Cultured stone fireplace surrounds in Mountain's Edge great rooms
Plenty of Mountain's Edge plans wrap the gas insert in cultured stone, and the fireplace wall is usually the only wall the furniture points at. We take a heat reading before anything else: the insert burns for 20 minutes and a probe goes where the top of the bracket will sit. Gas inserts behind stone commonly settle between 85 and 100 degrees above the mantel, which most panels handle. Read higher and the mount goes up or a pull-down arm goes in. The veneer is 1 to 2 inches thick over lath and scratch coat and holds nothing on its own, so the anchors have to reach wood. A 1/4-inch masonry bit opens a mortar joint, then 5-inch lag bolts thread into the stud behind. Four points per bracket on a 75-inch set. A Tapcon into solid stone covers any corner where the joint misses framing. Stone dulls a bit quickly, so we clear the flutes often and change bits rather than lean harder on a tired one. Stone carries the +$99 masonry surcharge. Figure 95 to 120 minutes.