Pro's Picks: A Quick Install Composite Stone

John Franks

Suncoast Windows & Siding

Tampa Bay, Fla.

TandoStone

I first heard about TandoStone composite stone from my supplier Lansing Building Products and used it to complete a major facelift project that encompassed 120 condos in Tampa Bay, Fla. 

The goal for the project was to revamp the knee walls of each unit, which were 30 to 36 inches high.

We went with the TandoStone Stack Stone profile in three colors. I liked the product because it cut install time dramatically. We completed two to three units per week—which was just incredible—and finished all 120 units five months ahead of schedule with fewer workers than if it were a traditional stone product.

TandoStone didn’t need mortar, adhesives, or a masonry sub. It’s instead installed in panels with normal siding tools without the need for rain screens or wet saws. 

The client liked that the stone looked and felt like real stone, despite it being composite. It worked in this application because it’s impervious to moisture and performs well in climates like Florida.

Because it was a new product to us, we were trained by TandoStone reps, but it was installed similarly to the siding my crews know well. It can also be used for roofline applications.