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Stone Veneer |
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There are two basic
types of installations that we will cover. One is what we will call
“installing over a scratch Coat”, and the other we will call
“attaching directly to concrete or concrete board. |
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Tools that you will need for veneer:
2-5 gallon buckets, one for water, one
for mixing mortar, mixer bit, ½ inch drill, x-stand, mud board, steel
finishing trowel, mason trowel, mason hammer, chisels, tuck pointer,
brush, bucket trowel (this is very handy for scraping all the mortar
out of your bucket. |
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Installing over a scratch coat |
Most professional installers prefer this method. It insures good
adhesion, and they are in control of the structural integrity of the
application. This method uses a metal lath or a fiberglass mesh lath
that is mechanically attached to wood, icf, or other surfaces that
may be painted or sealed. For example, a block or poured foundation
that has been painted or sealed, must have a metal lath attached to
it with concrete anchors, as the mortar will not stick to the paint
or sealer.
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NOTE: Attaching directly to unsealed, unpainted concrete or
cement board you can skip steps 1-8 below, and when you are ready to
apply stone, you should dampen the area you are working on, as this
will make a slower cure time for your mortar, achieving better
adhesion. Use a polymer additive to your mortar, this will also help
with adhesion. |
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Go ahead to step 9 below! |
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1). For
inside installation: Attach lath to wood, preferably over plywood, or
concrete using the appropriate fasteners. Make sure you nail into the
studs! |
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2). For
exterior installations: Take off the tyvek or other house wrap, then
install ddpaper. THIS IS NOT TARPAPER!! This is a breathable grade D
paper that comes in two layers, so you put it on once, and it already
is double layered. Then you install the
Mortairvent®. This allows a
breathable weep gap behind the mesh. Install the Lath. |
| 3). Mix
a batch of mud. We stock a Spec-mix type S stone veneer mortar, a 4000
psi mortar with some Air, and some polymers added. This is a premixed
mortar that has your sand, Portland cement, and lime. Just add water!
This is what our customers have told us is the best all-around
mortar, using the same product for the scratch coat, laying the stone,
and grouting. The easiest way we have found to mix mud is to use a
5-gallon bucket, a speedy mixer, and an electric variable speed ½”
drill. |
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Pour about 2 inches of water in a bucket. |
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5). Pour in about a ¼ of a bag of mortar, and
mix it up. It will be kind of soupy. Keep adding mortar until you get
a nice creamy consistency. The way I can tell if the batch is good,
is to run your finger through the top of the mud, making a crevice.
The mortar should sluff into the crevice, but not fill in. The mud
should not be at all crumbly, or cracked up when you run your finger
through it. |
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6). We should note here that you must use
common sense when working with mortar, as you can get “burned” from
concrete!! Used gloves, and all safety gear! We will not be held
responsible for someone messing up or getting hurt. This is how I
would do it, as a guideline to help you, not to hurt you! |
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7). Cover the lath with a coat of mortar, and
finish it off with a notched trowel. This will give you a “scratch
coat”. |
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8). Allow the scratch coat to dry for at least
20 minutes, maybe longer in cooler or damp situations. You want the
base coat to set up a bit. You can leave this scratch coat
indefinitely. For example, you have time this weekend to scratch
coat your foundation, but have to leave for two weeks before you
start laying stone. That’s fine! |
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9). Now we are ready to start laying the
stone! As with any trade, having the right tools will make your
life much easier! Can you imagine framing a house without nail bags,
speed square, pencil, hammer and tape? You could still do it with a
pipe wrench to pound nails, use your kids ruler for measuring, use a
notebook for a square, and a nail for a marker! The same for your
stone masonry tools! You will want to have a steel notched trowel,
masons trowel, a tuckpointer, an x-stand for your mudboard, speedy
mixer, drill, bucket trowel, grout bags, and a mason’s brush. You
can get all of this for just a couple hundred bucks, or borrow it if
your job is smaller. |
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10). Lay out plenty of stone so you can see
selections, but don’t try to lay it out to fit on the ground,
because you usually can never duplicate what you laid out on the
ground or template on the wall. Some stones may not be positioned
exactly as they were on your template, and now you have taken twice
as long as a professional! |
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11). Choose a stone to lay, making sure it
will fit where you want it. Apply a layer of mortar to the back of
the stone, forcing the mud to the stone. |
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12). Apply a bead around the outside of the
stone, making a thicker ridge around the edge. |
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13). Press the stone to the wall, wiggling and
pressing to insure a good seat. |
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14). Use the excess mortar that squeezes out
for your grouting, or scrape it off and put it back into you mud pile. |
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15). Try to lay your stones with consistent
joint sizes. |
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16). For a dry-stack application, (indoor use
only) we would recommend that you lay the stones from the bottom and
work your way up. |
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17). For all other manufactured stone
applications, start at the top and work down. Keep your hands clean,
don’t pick up a stone with wet mud on your hands! If you drip mortar
onto the stones, if it is a clump, let it dry, and it will flick
right off. If it smears, you will want to wipe it off real well with
a damp rag or sponge. This will keep your stone cleaner, and make
your cleanup much easier. Since it is a concrete product, you
cannot use a muriatic acid to clean the stone. Using an acid will
void your warranty, and eat the color from your stone. |
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18). For all natural stone, start at the
bottom, and work towards the top. You can be as messy as you want,
because you can acid wash it when you are finished. |
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19). Use a grout bag filled with mortar and
squeeze mortar into the joints |
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20). Let the mortar set up a bit, then use a
tuckpointer to seal the mortar to the stones, filling all holes and
voids. |
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21). Let the grout set up till it is pretty
hard, and strike it using scraping motions with your tuckpointer, or
use a thin piece of wood, like a paint stir stick, cut narrow so it
fits between the stones, and smooth the grout. This will bring a
nice sandy texture to your grout. |
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22). Brush the stones and grout with a masons
brush, or horse hair brush. |
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23). Now you can seal the stone, with a sealer
that will not change the look, or with one that gives it a slight
sheen, or a wet look. |
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Click here for printer friendly version. |
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For more information about any of
our products call us at: |
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Phone: 218-525-6360
~ Fax:
218-525-6361 |
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E-mail us at:
info@greatlakesstone.com |
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Great Lakes
Stone Supply Inc. ~ 5156 Rice Lake Road
~
Duluth, MN 55803 |
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