Fake stone veneer, often referred to as Adhered Concrete Masonry Veneer, the material for fake stones barely existed 10 years ago. Now, it’s on millions of homes. The material is in the class of claddings called “Rain Screens”. Rain screens allow water to pass through the surface; that water is collected in a drainage plane and drained back out of the wall through weep screeds.
However, if it’s not installed with an excellent Drainage Plane and Water Resistive Barriers integrated with flashing details, it leaks and causes mold, rot, and structural damage. Large class action suits are being developed alleging faulty designs and manufacturers insist problems stem from improper installation. Both sides have valid arguments and I’m not going to decide them now. But there are two things I know for sure:
- The manufacturers are right when they say it leaks if not installed perfectly.
- I, nor any of my peers, have seen an installation installed perfectly.
The topic is so involved that respected publications are running educational articles to alert people to the problem.
If this material is on your house, or a house you intend purchasing, you must determine how it was installed in detail. You can read more in this link with excellent explanations describing fundamental details.
Understand, almost no one is installing this material satisfactorily. It is a hot button topic in the construction industry. You need to know how the material is installed. If it’s not perfect, history is showing us it’s a major problem.
