[edfiero1]

When installing stone veneer outdoors, should the gaps between the stones be filled at the same time as the stones are installed, or is it ok to wait days or even a week or two?

My preference is to get all the stones installed first, then come back and fill the gaps another day.

Thanks

 

[stadry]

me, too ! we wait IF that's the needed appearance,,, if not, we'll do it all at same time,,, coming back's more costly to clients

 

[Old Thomas]

I have only seen the gaps pointed later.

 

[House Designer]

On the topic of stone veneer (cultured stone) installation, I thought I would throw in my own two cents on how to install stone so that it does not start falling off in a few years.
Where I live in Ohio, I have witnessed many occurrences of stone veneer beginning to separate and randomly falling off of the structure after a few years (5 - 15 years.) It turns out that moisture (rain, dampness) finds its way behind the stone and mortar (both stone and mortar are porous.) The moisture causes the plywood or OSB sheathing behind the stone to rot locally around the nails that fasten the lath to the sheathing. This allows the nails and lath to pull away, and then the stones start falling.
The solution is to install icegard (rather than weatherproof house wrap) on the entire sheathing surface before the lath is installed. When you nail on the lath, the icegard seals the nail holes, preventing moisture from wicking along the nails and rotting the wood locally in the nail hole.
There are also expensive concrete sealers that you can apply to the finished stone surface to try and slow the moisture intrusion. These sealers certainly can help, but I like the idea of protecting the sheathing and nail holes right at the source.

 

[edfiero1]

On the topic of stone veneer (cultured stone) installation, I thought I would throw in my own two cents on how to install stone so that it does not start falling off in a few years.
Where I live in Ohio, I have witnessed many occurrences of stone veneer beginning to separate and randomly falling off of the structure after a few years (5 - 15 years.) It turns out that moisture (rain, dampness) finds its way behind the stone and mortar (both stone and mortar are porous.) The moisture causes the plywood or OSB sheathing behind the stone to rot locally around the nails that fasten the lath to the sheathing. This allows the nails and lath to pull away, and then the stones start falling.
The solution is to install icegard (rather than weatherproof house wrap) on the entire sheathing surface before the lath is installed. When you nail on the lath, the icegard seals the nail holes, preventing moisture from wicking along the nails and rotting the wood locally in the nail hole.
There are also expensive concrete sealers that you can apply to the finished stone surface to try and slow the moisture intrusion. These sealers certainly can help, but I like the idea of protecting the sheathing and nail holes right at the source.

Thanks for the tip. Makes sense. On my project I'm putting the veneer over a cinder block retaining wall. So I guess I might run into other problems in a few years, but rotted OSB and Nail Pops won't be my downfall. :smile:

 

[jomama45]

When installing stone veneer outdoors, should the gaps between the stones be filled at the same time as the stones are installed, or is it ok to wait days or even a week or two?

My preference is to get all the stones installed first, then come back and fill the gaps another day.

Thanks

Not a problem at all. In fact, I laid a bunch of extra/mixed/leftover stone on a garden shed at our shop about 10-12 years ago, I still haven't groutet the joints. One of these days........

 

[jomama45]

On the topic of stone veneer (cultured stone) installation, I thought I would throw in my own two cents on how to install stone so that it does not start falling off in a few years.
Where I live in Ohio, I have witnessed many occurrences of stone veneer beginning to separate and randomly falling off of the structure after a few years (5 - 15 years.) It turns out that moisture (rain, dampness) finds its way behind the stone and mortar (both stone and mortar are porous.) The moisture causes the plywood or OSB sheathing behind the stone to rot locally around the nails that fasten the lath to the sheathing. This allows the nails and lath to pull away, and then the stones start falling.
The solution is to install icegard (rather than weatherproof house wrap) on the entire sheathing surface before the lath is installed. When you nail on the lath, the icegard seals the nail holes, preventing moisture from wicking along the nails and rotting the wood locally in the nail hole.
There are also expensive concrete sealers that you can apply to the finished stone surface to try and slow the moisture intrusion. These sealers certainly can help, but I like the idea of protecting the sheathing and nail holes right at the source.

It's generally a little more complex than leakage at fasteners. Look into "solar driven moisture in masonry veneers" to get a better sense of the issue. I don't personally believe that "ice and water barrier" is the perfect solution, I think that rain screens are a better option.

But, I do agree that it is a major problem.