Crafting- Making a Lightblock with Stone Veneer

When building a masonry brick or thin stone veneer, the details make the difference. One area that requires careful planning is the electrical outlets and outside lighting. Usually, a light mounts to a wooden “light block,” but for a high-end thin stone veneer in Massachusetts, we prefer something more authentic. Step one: get a coffee from Dunkins. Step two: let’s build a stone light block.

Fabricating a Custom Stone Light Block

I started with a piece of 4″ veneer rock, marked it out, and cut it down to an 11″ x 11″ square. While this is for a thin stone application, the same process works for full-thickness dimensional stone—you just spend more time with the drill, the grinder, and the chisel.

Rocking the Edges for a Natural Finish

Once we have the square shape, we move onto “rocking” the edges. Hand-chiseling the edges gives the stone a natural appearance instead of a sterile, perfectly cut factory edge. It is safer to do this while the stone is still 4″ thick to avoid accidental breakage.

Thinning the Stone: From Full Veneer to Thin Stone

After the stone is rock-faced, I used a 14″ blade to cut the thickness down to 2″ off the face. Ta-Da! Now it’s a thin stone ready for mounting. If you’re curious about the mechanics of the material, check out our post on what thin stone is exactly.

Precision Cutting for Electrical Boxes

Next, we center the electrical box and trace it 1/4″ larger. I trace the line on both sides with a grinder wheel, then use a masonry bit and a hammer drill to create a series of holes. If you’ve traced the backside correctly, the center will pop right out, leaving a nice, neat hole for the junction box.

The Mason’s Eye: Ensuring a Square Finish

Even with careful measurements, a mason’s eye can catch small discrepancies. I felt it wasn’t perfectly square, and sure enough, a quick check with the framing square revealed a 1/4″ sliver that needed to come off. That final adjustment is what ensures the light fixture sits perfectly level on your home.

Custom Stone Masonry in Lancaster and MetroWest

We believe that high-end stone veneer shouldn’t be interrupted by plastic accessories. We specialize in custom fabrication and stone veneer installation in Lancaster, Wayland, Concord, and throughout Massachusetts.

Looking for a mason who sweats the small stuff? Call 978-365-6800 or complete our online request form.