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Awesome Exterior Platinum Planc on a Reno Hillside
The past couple weeks we’ve started to see a bunch of project photos come back from very happy clients who are working with our new Planc Large Format Tile product. The Planc was officially launched in the Spring of this year, so there are a lot of products that are just starting to near completion after going through the design and construction process over the Summer and Fall. This particular set from a new residential construction project in Reno is not quite complete, but the installation of Platinum Planc looks so good we just had to share them with you asap!
The pulled back view of this project is really what caught our eye the most. The setting is idyllic, with the tall western Pine trees framing a beautifully modern inspired house. The clean lines and sharp angles of the roof flow nicely down to the yet to be completed bump out where the outdoor grill can be seen, and then on further down to where the Platinum Planc is used around the base of an outdoor area as it comes out from the main level of the home and then travels down the natural grade of the hillside. The large format design of the Planc product, where each tile is 31.5” long appears to be in perfect scale to the rest of the house, and the smooth honed finish is exactly what it should be to match the rest of the design scheme.
The Platinum Planc is made of lavastone, which from a mineral composition is very similar to basalt, the main difference between the two being that basalt dries under pressure and lavastone tends to cool on or near the surface without as much pressure. The lack of pressure in the cooling process is what gives lavastone its unique visual properties, such as veining and marking which gives it that unique, one of a kind look that only natural stone has. Natural stone pairs well with glass and steel in the framework of modern design as they form a nice contrast between the materials, but one thing that really stood out to us on this project is the beautiful wood siding also used extensively on the exterior of this home. The inherent natural beauty of the stone and the wood play well off each other, and they both really look like they belong in this natural hillside setting with both beautiful tall trees and exposed boulders abounding.
The up close view of the project offers up some great detail about the Planc large format tile was used. The prominent outside corner is done using an overlapping technique, where the cut edge of the corner is rotated from one side to the other from one course to the next. Since the Platinum Planc product has a saw cut finish, the cut edges end up looking the same as the face. Other colors in the Planc Series have a honed finish, such as our Ebony and Grey Basalt colors, which would require either on site polishing of the exposed edge, or more likely the outside corner is made using a simple miter cut technique leaving no exposed edges.
An often overlooked installation detail is how far a natural stone installation should come to grade. Typical practice is to leave a veneer product like natural stone a minimum of 6” above grade, but always check with your local building authority for local rules as they vary considerably based on climate. We look forward to seeing photos of this project in the Spring once its complete and the landscaping is done to cover up the gap between the grade and the stone.
Thanks for taking a look at this super cool Planc project with us today. In many parts of the country its getting too cold for exterior projects like this, but the Planc product is ideally suited for interior projects as well, especially fireplaces. Contact us today to learn more about Planc large format tile, to order a sample, and see how it can work for your next stone veneer project!
