Cement, Styrofoam fireplace surround saves money, feels like cast stone
text by JEFF ELLIOTT
photography courtesy of
MISSION STONE
For contractors, installing a cast stone fireplace in a residence, condo or apartment building can present so many labor and material costs – not to mention installation issues – that it can scuttle a job completely before it even begins.
In one way or another, the difficulties behind cast stone surrounds stem from its sheer weight. A cast stone mantel and surround can weigh up to a ton. Shipping alone for a surround of this size can cost $800 or more, in addition to the cost of the product itself. Also, given the product’s weight, floors and walls often require additional structural support, driving up installation time and costs. In fact, structural issues can effectively eliminate cast stone surrounds as an option for any floor higher than the first, and for most apartment or condo units.
The weight of cast stone is also a factor in the actual installation. Contractors must use lifting equipment to bring the material indoors and during installation, and employ multiple helpers. A cast stone surround installation can take up to two days.
There is a new option on the market that takes a lot of the cost, weight and installation time out of such a project. To be more exact, installing a stone surround can take as little as an hour, with a single helper, no structural reinforcements, using only a level, caulking gun, a sponge and perhaps some shim.
The solution is an innovative new lightweight product that has the look and feel of real stone – but isn’t as heavy as solid cast stone. To be more exact, the product, from San Antonio-based Mission Stone (missionstone.com), involves a layer of cast limestone cement over a lightweight Styrofoam core, giving the look and feel of solid cast stone without the weight, the price or installation requirements.
So how does a manufacturer like Mission Stone manage to duplicate the appearance of various stone surfaces without the ponderousness of solid cast stone? Simple, they use actual stone, but just on the surface of the product.
A ½-inch-thick layer of limestone cement is hand cast around the foam core and subsequently hand-polished with a grinder to give it the look and feel of real cast stone. At that point the surface presents a white color, but various water-based stains can be applied to provide different color variations, including custom finishes.
Perhaps most importantly, the fireplace surround with its foam core greatly reduces the weight from approximately 2,000 pounds for cast stone to only 200 pounds for the average mantel and two legs.
Derek Reinig, general contractor and part owner of Ravco Construction (ravcoinc.com), a Tustin, Calif.-based firm that specializes in apartment renovation and reconstruction, discovered the Mission Stone product through the Internet. He was looking for a fireplace surround that could match an existing example for installation in a 104-unit project in San Rafael, Calif. He was also looking for a reasonable price and quick turnaround.
“I sent the dimensions and a photograph to Mission Stone, and they got back to me right away with pricing,” Reinig explained. “The pricing was reasonable, plus they really helped by working with us to get the product here quickly, as we were taking over for another contractor and needed it right away. It was a very large quantity, but they managed to get it to us in about three weeks.”
Although most of the 104 fireplaces had standard dimensions, Reinig also had to order two custom-shaped pieces to fit in a corner.
Because the process is done by hand, Mission Stone can easily provide custom sizes of just about any dimension. “We sent them the measurements and everything came out perfectly.”
For a contractor installing 104 fireplace surrounds, the installation time of 1-2 hours each – rather than the two days for solid cast stone – was the best selling point.
“The installation is what separates the foam-core surrounds from a lot of other products,” he said. “You don’t have to deal with fasteners and clips and that sort of thing. We only need a construction adhesive to secure it.”
The legs and mantel are first “dry-fit” to the wall, and their positions are marked in pencil. The pieces are then removed so that the adhesive can be applied, after which they are pressed firmly back into place. Once the adhesive is dry, a ⅛-inch bead of caulk is applied where the mantel and legs meet the wall. Wiping everything down with a clean damp sponge finishes the job.
If time is money, foam-core technology also saves when it comes to manufacturing lead times. Cast solid stone can require up to eight weeks to fill an order. Foam-core takes half that time.
Jeff Elliott is a Torrance, Calif.-based technical writer. He has researched and written about industrial technologies and issues for the past 15 years.
