Manufactured stone veneers have become a hot commodity in today’s homes. They look fantastic, last forever and cost only a fraction of what a natural stone wall would. They are so popular; many people have taken them on as a DIY project and caused themselves a lot of problems down the line.

Manufactured stone is extremely resistant to damage from the elements but the part of your home they are attached to is not. If they are not properly installed by a professional, they can end up absorbing water and trapping it against your home. What makes this issue even more dangerous is you can’t see it happening. The manufactured stone wall will continue to look perfect while your wooden framing or drywall quietly rots away behind it.

A few other common DIY mistakes occur in the flashing and the base. The flashing has to be applied in a way that leads the water away from your home. Plus, the base has to have some kind of weep at the bottom to drain water and prevent it from just pooling up between the veneer and your wall.
Once all of the above problems have been taken into account, there is still one thing to be aware of. Manufactured stone is porous and will retain water. The experts at Native Custom Stone have solved this problem with Natural Shield. Natural Shield is a water, oil and stain repellent that both chemically and mechanically bonds to substrates.

Natural Shield works on:

• Manufactured Stone
• Brick
• Pavers
• Stucco
• Natural Stone

Native Custom Stone developed Natural Shield as a defense against freeze damage, stains, biological growth, water damage, cracking and dirt accumulation.

If you plan on installing a manufactured stone veneer in your home then you need to protect your investment with Natural Shield. It will ensure that both your manufactured stone and your home will stand the test of time and look great doing it.