Replies

1. 
   gfretwell | Oct 16, 2012 04:40pm | #1

   I think the normal way is to put a vapor barrier down and then nail up expanded metal stucco lath that will hold the mortar and stone.

   We just built an interior stone faced fireplace surround with natural stone veneer (electric fireplace) and we did the lath thing without a vapor barrier.

   http://www.nsvi.com/

2. 
   DanH | Oct 16, 2012 06:36pm | #2

   There are some "dry" schemes

   There are some "dry" schemes for simulated stone/brick where you install the pieces on metal hangers and then grout the joints.  But for real stone I believe you need the wire mesh/mud base.

1. 
   gfretwell | Oct 16, 2012 07:05pm | #3

   We looked at that fake stone and rejected it. Real stone is not that much more expensive and it is forever.

3. 
   sapwood | Oct 18, 2012 11:49am | #4

   I'm in the PNW, lots of rain but a dry summer. If I were to be so mad as to do a stone cladding here, I'd first cover the sheathing with 15# felt or other similar building paper, fasten 1x3 battens to the studs over top the felt, screw wonder board or hardie board onto the battens and then use thin set to adhere the stone onto the tile backer. You will have to figure out some way to flash the opening at the top of this rainscreen assembly. Hopefully, you will have rainscreened the entire wall thus making that an easy job. 

   My recently remodeled house had 15# felt over sheathing with metal mesh fastened directly to that. Then limestone mortered onto the mesh. When I tore it off, thousands of wet wood termites had to go looking for a new home and the landfill got some new rotten wood delivered. On the exterior of a house, putting stone directly onto wood (building paper in between is a joke) is a terribly foolish thing to do.