Post and information updated 10/15/2016:
Properly built structures need less maintenance than structures that have not been built correctly. They will also last considerably longer, particularly when you live in an area that experiences severe, wet winters.
Additionally, there are times when corrective action can be taken to ensure that structures will survive adverse weather conditions, including cold, wet, windy winters.
One of the major issues when building is the need to seal materials, as well as the full range of building elements, from moisture. Water can cause the most terrible damage and can result in rapid deterioration of a building. But do it right in the first place, and you’ll avoid any potential trauma.
Natural Shield to Protect Manufactured Stone from Moisture
Manufactured stone is a good example of a building material that can be impacted by an incorrect application. Install it correctly and it will last a very long time. But if you don’t seal the stone to protect it, you are inviting problems.
Fast becoming one of the most popular building materials for homes, made well, faux stone has many advantages over natural stone. (Learn more about this here.)
- Because it can be molded and colored in a myriad of shapes, sizes, and colors, it looks exactly like the many natural stone types that are quarried all over the world.
- Unlike natural stone that is heavy, manufactured stone is lightweight but is virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.
- Manufactured stone is considerably cheaper than quarried stone.
- Manufactured stone can be used as cladding for all structures made with wood frames, metal, or masonry, without the need for foundations or footings.
- Properly maintained, a manufactured stone veneer will last for decades without any sign of deterioration or change of color.
Just remember that to be sure it really will offer these advantages, manufactured stone must be correctly installed.
The problem is that if manufactured stone veneer is not correctly installed, it tends to trap water directly against the underlying frame. If the frame is made of wood, it can result in wood rot in a remarkably short period of time.
Even if the veneer is correctly installed, it’s a good idea to take steps to prevent any degree of water penetration by coating the manufactured stone with an effective sealant. It is also prudent to re-coat the veneer annually, before winter.
Use Natural Shield to Seal Stone Before Winter
Native Custom Stone manufacturers top quality stone veneer products and we know how important it is for our products to:
- Be correctly installed
- Be properly sealed
This is why we recommend Natural Shield for the protection of most substrates and surfaces of materials like brick, stucco, pavers, and of course manufactured stone.
Natural Shield is a primer that acts as a repellent to water and oil and helps to prevent stains. It bonds chemically and mechanically to the substrate, effectively stopping water intrusion. In turn this reduces unwanted biological growth, accumulation of dirt, cracking, and freeze damage.
When you use Natural Shield, you won’t have to worry about water damage and intrusion during winter, even though this is the time when it is more likely to work its way into cracks during the freeze-thaw cycle.
Native Custom Stone has no hesitation in recommending Natural Shield for homes built using our manufactured stone veneer products. It is available in various different quantities:
- One quart to cover about 50 square feet
- One gallon to cover about 200 square feet
- Five gallons to cover about 1,000 square feet
If you’d like more advice about Natural Shield and how to protect your manufactured stone from damp, contact us today. We will also advise on correct installation techniques.
Follow Us!