Real natural stone is one of the most commonly installed finishes on retaining walls it is beautiful and it is also long lasting. For those who love DIY projects, you will be happy to know that you can install stone veneer walls yourself with just a little guidance. It doesn’t take that long and if you do it as directed the result will be just as good as a professionally done job.
Get started by calculating how much material you will need. You don't want to run out and have to buy additional supplies in the middle of your project. It is always better to have a little left over than to run short. Calculate the square footage or square meter of the wall so that you can know how many thin veneer bricks you will need and also how much mortar will go into it. After that, follow the following steps:
1. Start by cleaning the wall completely. You must get rid of old paint, debris and basically anything else that may get in the way of the bricks adhering to the wall. Depending on the condition of the surface you may need to use a sandblaster over it a little.
2. The next step is to mix the mortar. The best kind is called Type S because it is per-blended. You can buy it at any hardware store. There are manufacturer instructions on the packaging that tell you how much water you should use.
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4. Now it is time to install the bricks starting at the corners. Dampen the back of each stone and then apply a layer of mortar on it. Between one and two inches of mortar is enough depending on the thickness of the veneers. Press the stone into the retaining wall and make sure that it is in the desired position. After you do this on the whole wall you then have to fill the gaps with grout. Clean away any bits that may stick to the bricks so that you have a clean looking wall in the end.
