Wall covering

[tiber]

Having priced out the kits for DIY decorative rocks and the facade from home depot, etc, I got thinking "I CAN PICK UP ROCKS MYSELF!"

Has anyone just stuck rocks to the cement board with thinset?

 

[gpcollen1]

Of course you can use regular rocks - of course there are issues. The weight of real rock is significant depending on where you are putting them. You also have to find rocks of the same general thickness if you want a flat look. That is why you can find veneer stone for these applications.

 

[tiber]

But the rock veneer is about the same weight as the nonrock veneer. It just happens to be flat.

 

[gpcollen1]

The fake rock is much lighter than the real stuff. I do not know what product you were looking at. My main point is that if you did an entire wall with the fake rock, you can just do the entire wall as it adheres well and is not too heavy. Real stone, being heavy, may not be able to be done in one shot. Again, I have no idea product you were looking at but if you have 2" thick fake stone and 2" thick real stone, the real stuff is heavier by far.

 

[Shari]

With "real" rock don't forget you will probably have to add support below it. Example: We have a three sided (one side open) lannon stone fireplace where our wood stove is hearth mounted. In our basement we have at least 6'x12' solid perimeter cement block, floor to ceiling, supporting our fireplace. The inside of this 6'x12' cement bunker is our ash pit (huge!). We could probably use our ash pit for a fallout shelter if really needed.

Shari