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STICKYSTONE™ Calculator

Estimate how much adhesive you need for your project

1
Project Area
feet
feet
Estimates based on beads applied every 3" on center per Techniseal® technical data sheet.
Always perform a field adhesion test. Add 10% for waste and overlap.

Techniseal STICKYSTONE™ Calculator

How much StickyStone do you need?

Techniseal STICKYSTONE is an air cured hardscape construction adhesive, and how far one sausage goes has very little to do with your square footage. It is set by two things: how many linear feet of adhesive bead the job needs, and how thick that bead has to be. The calculator above works from both, so the count it gives you is the count you actually have to buy.

Why the calculator asks for length and height

Enter the length and height of the wall, cap run or veneer area and the calculator converts that into linear feet of bead, using beads run every 3 in on center as specified in the Techniseal technical data sheet. A 20 ft wall standing 6 ft high is 120 square feet, but at 3 in bead spacing it swallows far more adhesive than a 120 square foot single course cap run. Square footage on its own cannot tell you that, which is why generic adhesive coverage numbers miss so badly.

StickyStone coverage by bead size

Bead size is the single biggest factor in how much StickyStone adhesive you use. Moving from a 1/4 in bead to a 3/4 in bead cuts coverage by more than 80 percent, because a bead is a cylinder and its volume climbs with the square of its diameter.

Bead size Metric Linear ft per sausage Linear ft per tube
1/4 in x 1/4 in 5 mm x 5 mm 50 25
5/16 in x 1/4 in 8 mm x 6 mm 40 20
3/8 in x 5/16 in 10 mm x 8 mm 26 13
1/2 in x 3/8 in 15 mm x 10 mm 16 8
3/4 in x 1/2 in 20 mm x 12 mm 8 4
1 in x 1/2 in 25 mm x 15 mm 6 3
1-1/4 in x 1/2 in 30 mm x 15 mm 5 2

Match the bead to the gap you actually have. A flat wall cap sitting on a level block wall takes a small bead. Rough cleft natural stone with an uneven bed needs a larger one to make full contact across the joint.

Sausages or tubes?

StickyStone is sold in a sausage and in a cartridge tube. One sausage covers exactly twice what one tube covers at every bead size, so on any job of real size the sausage is the cheaper way to buy adhesive. Sausages need a sausage gun rather than a standard caulk gun, so if you do not already own one, add the StickyStone sausage gun to your order.

Heavy stone needs double the adhesive

For materials over 15 lb per square foot Techniseal recommends applying additional, doubled beads. Set the material weight in Step 3 and the calculator doubles the bead count for you automatically. Thick natural stone caps and full thickness veneer regularly cross that line, so weigh a piece before you order rather than after.

What StickyStone bonds to

Techniseal lists substrates including brick, concrete block, cement board, wood, pressure treated wood and plywood, and veneer materials including natural stone, manufactured stone, decorative stone, outdoor porcelain tile, outdoor glass, composites and concrete pavers. In practice that covers wall caps and coping, column caps, steps and risers, stacked stone veneer, seat walls, outdoor kitchens and fire pit surrounds. Roughen non porous surfaces first and run a field adhesion test on your actual materials before gluing the whole job. Full substrate lists and cure data are on our technical data sheets and SDS page.

Order about 10 percent extra

The recommended figure already carries 10 percent over the raw calculation to cover waste, overlap, the material left sitting in the nozzle and the bead you end up running twice because a stone did not seat right. Ordering to the bare minimum is how a job stops halfway up a wall on a Saturday afternoon.

Always confirm against the current Techniseal technical data sheet for your product. The coverage figures above come from the published bead chart and assume beads at 3 in on center. Substrate texture, stone flatness and site conditions all move real world usage.

StickyStone Questions and Answers

Every figure below is taken from Techniseal's own technical data sheet. Where Techniseal does not publish something, we say so rather than filling the gap with a number from somewhere else.

How much StickyStone do I need?

Work out your linear feet of bead first, then divide by the coverage for your bead size. Techniseal's own worked example is a 100 sq ft project with beads every 3 in on centre, which comes to 400 linear feet of adhesive. At a 1/4 by 1/4 in bead, a 20.3 oz sausage runs 50 linear feet, so that job needs 8 sausages. The calculator above does this for you once you enter your dimensions and pick a bead size.

How many linear feet does one sausage cover?

It depends entirely on bead size, and the drop off is steep. Per Techniseal's data sheet, a 20.3 oz sausage gives 50 linear feet at a 1/4 by 1/4 in bead, 40 ft at 5/16 by 1/4, 26 ft at 3/8 by 5/16, 16 ft at 1/2 by 3/8, 8 ft at 3/4 by 1/2, 6 ft at 1 by 1/2, and 5 ft at 1-1/4 by 1/2. The 10 oz tube gives exactly half of each figure. Going from the smallest bead to the largest cuts your coverage by a factor of ten.

