- 1). Measure the area where you want to install fieldstone siding, to determine how much you will need. You can install stone over wood, concrete, block, brick or stucco. Wood will need special surface preparation but stone can be applied directly over other surfaces. What is important is a sound structure - both the wall where the stone will be applied and the foundation below. Stone facing must be set on a secure footing; in new construction, this concrete is poured with the foundation; in existing construction, a ledge must be added past the house framing.
- 2). Prepare a wooden surface with metal lath and mortar. Cover the wood with waterproof paper and expanded metal lath, nailed into underlying studs. Overlap lath at joints and corners, 6 inches on vertical seams, 2 inches on horizontal seams. Then apply a sand and cement mortar, covering the lath completely but with a flat surface. Scratch the plastered surface with a rake or scratcher before the mortar dries completely to improve adhesion of the stones.
- 3). Apply your stone veneer, using mortar. Stones for exterior veneers are cut thin enough to apply with mortar and can be easily cut or shaped to fit, using a wetsaw, a circular saw with masonry blade or a maul and chisel. Start at the top of a wall. Use a trowel to "butter" the back of a stone with 1/2 to 3/4 inch of mortar, then press it firmly into place and wiggle it until mortar squeezes out around the edges. If it slips, you may be using too little mortar or too thin a mixture; work until you are able to place a stone firmly. Then continue to cover the wall.
- 4). Finish the fieldstone siding after the mortar is no longer wet, 30 minutes to an hour. Push mortar deep into the joints and rake out any excess, using a rounded stick. Once the mortar has further set, you can use a wire brush or whisk broom to clean any off the stone facing. You also can finish the joints with grout, using a grout bag to squeeze the grouting mortar firmly into the joints.
SHARE
