How to adhere stone cladding to Besser block wall?

[Mattmm123]

Hi, I am wanting to add Bunnings Decor8 stone cladding panels to a pizza oven stand I have built from Versaloc blocks (same material as besser block).  Do I need to first prime the blocks, then use a particular adhesive to fasten the panels, or can I use liquid nails or some masonry equivalent? If not what sepcific primer and adhesive would I go for. I'm looking for simplicity so something that may be premixed etc. 

[JacobZ]

Hi @Mattmm123,

A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community and thank you for your question.

It is always best to follow the manufacturer's installation guide. The Decor8 stone panel installation guide can be found here - Decor8 Panel Stone Installation Guide.

Unfortunately, you're not going to find premixed products that are suitable for this application.

You will note that they recommend rendering brick and block to a timber float finish before installing the tiles. You can use Dunlop 20kg Multipurpose Acrylic Render to render the blocks. You can also follow How To Render for guidance.

You should then apply a primer to the render at least 20 minutes prior to the application of tile adhesive. This Davco Ultraprime Surface Primer is suitable for this purpose. 

Decor8 has mentioned suitable adhesives in their installation guide. This includes ARDEX Abaflex 20kg which is available from our friends at Beaumont Tiles. Alternatively, Davco 20kg SMP Evo Tile Adhesive will also suit this application. 

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[Mattmm123]

Thanks @JacobZ , I jumped hte gun a bit and spoke to a Bunnings employee who suggested I just use a DavCo primer and then this product  (as it is good for adhering stone to concrete, which my blocks are made of) https://www.bunnings.com.au/dunlop-20kg-rubber-modified-tile-adhesive_p6650424 ? Is this ok, or has he missed that render step?

[JacobZ]

Hi @Mattmm123,

It is always best to follow the recommendations of the supplier of the product as they have developed it with a specific installation method that has been tested to guarantee it works. The recommendations in the installation guide are based on the Australian Standards for tile fixing which should be followed wherever possible. 

If you were someone installing this product for someone else in a commercial capacity, then taking liberties with the method of installation is not advisable. As it is your own project, ultimately, the choice is yours, but if the installation method is not in line with the manufacturer's recommendations, they will not warrant the installation. 

With all this being said, as long as you have a flat, clean surface to adhere to, then I'm pretty confident it will be fine.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[Mattmm123]

Thanks heaps @JacobZ !