Tiny homes & luxury stone veneers – Time to renovate!

Tiny homes & luxury stone veneers – Time to renovate!

Homes in Australia are generally known to be large. However, there’s a trend going against large houses, with people beginning to see that good things can come in small (or tiny) packages, namely, in the form of houses.

“Tiny houses” are generally defined as a dwelling that is 37 square meters or less. Tiny houses have the functionality & the character of a permanent house & it’s fixed to the land, unlike tiny houses on wheels, build on caravans. There are also “small houses”, which is any dwelling that it less than 90 square meters. Since the average Australian home is approximately 240 square meters, it’s no surprise that even the “small house” by definition is relatively tiny to the majority of the Australia population.

So, if you have a “tiny” or “small” house, you’re sure to be a connoisseur of style & keeping to date with the latest trends & upgrades which you can do to your little nest egg. If so, read on! We’re about to explore how flexible stone veneers fit in with any renovations that you may be planning for your “tiny” or “small” house.

What are flexible stone veneers?

Sketch Australia’s flexible stone veneers are sustainably extracted with a minimum carbon footprint from 100% natural metamorphic rock. It results in a thin layer of stone which is attached to a backing, which is most commonly fiberglass, but could also be fabric or translucent.

This backing, with the thinness of the stone layer (1.5 mm to 2.0 mm) gives not only tremendous durability, but also ensures a light-weight & easy to install stone veneer. The stone surface provides natural water & heat resistant, which means that it can be installed both indoors & outdoors.

Sketch Australia’s flexible stone veneers can be installed on top of any substrate, including glass, tiles, cement, wood, brick & render. From floors to walls & ceilings, applications are only limited by your creativity, with the most common applications being splashbacks, feature walls, fireplaces, bathrooms, bedrooms, & furniture. For anyone who’s interest in DIY products, you can be sure that this is the best stone product that you can install on your own, with a few household tools & easily available adhesives & sealants.

Using flexible stone veneers to renovate tiny homes

There are many reasons why you should consider flexible stone veneers in renovations for your tiny home. Let’s discuss a few of those reasons in detail.

1. Ease of installation
Unlike most cladding options, flexible stone veneers are extremely light-weight, only being around 1.5 kilos per standard sheet. That, combined with the thinness, contributes to ease of installation, to the point where the product is DIY. No need for special equipment or an installation team, just an angle grinder to cut the sheets, a PU adhesive to paste it, & finally a penetrative sealant on top of the surface. You’ll not only save up on labour cost, but also, it’ll be something fun for you to look forward to do in the weekend, especially if you’re a DIY enthusiast!

2. Durability
The stone surface speaks for itself. Since the surface of the veneer is natural stone, it’s durable & resistant to extreme weather conditions, whether scorching hot or freezing cold. This is the main reason that it can be installed on the exterior walls of a tiny home. Unlike so many other cladding options, the stone surface is also resistant to scratching & chipping, & with the proper installation & maintenance, it’s bound to last a lifetime.

3. Water & heat resistance
Sketch Australia’s flexible stone veneers are naturally water & heat resistant, since the surface is natural stone. So, you can install it in places where water & heat resistance is an absolute necessity, including the exterior of a tiny home.

4. Versatility of application
Sketch Australia’s flexible stone veneers can be installed on both indoor & outdoor surfaces, but that’s not the best part – seeing that it can endure extreme weather conditions as well as be installed on top of any kind of substrate, applications are limitless for your tiny home renovations, from indoor & outdoor floors to walls & even ceilings. Common applications that’s popular include splashbacks, feature walls, fireplace exteriors & even furniture! It’s also a beautiful product to install on your cabinetry, bathrooms & bedrooms.

5. Visual appeal
Flexible stone veneers have an elegant look, whether it’s installed on the indoor or outdoor of your tiny home. The natural stone surface is unique in appearance & since each sheet is unique from the other, it creates a theme of its own.

6. Affordability
Compared with other cladding options & considering the advantages it offers, flexible stone veneers are affordable. Not only saving up on the labour cost if you do it on your own, but each sheet is extremely cost effective for the benefits & unique stone look it offers.

7. Lightweight
Unlike other cladding options, the flexible stone veneer is an extremely thin slice of rock, weighing only around 1.5 kilos per standard sheet, so it’s the perfect solution when you want an elegant stone appearance, without the weight & difficulty in installation. It’s also perfect for installation on structures that are unable to bear heavy weights.

8. Low maintenance
Once a penetrative sealant is applied on the stone surface after installation, it’ll preserve the surface & the most basic dust & day to day dirt can be easily cleaned with water.

9. Cover up damages to the surface below
Let’s be honest – you’ve decided to renovate your tiny home not just to upgrade its look, but also because it’s bound to show signs of wear & tear, especially with years of use. The best part of installing flexible stone veneers is that you can install it on almost any surface, & using the glue, you can fill in any gaps in the surface below & install the veneers to cover the damages. This means that not only are you covering up the damages, but also, you’re doing it with style.

10. Wow factor
Talking about style – flexible stone veneers have the look & feel of solid stone slabs, & the moment anyone sees it, they’re bound to think that it is natural stone slabs, & it’s a wow factor to think of a stone cladding on the interior or exterior of a tiny home. It’s often said that the first impression is the last impression, & in that case, flexible stone veneers offer a very pleasant experience to the viewer.

11. Create a theme
You can also use the flexible stone veneers to create a theme or pattern of its own, depending on how you lay the stone sheets. One of the main features of the stone veneer is that you can use it on the exterior of your tiny home as well as the interior, so you could use this to your advantage & lay the sheets on the exterior of the tiny home in one design, & complement it on the inside with another design.

12. Add to the surface structural integrity
This applies especially if the structure below is damaged. Flexible stone veneers can be applied over damaged surfaces using the glue to fill up the damages, & applying this durable thin stone sheet will add to the structural integrity of the surface below, further reinforcing it. This is especially a useful feature if your tiny home has endured long years of wear & tear, & you’re installing a cladding for reasons beyond style or theme, but more focused on longevity, durability & damage control.

The future of tiny home renovations with natural stone veneers

Flexible stone veneers are taking the Australian construction & renovation industry to the next level by offering a cladding option that is versatile in application, while also being durable & affordable. It’s a one-of-a-kind stone product which you can use on both indoors & outdoors of your tiny home as a renovation option due to the sheet’s flexibility, lightweight & ease of installation. This is why you need to consider flexible stone veneers for any renovation requirement you may have for your tiny home, whether it’s for the interior or exterior. While adding durability to the structure, flexible stone veneers also add to the elegance, within no time & for a relatively low cost compared with other cladding options that are available.