Swenson Granite Works Debuts Woodbury Gray Granite Thin Veneer with the Homebuilders Association of Western Massachusetts Association

When most people think of granite veneer, they commonly associate it with heavy full bed veneer, but thin veneer is an excellent versatile alternative that can be used a number of ways for both the interior and exterior of your home.

On September 22, 2020, Swenson Granite Works debuted WOODBURY GRAY™ granite thin veneer at its South Hadley, Massachusetts store in partnership with the Homebuilders Association of Western Massachusetts Association. The Swenson Granite Works team is thrilled to add this thin veneer to the Woodbury Gray granite family of products and is excited to share the details with customers!

Woodbury Gray granite thin veneer is made from strips of granite, giving the product a rectangular look. As opposed to full bed veneer which is 3”-5” thick, the Woodbury Gray granite thin veneer is between .75”-1.25”. Swenson Granite Works offers three different heights in this veneer, which is sold as a mix. The stock heights are 2.25”, 5”, and 7.75”, and are made to work together, so you can easily mix and match to create a pattern. Other heights are available upon request.

This thin veneer features a split face exterior finish, with rustic rough sides and a sawed smooth top and bottom, making it a perfect combination of old-world and contemporary, suited to any space. While thin veneer is growing in popularity, there are not many grays to choose from, and Woodbury Gray has been highly requested.

The popular salt and pepper gray provides a traditional and neutral look that will complement most colors you’ll find in your indoor and outdoor living spaces; a few projects to get your inspiration flowing; fireplace surrounds, outdoor kitchen areas, and pillars, not to mention the exterior of your residence — it goes with almost everything! With Woodbury Gray granite’s reputation, fine grain, and consistent cut, Swenson Granite Works felt that thin veneer would be the perfect addition to this stone’s family of products.

Quarried in the town of Woodbury, Vermont, Woodbury Gray granite, one of several granite types offered at Swenson Granite Works, has brought timeless style to buildings across the country for over a century. Beyond the fact that when you choose locally sourced natural stone you are getting such a high quality material, you’re also minimizing shipping and transportation, which saves fossil fuels and money in taxes and transportation costs, while boosting the local economy and community. Like all of Swenson Granite Works’ products, this thin veneer is obtained using environmentally safer methods we’ve developed over the years.

It is an all-natural product to use in your home, which will not only be aesthetically pleasing, but will last essentially forever, as opposed to man-made veneers. When man-made veneer chips, concrete is visible beneath it. Naturally sourced stone is a greener alternative to concrete products, and well worth the investment.

Installing Woodbury Gray granite thin veneer, when compared to that of full bed, is significantly easier. Full bed veneer on average is a 3”-5” thick piece of stone, and each piece is repeatedly hefted and leveled — the process is very labor intensive. The lighter material means it is easier to handle and you don’t need to pour a supporting wall as you do with a full bed veneer. Thin veneer does not require special footings or anchors, and this style of material will have lower installation costs than full veneer, saving you both time and money. Polycor Hardscapes and Masonry offers step-by-step instructions on how to install thin veneer.

DOWNLOAD THE POLYCOR HARDSCAPES & MASONRY VENEER INSTALLATION GUIDE

At the product debut, guests were able to see firsthand how easy it is to install Woodbury Gray granite thin veneer during an installation demonstration with Polycor’s masonry technical specialist Jamie Fitzsimmons and Vice President of Sales, John Machunis.

Due to COVID restrictions, Swenson Granite Works was unable to host this event at the Homebuilders Association of Western Massachusetts Association’s beautiful headquarters, but fortunately was able to host it outside in the crisp fall air at the South Hadley store with social distancing in place, and even a fire blazing in their fire pit! A dozen Swenson Granite Works and Polycor team members were present to answer questions from the 30 association members in attendance.

“We wanted to launch Woodbury Gray granite thin veneer at this event because South Hadley is one of our newest retail stores on the outskirts of the New England territory,” said David Duford, Swenson Granite Works’s Director of Retail Operations. “We wanted to introduce ourselves, our products, and our team to the community and area, and also show them how inexpensive and accessible granite can be, since many people assume it’s expensive.”

When shopping for thin veneer, one of the most important things to consider is its versatility — you can use it to cover an old brick fireplace or the concrete foundation on the outside of your house. Because it’s so light and the pieces are so manageable, you can put it just about anywhere. With minimal instructions, the average homeowner with hands-on knowledge can do the installation themselves. Your local Swenson Granite Works retail store can also connect you with contractors in your area that can install the product for you.

The much anticipated Woodbury Gray granite thin veneer is currently in production, and is slated to be stocked in stores Spring 2021.