How far apart should the beads be?

Techniseal specifies parallel beads roughly 3 in apart on larger areas, and says the gap between them matters: it leaves an aerated channel the adhesive needs. They also specify orienting the beads vertically in the finished installation, and warn against any bead pattern that would seal the adhesive off from air moisture.

Why does StickyStone need air to cure?

It is a moisture curing adhesive. It pulls moisture out of the air and out of the substrate to set, which is why Techniseal requires at least one of the two surfaces being bonded to be porous, and why the bead spacing exists. Sealing the adhesive between two non porous faces with no air gap is the most common way to stop it curing properly.

How long before it grabs?

Techniseal publishes a skin time of 10 to 14 minutes and a tack free time of 16 to 18 minutes, and states that working strength typically forms after about 10 minutes. They also specify letting the bottom levelling row cure for 15 minutes before you set additional rows on top of it, so the base can carry the weight above.

How long until it is fully cured?

Techniseal does not publish a full cure time, a time to load, or any adjustment for temperature and humidity. If your job depends on knowing when it can carry weight, call Techniseal Technical Service on 1-800-465-7325 rather than working from a figure you found online. We would rather tell you the number does not exist than invent one.

What temperature can I apply it in?

Techniseal specifies applying above 32 degrees F to ensure proper curing. They publish no maximum application temperature. The 40 to 110 degrees F range you may see quoted is their storage range for unopened product, not an application range.

Can I apply it to a damp surface or in the rain?

No. Techniseal specifies surfaces that are clean, dry and free of frost, grease and contaminants, and states not to use it on submerged or constantly wet surfaces or where it will see prolonged water exposure. They publish no rain safe interval for StickyStone. Be careful with cross referencing here: other Techniseal adhesives in the same family are rated for wet or frozen surfaces, StickyStone is not.

What can I bond it to?

Techniseal lists substrates including gypsum board and drywall, wood, pressure treated wood, plywood, brick, concrete block and cement board. On the veneer side they list manufactured stone, decorative stone, alternative masonry, natural stone, outdoor porcelain tile, outdoor glass, wood, composite materials and concrete pavers. They recommend roughening non porous surfaces, and running a mock up or field adhesion test on your actual materials to check whether a primer is needed.

What should I not use it on?

Techniseal states it is not suitable for bonding polyethylene, polypropylene, Teflon or nylon, not for use as a structural glazing adhesive, and not for plastics sensitive to stress cracking. Contact with bituminous or tar containing surfaces can cause discolouration, and they advise testing on natural stone first for the same reason. Wet cast and metal are not on any Techniseal substrate list, so we will not tell you it works on them.

Can I use it structurally, or below grade?

No. Techniseal is explicit that StickyStone is for above grade vertical veneering, and states not to use it for structural applications or for masonry structures, or anywhere the structure is mandated by building code. They add that it should be installed in accordance with local building code provisions. If the assembly is holding something up rather than facing it, this is the wrong product.

My stone is heavy. Does that change anything?

Yes. Techniseal specifies that for material heavier than 15 lb per square foot you apply additional beads of adhesive. That is a threshold that triggers more product, not a maximum. Techniseal publishes no maximum weight per square foot and no stack height limit, so for an unusually heavy or tall assembly, check with them directly.

What gun do I need?

A sausage capable applicator gun. Techniseal specifies their STICKYSTONE Sausage Applicator Gun or an equivalent dispensing device, so you are not locked into their brand. Their gun, product code 60050571, has a 12 to 1 drive ratio and converts between the 10 oz cartridge and the 20 oz sausage, so one tool handles both formats. Cut the tip to the bead size you want before loading.

How do I clean up the excess?

Immediately, with xylene or mineral spirits. Once it has cured, Techniseal states it has to come off mechanically, so it is worth masking and working carefully rather than relying on cleaning it up afterwards.

Can I save a partly used sausage?

Techniseal publishes no guidance on resealing or storing an opened sausage or tube, and no shelf life figure for the product at all. What they do publish is a storage range of 40 to 110 degrees F for unopened product in its original packaging. Plan your bead size and quantity before you start rather than counting on saving a partial.

Is it paintable, and does it stay flexible?

Techniseal publishes neither claim, so we will not make either on their behalf. What they do publish are the measured properties: elongation of 420 percent, Shore A hardness of 60, tensile strength 390 psi, tear strength 76 psi and lap shear 280 psi. Those numbers describe a cured adhesive with a great deal of stretch in it, but if paintability matters to your job, confirm it with Techniseal first.

Related

Terms & Conditions of Use: The calculator is for general information and illustration purposes only. Results are estimates, not definitive advice. The Polymeric Sand Store is not responsible for any errors in the results. It is your responsibility to ensure the accuracy and completeness of materials and products needed for your project. Additional materials may be required based on your local building codes and project specifics. Prices are subject to change and material availability is subject to current inventory levels.

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