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Wood and Stone Deck (page 2 of 3)

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Setting Stone and Pouring Concrete

Watch Our Pro Set Stone
Applying the stone is the most creative and enjoyable part of the project. It’s half art and half technique. First snap level chalk lines 6 in. apart on the face of the walls, measuring up from the bottom of the wall (Photo 13). Use these lines as a guide, not an absolute reference, to keep the stones level as you work. Next spread a generous amount of stone out on scrap plywood to keep it clean and dry. Select stones from different boxes to get a feel for the various shapes, sizes and colors you’ll be working with. Start at the bottom of an outside corner first and apply the special corner stones. Work your way toward the top in a pyramid fashion (Photos 13 and 16). In the last 12 to 18 in., search for three or four stones that will end flush with the top, by dry-fitting them in place (without mortar). As you select a stone, always think about how the next one or two pieces will fit. Try to fit as many pieces as possible without cutting. It’s a bit of a puzzle. You can cut stone if you have to, but it’s dusty, it slows down the work, and the cut edge doesn’t look quite as natural as the cast edge.

To cut the stone, use a hand-held grinder with a diamond blade (Photo 17). Hold the stone in place and mark it, allowing 1/2 in. on each side for the joint spacing. Then make your cut with the face of the stone up. Wear a dust mask and hearing protection while you cut.

Adhering the stone is a three-step process (Photos 14 – 16). First you “parge" the stone (press mortar into the back of the piece), then apply a second layer evenly across the back and finally, press the stone in place.

Be sure the scratch coat is dry before you apply the stone. The stone must also be dry, so protect it from moisture. Don’t even consider installing it on a wet or drizzly day.

Tip: Add about a quarter of a shovel of Portland cement to three bags of mortar mix to richen it up a little. This is our pro’s secret, for your eyes only!

Keep the mortar at a stiff whipping cream consistency. As you work, it will dry out, so add a little water now and then to keep it workable. Throw out leftover mortar after a half hour and mix a fresh batch.

Begin on the least conspicuous wall first to get the hang of it. Step back from the wall occasionally to be sure the colors blend well and the shapes and sizes are spread evenly throughout the wall. Resist the temptation to put the stone in rows all the same width. Break rows up fairly often with a larger piece. Stagger your vertical joints. Aim for about 1/2-in. joint spacing, but don’t get obsessed with individual pieces.

When you set the stones on the inside walls, keep them 1/4 in. off the deck surface to allow for airflow and to prevent rot.

With the stones set, finish the joints by grouting (Photo 18). Use a grout bag ($6) to fill the joints with mortar, like squeezing frosting from a pastry bag.

Tip: If the bag you’re using has a metal tip inside, remove it. The tip tends to clog with mortar.

Mix the grouting mortar a bit more moist than you did for setting stone. Fill the bag using your trowel and give it a test squeeze. The mortar should be thick but flow rather than clog up. It takes some effort to force the mortar out of the bag. Your forearms will feel the strain after a while. Work quickly. If you drip mortar on the stone, let it dry before you brush it away. If you wipe it now, it’ll smear and stain the stone.

In 15 to 60 minutes, the mortar should stiffen to “thumbprint" hard (a thumb barely leaves a print when you press into it). Then rake away the excess with a pointing trowel (Photo 19). When raked, it should fall away as moist crumbs. After you rake a few square feet, lightly brush away any excess with a whisk broom. If the mortar smears, let it harden longer.

Setting the Caps
Lift the caps into place (Photo 20). These caps are heavy, so work carefully. Clean the work site to avoid tripping, and lift with your legs, not your back. Check for level, and then if necessary, wiggle on one end or the other as you press down to level the cap. Immediately check to make sure your overhang is even on all sides. The mortar grabs pretty fast, so work quickly. As you work, sight down the wall to make sure the caps are straight. Give each cap a 3/8-in. gap and later fill it with mortar to 3/8 in. from the top (Fig. H). After the mortar dries, fill the remaining gap with a gray urethane caulk to form a watertight seal.

All that’s left is to put a quality sealer on the decking to protect it. Bring on the furniture, then sit back and enjoy a well-deserved break!

FIG. H: Cap Joint Detail

FIG. J: Concrete Cap Dimensions

Click image to enlarge.

Coronado Stone Products, Dept. TFH, 11191 Calabash Ave., Fontana, CA 92337; (800) 847-8663. www.coronado.com

Cultured Stone, Dept. TFH, P.O. Box 270, Napa, CA 94559-0270; (800) 255-1727. www.culturedstone.com

Pour Concrete Caps


Some manufacturers make special capstones for topping off these walls, but for a smooth, more durable finish, we recommend making your own concrete caps. Here’s how.

Cut and assemble the forms according to the sizes in Fig. J, p. 1. When designing your own caps, limit lengths to about 3 ft. (150 lbs.!) Beyond that they get too heavy to carry safely. Screw together everything so you can remove the 2x4s easily.

Follow Steps A – E. The biggest mistake is to tool the concrete too soon, before the water that comes to the surface has time to reabsorb.

Concrete Cap Mold

Click image to enlarge.
A. Cut the 2x4s to length and screw the ends together with 3-in. drywall screws. Toe-screw (screw at an angle) the sides to the 3/4-in. plywood base every 12 in. with 1-5/8 in. screws. Cut the 3/8-in. rebar to length with a circular saw and a metal-cutting blade.

B. Fill the forms one-third full with concrete, drop in the rebar, then finish filling the forms. Work the concrete into the corners and sides with the blade of the shovel as you go.

C. Level the excess concrete flush with the top of the form, then hit the sides of the form sharply with a hammer to eliminate air pockets. Quickly smooth it with two or three swipes of a magnesium trowel. Let the concrete set until any water that rises to the surface disappears and the concrete is “thumbprint" stiff. Then tool the edges with an edging tool to round them over. Finally, smooth the surface with a steel trowel.

D. Unscrew one side of the form when the concrete stiffens. This may take as little as 30 minutes or as long as three hours. If the concrete holds its shape (doesn’t sag), smooth the side with a steel trowel, filling in any voids left in the concrete. If the concrete slumps, put the form back in place and let it set longer. Otherwise, remove the 2x4 forms and smooth all sides. Let the concrete set for a week.

E. Turn the caps over and score a groove in the bottom 1 in. From the edge and about 1/4 in. deep to help water drip off. Use a circular saw and a masonry blade.

Here are a few more tips to help your concrete work go smoothly.

• Wear rubber gloves, goggles, long pants and a long-sleeve shirt to protect your skin.

• Wet the forms before pouring the concrete.

• Place the forms on a flat, level surface. Wet concrete will lie level when you settle the mix with a hammer (Photo C).

• Protect the fresh concrete from rain and direct sun.

• Pour the concrete in the morning. The lower temperatures will prevent the concrete from setting too fast and give you more finishing time.

• Let the caps set for at least a week to harden.

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