Stacked stone has been touted as one of the biggest trends of the past 3 years, being used in everything from Kitchens, Bathrooms, fireplaces and exterior walls just to name a few. We put it to our friends over on Pinterest a few months ago, as to whether they thought it was Hot or Not – and the result was a resounding YES.
So the trickiest question now is how to apply this totally on-trend stone work to your home. Our design experts suggest that less is more, and that by utilising stacked stone in smaller areas of your home, like a feature fireplace or a splashback in your kitchen, you stop it from overwhelming your space.
How to apply Stacked Stone to a Fireplace:
Probably the most common application at this time, is using stacked stone pieces to cover the exteriors of fire places, both inside and outside. The biggest concern with this is whether or not the adhesive that you use will remain an adhesive once the fireplace gets hot. Well, we have said it before, and we will say it again, all you have to do is use the right product for the right job – and we wholeheartedly recommend our Sika Ceram Super Tile Adhesive for this application. Tried and tested on fireplaces like the one above, Sika Ceram Super is an easy to mix, super strong and high performance adhesive that simply needs to be trowelled straight onto the frame of your fireplace – whether that’s gyprock, timber sheeting or CSC board.
In this instance, we wouldn’t recommend sealing at the edges of the fireplace – its going to contrast too highly with the stone, and its unnecessary. We recommend you apply your first layer of stone a day before the rest of the wall, to give the rest of the wall something firm to balance on. Once you have all of your stone adhered to the frame of your fireplace, leave it to dry for a full 7 days (just to be sure) before you light up the fire. User beware – those stones are going to get hot, so be careful not to lean on them!
How to Apply Stacked Stone to a Splashback:
As you can see in this picture, a stacked stone splashback can be a great way to introduce some great texture into your kitchen, without using the traditional timber.
The key to keeping this wonderful splashback looking fantastic is is to seal it up tight – and this is true for just about anything in your kitchen or bathroom. Sealant is absolutely going to be your friend here. So to apply your splashback, first apply a layer of Sikatite PUD to your gyprock or timber sheeting substrate. This is really important to make sure that you don’t get any water damage to your home, which could cause you to have to completely re-do your kitchen. Once the layer of Sikatite PUD Waterproofing membrane is layed, trowel the Sika Ceram Super over the top using long, vertical strokes and a thickness of about 5mm. Then simply apply your stacked stone pieces into the adhesive and allow to dry. Once dry, use our Sikasil-CAP to seal around the edges of the splash back – with 15 different colours available, it will be easy to find one that matches your stacked stone tiles. Allow to cure for 3 days and voila! You’re done!
How to Apply Stacked Stone in your Bathroom:
Similar to its use in a kitchen, stacked stone can be an easy way to bring some industrial or country-style texture into your bathroom. Again, less is more, so the edge of a bathtub, or one wall behind a shower rose is usually enough for a whole room. Use exactly the same method as for the kitchen: A layer of Sikatite PUD, SikaCeram Super applied over the top and finish of with our Sikasil C AP to keep everything watertight. Remember to seal joints between the floor and the stacked stone, as well as between the stacked stone and the edge of your tub and the wall. This is the most important part of the job, so take your time.
And there you have it! Quick and easy ways to incorporate this stacked-stone trend into your home – but we want to know, are you going to give it a go at your place? Let us know on Facebook!
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