Installing diamond metal lath

After installing the corner pieces, work away from the corner using regular stones, mixing large ones with smaller ones for the most pleasing effect. With most stone patterns — start at TOP and work down this helps to keep mortar from dripping on stones. But with Ledgestone — start at bottom and work up.

Mix cement exactly as in step 3. Place the stone against the wall and wiggle it from side to side. This will set the stone. If the mix is the right consistency, the stone will stay in place.

Adjust the mix if necessary. After stone pieces are set in place, apply grout to joints. Use the same mix of mortar and sand for the grout. If color is desired, follow instructions on color box. Fill your grout bag with about a quart of the mix.

Depending on building age we may find a mixture of multiple types of plaster support, wood lath, gypsum board lath, and metal lath. Wall or ceiling or stucco crack patterns may follow the borders of metal lath segments, especially if the lath was not securely nailed.

Van Den Branden and Hartsell explain that metal lath for plaster systems is divided into four groups with different properties for different applications:. Modern diamond mesh lath is sold in a variety of metals including galvanized, stainless steel, finished to ASTM , and in a remarkable range of pre-formed shapes including.

Illustrated by our photo: diamond mesh metal lath from the wall cavity side, in a bathroom plumbing access wall cutout, provided by an InspectApedia.

A reader asked if the material shown in the plumbing access cutout photo here was asbestos. Our OPINON was that there is not likely to be a measurable asbestos hazard from this cement or plaster material, even if it contains asbestos, as long as it's left un-disturbed.

The photographs of sheet metal lath shown above and below illustrate perforated sheet metal lath that was used as a base for exterior stucco on a Poughkeepsie New York home inspected by the author. As you can see in these photographs, once water gets behind exterior stucco, especially in a northern climate subject to freezing temperatures, the action of water and frost break the mechanical bond that held the stucco cement to the metal lath.

Watch out : when you see any of these stucco damage signs there is a good chance of more-serious hidden damage in the wall or ceiling cavity such as rot, insect attack, or mold contamination.

Below, from a commercial building, we see collapsing ceiling plaster below an area of roof leaks. An example of the cause of leaks behind and extensive damage to the stucco on metal lath covered home shown above is the extreme degree of water leakage and rotted trim shown in our photograph of a Poughkeepsie NY home. Lack of maintenance of the building trim led to extensive wall leaks and costly damage to the building stucco, trim, and windows.

Van Den Branden and Hartsell continue to point out that metal lathing for exterior stucco is similar to interior installations, with these changes:. Watch out : do not use interior-grade metal lath for exterior wall stucco applications. Mega Lath is a self-furring welded wire that provides heavy-duty reinforcing for both stucco and stone installation. Mega Lath is an engineered product that provides easy attachment for both wood and steel construction.

Specifically designed for stucco applications that require extra reinforcing, Mega Lath can be used as an alternative to 3. Mega Lath is recommended wherever 2. Structalath No. Structalath reduces cracking and increases stucco embedment. We supply sheet metal lath in two types: diamond metal lath and rib meta lath. Flat diamond metal lath is nor used over solid surface like gypsum, concrete and wood sheathing. Because flat sheet will only cause the stucco to bond only to the sheathing and not complete the embedding process.

Therefore expanded metal mesh is usually self-furred: dimpled and V-grooved. Diamond metal lath, for its unravel feature, is especially suitable for high strength needed architectures. Rib metal lath is expanded metal made sheet with ribs to increase the strength of it overall structure.

Strip lath and corner lath are also available for installation convenience. Flat diamond metal lath could only bond to the sheathing but not complete the embedding process for covering a solid surface like gypsum, concrete and wood sheathing. Therefore self-furring metal lath came into being. Self-furred diamond metal lath is generally used as reinforcement of plaster for solid surface. And it is divided into two types: dimpled and V-grooved.