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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a hand using a striking tool to carve the grout when creating a stone veneer fireplace surround

Photo: Wendell T. Webber

Introduction
Overview
Steps:
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16. Strike the Grout

Let the grout cure until pressing it with a finger leaves a dent without breaking through the surface (about 60 minutes). Using the striking tool, carve the grout to the desired shape and depth. (You can use a store-bought striking tool, a chopstick, or the end of a 1x1 that's been rounded with sandpaper, depending on the size of the joints.) Achieve a classic look by carving a grout profile that sits below the face of the stones; for a rustic effect, like the one we used, shape the grout to sit flush with the stones (known as an overgrout technique), then go over the grout lines with a whisk broom to create a natural-looking finish. Let the grout cure for at least 48 hours before using the fireplace.