Somewhat OT - Attaching Natural Stone to Cement Board?

QDude

I am building an outdoor cabinet for the XL.  The cabinet is built out of treated 2x4's and the walls are covered by 1/2" cement board.  It weighs a ton!  I want to attach flagstone to the walls (most about 1.5" thick) but I'm getting conflicting information about the proper way to attach the rock to the walls.  Can I just attach them directly to the cement board or do I need to wrap it in metal lath and do a scratch coat?  Any advice you can offer would be appreciated.

SaskNortherner

I am doing a fireplace at the cabin and am doing the same thing. For the money I would do the metal lath and scratch coat. Tried and true, no sense doing it twice.

PSHome

Do a search on the JohnBridge's forum.  They're the eggers of tile/stone.
http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1

Toxarch

1.5" thick flagstone is going to make that table weigh a literal ton. Why not go with something thinner?

QDude

That is what the quarry has available. 

Toxarch

I did a walkway with 1.5" flagstone a few years ago. Maybe 30' long and 3-4' wide. I thought it wouldn't be a  big deal so I did it myself. I believe the total weight of the rock purchased was over 5 tons of rock.
With a frame and cement board, you should consider something like a thin veneer stone. It will look the same, but but a lot easier to put on and weigh a lot less. It will probably be hard to find large pieces like flagstone. Try a place that sells tile.

RLS

QDude....You might look at Air Stone from Lowe's. My neighbor used it on his Outdoor kitchen and it was pretty easy to install. My guess is half the weight of real stone.

Hope this helps.

Rick


http://www.lowes.com/pd_540186-35760-CLAMFI_1z102gs__?productId=50247201&pl=1

QDude

I've already bought the flagstone which is going to match the flagstone top. I think I'm going to use the metal lath and do a scratch coat. The table will never be moved!

HDmstng

PSHome said:

Do a search on the JohnBridge's forum.  They're the eggers of tile/stone.
http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1

What PSHome said...