The prefabricated Pennsylvania bluestone cap comes ripped to 2 3/4 inches wide.
The crew cuts the cap to length with a diamond wheel on a grinder.
The project designer opted for the cap after the project was started, so in areas where they had already started installing the veneer, the crew put the cap on before finishing the field below.
It is easier to install the veneer after the cap is on, so where they hadn’t begun the veneer process, the crew installs temporary cleats for the cap to rest on while the mortar cures. The cap sits on top of the "ledge" formed by the lath-covered rigid foam.
Where the foundation is not insulated, the crew was able to install the cap directly below the trim.
The crew cut miters for the corners. The excess lath extending above the cap is trimmed off after the cap is installed and before the exterior trim and cladding is installed.
To create a solid toekick below each door, the crew cuts slabs of Pennsylvania bluestone to fit each spot. For a smooth surface, they remove any chunks of mortar left behind from installing the veneer.
Then a layer of mortar is spread on the foundation.
The crew wets down the back of the toekick before applying mortar, to keep the stone from sucking moisture out of the mortar as it sets up.
A layer of mortar is then spread on the back of the damp toekick.
Two crew members carefully lift the toekick stone into place below the door.
After pushing the stone tight against the door threshold, the masons slip in temporary wedges below the toekick to hold it in place until the mortar sets.