How Long Does a Natural Stone Installation Take? What to Expect with Acasta Stone Design

When you choose natural stone for your home, you are choosing beauty, durability, and a design element that lasts for generations. At Acasta Stone Design Inc. in Toronto, Ontario, we help homeowners and designers across the Greater Toronto Area plan and deliver successful natural stone projects, from limestone and marble to granite and basalt. One of the first questions clients ask is how long a stone installation will take. The honest answer is: it depends. In this guide, we break down a realistic stone installation timeline, explain what happens at each stage, and highlight the factors that influence how long your project will take so you know what to expect.

Project Planning and Stone Design Consultation

Every successful stone installation begins with planning. During the stone design consultation, you and our team refine the scope, pick materials, confirm finishes and edge profiles, and set a schedule. This stage includes templating for countertops or detailed measurements for cladding and flooring, and it is when lead times start to count. Simple projects with standard materials and straightforward access can move quickly from consultation to templating, while bespoke designs, rare slabs, or complex layouts may add days or weeks. Our effective consultation and design process helps streamline the process and keeps the stone installation timeline realistic.

Fabrication and Custom Finishing

After templating, we begin the fabrication process on your slabs, where they are cut, edged, and finished to spec. Fabrication times vary by the amount of stone required and the complexity of the work. For many countertop projects, fabrication commonly takes about one to two weeks after templating, though premium or highly custom jobs can take longer. Custom stone finishes, mitres, integrated sinks, and complicated seam work increase fabrication time. We will let you know the typical fabrication windows ahead of time to help you plan demolition and installation days without surprise delays.

Site Preparation and Demo

Before installers set any stone, the site must be prepared. That can mean removing old countertops, repairing or reinforcing cabinets, ensuring substrate flatness for flooring, and installing appropriate backer boards or waterproof membranes for wet areas. Proper surface and substrate preparation are essential for long-term performance and are specified in industry installation guides. The complexity of this prep work affects how quickly installers can begin setting stone on site. Plan for site prep to add anywhere from a few hours for a simple countertop swap to several days when structural repairs or extensive waterproofing are required.

Installation Day and On-site Work

The on-site installation itself is often faster than clients expect for smaller projects. For example, many countertop installations are completed in a single day, often four to six hours for a typical kitchen once panels arrive. However, larger or more complex installs can take one to two days. Tile and stone flooring or wall cladding usually takes longer on site, with simple rooms sometimes tiled in one to three days and larger or more intricate patterns requiring several days. Installers will place pieces, check seams and level, grout, and perform initial clean up during this phase.

Curing, Grouting, Sealing and Final Touches

After the stone is set, there are finishing steps that require time to cure. Grout and adhesive products need hours to days to reach full strength, and sealer applications may need time to dry before light use. Depending on the products and environmental conditions, you should expect a short waiting period before heavy use, typically 24 to 72 hours for grout and adhesives and sometimes longer for certain sealants. Final inspections, touch-ups, and a client walkthrough complete the process and ensure your new stone surfaces meet quality standards.

Factors That Affect Timeline and What to Expect

Several variables determine the total duration from first contact to project completion. Stone type is one key factor: softer stones, such as some limestones, may require special setting methods and sealing, while dense stones like granite and basalt often involve heavier cutting and support. Project scale, custom detailing, transportation of large slabs, shop backlog, and site accessibility all influence scheduling. Weather and permit requirements can also affect exterior stonework. We will discuss these factors with you so we can give you the most accurate stone installation timeline for your specific project.

Plan Your Stone Design and Installation with Acasta Stone Design Inc.

At Acasta Stone Design Inc., we provide full-service stone design and installation across the Greater Toronto Area, working with limestone, marble, granite, and basalt to deliver high-quality custom stone finishes and precise tile and stone installation. Whether your project is a quick countertop swap or a large-scale stone façade, our team will walk you through expected timelines, fabrication windows, and on-site schedules so you can plan with confidence. Contact Acasta today to start the consultation and get a clear, custom timeline for your natural stone installation.