Wall cladding from granite, marble, quartz and ultra-thin ceramic
Every home possesses some sort of wall decoration, whether it be wallpaper, simple paint or brick-effect cladding. But that concerns the standard interiors. In a bathroom we might see tiles, in kitchens full glass splashbacks, so on and so forth. These are the norms – the stuff everyone is used to. And quite frankly, it’s rather cliché . . .
Very few amateur designers consider ceramic, quartz or granite wall cladding as an option, despite it being the favourite material among professional architects, interior designers and project planners. Stone wall cladding is often ignored by the average home decorator because it’s rarely advertised, rarely seen in an average home and people tend to associate it as a cladding material strictly restricted for big projects (banks, shopping malls / centres / public paths, memorials etc.). Many dub stone cladding as ‘the inaccessible, unaffordable material, only good for smaller projects.’
This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Granite, quartz and ceramic have become increasingly affordable in recent years. Not only the prices of distributors slabs have lowered, but people have realised these materials were never actually that expensive to begin with. This was a common misconception that began to dissipate only in the last decade, whilst prominence of granite worktops significantly rose.
Mind you, a slab of beautiful marble-lookalike (and very fashionable) quartz can be purchased for as little as £350. That slab measures 3.2m x 1.6m – sufficing for a lot of cladding. Yes, it’s still more pricey that wallpaper or paint, but neither of those are epitomes of longevity, neither of those will survive gradual wear and tear, gathering dust, absorption of polluted air & odours. Painted or wallpapered walls require frequent maintenance, frequent re-décor, amounting to more money spent, on the product and the labour. Granite, quartz and ceramic are ever-lasting. You purchase and apply stone-cladding one, you’ll never have to worry about replacement again.
Stone cladding: Why are granite, quartz and ceramic perfect materials for cladding?
As is mentioned above, stone cladding has the upper-hand over inferior products (the likes of wallpaper or paint) mainly due to their ranging virtues.
- Resistance: Our stone cladding range is composed of very tough materials that resist scratching, staining, de-colouration or signs of wear and tear. So if you have pets or children that have a tendency for writing on the walls, leaving their fingerprints everywhere, opting for a resistant, easy to clean, non-stick, sleek material is the recommended option.
- Range of applications: While materials like wood, tiles or metal are mostly utilised for interiors, stone wall cladding can with no hesitation be used externally. Stone cladding panels do not absorb the rain or expand, crack, stain or de-colour because of it. They can also withstand many harsh weather conditions: hail, snow, the unpredictable drop or rise in temperatures. Stone cladding is therefore ideal for covering your exterior home wall system. Not to mention it makes for a great exterior ornamentation and it insulates your home.
- Easy to maintain: Paint, grease, pen, dirt or paw marks will instantly come off stone wall cladding. All it takes is a single wipe with cloth & water and voila. It’s yet another reason why granite wall cladding is utilised for full kitchen splashbacks or bathroom shower cladding (instead of tiling) – any excess soap, grease, grime or chemicals will slide off natural stone panels, no matter which types of stone you apply.
- Versatile cladding: Thanks to the ultra-thin ceramics (6mm, 8mm, 12mm) you can safely utilise these products to cover kitchen cabinets, encase your office desk, use them as shelving or window framing / sills.
- Over 600 colours to select: We have a number of quartz, granite and ceramic samples for you to browse, either in our showroom or our website Sample Gallery. Most in-stock slabs can be supplied at any moment, with quick delivery and warranty. Feel free to browse through our collection – the range of colours is unparalleled and with the wide choice you’ll certainly find something for yourself.
- No more grouting: A natural stone wall panel can be applied to a wall in large, almost slab-like sheets, i.e. singular panels that are simply mounted on the wall. Therefore if you have walls of medium sizes, you can forget about the unnecessary, outdated grouting method. The natural stone wall panels will suffice, covering your wall in a uniform, uninterrupted design (perfect if you wish to imitate motifs of nature, like marble or granite grains or veins).
Which stone wall cladding is best?
