Stone Veneers

Natural stone is a great feature for the wall of a large room or as an adornment, like a kitchen backsplash. However, stone is heavy and and it is hard to install properly for all but the most experienced mason.

During the past decade a product has been gaining popularity that takes the look of stone and combines it with the ease of installation that comes with a brick veneer product. Stone veneers are actually a cement fiber product that is textured and stained to resemble real rocks. This result is accomplished by pressure casting in expensive molds that are set up to vibrate so that all air bubbles are released. In this way the texture comes out of the mold exactly as it was intended.

Being artificial they are much lighter than their real counterparts and so do not put strain on the walls. This takes away the need for a foundation beneath the structures like real stone needs.

Just screwing a wire lath to the studs beneath the drywall will do for support. And to protect the wall from moisture an asphalt felt paper should be hung first. A 3/4" thick mortar is applied to the lath and the stones are pressed on. In some instances where you want the mortar to show though, a standard or colored mortar can be used.

Most stones go on without grouting because they are a tight fit. However, if you want to use a grout you can mimic a real stone structure.