Cultured stone around fireplace

MichaelP · 06-06-2008, 03:48 PM

Hi, I have a question about installing stone around a fireplace. I have a fireplace that is about 5 years old. It has existing cultured stone mounteded around it. The probem I have is the fire box has 5" of metal flush with the sheetrock on the sides and 9" on the top and bottom. All of the stone that was mounted to the metal has fallen off. All of the stone that was mounted to the sheetrock remains solid. Any tips on what to use to remount the stone to the metal firebox. The original installation was thinset.
Any advise would be great.

Mike

clasact · 06-06-2008, 06:32 PM

could you post a photo please

MichaelP · 06-06-2008, 07:40 PM

Here are two pics....

clasact · 06-06-2008, 07:49 PM

now that I see the pic what I was thinking will not work their is no why to attach to the fire place itself as I can see.I don't know if you have and stone place near you but I would take those photos with to the store and see if they have a epoxy or something otherwise I only see you cleaning the area real good and doing the thinset again and every few years after sorry I could be more help like I said I had an ideal but after seeing I wont work.Somebody else may have something though

MichaelP · 06-06-2008, 08:49 PM

Clasact,

Thanks for the try...

Anybody else have any suggestions??

Mike

MichaelP · 06-08-2008, 01:47 PM

Any other suggestions??

Thanks,

Mike

kbrena · 06-08-2008, 03:18 PM

Possibly, if the metal on the fire box is very smooth, you may want to try ruffing up the metal with some very coarse sandpaper or something to make gouges into it so the thin set has something to hold onto.
I'M not an expert, just a do-it-yourselfer.

Good luck,
Kelly

Tscarborough · 06-08-2008, 03:42 PM

The problem is that that metal expands more than the cementious adhesive can when hot. Technically, when built that area should have been left bare.

Your choices now involve using a heat resistant adhesive to restick the stone. Good luck!

Bud Cline · 06-08-2008, 04:14 PM

Heat resistant adhesive shouldn't be required as that metal never gets that hot. Any flexible modified thinset should work - it always has. Might try construction adhesive. Clean the metal and use Liquid Nails.

What is there now almost appears to be tile mastic, not thinset.

Exactly what was used originally?

kshankle · 06-20-2008, 05:56 PM

did it work?

yesitsconcrete · 06-21-2008, 06:38 AM

i'd put up some expanded metal lath mesh 1st then replace the stone.