All granite, quartz and ceramic have identical attributes in terms of resistance, longevity and general appeal. However, there are a few aesthetic differences which ought to be pointed out.
- Granite: It’s a strictly natural stone, therefore it’s going to be rife with minerals, unpredictable structures and compositions. Every granite is different, even if you purchase a stone of the same kind. This is important. Natural stone granite wall cladding suits traditional interiors far better than a modern mirror-chipped quartz. You can create an amalgamation of natural features, a blend of organic designs.
- Quartz: A man-made conglomerate stone. Using this product for wall panels, especially the trendy marble look quartzes can be a great solution for modern interiors, especially those where minimalism is dominant. Quartzes currently have the biggest range of colours available: grey plain hues, black and white veined compositions or red mirror chipped hues. Quartz is a universal stone, fitting any room in the property.
- Ceramic: All new, contemporary sites employ ceramic for stone wall cladding. These cladding panels are imbued with resistance but above all companies like Dekton and Neolith boast a variety of different texture finishes unavailable elsewhere. So if you want that leather finish on your bathroom wall or river texture spread across the garden wall, opt for sintered stone.
Whichever stone you pick is completely a matter of personal preference, taste and general design of your home.
Is it true ceramic stone can be used to clad furniture?
Indeed! In theory any object, even the tiniest items can be covered in thin sintered-stone. Whether it be your kitchen cabinets, doors, window frames, windowsills or office desks, ceramic will always find a place for something in your home.
If you’re renovating your house and purchasing new furniture, it’s particularly important to try out cladding with ceramic. You can cover your desk with matte-finish, sandstone feel Dekton to once and for all protect your surface from the nightmarish coffee stains. Or perhaps apply beautiful, grey Neolith onto your bath surrounds, to eliminate the need for re-grouting and re-siliconing once and for all.
Where is granite wall cladding most applicable?
There is no set, preferable place for granite wall cladding to be inserted. As is mentioned above, you can use them for external as well as internal applications: to cover your home wall, patio fence, perhaps a pool or simple use cladding for garden walls; while indoor you can use them for bathroom decoration, slotting between quoins or layering the children’s play area.
There are no limits to cladding made from our products. There is also very few negatives to point out. While the long-term effects of water on wood or metal are proven to be harmful, heavy impacts on tiles can break them and paint will flake, absorb moisture or disintegrate, stone survives it all.
How do you fix stone cladding to walls? How do you install stone cladding? Is it safe?
We apply stone cladding in very secure ways. For larger panels (e.g. 3cm granite) we use special reinforcement, essentially drilling the panels into the wall, in an expert way that it’s only done from the back.
Our team of professional fitters are so experienced that we’ve even done numerous ceilings covered in marble look quartzes and suchlike, suspended on specialised rivets that hold everything securely in place. This is a frequent solution in kitchens or living room areas, where guests spend most time and can gape in awe at the floating natural stone ceiling system.
The smaller panels, e.g. thin ceramic can be simply glued on surfaces with specialised glues. We use the same glue for securing worktops in place.
Where to buy stone cladding? Will you come out to measure?
You can purchase all colours and palce an order for the entire project at our showroom. You can do so either by booking an appointment and coming to us directly. Our team of experts will happily help you and provide all sorts of guidance.
You’re also welcome to contact us via an email address or UK landline phone. Plenty of contact forms are also scattered across our website.
When you place your order, we familiarise ourselves with your plans and ideas, we always come out to measure (aka templating). To us this process is pivotal – we always want each project to be completed smoothly, with no flaws and as little setbacks as possible. It’s thanks to such fastidious process that our customers always provide us great feedback.
If you require any information regarding our politics, methods of working or the materials themselves, please reach out.
is stone cladding expensive? How much for a single wall?
The prices of wall cladding can depend on various factors. Firstly the slab/colour you selected. All our suppliers have their set prices. Whichever product you choose, will depend on the final price.
We also need to take into regard the surface area you’ll need to cover. This will all impact the number of slabs you’ll require, how much of our labour (cutting, polishing etc.) you’ll need, so on and so forth.