Rock Verneer

wire_twister · 03-22-2008, 03:55 PM

My foundation and chimney are built out of 8x8x16 inch concrete blocks with a flat stone verneer applied to the face. The house is only about 7 years old and I am having trouble with the stone letting go and falling off. Sometimes the moarter lets go of the stone and sometimes it lets go of the block but either way the end result is the same. I can reset the stones but I need to know if there is a product other than moarter to grout in between the stones after they are reset. Instead of tearing them all off I would like to fix them as necessary, so I dont need to mix up a wheel barrow load of grout to fix a few stones.

Mike Swearingen · 03-23-2008, 11:54 AM

I'm not a contractor, but I think that they should have used metal or plastic mesh made for the purpose attached securely to the block to hold the rock and mortar in place. Maybe you can do that on a rock-by-rock repair basis until you eventually resolve the problem.
Good Luck!
Mike

troubleseeker · 03-23-2008, 10:09 PM

There is obviously a weak bond due to poor quality of mortar mixture originally used. In the long run , you will be better off biteing the bullet and removing the stone veneer one time and fixing it , rather than trying to piece one stone at a time back on. This will also allow you to see if this problem is being caused by the block work shifting and cracking the stone off , or perhaps by water intrusion between the two. Mortar is the proper thing to use in the joint lines.