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the Manufactured Stone
Assembly & Installation Guide |
Manufactured stone can be installed with a limited knowledge of masonry practices. Over brick, block,
painted concrete, or new concrete, metal lath should be applied to ensure a good bond. Over exterior wall construction, a weather resistance barrier must be applied first under the metal lath. |
1. Preparing the surface for manufactured
stone
 Our
manufactured stone products can
be applied to any structurally sound surface. Due to its light weight,
no special foundation or structural alterations are
necessary. On masonry
walls (block, poured concrete, full brick) install 2.5 galvanized mesh directly
to surface using concrete fasteners with a minimum of 3/4" length and a
minimum
3/8" diameter head. For all wood or steel stud construction, all exterior
sheatings should be covered with weather resistant barriers with an ASTM E1677
Type 1 such
as Tyvek®. Apply a minimum of 15 lb. Felt Paper as well. Then 2.5 galvanized
metal lath should be attached with galvanized nails or staples penetrating 1"
into stud, 16" on center, with nails 6" apart. Lath to metal studs
should be
done with non-corrosive self tapping screws having a minimum of 1" in length
and minimum of 3/8" diameter head. Metal lath must overlap 4" at horizontal
and
vertical joints. Vertical joints must overlap on a stud. |
2. Applying the Scratch Coat
 As
a rule, lathed surface should be covered with a thin coat mortar
(Type 5 ASTM C720) and allowed to set prior to installing the manufactured
stone. Mortar can be mixed with enough water to achieve a workable
(not too wet, or dry) consistency. The same can be used
for scratch
coating, for applying the manufactured
stone and for grouting the
joints.
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3. Mortaring the manufactured stone
 Before
starting to install manufactured
stone, it is best to lay out the manufactured stone
near your working area to give you a better choice of stone. Select
a stone and apply a 1" thick, even layer of mortar to the
back of the stone.
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4. Applying the manufactured stone
 Press
the manufactured stone firmly into place on the wall surface so
that mortar behind the stone squeezes out around all sides. Using
a
gentle
wiggling action while applying the stone will insure insure a good
bond.
In warm weather, masonry surfaces may need to be dampened
prior to installing the stone so that the moisture will not be
drawn from the mortar to rapidly. To keep the stone clean during
construction, start installing manufactured
stone at the top of the wall
surface and work down. Install the corner stones first for easiest
fitting. When selecting stones, try to achieve a balanced pattern
of shapes, sizes, colors, thickness and textures. Keep the mortar
joints between the stones as tight and as uniform as possible.
Avoid long straight unbroken lines.
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5. Trimming the manufactured stone
 When
necessary, manufactured stones can be cut and shaped with a hatchet,
brick trowel or nippers to form special sizes and shapes for better
fitting. Always try to position the trimmed stones on the wall
surface so that the cut edges will not show.
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6. Grouting the Joints
 After
all of the manufactured stone has been applied to the wall surface,
fill a grout bag with mortar, and in the manner of decorating a
cake,
partially fill the joints between the stones with mortar. Be sure,
while grouting, to cover any noticeable broken stone edges with
mortar. If you prefer colored mortar joints, oxide colors can be
mixed with your mortar prior to grouting. All J & N Stone must
have grout between each stone. We DO NOT WARRANTY a
drystacking installation.
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7. Striking the Joints
 When
the mortar joints become firm, use a wooden or metal striking tool
to rake out the excess mortar to the desired depth and at the same
time to force the mortar into the joints to thoroughly seal the
joint edges. Be careful not to work the joints too soon or the
mortar will smear.
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8. Brooming
 Brush
the mortar joints with a whisk broom or soft brush to smooth them
and clean away the loose mortar. At the same time, broom off any
mortar spots from the face of the stone. Loose mortar and mortar
spots which have set for only a few hours clean up easily and should
never be allowed to set overnight.
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9. Completion
 Manufactured
stones do not require a sealer to warrant its guarantee. J
& N Stone does not cover damage to its product from building
settlement, excessive contact with salt or de-icing chemicals,
paint or airborne
contaminants. ACID should NOT be
used for clean up. Consult your dealer or call J & N Stone,
Inc. for more details.
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