A complete masonry veneer wall system with tested and code compliant components that effectively work together provides design professionals and builders with many advantages. The benefits of engineered and tested masonry veneer systems compared to specifying individual components include quicker design and specification process, faster component installation, proven component compatibility, and improved performance. It also helps support risk management.
In addition, choosing simple and quick-to-install, tested, and code-compliant Sto® Masonry Veneer Engineered Systems (MVES) offers unlimited design flexibility to create beautiful brick, tile, stone, or a combination aesthetic with Sto’s broad range of architectural surfaces.
These benefits help ensure a durable, aesthetically-beautiful building enclosure system that contributes toward sustainable, energy-efficient, comfortable, and healthy IEQ residential, commercial, and institutional wall construction.
Six Advantages of Complete Masonry Veneer Systems
Compared to specifying individual components, a complete veneer masonry system offers several significant benefits: faster design and specification process, quicker component installation, verified component compatibility, enhanced performance, improved risk management, and design flexibility:
- Complete masonry veneer engineered systems (MVES) combine several building envelope components into a single system, speeding up the design and specification process.
- Complete MVES quickens installation by reducing the number of subcontractors needed for traditional methods.
- Manufacturers, like Sto®, test components of MVES to verify compatibility.
- Fully engineered and tested complete MVES offer improved performance compared to individual components.
- Sto® Masonry Veneer Engineered Systems (MVES) offer architects unlimited design flexibility to create beautiful brick, tile, stone, or a combination aesthetic with Sto’s broad range of architectural facades.
Components of an Exterior Masonry Veneer Wall System
Engineered masonry stone veneer systems contain tested components that work together for the lifetime of the building to manage moisture, air, and heat, contain fire, and provide the strength to hold up the structure. The main parts of a masonry veneer system include:
- Masonry veneer on the outside of the system provides initial weather resistance.
- Moisture and air management components include:
- air- or water-resistive barrier (WRB)
- Optional vapor barrier
- through-wall flashing (including mortar dropping collection and weep vents)
- Thermal management components include:
- continuous insulation (CI) outside and over the framing
- fire safing insulation components
- Steel, wood studs, or concrete masonry units (CMUs) make up the structural components that form the basis of the substrate.
Tested and Code-Compliant Wall Systems
The components of a high-performing masonry veneer system must pass extensive testing as a system, in order to meet the code-mandated performance criteria and ensure physical and chemical compatibility. The system must also pass numerous industry standards:
- ASTM E2357, Standard Test Method for Determining Air Leakage of Air Barrier Systems
- ASTM E2307, Standard Test Method for Determining Fire Resistance of Perimeter Fire Barriers Using Intermediate-scale, Multistory Test Apparatus (used only for joint firestopping)
- ASTM E331, Standard Test Method for Water Penetration of Exterior Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls by Uniform Static Air Pressure Difference
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 285, Standard Fire Test Method for Determining Fire Propagation Characteristics of Exterior Nonloadbearing Wall Assemblies Containing Combustible Components
- ASTM E119, Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials.
Sto® Complete Masonry Veneer Engineered Systems
Builders and architects can use code-compliant and easy-to-install Sto® Masonry Veneer Engineered Systems (MVES) for residential, commercial, or institutional wall construction. Durable Sto® MVES offers an aesthetically-pleasing building enclosure system, contributing significantly to a long-lasting, high-performing building envelope. Other significant benefits of Sto® MVES include:
- Unlike traditional masonry, Sto® MVES’s full system includes various control layers of the building envelope with components tested to work together, to ensure compatibility and a long-lasting, durable structure.
- Each system uses Sto’s proprietary masonry adhesive, StoColl KM, a high-performance, polymer-modified, portland cement thin-set adhesive that provides superior freeze-thaw resistance and high bond strength.
- Architects and builders can use tested and code-compliant Sto® systems for all construction types. In addition, Sto® systems all passed rigorous system-level structural, fire, and wind load testing, further ensuring your building’s long-term durability and performance.
Significantly, Sto® Corp. covers all Sto® components with a single-source warranty.
Sto® MVES Offers Design Flexibility
Sto® MVES gives building projects many options for combining masonry veneer surfaces with any architectural layout. These high-performance and lightweight systems provide unlimited design flexibility, to showcase beautiful brick, tile, stone, or a combination with Sto’s broad range of architectural surfaces. Architects and builders can choose from an extensive range of aesthetic facade choices, including traditional plaster, opaque glass, metal looks, concrete, wood, smooth, textured, and virtually unlimited colors. Recently Sto® added thin brick, natural stone, cultured stone, and ceramic tiles to the list of masonry veneers that combine with our fully-engineered and tested building enclosure systems.
