A Guide for Installing Stacked Stone Veneer to Transform Your Home’s Look

Stacked-stone veneer offers a conveniently “light” way to make a large impact when it comes to home exteriors and interiors. Installing stacked-stone veneer is not complicated, and will provide a beautiful addition to your home. Here’s how to install stacked-stone veneer:

The first step is to measure the surface that you are installing the veneer on so you know how much stone you will need. Depending on the average size of the veneer stones, you can estimate the number of stones you will need by dividing the length or breadth of the surface by the size of a single veneer stone. Remember to take into account the length of the corners so you get the right amount of stones.

Once you have all of the necessary stones and supplies, it’s time to prepare the surface. Cover the space with a waterproof paper and then attach a metal lath over the paper with screws. Apply a scratch-coat mortar that should be between four and eight inches thick. Scratch the mortar with a hand rake while it’s still wet to create a better grip for the veneer stones. Let it dry for 48 hours.

Once the surface is dry and ready for installation, lay out the stones and brush the backsides to remove any dust and debris. Start from the bottom of the installation area and press each stone into the mortar to hold it in place. Once the stones are in place, use a trowel to cover them with a three to four inch layer of mortar. To give your installation a long-lasting bond, use tile adhesive instead of mortar.

Fill the joints with more mortar and smooth out any excess with either a wire brush or scraper. For the corners, you might need to use a grinder to cut and shape the veneer stones to fit the curved space.

Once the stones are all in place, let them sit and bond together before admiring your work! If you ever need to repair your stacked-stone veneer in the future, you can use the same tools and techniques that you used to initially install it.