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Granite Facade With Bluestone Accent Dean and Derek transform a plain house front into an distinctive facade with stone-cold appeal. From "Rock Solid" episode DROC-307

Sometimes a simple decorative solution is all you need to make your home stand out from the rest. In this Rock Solid project, professional stone masons Dean Marsico and Derek Stearns give a home a facelift with dramatic results.

Using Weymouth granite and bluestone accents, Dean and Derek transform a home's staid facade into an inviting entryway. The stone veneer is applied in a unique pattern to complement the design of the house.

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	Before
	After

Tools:

trowel
mask
carbide chisel and set
brush
wheelbarrow
tape measure
level
stone hammer
jointer
hoe with holes
wall ties
screws
electric screwdriver
roofing nails
30 grade tar paper
safety glasses
protective dust mask

Materials:

Weymouth granite
bluestone
mortar
mason sand

Design and Materials

Dean and Derek opt for using Weymouth granite, six-inch full sized veneer, on the front of the house. They build the granite halfway up the wall and around the windows and top it off with a bluestone sill. The window extends about 6 inches from the front of the house, so the veneer is a perfect fit. Dean and Derek build on a foundation that has already been poured.

Begin by taking measurements, and visiting a local quarry to pick out your material. Weymouth granite can be cut to produce seam face or split face blocks. Seam face blocks are cut along a seam in the granite, producing a block that is smooth and colorful. Split face pieces have a rustic look, and are gray in tone. Mixing the two types will give your facade a rustic yet stately look. Dean and Derek use thermaled bluestone for the sill, and rock face the edges by hand.

While the quarry will tell you the exact amount of material you need, one ton of granite will give you about 40 square feet of veneer work.

Note: The quantities needed for each of these materials varies with the application. For your specific project, Dean and Derek suggest taking your dimensions to a local quarry, where they will calculate the amount of each product needed. Remember to add 10 percent for waste.

Figure A

Water Barrier

Before you do any type of stonework on a wall, make sure you put up a water barrier. For this project Dean and Derek use 30 grade tar paper. Even though there is a roof over the facade area that is protecting the stone from the elements, it's still a good idea to add a water barrier directly on the facade.

• Cut a piece of tar paper the length of the wall where you're setting stone.

• Use roofing nails to hold the tar paper in place (figure A), spacing them out about every ten inches.
  

  Figure B

Before you begin setting stone, hand pick the pieces you want to use and bring them to the work site. Use a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Build your facade to your taste. Seam face stones are more colorful than split face.

Mix Mortar

For the veneer work, mix two parts mason sand to one part mortar. First dry mix the materials, then add water and mix until the mortar is the consistency of sticky peanut butter.

Safety Alert: Remember to wear your protective mask when you mix (figure B).

	Figure C
	Figure D

Setting the Stone

• Normally you'd start setting stone at the corners or ends and work your way in, but because there's a window sill, Dean and Derek start in the center under the window (figure C).

• In order to ensure that the stone is plumb, so you'll need a guideline. Dean and Derek use the width of the window trim, which is six inches from the flat surface of the wall, as the guideline. Using a four foot level and the edge of the trim, Dean and Derek can check to make sure the veneer work goes up straight.

• Put mortar on the base and set the first stone in line with the window sill.

• Check the plumb and add shims and mortar in back to keep it in place.

• Set the next stones off of the first and butter the sides (figure D). This prevents any gaps and keeps water out.

• Vary the size and shape of the stones as you set. Build out from the center and then move up the wall.
  
  
  

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  ALSO IN THIS EPISODE:
  	Granite Facade With Bluestone Accent