Installation Instructions For Antico Elements’ Laguna Faux Stone Panels.

Antico Elements` Stone Panels are designed to interlock on all sides to create a seamless look. They are designed for Indoor and Outdoor uses. Even though the installation is very simple, make sure to read the instructions in order to avoid problems and gaps.

Before installations:
Always try to keep the panels leveled. The walls should be dry and free of dust moreover, strongly suggest the use of fasteners and plenty of adhesive where the panels and lips overlap.
Important: Firstly, when using the product outdoor make sure to store the panels in a cool area before installing them. Furthermore, if they are left in a hot place it may cause a small degree of shrinkage when the temperature outside drops.

Tools needed: ( same as wood cutting tools )

• Measuring tape and pencil
• Table saw, circular saw, miter saw,  jigsaw, etc. You can use any blade designed for wood. Our material is very friendly.
• Nails or screws (exterior grade if used outdoor and masonry screws for brick, concrete, etc)
• Nail set
• Hammer (or screwdriver/drill if using screws)
• Level
• Framing square
• Chalk line
• Construction adhesive, E.G: Liquid Nails, PL, etc.
• Safety Glasses

Our products can be installed indoor and outdoor, directly over framing, drywall, brick, or concrete.
-For indoor, all you need is adhesive and wood screws.
-For outdoor you might need an outdoor-grade adhesive and galvanized screws. Some caulking may be needed.
-For brick, concrete, cinder blocks, and similar substrates, you will need masonry screws, like “Tapcons”.

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Installing parts:
It is always a good idea to temporarily layout the panels around the project to plan which / how panels will be cut and which will not.

We recommend that you install the Laguna panels from right to left. For better results mark some horizontal chalk lines on the wall to keep your panels leveled. Moreover, by skipping this step you may create gaps between panels and rows of panels.
Position the panels so that the horizontal 3/4″ high lip is at the top and the horizontal notch, located in the back of the panels, at the bottom.
We suggest cutting the first panel in half and leaving the first panel on the next row full. This is needed to stagger the vertical seams and render them less visible. Apply a few lines of adhesive in the back and where the panels overlap. Finally, we suggest using at least 8-10 screws per panel.

In the above illustration, the frame of the door is not thick enough to cover the full edge of the stone panel (The Laguna stone is 1.5” thick).

 

For this reason, we suggest using our Trim Sill to cover any exposed edges. You may frame the whole door and window before starting the installation of the panes, then cut the panels to butt against them. Of course, Trim Sills can be mitered at 45 degrees at the corners, just like a picture frame. You may also decide to remove the existing door frame and replace it with our Trim Sill to make it less “busy”.

Continue with the rest of the panels of the first row. Now, cut the left end of the last panel to but against the next wall if you plan to install panels on one wall.

However, if you are installing our panels on the next wall, the mitering of two panels is necessary. We do not offer inside corners because they do not create a clean transition. Please refer to the How To Create A Mitered Corner instructions for more information.

If installing multiple rows of panels, we suggest cutting the protruding fingers on the right side of the first panel.

Continue until all the rows of panels have been installed in a straight line.

If you are creating a wainscoting, where only one or two rows of panels are used, we suggest using the Trim Sill as a ledger.

If you plan to use our Interlocking Outside Corners please refer to the related instructions section at the bottom of this page. These interlocking corners are very convenient but not required.

In most cases caulking the seams shouldn`t be needed but you can apply any exterior grade caulking and use our Touch-Up Kit to match the stone colors.

The great and rewarding finished look.

How to treat exposed edges.
In some cases the panels may need to be cut before they reach another wall or a corner, therefore the raw material becomes exposed.
In these scenarios you have a few options:

1- Use our Trim Sill as a trim to cover the edges
2- Shape the exposed edge and touch them up
3- Create a return with the panels itself

1- Our trim sill is surely the easiest way to cover exposed edges. Simply cut the panel straight and install the Trim. If you are using the trim around a firebox, a door, or a walkway, you should install the Trim first then cut the panels to size in order to butt against the trim.

2- Furthermore, some customers sand and file the cut edges and shape them to look like the ends of real stone. They apply some textured caulk and paint the caulking with our Touch-Up kits.

