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Why Should You Use Manufactured Stone Veneer In a Bathroom

Manufactured stone veneers are getting used in more and more places around the house. Everyone has seen how good it looks around a fireplace as a center piece for a room. It looks equally good on the outside of a home because it lends a certain rugged charm but have you ever considered using it in your bathroom? The basic qualities of a manufactured stone veneer are its amazing durability and its almost complete resistance to moisture and staining. If you are shopping for the perfect building materials for your bathroom then durability and stain resistance are probably the two things you are specifically searching for.

Manufactured Stone | Custom Stone Veneer | BathroomUp until recently, only the most affluent homes could have natural looking bathrooms covered in marble and other high end stone. The price tag on bathroom projects like these would sometimes rival a small house but with a manufactured stone veneer they became a much more practical design decision. Even middle income homeowners can afford to own:

  • Unique vanity top designs. These are made out of stylish stone that really adds a dash of elegance to a room.
  • Decorative accents made from cultural marble. Marble is always a hit and most people cannot tell natural stone apart from its manufactured counterpart.
  • Cultured Onyx, Granite and Piedrafina. These stones and many more are available in manufactured varieties and they are very easy to work with.

If you have never seen manufactured stone then you may think that it will look cheap or fake. Most manufactured stones are actually made from rock dust instead of plastic or synthetic materials so it is an actual stone, just not a naturally formed one. This process of formation is the main reason that manufactured stones are so easy to work with. Liquid polyester is utilized to make all the rock dust stick together and then it is covered in a non porous coating that resists stains and spotting. The end result is that you are left with a bathroom that doesn’t absorb moisture or hold onto odors and it can be easily cleaned with soap and water for the most part.

There is one thing to be careful of when buying manufactured stone veneers and that is to get them from a reputable company. Some will skimp on the manufacturing process and it can result in you buying inferior manufactured stone.

10 Steps to Install Custom Stone Veneer Around Windows

A custom stone veneer is a great way to add a little style to your home. It can make your house look like it was built entirely from stone but at a fraction of the cost of natural stone. To save a little money, homeowners with a do it yourself frame of mind have attempted to install their own custom stone veneer. As long as you’re careful, it is possible but you have to be sure and take extra precautions around your windows. If they are not sealed properly then you can leave yourself open to leaks and future water damage.

Before you get started on the steps below, you need to gather a few materials. For this project you will need:

  • Metal weep screed
  • Metal cap flashing
  • Silicone Adhesive

Step 1: On the plywood boards that form the outside of the house, known as the sheathing, you will find flashing tape installed. Squeeze out a beaded line of silicone adhesive in a zigzag pattern across that tape.

Step 2: Take your metal cap flashing and press it solidly against the flashing tape with the bottom edge against the top edge of the window.

Step 3: Now you will need to nail a metal weep screed into place over the top of the metal cap flashing. This will help to divert water away and act as a moisture guard.

Step 4: Starting at the bottom of the wall, begin installing the veneer and work your way up. When you get to the last piece of veneer, you have to measure the distance between it and the edge of the window and mark a line onto the back of the veneer.

Step 5: Cut along the line that you marked using an electric grinder but only cut about halfway through the veneer.

Step 6: Now place the veneer face down on a worktable with the line you cut running along the edge of the table.

Step 7: Using a hammer, gently tap on the part of the veneer sticking out past the table to break it along the line and remove excess material.

Step 8: Spread water over the back of the veneer piece to keep it from absorbing water from the mortar. If you don’t, it will cause the mortar to crack.

Step 9: Apply a half inch of mortar to the back of the piece and onto the wall where it will be placed. Then press the piece firmly into position.

Step 10: Repeat these steps as needed for the remaining windows.

5 Steps for Creating a Custom Stone Veneer Accent Wall

Manufactured Stone  has always been a popular building material because it gives a home a natural look and is more cost effective than natural stone. If you have the budget it is always best to let a professional construct your veneer for you but if you are comfortable working with your hands, it is possible to just do it yourself as well.

Before you get started you will need to gather up a few tools and materials like a trowel, mortar mix, metal lathe, 2 inch galvanized nails, plastic moisture barrier, stone veneer, hand rake, wire brush, a hammer and sand.

Custom Stone Veneer Accent WallOnce you have everything gathered up you are ready to start with step one:

  1. Secure a plastic moisture barrier over the surface of the wall that will be your veneer. It is best to use painters tape in case you need to make adjustments or move the barrier. Next you will need to use the galvanized nails to secure the metal lathe to the moisture barrier. Try to keep the nails 6 inches apart and try to hit the wall studs as much as possible.
  2. Read the mortar package then mix the sand and mortar accordingly. This will create a cement mixture that you will begin applying to the lathe. Use the trowel to spread a thin layer of the mixture over all of the exposed lathe.
  3. While the cement mixture is still wet you need to use the hand rake to either make scratches in the cement or just rake it. This will help your stone to adhere to the surface more securely. After you have finished you need to let it set undisturbed for forty eight hours.
  4. Take one of your stone veneer pieces and apply a layer of mortar across the back about a half inch thick. Then press it into place on the wall near the top. Press firmly enough that some of the mortar squeezes out from beneath it. Keep placing pieces until you reach the bottom and try to keep the pieces as tightly spaced as possible. It will reduce the amount of mortaring you will have to do later. Let everything dry for about an hour or two.
  5. Go back across the surface and press mortar into any cracks that you see between the pieces. Use a wire brush to clean the excess cement of off the stone pieces.

4 Steps for Applying Manufactured Stone Siding

Adding manufactured stone veneer to your home is a great way to add value, and make your home more beautiful.  Stone has been a staple building material since the beginning of time. Manufactured, or custom stone veneer, has changed up the game a little bit though.  It is less expensive, and much easier to install.  In fact, this particular project can be completed over the weekend with little or no professional help.  There are many different styles of manufactured stone veneer to choose from, so make sure you choose one that perfectly accents your home.

When you have chosen your perfect manufactured stone veneer, you’re ready to get started:

  1. Prepare the surface that you will be applying the siding to. First you will need to create a moisture barrier by affixing house wrap or roofing felt to the area. If you are preparing a masonry wall you can skip the moisture guard. Next you will need to attach a metal lath to the wall with screws or nails to give the mortar a way to gain purchase on the wall.
  2. Start to apply the mortar mixture to the lath in a layer that is between 1/8 and 1/16 thick.
  3. Start applying the stones to the mortar by holding them in place for 5 to 10 seconds. Try to keep them as tightly spaced as possible because it will make filling in the gaps much easier later on.
  4. If you fit all of the stones tightly together then you may be able to just fill in the spaces between with an S type mortar. If not then you may have to cut small pieces of stone to put between the larger stones. The best way is to mark a stone using a pencil and then use a cut off grinder to give it the correct shape.
Native Custom Stone, a lead manufacturer of custom stone veneer has high quality stone in many varieties.  They are sure to have the perfect stone to accent your home, or commercial building.