Norstone Planc Installation Video
Over the years Norstone has been fortunate to have had our products featured on a number of network television programs on HGTV and the DIY Network including Bathtastic!, I Hate My Bath, I Hate My Kitchen, and many others. In the fall of 2018 we connected with Chris Heider who runs a popular website and YouTube channel called HandyDad TV. Chris was re-doing his fireplace and was interested in our stone products to feature as part of a multi part design, installation, and finished project video series on his YouTube channel. We had no idea what to expect from a YouTuber with a sizable following and a couple videos that had gone certifiable “viral” with several million views. Chris was such a great guy to work with we were eager to give it a shot.
Initially, the design focus of the fireplace was more aimed at our stacked stone panels, which give that more traditional “split face” or ledge stone look commonly associated with fireplace design, especially in the Northeast where Chris lives. At the time, we were starting to see a lot of traction with a product we had launched a few months prior, the Planc Large Format Tile. The Planc product is set of three tiles each 31.5” long with three heights (5.5”, 3.1”, and 2.4”). We were pretty excited when Chris got his hands on the Planc in our Platinum Lavastone color and agreed to switch up his design concept for the fireplace and give it a shot. The results as you can see in his video are amazing!
The video above is over 14 minutes long, so below I’ve listed out a few specific points that you might find interesting and relevant depending on what you’re working on or what questions you have.
3:50 – Shows how Planc Large Format Tile sets are packaged and what a full set looks like in person.
6:00 – Discusses how cement board is an ideal substrate for a stone veneer application and shows how simple it is to install cement board over an open stud wall.
6:19 – If you’re wondering how easy it is to cut natural stone with a tile wet saw, all your questions are answered here in the glory of high definition. Chris says it best when he tells us that the stone was easier to cut than cararrera marble he used on another project, and he’s absolutely right!
9:10 – There are a few different ways to handle outside corners with the Planc large format tiles. Chris decided to use what we call the overlapping end technique.
9:30 – Back buttering is an important part of ensuring that there is proper thinset coverage across the back of each tile. This part of the video has some great visuals on how to back butter and how with proper coverage across the back of each tile they really get “sucked” into the substrate.
10:55 – Mounting a TV is another question we answer a lot. We covered it in detail in another article and the video gives some great visuals to show how its done.
Thanks for having a look at this great video of our Planc Large Format tiles being installed. Seeing an installation video is a great way to get comfortable with the product and how an installation works but isn’t a substitute for a read through the Planc Series Installation Guide, and for those really interested in the technical aspects of a product, we have a dedicated Installation Guide page on our website covering the installation of our products and a robust technical library section with all the data needed to understand, specify, and work with Norstone products in any commercial or residential project.