Anatoliy Stone stands for itself in quality and beauty, but installation will be important to the aesthetics of your finished project. Careful consideration and planning is needed prior to installation, including what materials and what techniques will be used, and even what color your grout will be. You may decide to use a masonry professional to install instead of doing the work yourself.
A Few Tips Before You Begin
- Prior to beginning installation, all stones should be laid out, face up, so you can effectively visualize and plan stone placement and cuts.
- Alternate corner colors and shapes.
- Use as few cuts as possible by starting at the edges and corners of the structure you’re laying veneer over, working inwards.
- Choose your stone grout technique:
Standard Joint
A standard joint, also known as “raked” is begun by laying each stone roughly one finger width apart and grouting, then tooling the grout when it begins to set by “raking” it to achieve the right look and depth.
Overgrout Joint
The overgrout, or “sack finish” technique is gaining in popularity with those looking for a more aged, rustic look. The veneer is literally over-grouted and grout overlaps the face of the stone making the joints very irregular looking, giving them the desired overgrouted or “sacked” look.
Dry-Stack Joint
For a tightly stacked stone appearance, you can “dry” fit each stone prior to installation. We sell specialty dry fit veneers. While you do indeed use mortar to set the stone veneer, it looks as though nothing was used.
Grout & Mortar Tips
Mortar and grout are similar cement-based products that harden after use to keep veneers in place, however, there are some differences and usage. Mortar is thicker than grout and used to stick one product to another, such as your veneer to another surface. Once the mortar has cured (dried), grout is then used as filler between stones and uses more water in the mix to make it thinner.
Both products have many variations, so if you have more questions regarding the use of either grout or mortar, visit our showroom or contact us online.
- Begin by using a trowel to fill your grout bag, then take up slack in the bag by holding the top and twisting approximately one complete revolution.
- To begin filling the grout joints, you’ll push your fist into the closed bag, forcing mortar into the joints. Go slow to be sure you can manage the grout used before it sets. Timing is very important.
- Watch for the mortar to begin to set, and use a stick, the back of a brush, or another similar tool to press the mortar into the joints or “rake” the grout in a Standard Joint technique.
- If any mortar spills onto the surface of your veneer, do not let it dry. Use a wire brush to clear away excess from the joints and surfaces.