GERMAN SMEAR JOINT

Also known as German Schmear and various other names! This is a method I have done many times in new construction, but this is my first time to go back and do this technique over old stone. 40 + year old dark sandstone! When I purchased this home, I knew the exterior colors needed an overhaul but really had no vision that I would be able to go so light with such dark stone and not end up with a checkerboard.  I had my stone mason do a few samples on the back side of my house using different colors of mortar and slightly different techniques. I decided on a combination and went for it!

I started with my interior stone, since it was the same stone and mortar as the exterior. I very quickly fell in love with it! I am now in the middle of having the exterior done and it has taken some tweaking to get the coverage to where I want it but we are there. This is such a great way to refresh any stone or brick and completely change the whole feel of a space. If you are going over old stone, chances are there are some cracks and gaps that have popped up over the years and this will seal those all up as well. This can seem like a scary project, but it really isn’t, and it is TRANSFORMATIONAL!

Some tips if you choose to tackle this project:

  • Have your stone mason do at least 2 samples of mortar color and technique. This is not like paint and you just paint over it if you don’t like it!
  • Find examples that you like, and share with your contractor.
  • Once you choose your color, you will need to decide how much coverage you want. In my case I nearly completely covered my stone because I have dark stone and did not want it looking checkerboard!
  • Be on site while the work is being done so you can tweak as needed. I had them add more mortar 4 times before we got to my desired level of coverage. It was have been heart breaking to show up and it was done, and not enough coverage for me!

I will be repainting the exterior after the stone is finished and I will share finished photos soon. Follow me on Instagram to see finished photos. Cheers friends!