PortStone

Thin Brick Veneer Installation Guide

Why PortStone? PortStone is engineered to be “the fastest and easiest‑to‑install thin brick on the market,” giving you authentic brick character without the weight or complexity of full‑thickness masonry.

Tools & Materials Checklist

Polymer‑modified thin‑set mortar

¼" × ¼" square‑notch trowel

Chalk line & straightedge

Uncoupling or crack‑suppression membrane (e.g., Ditra®, ProvaFlex®) for wood subfloors or cracked slabs

Grout (PortStone Brick & Paver Grout Mix or any sanded grout for ½" joints) - DO NOT USE any of the all-in-one type grouts with sealer build in to it. This will stick tenaciously to the brick surface and is extremely hard to clean off.

Sealer (SC‑25 Paver Seal – Gloss or Matte) and required anti‑slip additive for exterior use

Floor finish (Super Wax or Matte Finish)

¾" nap roller, grout float or bag, microfiber mop, lambswool applicator or pure rayon mop, protective gloves, utility knife

Surface Preperation

Clean thoroughly. Remove dust, dirt, paint, or oily residues that could inhibit bond.

Address cracks. Apply a crack‑isolation or uncoupling membrane on concrete or wood substrates. Cement backer board is not recommended over wood. We highly recommend the use of Ditra or other uncoupling membrane when installing PortStone or Patriot Pavers over a wooden subfloor.

Layout & Adhesion

Snap chalk‑lines as reference guides to keep the pattern square to the room.

Spread polymer‑modified thin‑set with a ¼" × ¼" square notched trowel.

Press panels into place on the thin-set mortar bed using only enough pressure to seat them into the thin-set. Don’t over‑seat them or you’ll squeeze out mortar. Lift an occasional panel to confirm 100 % coverage.

Do not walk on the floor for 24 hours.

Grouting

Wait at least 24 hours after setting.

Fill joints with PortStone Brick & Paver Grout Mix (or any sanded grout suitable for ½” wide joints.. Work small areas and clean as you go.

Do NOT use epoxy grouts or “all‑in‑one” grouts with built‑in sealer—they bond to the brick face and are nearly impossible to remove.

Sealing

PortStone ships pre‑sealed to speed installation but one more coat of sealer is to be applied after grouting. Apply one final coat of SC‑25 Paver Seal using a ¾” nap paint roller 24 hours or longer after grouting.

An anti‑slip additive is required for outdoor installations—PortStone is slippery when wet if this step is skipped.

For interior floors, after the sealer dries (2–3 hrs), top‑coat with two layers of Super Wax or Matte Finish, allowing 30–40 min between coats.

Exterior Notes

Always use the anti‑slip additive in the final sealer coat. PortStone can supply all needed materials except membranes such as Ditra® or ProvaFlex®.

Surface Preperation

Exterior walls should follow MVMA (Masonry Veneer Manufacturers Association) guidelines for weather‑resistant barriers, lath, and scratch coat.

Panel Application

Bond panels with ceramic‑tile mastic or thin‑set mortar using a ¼” V-notched trowel

If panels creep, insert a drywall screw into a joint to hold them temporarily; remove before grouting.

Allow panels to set overnight prior to grouting.

Grouting Methods

Grout‑bag: Less cleanup, longer placement time.

Grout float / sponge / hand‑packed: Faster coverage but requires multiple sponge‑downs to remove haze. Wear gloves.

Care & Maintenance

Dust‑mop or damp‑mop as needed with clean water or a pH‑neutral cleaner (e.g., Zep pH Neutral Floor Cleaner). Avoid harsh cleaners like vinegar or Pine‑Sol®.

Re‑apply PortStone’s Super Wax Floor Finish to your floor every 2 or 3 years depending on foot traffic. Use a microfiber paint pad, lambswool applicator or 100 % rayon mop to avoid lint.

Fit furniture with felt pads.

NOTICE - SYNTHETIC RUG BACKINGS AND PADS CAN ADHERE TO THE SEALER AND FINISH, ACTUALLY MELDING INTO THE SEALER. IN MOST CASES THIS CANNOT BE COMPLETELY REPAIRED. THE ONLY EFFECTIVE WAY TO REPAIR THIS IS TO REMOVE THE AFFECTED AREA AND REPLACE WITH NEW MATERIAL. This is a common issue within the flooring industry, not just specific to our products. We suggest that you google “Rug backing stuck to my floor” for more information. PORTSTONE MANUFACTURING CORPORATION MAKES NO WARRANTY WHATSOEVER REGARDING RUG PADS OR BACKINGS OF ANY KIND CAUSING DAMAGE TO ANY PORTSTONE OR PATRIOT PAVERS FLOOR.

Warranty Snapshot

PortStone warrants its thin brick products against manufacturer defects for one year from purchase. Installation of defective material voids any warranty. Our warranty covers material product only, no labor costs are covered. Because we have no control over installation or usage, PortStone Manufacturing Corp. does not warranty against chips and scratches.

Need Help?

For technical questions or to order materials, call 601‑922‑0902 or email PortStone. We’re happy to supply grout, sealer, anti‑slip additives, and floor finish to simplify your project.

This installation guide is provided to give some general, basic information concerning the installation of our products. It is NOT intended to serve as a complete, detailed reference for every application that may occur. For proper installation of any PortStone or Patriot Pavers product we recommend you consult the Tile Council of America, Inc. Handbook for Ceramic Tile Installation and the ANSI ceramic tile installation specifications. These manuals should be available at your local tile dealer, or contact the Tile Council of America, Inc. P.O. Box 326, Princeton, NJ 08542-09326.
Prior to installation, all substrates must be properly prepared and inspected according to the setting material manufacturer's recommendations.

All pre-existing cracks in the floor or wall surface must be addressed. The floor surface must be thoroughly cleaned of all material such as varnish, dust, saw dust, spackling, plaster and paint.

Wood substrates are not the optimum substrate for any tile installation. For installations over wooded subfloors, we do not recommend the usage of cement or gypsum based backerboard material. If there is any movement of the subfloor, there is no place for that movement to go other than the joints between backerboard sections causing the tile to crack directly over the backerboard joints. For this reason, when installing Patriot Pavers or PortStone over wooden subfloors, we require the use of an isolation membrane such as Ditra, Provaflex or other such underlayment product. These type membranes will absorb most movement common in wooden subfloor applications, preventing such movement from cracking the tile. We do not warranty against damage to our products resulting from subfloor movement or cracks in concrete subfloors.