Stone calculator
Stone Veneer Calculator
Veneer is ordered in two products: flats by the square foot and corners by the linear foot. This splits them and adds the mortar.
Your project
Measure the vertical height of every outside corner and add them up.
Veneer flats needed
185
sq ft of flats + 26 lf of corners
- Flat boxes (10 sq ft each)
- 19
- Corner boxes (6 lf each)
- 5
- Mortar (80 lb type S bags)
- 10
- Metal lath needed
- 13 sheets (2' × 8')
- Estimated stone cost
- $2,086
Each linear foot of corner piece also covers about half a square foot of flat area, which this calculator already deducts. Ordering both at full area is the most common veneer over-order.
The shareable link reopens this calculator with your exact inputs.
Flats and corners are priced differently
Manufactured and natural thin veneer is sold as flats (square feet) and corners (linear feet). Corners cost roughly 1.5-2x per unit because they are L-shaped and use more material. Measure every outside corner's vertical height and buy corners by that total.
Corners wrap around the edge, so each linear foot of corner also covers about half a square foot of wall face. Deduct that from your flats or you will finish with a pallet of leftover stone.
The wall assembly matters more than the stone
Over sheathing, the correct build-up is weather-resistive barrier (two layers over wood), then metal lath, then a scratch coat, then the setting bed and stone. Over clean concrete or block, veneer can be applied directly to the substrate.
Leave a weep screed and a 4 inch clearance above grade, and 2 inches above paved surfaces. Veneer that runs into the dirt wicks moisture behind the stone, and that is what causes the freeze-thaw spalling you see on ten-year-old installs.
Veneer coverage and pricing
| Item | Sold as | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Manufactured flats | 10 sq ft box | $6-$12 / sq ft |
| Manufactured corners | 6 lf box | $10-$20 / lf |
| Natural thin veneer flats | Sq ft or pallet | $10-$25 / sq ft |
| Type S mortar | 80 lb bag | $8-$14 / bag |
| Installed labour | Per sq ft | $12-$30 / sq ft |
Frequently asked questions
+How do I calculate stone veneer square footage?
Measure wall height × width for each face, subtract window and door openings, then subtract half a square foot for every linear foot of corner stone. Add 10% waste.
+How many boxes of stone veneer do I need?
Flats come in 10 sq ft boxes and corners in 6 linear foot boxes. Divide your adjusted totals by those figures and round up — always up, since dye lots vary between orders.
+How much mortar does stone veneer need?
About one 80 lb bag of type S per 20 square feet, covering scratch coat and setting bed. Deep raked joints or heavy natural stone can push that to one bag per 15 sq ft.
+Can stone veneer go straight onto plywood?
No. Plywood needs a weather-resistive barrier and metal lath with a scratch coat first. Veneer bonded directly to sheathing will delaminate.