How to Build a Stone Veneer Wall
- 1). Prepare the wall. Install natural stone on a concrete base, either poured as part of a wall foundation or added; an alternative is to fasten metal angle iron to the wall foundation with bolts. Clean either concrete or wood walls thoroughly. Remove any nails or remnants of previous cladding. Apply either natural or manufactured stone directly to a masonry wall; use concrete nails to fasten corrugated metal ties every 2 or 3 square feet for extra support.
- 2). Install a waterproofing membrane, like tar paper, on a wood-sheathed wall. Fasten it with a construction stapler. Cover the wall with metal lath, fastened with 1 1/2 inch shingle nails driven with a hammer into wall studs every 6 inches. Mix mortar according to package directions and spread a thin "scratch" coat over the lath with a flat mason's trowel. Roughen the surface by scratching it horizontally with a stiff bristle broom or leaf rake. Let that coat dry 48 hours.
- 3). Start at the bottom of one corner of the wall. Spread mortar on the back of a stone with a pointed mason's trowel and press it firmly into place on the masonry or into the scratch coat. Add more stones, working in a triangular pattern, laying a base layer first, then stair-stepping other layers above it. Set ties in a masonry wall in joints between stones. Install metal flashing around any windows and doors and set steel lintels across the tops of window or door openings.
- 4). Cover the wall with stone and let the mortar set at least a day. Use a grout bag, a cloth container with a metal tip that resembles a baker's decorating bag, to put mortar between the stone joints. Fill the joints completely; wipe off any excess grout with a damp cloth.
Source...