3- One of the nicest ways to cap the edges, but it requires some expertise with table saws, is creating a “return”. Please refer to our “How to create a return” installation page. Given the thickness and uneven texture of the product, the return strip might break in a piece or two but they can be put back together at the end of the panel. Nevertheless, we believe it’s still worth going through this process rather than using the second method ( using the touch-up kit). Some people though don’t have a table saw available, nevertheless, they can try with other tools like a circular saw. See the image below as an example.

How to use our Interlocking Outside Corners.

We also have Interlocking Corners. These new corners interlock on both sides with our panels and, for this reason, they are a very nice accessory.

Temporarily place the first corner with one screw ( in some cases you might need to lift it later to install a panel on the right side ). The top and left of the corners have the 1/2″ lip, the bottom and the right have a notch in the back.

The Laguna Panels are installed right to left.

If your project consists of multiple corners one of the panels will need to be cut short so that can interlock with the corner. Continue installing panels until the next corner is reached. Cut the left side of the last panel flush with the wall corner and temporarily hold it in place with one screw.

Now place the corner over the last panel and, with a marker, trace the “fingers” of the corner over the panel.
Using a jigsaw create the fingers on the panel to match those of the corner. Some filing and sanding will be necessary to create a snug fit. Try to cut on or inside the marked lines to avoid gaps. In some cases it may be necessary to remove the flat “lip” (shiplap) on the panel or corner that is not getting cut, to create a flat and even seam. Once the pieces are glued and screwed together you may need to caulk and paint some of the visible edges.

As an alternative, you may miter-cut two panels to create a corner when you have two opposite corners, instead of using two corner pieces. Instructions on how to create a mitered corner are found on our Main Installation Page.

Now you may install the corner and continue the installation of the next wall. If no corner is used, you may consider our Trim Sill to end/cap the installation.
Finally, some caulking may be needed to make the joint between panels and corners more seamless. We offer Touch-Up Kits if you wish to paint the caulking to completely match the color of the panels.
Please note that regular grout will not work with this product, because it will dry, crack, and not adhere properly.

Installing Panels Over Concrete Or Cinder Blocks

We suggest two ways of installing panels over concrete and cinder blocks.
The easiest way to install them is to use a construction adhesive and a power nail gun.

There are different guns to use on concrete. Some use a battery and a small can of gas to propel the nails into the panels and concrete. These can be purchased or rented and make the installation quick and easy. You can control how far the nails go.
Another type of gun uses cartridges that shoot the nails as you hit the top of the gun with a hammer. This is probably the most affordable tool but it is surely more time-consuming.

Indeed, some clients can not obtain nail guns that can penetrate concrete so they use furring strips and install them by pre-drilling the concrete and then using masonry screws (brands like Tapcons) to secure them.

Furring strips:
These are vertical wood strips that are glued and nailed to the concrete/cinder blocks before installing the panels, to simulate a stud framing. These strips should be spaced based on the distance between the joints of the panels. It is always a good idea to have furring strips behind each joint between two panels.
Once these strips are installed, you can easily glue and screw the panels on the strips as you would do in an interior framed wall.

Maintenance:
When our products start to show some accumulated dirt you may easily clean it with water and soap. When choosing a detergent make absolutely sure they are not of a harsh or abrasive nature.
Those materials that contain bleach or any chemical solvents, such as paint thinners, are not recommended.
Using a wet, soft, brush apply some mild detergent such as car wash soap on the panels.
In a circular motion making sure to work the soap in all crevices and grout lines.
Once the water and soap have been applied they can be easily rinsed with water. When outdoor a water hose will work great.
A pressure cleaner may be used as long as the pressure is not high. We also recommend keeping the nozzle at a distance of at least one foot.

UV Protection:
Although the finishes used are specifically designed to be exterior, UV resistant, some fading under harsh sun exposure may occur during the years, just like any other product. If a company promises a lifetime or full and very long warranty on fading, they probably don’t plan to be in business for long. We do plan to serve our customers for a very long time, so we are very honest and upfront.
We strongly suggest applying a UV blocker, clear coat (ours or any other purchased by the customer) to any outdoor materials on a regular basis (every 2-3 years). Your local paint store will have a Urethane UV inhibitor paint that can be sprayed or rolled. This will help preserve the beauty of our products.

Feel free to request additions and modifications to these instructions. Send us a comment via email to info(insert @ here)anticoelements.com.
Thanks!