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Securing Cast Stone
2g Habitats

Securing Cast Stone

  • By 2g Habitats
  • November 8, 2018
  • BLOG

We have been asked a couple of times on Houzz how the cast stone or limestone is attached to our exteriors.  There are a few different approaches and it seems that every subcontractor has their own opinion on which technique is the best.  Overall, though, it seems to boil down to three main techniques.

Enjoy this great detailed explanation at www.StoneLedgends.com

Basic Techniques
With the numerous methods employed over many centuries, it has come down to three basic methods of installing stone. All work well, but the in-beds (which we’ll discuss below) require the most planning, because the inserts are usually part of the manufacturing process (some in-beds are installed with epoxy after the stone fabrication).

  1. Slots Cut – This works well with clips bent to fit the slots used in wall veneers or trim surrounding the doors. Easily hidden in the joints between stone, a horizontal slot can be cut in the back and a lintel installed making the attachment blind.
  2. Dowel Pins or Screws – Simple dowel pin is to drill a hole and put a steel pin into the stone and wire it back to the building. A favorite of today’s masons is the screws. They are predrilled and when driven home make a steadfast attachment. Mostly used between joints in the stone, the screws can also be used on the back with straps attached to the wall. Pins are used between the stone joints to increase shear strength. In the past, wire was favored as a tie back to the wall after wrapping it around the pins.
  3. In-Beds or Threaded Inserts – Very common in commercial installations where steel structures are most often used, these are used for welding or bolting. (It must be noted – this will require access for the weld or bolt).

Under these basic types, many techniques are used – depending on the situation. Here, we will review a few examples, but by no means are we implying they are the only way stone is installed.
Bearing the Load
So often I am asked if stone is load bearing? The answer is YES… depending on the size of the stone and the amount of the load.

  1. Span loading is the ability to span distances by placing steel lintels on the building or over openings. The lintels can be bolted to the structure for lateral loading. When this is done, one preference is to precisely slot cut into the stone and insert the steel lintel, thus allowing the stone to rest on the steel lintel while hiding it from view.Supporting the stone from underneath, the steel lintel is exposed – unless sandwiched between mortarjoints in horizontal runs, which completely covers the steel. It should be mentioned that coating the steel inhibits possible rust stains from forming – common in this practice.
  2. Lateral loading is used most in attaching wall veneers. You can screw into the wood steel or masonry frame with varying types and size screws depending upon your material & strength requirements. Some walls have air space behind the veneer to collect condensation on the backside of the veneer. In plaster or stucco applications the stone is installed similar to brick, but the fastener is generally beefier to carry the stone weight on the wall framing instead of transferring the weight using the veneer to the foundation.
  3. Shear loads are primarily used in pillars or columns that are free standing… but in the case of wall caps or parapet caps it may be desirable to tie the caps to the structure.
Attaching Stone to the Structure.
So far, we’ve covered attaching to the stone… now let’s discuss the structure.In centuries past, where solid block walls used stone as the entire structure, the walls were literally three feet thick. But as far back as the Roman Empire, even these walls used dowel pins made of bronze when the builder thought necessary. Today, you have three basic types of structures used in contemporary Architecture: WOOD FRAME, MASONRY FRAME, and STEEL FRAME.Attaching stone to the structure is done in many ways, and in most cases you can attach to standard framing members. But, sometimes it is necessary to have the structure specifically designed to make the stone installation as easy as possible… especially important in commercial applications where lightweight steel framing may be used, or where the spans are very long between framing members.

We hope this further explains how the cast stone is secured to the exterior of the home. At 2g Habitats, we wrap our entire exteriors with a plywood or zip board material.  We then use a true masonry 3 coat stucco application.  This provides for a solid foundation to anchor to.

If you have any more questions, we would love to hear from you!

Cambria Countertops Dallas, TX
2g Habitats

Cambria Countertops Dallas, TX

  • By 2g Habitats
  • March 7, 2018
  • BLOG

We love selling Cambria countertops in Dallas, Texas. Quartz countertops are becoming more and more popular every day. For those of you that have not learned about quartz countertops, we thought we would share our lights on the countertop material.

Quartz countertops blend the strengths of both solid surface and natural stone or granite countertops. Cambria countertops are made from 93% natural quartz. The quartz gives them the look and feel of natural stone, but they are stronger, more scratch resistant and non-porous so they do not require sealing.

In the past we sold a lot of natural stone because quartz had a limited color pallet that mostly looked “terazzoey.” Lots of spots and flecks. Due to this we sold a lot of natural stone.

However, today companies like Cambria are creating countertop designs that are indistinguishable from natural stone. Designs like Britannicca and Ella are very popular with our customers.

If you are looking for new kitchen countertops or bathroom vanities in Dallas, Texas we encourage you to consider quartz countertops like Cambria, Caesarstone, or MSI for your project.

Quartz countertops have come a very long way design-wise in the last 5 years. We bet in many cases you will not be able to tell the difference between natural stone and quartz.

Make a Difference in a Child’s Life
2g Habitats

Make a Difference in a Child’s Life

  • By 2g Habitats
  • March 14, 2017
  • BLOG

At 2[g] Habitats, we are supporters of DonorsChoose.org.  This is a wonder organization that is truly making a difference in classrooms around the country.  We encourage you to visit the site and make a donation if you feel lead to do so.  Remember, the children of today are the leaders of tomorrow.

For your inspiration, here is some feedback I have gotten from a few teachers:

Dear Mrs. Graham,

Thank you so much for donating all of these wonderful resources to our classroom! I’m so excited that there are people willing and wanting to help teachers. It means so much to me and my students to have such great people to support education! These fluency activities are going to offer great support in our small group guided reading time, but also for additional practice independently. Thanks again for caring about my students, their education and their future!!

With gratitude,
Mrs. G

 

Dear Mrs. Graham,

Thank you so much for funding my project! I love that fact that people like you are reinvesting in their communities and helping out the schools in their area. Its one of those things that when students realize that they have support from all sorts of people are them that they are more invested in the community themselves.

I am really excited to get these materials before school ended so now my students can enjoy using them during our physics unit. You have perfect timing! Thanks again!!

With gratitude,
Ms. B

 

Dear Mrs. Graham, 

Now that the school year has started, it becomes even more apparent on how much your gift has impacted my students’ learning. Last year, I was able to use your gift as an enrichment activity since it was fairly late in the year. However, this year I was able to use it a center piece for the introduction of Newton’s Laws and let students use to create hypotheses about the actions of the tube.

I really thank you for providing the funds to help with this and how such a gift affects my classroom year after year. I really means a lot to me that folks out there like you are willing to make this type of donation.

With gratitude,
Ms. Boettcher

Reminder: Air filter changing time
2g Habitats

Reminder: Air filter changing time

Reminder: Air filter changing time

You need to change your air filters at least twice a year, but we highly recommend every 3 months. A clean air filter allows your HVAC system to run more efficiently and also provides a healthier living environment.