|
|
 |
|
|
Work With Cultured Stone by Vicky Smith
|
|
|
Work With Cultured Stone |
|
|
|
|
|
Business
|
|
|
If you love the look of stone but have concerns about its weight and the skill required to install it, Cultured Stone may be the perfect alternative for you. Culture stone is the brand name of a man-made product with a look that's nearly indistinguishable from natural stone, but that is much lighter and generally costs less than the real thing. Cultured Stone is easier to work with, too. Instead of stacking stones on top of each other, as you would with natural stone, you adhere Cultured Stone directly to the wall. A do-it-yourselfer can achieve an excellent result with some basic knowledge about Cultured Stone and how to use it. Instructions as follows: Firstly, determine how much stone you need. Facing, or flat, pieces are sold by square footage. Corner pieces are sold by linear footage. Measure the number of linear feet the outside corners cover. This is the amount of corner stone you need. Multiply the length and width of the entire surface to find the square footage. Subtract the areas of sections you don’t cover, such as doors and windows. Also subtract three-quarters of the linear footage of the outside corners, as 1 linear foot of the corner stone you’ve already accounted for covers about three-quarters of a square tile foot. This is the amount of flat stone you need. Add 20 percent if your installation will be tight-fit, as opposed to having half-inch mortar joints between the stones. Secondly, prepare the surface where you’ll set the stone. Install a weather barrier such as felt paper over a wood substrate. Fasten wire lath to the surface, if it's a smooth one such as wood, concrete or drywall. Etch a clean poured concrete surface with muriatic acid, then rinse the acid and score the concrete with a wire brush to add texture. Sandblast dirty or painted concrete, masonry or stucco to remove all the soil or paint and expose the original surface. The idea is to ensure there’s enough texture for the mortar to stick. Thirdly, prepare the mortar. Adhere the stone to the surface with premixed Portland cement or another mortar recommended by the stone manufacturer. Tint the mortar to match the stone color, if desired. Spread the mortar in a layer about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick, working in small areas of several square feet at a time to prevent the mortar from drying. Fourthly, set the stone by spreading a thin layer of mortar on the face side and pushing it into the layer of mortar on the surface. Start with a corner piece, then adhere adjacent flat pieces. Use a plumb line and level to keep rectangular stones straight. Adhere round Cultured Stone in the pattern that requires the least trimming. Fit the pieces together as if they were puzzle pieces. Ledgestone-style Cultured Stone should be tight-fit with the smallest joints possible. Fifthly, cut the stones for a better fit, when necessary, and to align them properly along straight edges. Make straight cuts with a nipper or an angle grinder with a turbo blade. Follow the straight cut with grinding on the edges to make them more jagged and natural looking. Knock off irregularly shaped chunks of stone with a hatchet, brick hammer or chisel.
Related Articles -
culture stone, stone,
|
Rate This Article  |
|
|
|
|
|
Do you Agree or Disagree? Have a Comment? POST IT!
| Reader Opinions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author Login |
|
|
 |
Advertiser Login
ADVERTISE HERE NOW!
Limited Time $60 Offer!
90 Days-1.5 Million Views
|
|
TIM FAY
After 60-plus years of living, I am just trying to pass down some of the information that I have lea...more
|
|
|
|
|
LAURA JEEVES
At LeadGenerators, we specialise in content-led Online Marketing Strategies for our clients in the t...more
|
|
|
|
|
ALEX BELSEY
I am the editor of QUAY Magazine, a B2B publication based in the South West of the UK. I am also the...more
|
|
|
|
|
GENE MYERS
Author of four books and two screenplays; frequent magazine contributor. I have four other books "in...more
|
|
|
|
|
SUSAN FRIESEN
Located in the lower mainland of B.C., Susan Friesen is a visionary brand strategist, entrepreneur, ...more
|
|
|
|
|
STEPHEN BYE
Steve Bye is currently a fiction writer, who published his first novel, ‘Looking Forward Through the...more
|
|
|
|
|
SHALINI MITTAL
A postgraduate in Fashion Technology. Shalini is a writer at heart! Writing for her is an expression...more
|
|
|
|
|
ADRIAN JOELE
I have been involved in nutrition and weight management for over 12 years and I like to share my kn...more
|
|
|
|
|
JAMES KENNY
James is a Research Enthusiast that focuses on the understanding of how things work and can be impro...more
|
|
|
|
