Replies

1. 
   Dave_Richeson | Mar 03, 2002 02:33am | #1

   *
   Unlock your caps lock key. All caps is considered yelling.

1. 
   Rich_ | Mar 04, 2002 04:36am | #2

   *Exterior use? How is this to be used? What climate you in? What material is it going over? How you planning on securing it in place?

1. 
   Jeff_J._Buck | Mar 04, 2002 06:33am | #3

   *I repaired a fireplace....can't remember the brand...was made kinda local.....just concrete poured into moulds....so it looked like big stones all the way up. Exterior.....has framing then ply...then paper...then diamond mesh...then a skim coat of mortar.....then each piece was back buttered and stuck on. Get the mix nice and creamy....if it don't stick right away....add more water. Think we used 3 sand to 1 cement. Don't skimp on sand either. Fluffy, I guess you could call it. After the mix was down.....they stuck like glue. Bigger ones were ehld up with small rocks and shim pieces...and finish nails....to keep them from slipping down. Left the nails sticking out over nite. The corners had to be popped and replaced......no fault of the fake stone.....the cap stones way up top had a center joint......left open! Once I got the feel for things......I liked them. Grout with a pastery bag, tool witha stick and call it a day. Jeff

1. 
   Cliff._Johnston | Mar 04, 2002 07:02am | #4

   *Super Dave,There are several houses around Lake Granbury that have used synthetic stone. I've been looking at them for the past 8 years. They still look great. Relax, enjoy the job, and when you're finished you can sleep good, confident that you've used a product that will still be looking good in 8 or 10 years.Cliff.

1. 
   SUPER_DAVE | Mar 05, 2002 02:20am | #5

   *THANKS CLIFF AND JEFF>>YOU GUYS ARE GREAT!!!!

2. 
   Darrell_Hambley_PE | Mar 05, 2002 04:21am | #6

   *Ssuperdave, Use type N mortor. Some stone mfgs say to use S but S is for compressive strength. N will have more holding strenght than S.

3. 
   SUPER_DAVE | Mar 09, 2002 04:31am | #7

   *question for darrell..above poster..or anyone else..plan to save time..and labor by using half-inch cement board over ply-then felt..tape all seams with tape and morter..then apply the stone over entire surface..this is gonna be on the entire exterior of house..anyone see any problems??? thanks

4. 
   ken_hill | Mar 09, 2002 05:10am | #8

   *Super Dave- Why are you putting felt over your cement bd? Just curious. -Ken

5. 
   Cloud_Hidden | Mar 09, 2002 09:53am | #9

   *He probably means "half-inch cement board over (ply-then felt)", since he mentions taping seams, and I doubt he means to tape the felt seams with mortar.

6. 
   Jeff_J._Buck | Mar 09, 2002 12:39pm | #10

   *Guess that would work? My big repair was over ply/felt/diamond mesh. Had to cut out some of the mesh and replace. The bond in this system is the mortar into the mesh...and the mesh nailed to the ply. the stone bonding to the mortar. I'd guess the stone/mortar would bond pretty well straight to the cement board. Interresting!!! Jeff

7. 
   Cloud_Hidden | Mar 09, 2002 06:49pm | #11

   *It does bond to the cement board, but they still recommend diamond mesh nailed through the board. I'd guess the thinking is that w/o the mesh nailed through to the studs, the strength rides on the fiber scrim secured in the durock. If that comes loose at a corner, the whole wall could theoretically peel away. Kinda like if you only glue, and not nail/screw drywall, the whole strength is the paper backing to the gypsum.That said, I had a small interior space to do, and I skipped the mesh and haven't had a problem. But still, manuf instructions are the way to go, of course.

8. 
   david_albert | Mar 09, 2002 10:11pm | #12

   *SuperDave; my impression was rock couldn't beused outside. Any body know?

9. 
   david_albert | Mar 09, 2002 10:11pm | #13

   *because of freezing...

10. 
    SUPER_DAVE | Mar 10, 2002 05:24pm | #14

    *durock makes an EXTERIOR grade cement board ..comes in 4x8 sheets...1/2 thick or 5/8..no problems with freezing..i plan to screw it to studs and plywood..