Cultered Stone...the next EIFS?

[tdutt]

A mason with 30 years experience was telling me Cultered Stone could be trouble. It's his opinion that it could cause plenty of problems for homeowners in the future. He is seeing poor "professional" installations, not to mention all of the homeowners who are getting in on the action with suppliers like Home Depot selling the stuff. Weep holes or drip screeds do not seem to be required for these installations, at least not in my area. If water gets behind, or should I say when water gets behind the stone, there is no way for it to get out. It's his contention that the warmth in the house will draw the moisture toward the structure with no way for it to dry out.

I heard an attorney who specializes in construction claims litigation (he also defends H.I.'s) give a continuing ed. seminar where he stated that Cultered Stone could be the next EIFS. Hmmmmm...Looks like another change to my contract as I'm required to contractually disclaim anything I don't inspect that's required in my state SOP.

Anyone else hearing bad things about this stuff? Does anyone have pics of damage they've seen while inspecting?

[Jason1]

Not just cultured stone, they now have face-cut real stone up here. You apply it the same way as cultured, but it is actual stone - do yo have any idea what a SQ FT of this stuff weighs? All held on by a little mortar. That stuff is going to fall to pieces with any water infiltration or minor earth quake.

[Carl A. Brown]

It can and will have issues due to the improper installation of moisture barriers,windows,and flashings!

[Carl A. Brown]

And the problems with faux stone and stucco are gonna make EIFS look like the best cladding there ever was . IMO

[Carl A. Brown]

Any time faux stone is installed it needs the same set up as stucco when it comes to the moisture barriers and lath.

ASTM C 1063 ASTMC 926

I feel the weep screed is over rated. 66/caseing bead worked just fine for several years until some lab rat said it didn't.

[tdutt]

Originally Posted by cbrown1

Any time faux stone is installed it needs the same set up as stucco when it comes to the moisture barriers and lath.

ASTM C 1063 ASTMC 926

I feel the weep screed is over rated. 66/caseing bead worked just fine for several years until some lab rat said it didn't.

Carl,
Are you seeing the use of a weep screed in your area for the faux stone? Most use the felt and lath, but I haven't seen any use the screed. And that was the mason's point, trapped moisture. He said he was working on a small bunch of houses when the general contractor found another crew to do the work for 2/3 of the cost, so he got the heave-ho. As he was finishing up one of the houses he'd already started, he could see the inexpensive guys setting stone on bare plywood sheathing! The general contractor will live to regret that decision I'm sure.

[Carl A. Brown]

Most of the guys around here do not use weepscreed they use weeping 66.

The general contractor might not regret it so much as the homeowners who do not even have a clue about what they are buying. Sounds like the stone mason is going thru what I have been thru the last couple years with stucco. I got pushed away from the table by cut throats also after 22 years as a contractor. The builders greed is unreal.

You might tell the mason about this website.

http://www.badstucco.com/

http://www.badstucco.com/phpbb/

Going over bare plywood is a code violation tell him to call the city!

[Barry Adair]

Why bother with m-v barrier, lath, flashing or any other common sense procedures. Let's just glue or nail it to whatever was there before.

Can you tell which one is not faux stone?

Like the structural lumber of today is know as "waswood" this stuff will be known as "wasveneer" none of these are even 10 years old.