FEATURE: Merkete products allow installers to adhere to fast-track schedule Masonry team knew that a robust waterproofing and installation mor- tar would be critical to the success and sustainability of the project, and reached out to his long time ‘go-to’ resource for tile and stone installations – Merkrete, a division of Parex USA for the Northwest Region, as challenging bonding agents are often specified in the adhered-veneer masonry sector. Merkrete products support 137,000 sq. ft.+ of exterior stone cladding Representatives from Merkrete, in collaboration with Steve and the Keystone project team, submitted a complete installation system from Merkrete, inclusive of both pri- mary Merkrete HydroGuard SP-1 waterproofing membrane and 820 Merlite, a high-performance set- ting mortar, providing excellent non-sag characteristics for vertical stone applications in exterior con- ditions. This sole-sourced Merkrete installation system was submitted and approved by the architectural and design team at Friedmutter Architects of Las Vegas, Nev. The Merkrete team was available as a resource to the project design team at Friedmutter to answer any ques- tions or address concerns relat- ing to the installation system as recommended from Merkrete. The HydroGuard SP-1 / 820 Merlite System was approved as submit- ted, and stone installations com- menced in late August of 2016. As is often the case when install- ing adhered veneer masonry or tile in a stacked stone method, the first courses of stone directly above the ledger board at the base 34 TileLetter | April 2017