Supporting stone veneer above two-sided gas fireplace **pictures**

[TroyD]

Please see attached image. Looking for some input on how one might go about supporting the stone veneer above this gas fireplace insert, with the right corner open, unsupported. I am envisioning some type of diagonal bracing back to the existing 2x4 stud wall behind. Will likely need to beef up the existing studs in a few places. Maybe tension cables? Any suggestions?

 

[TroyD]

Here's a second rendered image with some dimensions.

 

[XR250]

Support from roof or ceiling framing?

 

[TroyD]

@XR250: Possibly. Maybe tension cable(s) going up to the truss bottom chord? Original roof trusses were not designed for those loads. I'll have to see how much weight I'm dealing with. (approx. 12 psf for the stone veneer + the Durok concrete wall board self weight...)

 

[1503-44]

Supporting from wood trusses not great. Likely to eventually crack or spall off the tiles, if nothing else.

 

[XR250]

I agree. Supporting from the trusses will likely be difficult.

 

[BAretired]

Are the stones natural or man made? There are many ways to support thin stone veneer. Check the following:

https://www.google.com/search?q=sto...Ul54KHZv1DdMQ9QF6BAgDEEs#imgrc=WKqC6F0U2JdewM

https://www.masoncontractors.org/2013/08/27/anchoring-stone-veneer#newsletter

https://albertamasonrycouncil.ca/wp...-Considerations-for-Stone-Masonry-Veneers.pdf

BA

 

[XR250]

Perhaps, something like this?

 

[TroyD]

Or this?

 

[XR250]

That works too.
Be sure to check the studs for long-term deflection due to the couple

 

[SwinnyGG]

I literally just finished building an installation like this about 2 weeks ago. Fireplace in question was 13' wide and 4' deep, with 3' exposed on the cantilever corner.

Framing is 6" metal studs 12" OC tied back to the deck (27' from fireplace header to the bottom of the deck) with a 6" box beam header all around the fireplace installation. Corner of the cantilever has diagonal bracing from the box beam 8' up the adjacent wall. Joints at the deck are brackets shot to the deck with screws in shear on each stud. Veneer is 23' (fireplace header to bottom of the hard lid) tall, 16' wide, 1" thick stacked slate, 14 lb/ft^2.

 

[TroyD]

@SwinnyGG: Thanks. Any pics of this install?

 

[SwinnyGG]

I've got an owner who very much doesn't like even taking pictures for quality tracking.. let alone sharing them. I'm going to be cautious on this one and not post anything; sorry about that.

I can't post drawing snippets either but if it would be helpful to you I could sketch it this evening and post that.

 

[BAretired]

Just thinking about the suggestion by TroyD.

Some sort of structural backing will be required for the stone veneer. It has to be strong enough to resist someone accidentally falling against it in the case of possible roughhousing or just plain horsing around. The crossed area in the sketch below is the part which I am referring to. Essentially, a floating wall will need to be constructed and somehow suspended, either from above, with diagonals to existing studs or by some other means.

Seems like a lot of trouble. It would make much more sense to provide a support at the right end similar to the one at the left end...I know, that isn't in the spirit of the mystery of "what's supporting the stone?"

I still don't know how the stone veneer is fastened to the backing and what is supporting the bottom course. It can't be a wood beam as that would be exposed to view...or is that okay?

BA

 

[TroyD]

@Swinny: If you could post a sketch I would appreciate it. My dimensions are a smaller, so my reactions are less. I'm planning to detail it framed using 2x lumber. The diagonal brace will have a tension force of approx. 850 lbs. Gonna beef it up to a 2-ply brace, and beef up the studs at the back wall to support it.

 

[TroyD]

@BA: Yes, the "x" area you show will be 2x4 stud framed with 1/2" Durok concrete wall board for adhering the veneer to. My concept sketch does not show any of that framing. Unfortunately the right end of the fireplace is open so there can be no support below there.