Fireplace stone veneer is an affordable, lightweight material that is gaining more popularity over the real thing.  Offered in any color, style or surface texture fireplace stone veneer covers it all.  When this product comes with an oustanding warranty there’s even more reason to pick this over the much more expensive alternative.  It’s so versatile that it can be installed over existing:

1)      Brick

2)      Wood

3)      Block

On many projects, fireplace stone veneer is so easy to install that a homeowner can do it themselves in a few days.  This saves even more money in respect to the cost of hiring a company to install real stone.  The lightweight alternative comes in any imaginable size which makes it easy to manipulate without much effort.  There is a great installation company ready to help, but for those interested in putting in the fireplace stone veneer on their own, here are a few steps to follow.

Proper concrete preparation:

1)      Make sure the concrete surface isn’t smooth/slick.  Without a coarse surface the fireplace stone veneer is less likely to properly adhere and stay in place.

2)      Use sandpaper or a sander to create a coarse surface if one does not exist.

3)      Sand the entire surface to make sure the whole area is consistent.

4)      There’s no need to put a great deal of pressure on the existing surface as only the top layer must be rough in order that the fireplace stone veneer will remain in place.

Proper wood exterior preparation:

1)      Waterproof the wooden surface.  A cement board is a great idea to achieve this step.  There are a few companies that manufacture this cement board.  Any home improvement center or hardware store can help find the best fit.

2)      Use rustproof screws to hold it in place over the wood surface.

3)      Over the first layer affix felt paper.

4)      The third layer should be a diamond mesh for the best results.

5)      Finally, S mortar should finally be applied sparingly with just enough to cover the layer beneath.

Putting the fireplace stone veneer in place:

1)      Use only S type mortar.

2)      Mix the mortar to the consistency of a thick paste.

3)      Put a layer of S type mortar on the back the fireplace stone veneer at least two inches thick.

4)      Make lines in the mortar as that will help it stick in place instead of smoothing it out completely.

5)      Make sure there’s about half an inch between each stone.

6)      Don’t worry about too much space between the materials as it will be relatively easy to find a stone to fill gaps.

7)      Wipe away excess mortar.

8)      Let the project dry for several hours.

9)      Use grout to fill the spaces in between to create a flush appearance.

Fireplace stone veneer is relatively easy to put in place.  Yet, if one would rather a leader in the fireplace stone veneer business do all the work, there’s a great one close by with years of experience.  There’s no need to go through all the extra expensive of real stone with this product has the same great look at a fraction of the price.