How to Add Stone to Porch Posts

Layer the porch posts with wire mesh and felt paper. Cut the felt paper to fit with a utility knife and staple it in place with the hammer tacker, then layer the wire mesh on top of that. Cut the mesh to fit with the metal shears and staple it in place in a similar fashion.

Mix up some concrete mortar in your wheelbarrow with the shovel. Use the mason trowel to apply a liberal coat of the mud onto the wire mesh, as well as the backs of each individual piece of stone. Press the stones into place. Start at the bottom and work your way up, stacking the stones on top of each other. Tap them with a rubber mallet to set them firmly into the mortar.

Mount any heavier stones in place by wiring them onto the wall. Hammer a nail into the porch post just above the piece you need to hold in place. Tie wire around the stone. Set the stone in the mortar and tie off the wire to the nail. Leave it there while the mortar dries.

Come back 24 hours after you finish the post to grout. Cut the wire ties off with the metal sheers and remove the nails with the claw on the hammer. Mix up some more mortar in your wheelbarrow. Fill the grout bag with the mortar.

Place the tip of the grout bag into the gap between two stones and squeeze the bag gently to force grout out of the tip. Fill the joint according to your preference for joint width. Work your way up across the installation and fill all of the joints the same way. Let the mortar set up for an hour and then remove the excess grout with the hand grout jointer tool.