How to Build a Stone-Veneer Fireplace Surround

By: JENNIFER STIMPSON, This Old House magazine

Shopping List

Supplies You Will Need

1. Stone veneer. Get about 20 percent more than you need to cover your fireplace, to accommodate fit and breakage.

2. Builder's felt. It acts as a moisture barrier between the mortar and your walls to prevent water damage.

3. Metal lath to install over the felt. It keeps the mortar in place, creating a base for the stone veneer.

4. 3/8- or ½-inch staples.

5. 15/8 -inch galvanized roofing nails.

6. Veneer mortar. It contains special additives to create a strong bond between the stone veneer and the surface to which it's attached.

7. Plastic sheeting. Tape it to your walls, floor, and hearth to protect them while you work.

8. Painter's tape.

9. Old drop cloth (optional).

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Tools List
Tools You Will Need
- Stud finder
- Staple gun
- Hammer
- Finishing trowel
- Tiling trowel with 3/8-inch notch
- Grinder fitted with a diamond masonry blade
- Brick trowel
- Brick hammer
- Grout sponge or spray bottle
- Grout bag
- Masonry striking tool
- Whisk broom
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Product Gallery
Product selections for this project
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man attaching builder's felt to the front and sides of a fireplace

Photo: Wendell T. Webber

Introduction
Overview
Steps:
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1. Add the Base Layers: Install Builder's Felt

Working from the bottom up, staple horizontal lengths of builder's felt to the front and sides of the fireplace where the stones will go, overlapping the lengths by 2 inches or more. Each length of felt should be a continuous single piece so that water in the mortar can't seep behind the felt and cause damage.