How to do it yourself stone veneer installation

Mix and apply your scratch coat mortar. The scratch coat is the overall, major layer of mortar your veneer stone will be stacked into. Properly mixed mortar will be a firm consistency and will stick on your trowel even if you flip it ninety degrees on its side. Use your trowel to spread the mortar across your metal lath layer, approximately. You can use a common rake to apply these long, horizontal lines across your scratch coat.

This scoring is an important step for proper mortar moisture, aeration and installation composition. Let this scored scratch coat set until firm. This usually takes hours, depending on amount and conditions. Install the Stone Arrange your stones by laying your stones out on the nearby floor or ground, mosaic-style. Trim and shape your stones. Using your mason hammer or angle grinder, trim any imperfections on the stones. Shape and smooth the edges to your exact finished look, if desired.

This kind of fine-tuning is usually only a process required with purchases from big-box retailed stones. Most handmade regional producers enact finely tuned custom stones into your initial order. Clean your stones. Wipe away excess dust, residue or oils from your stones. Mix your veneer mortar. Ensure the same even, firm consistency as your scratch coat. This mortar will be used on the backside of your individual stones as its bond coat.

Dampen the backs of your stones. Use your designated wet brushes or a sponge to lightly dampen the back side of the veneer stones. This prevents water from being drawn out of your bond coat, which is essential to maintaining a strong and solid mortar foundation between your wall and your individual stones. Back butter the stones to build a bond coat. Take your trowel and place a good dollop of mortar on the back of your veneer stone, i.

Spread the dollop evenly, roughly. This is an important and sometimes overlooked step, even for seasoned installers. Back buttering ensures you have the strongest adhesion possible between veneer material and base, be that base drywall, concrete, wood paneling and more. Begin hanging your veneer stones. Start at your wall base and corners. Feel free to tilt and jimmy your stones a little bit into place, as this helps move out excess air and seal in necessary binding moisture.

Place the rest of the stones, working from the bottom up. Ensure the joints, or space between individual stones, are no more than half an inch thick as you continue to stick and place. Keep these joint widths consistent throughout your wall, taking momentary pauses to step back and assess your layout. Apply finishing touches Fill in the joints with a grout bag to slowly and carefully fill in the joints between stones with extra grout. Smooth and clean the overall surface. You want to do this while your mortar is still semi-wet, as congealed mortar will need a lot — and we mean a lot — of muscle to chip away.

Use brushes and joint tools that are completely dry. Consider a sealer. Adding an extra layer of protection for your stones will increase their longevity and resistance to wear from water, salt, dirt and other stains. However, some sealers may affect the color of your stones, as well as add a gloss or sheen. Where You Can Get Veneer Stone Quality and craftsmanship are the name of the game when it comes to installing veneer stone.

If you happen to get any mortar on the face of the stone, wipe it away with a damp towel before it dries. Start installing the stones, beginning in the bottom corners. Turn any trimmed edges either directly up or down, away from the focal point.

Press the stones into the mortar, twisting them slightly to squeeze out some of the excess and strengthen the bond. Use a trowel, joint tool, or brush to remove any excess mortar that has been forced beyond the finished joint, or onto the surface of the stone itself.

You probably want your joints to be between 1 and 3 inches 2. Continue backbuttering and laying stone until the entire wall is finished. Take period breaks; step back and prospect your work every so often. If you are installing veneer across more than one face of a wall, consider getting cornerstone pieces.

Most stone veneer manufacturers make them, and they add an easy naturalness to the project. Part 3. When finished placing all the stones, fill the joints with a grout bag. Best results come from using a grout bag. During this step, conceal any trimmed edges.

Use a striking tool to get the joints to the desired depth as the mortar stiffens. Clean away any excess particles with plain water and a whisk broom. Be sure to remove any stray mortar from the face of the stone within 30 minutes — mortar will be impossible to remove after 24 hours.

Use a paint brush to clean up the mortared joints before the mortar sets completely. Apply a sealer, following the manufacturer's instructions. Sealed stone will be easier to clean and maintain, and some sealers will repel stains. Reapply the sealer periodically to maximize the advantages. I would just get a bag of quick mix cement and "throw" it or toss it at the back drop and smooth it out or get some flat stone cut and stick them to the concrete that stuck to the backdrop.

Screwing a metal sheet to the backdrop helps keep the concrete stuck to the wall. If it won't stick, just use chicken wire or something, it doesn't matter really as long as you covered it up well with concrete and you can stick rocks into it and things too if you want. Highlight it with a nice mantel piece or a mirror and plants. Not Helpful 1 Helpful 1. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube.

Be aware when applying masonry sealers -- some sealers can change the color of the natural stones or create a glossy look -- try a test patch first. Helpful 9 Not Helpful 3. Stagger stones to avoid any continuous mortar lines in any pattern to your liking. Helpful 9 Not Helpful 5.

Occasionally step back to view your work making sure to intermix various stone sizes and colors. Helpful 7 Not Helpful 7. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published.

For exterior: make sure to install correct flashing to avoid excessive water penetration. Helpful 13 Not Helpful 6.

For exterior: Install all stone veneer over 40 degrees and in dry conditions. Helpful 5 Not Helpful 6. You Might Also Like How to. How to. Co-authors: 8. Updated: May 13, Categories: Walls and Ceilings. For those unfamiliar with stone veneer and seeing it for the first time, it would probably seem inconceivable that a novice do-it-yourselfer would be able to install such a stunning and elegant home update on his or her own with very little help.

One such accomplished do-it-yourselfer, a client of ours named Grant, did just that. An emergency room doctor by day, Grant decided he was going to update his old fireplace with versatile and highly customizable stone veneer. Continue reading to discover why and how with a little time, patience and energy Grant was able to rejuvenate his family room and implement his vision of a beautiful focal point that will be in keeping with this tranquil lakefront property.

In this next image, you can see where grant has taken off and removed the original marblesque veneer that surrounds his original fireplace and covers the hearth. Grant also decides to create a pocket for the fireplace mantel. This will insure a secure fit. After the frame is in place, it is time to place a material called Durock see below where the stone veneer will be placed. Durock is a cement board that will speed up the installation process as it negates the use of mesh, which is commonly used to get materials, like stone, to adhere.