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?
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,
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.
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.
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.