according to this comparison sheet from Richter.