Home and Garden | Applying a Stone Veneer - Masonry & Concrete

Masonry veneers add a look of substance to a house and provide a low-maintenance exterior surface. These advantages come at a price, however - stone veneers make expensive siding and, for best results, should be professionally installed.

Stone veneers range from 1-1/4 inch to 4 inches thick. The steps below summarize the process of applying stone veneer to a wire mesh base.

PROJECT BASICS

Project: Difficult
Estimated Project Time: Varies, depending on the size of the surface to be covered
Start Tips: Gather all veneer materials, mortar mix, and supplies to your work area
Safety Tips: Wear work gloves when handling mortar
Recommendation: Hire a professional for the best results

TOOLS & MATERIALS

Jointing trowel	Measuring tape
Mason's trowel	Plumb bob
Pointing trowel	Wheelbarrow
Brick hammer	Work gloves
Grout bag	Stone
Pitching chisel	Mortar mix
Mason's twine	Welded or woven wire mesh
4-ft. level

Fig. 1

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Plan the layout
Start by creating a dry layout, placing the stones in approximate position on the ground to see how the joints will fall. (Fig. 1)

Fig. 2

2) Apply a mortar base coat
Install wire mesh on the wall to help support the mortar. Trowel on a base coat that bonds into the metal weave of the mesh. (Fig. 2)

Fig. 3

3) Install the first courses
Butter the backs of stones with mortar. You can work in long rows or build up short sections of several courses at once. (Fig. 3)

Fig. 4

4) Fill the seams
Fill the seams with mortar. Some manufacturers recommend that you use a grout bag to avoid discoloring the surface. (Fig. 4)

Fig. 5

5) Smooth the seams
Smooth the grouted seams with a tooling blade. Fill all gaps around the edges of the stones to keep water out. (Fig. 5)