How to Use Techniseal StickyStone and Estimate How Much You Need

Techniseal StickyStone is a vertical hardscape adhesive for sticking stone and tile to walls: outdoor kitchens, firepits, fireplace surrounds, columns and mailboxes. Techniseal's product guide describes it as a versatile quick-tack adhesive for manufactured stone, natural stone and outdoor porcelain tile, with strong initial grab that resists sagging, so pieces stay where you set them while the adhesive cures.

This guide explains how to use Techniseal StickyStone on a veneer project and, just as important, how to work out how many sausages you need before you start. The exact bead size, spacing, temperature limits and cure times are on the StickyStone technical data sheet. Where this article does not give a number, that is deliberate: use the figure on the current data sheet and the instructions printed on the package.

What Techniseal StickyStone is

Techniseal StickyStone Hardscape Adhesive is part of Techniseal's hardscape adhesive line. The features Techniseal lists in its product guide are:

• Strong initial grab strength that resists sagging
• Applies with an applicator gun
• Resists UV and weathering effects
• Solvent-free, low odor and low VOC
• Single-component, so there is nothing to mix

Techniseal's guide lists a 20 oz sausage, product code 60050572. Because it is a single-component adhesive, you load it and apply it straight from the package.

Where you can use StickyStone, and when to pick a different adhesive

Techniseal names outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, firepits, columns, mailboxes and even doghouses as ideal StickyStone projects, bonding manufactured stone, natural stone, outdoor porcelain tile and a variety of substrates. In short, it is the Techniseal adhesive for facing a vertical surface with stone or tile.

Techniseal makes other adhesives for other hardscape jobs. Here is how its product guide positions them:

Techniseal adhesive	How Techniseal describes it	Typical job
StickyStone	Quick-tack, resists sagging, single component, low VOC	Stone or tile veneer on vertical faces
RG+ Landscape Adhesive	Adheres on dry, wet or frozen surfaces, elastomeric and stays flexible, low VOC	Retaining wall construction
Structure Bond foam adhesive	Super-strength hardscape foam adhesive, adjustable bead size, works on wet and cold surfaces	General hardscape construction bonding

If a project is structural or controlled by building code, check the data sheet for the uses Techniseal excludes and follow your local code. Browse all options in our hardscape adhesives collection.

Tools you need to apply StickyStone

• An applicator gun that fits the package. The StickyStone sausage gun has a 12:1 drive ratio and an aluminum barrel, and Techniseal says it converts between a 10 oz cartridge and a 20 oz sausage. Other options are in our adhesive and caulking guns collection.
• A utility knife to cut the nozzle to your bead size.
• A level, tape measure and pencil for layout.
• Clean rags and the clean-up solvent named on the data sheet, for squeeze-out.
• Gloves and eye protection.

Prepare before you open the adhesive

With a quick-tack adhesive, the time to make decisions is before the first bead goes on.

1. Dry-fit the pieces. Lay out the stone or tile on the ground in the pattern you want, make your cuts, and number pieces if the layout is complex. Once the adhesive grabs, repositioning is difficult.
2. Clean both surfaces. Remove dust, grease, loose material and anything that could stop the adhesive from bonding to the substrate or the back of the stone.
3. Check conditions. Confirm the surface and air temperatures, and whether the surfaces must be dry, against the StickyStone data sheet before you start.
4. Test a small area. Bond one piece in an inconspicuous spot and check the grip and the look, especially on light or porous natural stone that could show staining.

How to use Techniseal StickyStone, step by step

1. Load the gun. Open the sausage as shown on the package and load it into the applicator gun. Cut the nozzle to give the bead size you plan to use.
2. Apply beads. Run beads of adhesive on the back of the piece or on the substrate, using the bead size and spacing given on the data sheet. Heavier pieces need more adhesive contact, so follow any extra-bead guidance for heavy materials.
3. Set the piece. Press it firmly into position right away and check it with a level. Make any adjustment immediately, while the adhesive is still workable.
4. Build from the bottom up. Start with a level bottom row and let it gain strength before stacking rows above it. Check the data sheet for the recommended wait.
5. Clean up squeeze-out while it is wet. Wipe excess adhesive off the stone face straight away with the solvent listed on the data sheet. Once it cures, adhesive is much harder to remove, and scraping risks marking the stone.

How much StickyStone do you need?

StickyStone quantity comes down to linear feet of adhesive bead. Here is the method:

1. Measure the area you will cover in square feet. Measure each face separately and add them up, including returns and caps.
2. Pick the bead size and spacing from the StickyStone data sheet.
3. Convert area to linear feet of bead. Beads spaced S inches apart give 12 ÷ S linear feet of bead for every square foot of surface. So total bead length = area in sq ft × 12 ÷ S.
4. Divide by the coverage per package. The data sheet's coverage chart shows how many linear feet one sausage or cartridge gives at each bead size. Larger beads use adhesive much faster, so check the row that matches your bead.
5. Round up and add a margin for heavy pieces, cap stones and waste.

For example, a 40 sq ft firepit face with beads spaced S inches apart needs 40 × 12 ÷ S linear feet of bead. Put in the spacing and the per-sausage figure from the data sheet and you have your count. If you would rather skip the arithmetic, enter your dimensions in the Techniseal StickyStone calculator.

Common StickyStone mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the dry fit and trying to design the pattern on the wall.
• Applying to dusty, dirty or contaminated surfaces.
• Using too little adhesive on thick or heavy stone.
• Stacking rows before the lower row has gained strength.
• Letting squeeze-out cure on the stone face.
• Estimating quantity by guesswork instead of bead length.

All Techniseal data sheets are collected in our TDS and SDS library. Always follow the instructions on the package and the current data sheet.

Frequently asked questions

What is Techniseal StickyStone used for?

Vertical hardscape work: bonding manufactured stone, natural stone and outdoor porcelain tile on outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, firepits, columns, mailboxes and similar structures.

Do you need a special gun for StickyStone?

You need a gun that fits the package. The StickyStone sausage gun converts between a 10 oz cartridge and a 20 oz sausage, per Techniseal.

Can StickyStone be used for retaining walls?

Techniseal positions its RG+ adhesive for retaining wall construction. StickyStone is aimed at vertical veneer, so check both data sheets for your application.

How do you calculate how many sausages you need?

Multiply the area in square feet by 12, divide by the bead spacing in inches, then divide by the linear feet per sausage for your bead size from the data sheet. Or use our StickyStone calculator.

Is StickyStone low odor?

Yes. Techniseal describes it as solvent-free, low odor and low VOC.