Harriet and Ken Khteian feel their house lacks curb appeal. The single-story home appears small and uninviting, they believe, and the plain wood facade doesn't suit the mountainous setting, nor do the simple support posts in the carport area out front. The Khteians would like their home to have a more substantial look that complements the surroundings; so they've decided to give it a new stone facade. The plan is to remove the existing wood and cover the house with a rustic-looking stone product . They also want to give the carport posts the appearance of stone pillars, using the same product.
On day one, Ken and Harriet start by working on the carport pillars. Ken has come up with a plan to build wooden boxes around the existing posts to make them appear larger and to provide a surface for the stone to adhere to. With assistance from Harriet, Ken cuts and assembles the first box. Then they repeat the process, covering all of the posts. Next, the Khteians remove the wood facade on the front of the house . On day two, the couple preps the exterior walls and pillars for the stone. First , they cover all the surfaces with a moisture barrier. Next, they nail up sheets of metal lath, and the prep work is complete.
After spending a day putting a scratch coat of mortar on the lath, Ken and Harriet can now start adding the stone. They start on one of the pillars, where any mistakes they might make would be less noticeable. The Khteians dry fit the first row of stone pieces and then mortar them into place. They make a small mistake on the second row , leaving a gap between two pieces, but Ken cuts a strip of stone to fit the gap and the mistake is covered up. Confident in their technique, Harriet and Ken move on to the large exterior walls. Days go by as the Khteians keep adding row upon row of stone, but finally the last stone goes in and this step is done.
Harriet and Ken finish the project by selecting a trim color for a few areas of exposed mortar. Using trial and error, Harriet comes up with a shade of light gray . With that done, the Khteians now have a brand new facade that's everything they hoped for.
Resources stone siding - Cultured Stone
Cultured Stone Corporation
P.O. Box 270
Napa, CA 94559-0270
Phone: 707-255-1727
Toll Free Phone: 800-255-1727
Fax: 707-255-5572
Email:
answers@answers.owenscorning.com
Website:
www.culturedstone.com
mortar - Southeast Construction Products
Southeast Construction Products
Website:
www.southeastproducts.com
landscaping - Armstrong Gardens
Armstrong Garden Centers
Website:
www.armstronggarden.com Also in this Episode
