Make a statement with Oamaru Stone exterior cladding
You might have noticed the recent trend in New Zealand architecture to combine different exterior materials and finishes to create a strongly individual design statement. One of the most popular materials being used in the Southern Lakes, where some of the most exciting new architecture can be seen, is Oamaru Stone veneer cladding.
Apart from being a locally sourced product that gives buildings an authentic sense of connection to the landscape, Oamaru Stone is exceptionally versatile. With the wide range of options we’ll introduce you to below, you can complement or contrast other exterior finishes to your heart’s content.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- Oamaru Stone colour choice
- Oamaru Stone exterior cladding options
- CNC custom stone fabrication
Caramel and Autumnal – your colour choice
Oamaru Stone cladding comes in two natural colours – ‘Caramel’, which is a deep, rich tone, and Autumnal, which is a lighter, warmer tone like honey. You could go with one or the other of these colours, or work with a combination of the two to create a truly bespoke finish.
CNC Shaping and Sculpting
The other aspect of Oamaru Stone’s amazing versatility as a building and finishing material is how easy it is to shape and sculpt. We have New Zealand’s biggest CNC stone fabricating machine that we can programme to carve window and door jambs, sills, soffit detail, corbels, wall bands, eave details, columns, balustrades and railings – the level of intricacy and precision we can achieve with Oamaru Stone is incredible, and we can do it in virtually any size or shape.
Oamaru Stone cladding options
We have a range of cladding finishes produced by different cutting and stone working methods.
Sawn Faced Cladding
Sawn Faced is the most popular Ōamaru Stone cladding. Its sawn surface creates a surface with a subtly textured appearance. Like all Oamaru Stone cladding it weathers well, it’s highly durable and easy to maintain.
Fair-faced Cladding
Fair-faced limestone veneer is a new Ōamaru Stone cladding option that we’ve created to save time on the building site. Each block is put through a finishing saw at our quarry, which gives it a smooth look. We also ‘joggle’ each end of the blocks to prevent them from sliding, making installation easy.
Split Faced Cladding
As the name suggests, we split the stone to reveal the natural texture of limestone. Cut to your specified dimensions, Ōamaru Stone Split Faced cladding has a rough and uneven surface which gives you a highly textured, organic look – and every piece is unique.
Split and Bolstered Cladding
This option takes the Split Faced look to the next level. First Ōamaru Stone limestone blocks are sawn to size, then split with a thick blade and finally chiselled by hand in our quarry. The end result is an ancient, rustic finish.
Lightweight Dry Stack Stone
Lightweight Dry Stack Stones are randomly shaped and sized pieces of Oamaru Stone with a raw, rough-hewn finish like you might see in an old stone wall. Despite their chunky look they’re actually sliced thinly for easy installation. Perfect for either adding rustic charm or complementing a mid-century look.
Limestone Slip
We also produce thin slips of Oamaru Stone, which are available in a range of face sizes from 20mm thick. These stone slips are adhered to a substrate to provide a lightweight cladding option. Their lightness also reduces delivery costs.
Corner Stones
A fantastic detail to add to a building that’s clad (or built) in Oamaru Stone are corner stones – which we call the quoin of a structure. Ōamaru Stone cornerstones add a visually weighty presence to a building and can be used to clearly define the space it occupies.
If you’re inspired by the possibilities of working with Oamaru Stone cladding for your next building or renovation project, give us a call today on 03 433 1134 or email sales@oamarustone.co.nz