Cultured stone can make dramatic impact

Houlton Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austin
VARIETY — Kevin McGary of Horten Building Supplies in Houlton shows off some of the cultured stone product available.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
    Though many people may think that home improvement requires lots of effort and big projects, that is not necessarily true.
    A small project can add life to a home. One gaining popularity can be either done on the home’s exterior for curb appeal or within the home to enhance an interior space.
    A simple way of creating a new look can be adding cultured stone to a surface. Cultured stone can add a classic, modern to a rustic attraction relatively inexpensively.
    “Most people do their foundation or their chimneys,” said Kevin McGary, manager of Horten Building Supplies, Inc. at 15 Military St. in Houlton.
    Cultured stone comes in a variety of colors and numerous designs from dressed fieldstone, country ledgestone, southern ledgestone, river rock to a blend of textures.
    Cultured Stone can be used to design patios, decks, benches, walkways and to create a border for poolside. If you can think of a place for stone to fit into your landscape then cultured stone may be the way to go for many homeowners. Instead of the hard labor of going out to find, haul and wash stones collected in a field, cultured stone comes in a box, it’s lightweight and the stone has a flat back for good contact on a surface.
    Not only can stone be featured outside, but inside as well. Cultured stone can highlight a wall, outline a fireplace, hallway or entryway, while creating a custom, artistic look. Trim and mouldings and other accessories are available to complete the design.
    McGary said the cultured stone is unique because of its “different styles and colors.”
    Though he has never applied the cultured stone, McGary said it was well-liked.
     “It’s very popular,” he said. “We sell a lot of it.”
    Cultured stone costs anywhere from $7 to $8 a square foot. It requires measuring the area to be covered, mason cement and basic tools. Cultured stone is trendy even though its moderately challenging to apply.
    According to Josh Nuttall’s article on eHow, items needed, depending on project, include weather resistant barrier, expanded metal lath, staples, manual, pneumatic or electric stapler; Type N mortar mix; mixing tray; cultured stone; metal jointing tool; grout bag; wet tile saw; widemouth nippers; masonary hatchet; dust mask and safety glasses.
    Nuttall suggests estimating the amount of cultured stone and mortar needed by following this formula: wall area = length by height of wall; window area = window length by window height; wall area = linear feet of wall corner by .75 and square footage = wall area-window area-wall area covered by corners.
    If placing cultured stone over wooden exterior, make sure to apply a weather resistant barrier, which is not required when covering cement or masonry. Once weather resistance barrier is placed, staple sheets of galvanized, expanded metal lath over the top of the barrier.
    Then, spread out the cultured stone in the work area to have options during installation; mix a batch of mortar in a wheelbarrow or tray for a firm, moist consistency and add colorant if desired to enhance the look of the stone.
    Take a mason’s trowel and spread out the mortar onto the wall with a half or three-quarter inch thickness; make sure only to spread enough you can cover with stones before the mortar sets up and becomes unusable.
    Then apply the cultured stone.
    Begin placing the cultured stone from the top to bottom, avoiding wet mortar falling on stones below the work area; place stones so the joints are as narrow as possible, no larger than a half inch for a natural effect, wrote Nuttall.
    Press stones firmly into the mortar, wiping away excess mortar from behind stones. Nuttall said the pressure to the stones ensures a good bond with the mortar. Apply the corner pieces first, alternating the long and short legs over the work area. Then apply flat pieces and work toward the center of the work area. Focus on keeping the joints consistent.
    The next step is to cut, trim and shape stones to fit with widemouth nippers, masonry hatchet or wet tile saw. Small pieces of stone can be used between larger ones. Nuttall reminds the weekend warrior to use a dust mask and safety glasses when cutting the stone.
    Finally, when the mortar is dry enough, mix the grout thin enough to be pushed through a grout bag, but thick enough to stay in the joints. After grout is in the joints, run a metal jointing tool over them to smooth out the joints, remove excess grout and make the installation look as professionally finished as possible. Drying times will vary.
    For those thinking they may not want to tackle the job themselves, McGary recommends hiring a mason.
    “Any masons around will do it,” he said. “I would want someone to guide me.”
    Browsing the pamphlets for cultured stone, many people are drawn to it.
    “A lot of people just like the look of stone,” McGary said.
    For more information on cultured stone, call Horten Building Supplies, Inc. at 532-532-2311.