Stone veneer is one of the best ways to change the look of a house. A stone wainscot, a set of stone columns, or a stone gable can make a plain front look finished and solid. But what you see is only the last layer. How long it lasts depends almost entirely on what is behind it.
Veneer stone — natural or manufactured — is a finish, not a structural wall. It is attached to the house through layers built up behind it. On a typical wall that means a water-resistive barrier to protect the framing, metal lath fastened to the wall, and a mortar scratch coat that the stone is set into. Each layer has a job, and skipping one is where problems start.
The most important job is managing water. Stone and mortar are porous, so some water will always get behind the veneer. A properly built wall lets that water drain down and out at the bottom instead of soaking into the sheathing and framing. That is why the details at the base of the stone matter: the right trim at the bottom edge, and keeping the stone the manufacturer's recommended distance above soil and paving so it is not sitting in water and snow.
When those details are missed, the signs usually show up within a few years: stones coming loose, white mineral deposits on the face, staining on the wall below, or damp and rot inside the wall that nobody sees until it is expensive.
Around windows, doors and other openings, the joints between stone and trim need to be flashed and sealed so water is directed away from the opening rather than into it. Where stone meets siding or stucco, the transition needs the same care.
Good stonework is also about how it looks. A natural-looking pattern mixes sizes, shapes and colors, avoids long straight joints running through several stones, and keeps mortar joints consistent. Stones are set and arranged by hand, one at a time.
If you are thinking about adding stone, or you have stone that is loose or stained, call M&S Stucco & Stone at (970) 581-4342. We will look at the wall and walk you through what it needs.