An elderly neighbor has decorative stone veneer over the garage door (picture below) and 5 of the pieces have fallen off.  Each rectangular piece is about 6" x 8" x 2" thick, and weighs maybe 3-4 pounds.  It looks like they were mortared in place, but no idea why they fell off or if the others are secure.  I'm looking for suggestions on how to re-install them.  

 

I'm thinking about a fast setting exterior epoxy.  I don't see any way to clamp or brace the stones in place.

 

I would appreciate any other ideas from our learned community.

 

Thank you,

Jim

 

 

 

Pro landscapers use a glue to hold their stones in place.  Might work for you.  Don't know which brand is best.

 

 

We put those on our house.

 

The installation uses a wire mesh covered with a scratch coat of mortar (no little stones). Once dried, the stones are buttered with mortar and placed on the scratch coat. The mortar used to butter the stones is mixed "rich" with portland cement.

 

Depending on how the stone separated from the surface, you might be able to  clean the backs and rebutter. 

 

I think Dan's idea of the adhesive might be the easiest way to go. The dry stack type stone you pictured should hold itself up with minimal bracing until the adhesive sets up.

4 hours ago, lew said:

The installation uses a wire mesh covered with a scratch coat of mortar (no little stones). Once dried, the stones are buttered with mortar and placed on the scratch coat. The mortar used to butter the stones is mixed "rich" with portland cement.

 

Thanks.  I've used this method too.  This is a DR Horton project, so based on what I've seen in our unit, I'd bet it was done the quickest, cheapest way they could.  While it may be there, I don't see any evidence of wire mesh or scratch coat - just a coat of mortar and back butter on the stones.

 

With no obvious way to clamp/brace the replaced stones, my concern is no way to hold them in place for an extended time while an adhesive sets.  I'm just not that patient!

Jim

 

Edited May 10, 20205 yr by JimM

Open the garage use a bar clamp one side on the stone and one on the inside of the garage header.  Or better yet us a caul of wood to spread out the load on the stone side.

You probably need to extend the arms with wood for the depth requried.  But you just need a little pressure to keep the stones in place.

If you use the original motar the motar will suck the stones tight to the substrate.