Sto® offers three types of wall systems for masonry veneer surfaces, allowing you to choose the right one for the desired performance of your building or home.
StoTherm® ci MVES
- Air and Water-Resistive Barrier: Sto Gold Coat®
- Insulation Adhesive: Sto TurboStick®
- Insulation: Sto EPS Insulation Board
- Reinforcement: Sto Mesh 6 oz
- Base Coat: Sto Primer/Adhesive
- Masonry Veneer Adhesive: StoColl
- Fastener: corrosion-resistant fastener and washer
- Masonry Veneer Grout: ANSI 118.7 compliant portland cement-based grout
- Masonry Veneer: thin brick, thin natural stone, ceramic tile, or manufactured stone in conformance with applicable building code requirements
StoTherm® ci MVES is an engineered wall system that works with code compliant Adhered Masonry Veneer (AMV) of thin brick, natural stone, ceramic tile, or manufactured stone to produce excellent air and weather tightness, thermal performance, and durability. It incorporates continuous exterior insulation and continuous air and water-resistive barrier with Sto® high strength masonry veneer adhesive, in order to meet the most stringent energy codes.
It complies with NFPA 268 and 285 standards for Types I-IV construction, IBC, IRC, IECC (2012, 2015, 2018, 2021), and ASHRAE 90.1-2016. In addition, it passed the ASTM E119 1-hour load-bearing rated assembly.
StoPowerwall® DrainScreen® MVES
- Air and Water-resistive Barrier: StoGuard – Sto Gold Coat
- Water-resistive Barrier: Code compliant paper or felt
- Drainage Mat: Sto DrainScreen
- Lath: code compliant minimum 2.5lb/yd2 (1/4 kg/m2) self-furred galvanized steel diamond mesh metal lath
- Stucco Scratch and Brown Coat: ASTM C926 compliant stucco (as furnished or listed by Sto Corp.)
- Masonry Veneer Adhesive: StoColl
- Masonry Veneer Grout: ANSI 118.7 compliant Portland cement-based grout
- Masonry Veneer: thin brick, thin stone, ceramic tile, or cultured stone in conformance with applicable building code requirements
StoPowerwall® DrainScreen® MVES is a three-coat stucco system with Adhered Masonry Veneer (AMV) – thin brick, natural stone, ceramic tile, or manufactured stone with a high level of impact and moisture resistance. StoPowerwall® DrainScreen® MVES includes Sto DrainScreen®, a drainage mat that provides additional ventilation to evacuate incidental moisture.
It complies with IRC, IBC, IECC (2012, 2015, 2018, 2021), and NFPA 285 for Types I-V construction.
StoQuik® Silver DrainScreen® MVES
- Air and Water-resistive Barrier: Sto Gold Coat®
- Drainage Mat: Sto DrainScreen®
- Cement Board: ½ inch (13mm) PermaBase® Brand
- Joint Treament: Sto Gold Coat with StoGuard® Fabric
- Skim Coat: StoColl Adhesive Mortar
- Masonry Veneer Adhesive: StoColl Adhesive Mortar
- Masonry Veneer Grout: ANSI 118.7 compliant Portland cement-based grout
- Masonry Veneer: thin brick, thin stone, ceramic tile, or manufactured stone in conformance with applicable building code requirements
Quick and easy to install StoQuik® Silver® DrainScreen MVES’s cement board wall system combines with code compliant Adhered Masonry Veneer (AMV) – thin brick, natural stone, ceramic tile, or manufactured stone, to create superior impact- and weather-resistance for exterior, vertical, and above-grade walls. It also includes Sto® DrainScreen technology, to promote excellent drainage and drying of the wall assembly. In addition, it incorporates StoColl KM, a high-performance, polymer-modified, portland cement thin-set adhesive that provides superior freeze-thaw resistance and high bond strength, to produce an advanced engineered wall cladding system.
StoQuik® Silver® DrainScreen MVES complies with IBC, IRC, IECC (2012, 2015, 2018, 2021), and NFPA 285 for Types l-V construction.
Why Choose Sto® Masonry Veneer Engineered Systems (MVES)?
Easy and fast to install Sto® Masonry Veneer Engineered Systems (MVES) are durable, aesthetically-pleasing building enclosure systems that contribute significantly toward sustainable, energy-efficient, comfortable, and healthy IEQ residential, commercial, and institutional wall construction. Tested and code-compliant Sto® systems include various control layers and components of the building envelope that work together to ensure a durable, long-lasting building.
In addition, Sto® MVES high-performance and lightweight systems provide unlimited design flexibility, to showcase beautiful brick, tile, stone, or a combination aesthetic with Sto’s broad range of architectural surfaces.
Don’t hesitate to contact our Sto® professionals today to learn more about complete masonry veneer systems!
