How to Save Money and Shop Stone Remnants in a Slab Yard
The amount of money I’ve saved shopping stone remnants for our personal home renovation, as well as for past interior design clients is astronomical… I’m talking thousands of dollars. Renovating adds up very quickly, so I’m all about saving money where I can, without comprising the design plan. One hack I’ve discovered over the years is to ask my stone suppliers or local slab yard if I’m able to peruse their remnant section. Every stone retailer has one, whether it’s advertised or not. Today, I’m sharing how to save money and shop stone remnants in a slab yard. These are ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or any space in your home that would require a stone slab. Click through for my best tips and things you should know!
I’ve shared quite a bit about stone, as it’s a material we frequently use here at home. Natural stone never goes out of style! If you’ve missed these posts, be sure to check out how to choose a marble slab for your renovation (always a classic choice!), the difference between natural stones, and how to select different countertop edge profiles. Those are my three most popular posts surrounding renovations that involve stone, so they’re a great place to start…
What is a Stone Remnant?
Stone remnants are pieces or cuts from a full slab. They’re the remaining portion of the slab that has been cut for larger projects. They’re often smaller sized, discounted (because of their size), or are oddly shaped. Every slab yard or stone retailer has a remnant section filled with these, that are available to shop. Remnants are often the “undesirable” section of a slab that has been leftover or discarded, therefore- customers can purchase remnants with a steep discount.
When to Consider Using a Remnant
Not exactly sure when or where a remnant might work for your home renovation? Here are some ideas for smaller projects, where remnants would work beautifully…
- Bathroom vanities (here are some ways to customize a readymade bathroom vanity)
- Cutting boards or oversized serving trays
- Fireplace hearths, surrounds, or mantels (more on designing our custom fireplace, pictured below)
- Small countertops
- Furniture or replacement table tops
- Window sills
- Sink tops
- A bathtub ledge
- Small solid stone backsplash pieces
- Shower niche (check out this post on how to plan and design a shower niche)
- Flooring thresholds
If there is a room I’ve shared that we’ve used stone in… odds are, we’ve included at least one remnant. It’s one of my favorite ways to save money while achieving a designer, custom aesthetic.
How to Shop Remnants
So, I’ve sold you on money-saving remnants? Here’s how to shop for them! Slab yards or retailers are typically open to both the trade and to the public. Be sure to call in advance to confirm, but it’s often a good idea to schedule an appointment, so someone can assist you. Let them know you’re looking for a smaller slab and would like to peruse their remnants first. Show up with your dimensions, an idea of what type of stone you’re looking for, and an open mind- as remnants are most definitely leftovers. You never know what you’re going to find!
Remnant Cost
The cost of remnants vary depending on the size and type of stone. They’re often priced by the square foot, but are significantly less than full size slabs. I’ll give you some examples from my own home… in our guest bathroom, the nero marble countertops were remnants that cost around $400 for the material (3 small remnant slabs)– far less than a full slab. In our kitchen, our recent kitchen island project included a marble remnant top we snagged for free. It was going to be tossed into the dumpster, so we only paid for fabrication. You never know what type of pricing you’ll run into! It never hurts to ask where the least expensive remnants are… they’re always worth checking out.
Design Elements to Consider
Speaking of our newly styled kitchen island, this is the marble we landed on (the remnant that was going to be trashed, pictured below)… here are some design elements to consider when deciding on a remnant:
- Is it just dirty? Can it be sanded down, cleaned, or polished?
- Is the color or pattern a good fit for your space?
- Is it large enough?
- Is it thick enough? If not- you could always have mitered edges fabricated (just another option).
- What edge profile are you leaning toward? Is it possible with this remnant?
- Does the stone retailer offer fabrication, and can they include that in your pricing?
- Can it be polished or honed?
FAQ
Absolutely! I share all of that information in this post- how to choose a marble slab for your renovation. You’ll want to wear close toed shoes, bring a tape measure, etc. It’s a good read!
Ah! Great question. You have to ask for those, or they’ll be hauled away by your fabricator. For example, when renovating our basement bar, we splurged for beautiful viola marble slabs. We had just enough for our large countertop, but I knew we’d have a remnant leftover from the sink cut-out. I asked our fabricator to keep any scraps for me… even the small ones. We have a pretty large viola piece from the sink that will make for a beautiful table top or serving board. It’s currently leaning in our garage looking pretty- I just need to find a place for it.
It depends on the inventory at your local slab yard, but they’re typically sink cut-outs… at least that’s the smallest I’ve seen. Those would be perfect for oversized serving boards or small table tops.
Related
Looking for more stone, countertop, or tile information? I’ll link some of my favorite helpful posts for you below…
- How to Choose a Marble Slab for Your Renovation
- The Difference Between Natural Stones
- How to Select Different Countertop Edge Profiles
- Everything You Need to Know About Soapstone
- How to Faux Paint a Vent Cover or Outlet to Seamlessly Blend with Stone
- Marble Maintenance & The Truth About Natural Stone
- The Best Mapei Grout Colors (Designer Tile Pairings & Advice)
- Why We Used Soapstone in Our Kitchen… Again
I hope this post was informative and helpful! The next time you’re sourcing stone for your home renovation, definitely keep remnants in mind… they can save you quite a bit of money, creating wiggle room in the budget! It’s one of my favorite designer tricks for freeing up space elsewhere. As always, let me know if you have any questions in the comment section below. I will say- I’m pretty behind on emails and comments, but I’ll get back to them soon! I’m only a few days post surgery, so I’ve really been trying my best to take it easy and listen to my body after having a hysterectomy (which went well). Thanks again for your sweet messages!