Fireplace stone veneer, do I really need tar paper?
 

I starting putting up a metal lath over my drywall to install stone veneer over my fireplace. All the manufactures instructions said on the veneer is use a metal lath and scratch coat. Reading online I see some people recommend to wrap the wall in tar paper. Is this really needed?

I'm only doing one face, the stone isn't wrapping the fireplace at all. I just feel like its overkill. I live in Bellingham, WA. We have 4 seasons. I read that the biggest reason for the tar paper is to keep the bond from the cement and wall seperate so it can expand without cracking, but since its drywall it should be fine right?

Thanks for your advice ahead of time.

You don't need tar paper or metal lath or scratch coat. Just install your stone to your drywall using modified tile thinset mortar.:) Next day mortar the joints with brick mortar.

Thanks for the reply. My contractor friend said something similar. I wasn't planning on having any joints. Its sort of a stack stone veneer. The mortar I was using is Quikrete type S. My only concern is that not reenforcing the drywall someone is by the fireplace and yanks down on a piece of stone and it comes right off. Its odd because it seems like there is the manufacturer way of doing things and then what contractors say is ok. I don't want anything falling off. Heres a shot.


https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-i...0/IMG_1962.JPG

As long as you guys think it'll be strong enough to hold even with some pressure on it then I'll just go ahead without the lath and scratch coat.

You can not use "Type S" in place of "modified thinset mortar". Two entirely different products with entirely different make up.

Should I be using something like this?

http://www.lowes.com/pd_39326-73069-...r|1&facetInfo=

Laticrete Polymier - modified thinset mortar

Then just butter back my veneer and stick it on? I'm sorry for all the questions. I've just been getting so many different views on the subject.

Yup.

Yup.

Not sure what that means. There are only two methods used to do this successfully. I have lost count of the number of fireplaces I have done like this during more than thirty years. I did the mesh/scratch/mortar method one time, never again.:)

The thinset method has the blessing of the faux stone manufacturers I have talked to but they want to sell you a "system" not just the stones. Buying your own thinset takes money out of their pockets.:)

Yeah I think a lot of my issues are listening to lowes. If you watch the lowes video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OAd5n4cyqg and it literally is what I was planning on doing. They even show using quikrete type s.

The only thing that the manufacturer instructions differ from what you're saying is ... "installation on smooth non porous surface is not recommended" Which in my mind means a scratch coat would be required.

I guess I take down the lath for now and try a little with the modified thinset and see how it goes.

No it is not recommended using their products. That method won't work using their products. That method will however work great using modified thinset mortar. Their system is a helluva lot of extra work for no good reason.:)