Many homes that appear to have stone walls actually have thin stonework embedded on the exterior wall in Portland cement. The surface never needs paint and cleans with pressure-spraying. Stone veneer goes over masonry surfaces of concrete block, brick or stucco. Houses with wood siding must have a layer of concrete applied to the exterior before stone veneer can be applied. Give your home the look of stone construction with stone veneer.

1
Clean the exterior walls and stones thoroughly and allow the walls to partially dry. Dampen the concrete walls with a masonry brush and bucket of water if they dry completely before applying the mortar.

2
Lay veneering stones on the ground in the pattern they will appear on the wall. Measure the wall space and the pattern on the ground to be certain of including enough stones.

3
Mix Portland cement with twice as much washed sand in a wheelbarrow. Add water to the mixture and churn with a hoe. Mix in enough water to create a stiff, creamy consistency.

4
Apply the mortar to the wall with a trowel. Layer a 1/2-inch coat of the mortar on the wall.

5
Dampen the back side of clean stones and apply a thick coat of mortar. Press the mortar-coated side of the stone into the mortar on the wall with a subtle twist that squeezes mortar out to the side of the stone. Place stones close enough to each other to leave slim joints between them.

6
Scrape away any excess mortar that oozes out past the outer face of the stone, or gets on the face of the stone, using a trowel. Do not let any mortar harden on the face of the stones.

7
Place mortar into a grout bag and squeeze it in between the stones. Scrape away any excess mortar with a trowel, and tool the mortar to the preferred depth as it sets up.