For many decades, plasterers have applied the familiar finishes—skip trowel, smooth, sand, faux wood and stone, dash etc. In the past when a stucco or EIFS cladding was specified, along with a wainscot of stone or brick as a two-component façade, the two were treated as separate components applied by two trades. It was a familiar dance: The masons would lay-in the asphalt paper, put up some lath or ties, and erect a stone or brick wall. Then the plastering contractor would continue with the stucco or EIFS cladding. Looked good in the end but usually included some scheduling and territorial acrobatics. That is to say, which goes first? How do we make the WRB continuous? Darn plasterers, darn masons.
A little over a decade ago, a new façade stone and brick product became very popular which we know as manufactured stone. This was a lightweight product that was made to look like real stone, was usually made from cement, and was typically adhered to a given substrate. Many types of products were used to adhere the new lightweight product, ranging from stucco, type S or N cement mixes, or thin-set type adhesives. In the beginning, the manufactured stone folks tried to keep in line with what-was-always-done, that is, the product was applied by masons.