Laying Veneer Pavers Over Concrete

Lay out a few of the pieces of paver veneer in a row with spacers between them to simulate the finished installation. Measure the distance between a few of the pavers and use that measurement to lay out your installation surface so you have a guide while installing the paver veneers to keep all of the grout lines straight and square.

Measure out from your starting perimeter area roughly two feet using the dry laid tiles as a reference. This is a “row” of pavers that is two-feet deep, or wherever the closest grout joint falls around two feet. Mark two areas on the floor with a pencil along this measurement and snap a chalk line between the two marks to give you the first reference line. The most common way to start is the outside edge of your porch or patio so you have full pavers with cuts against the house.

Snap a perpendicular chalk line in the opposite direction to define your second reference line to help guide the squareness of the installation. Choose one of the sides of your installation area where you want full pavers and measure back along your existing chalk line the same distance as your first measurement. This is the equivalent of two feet of full pavers from joint to joint. Mark it on the floor with a pencil and framing square and then pop a line over the pencil mark.

Start your paver installation on your outer perimeters with your chalk lines as a reference point. Spread a layer of thinset mortar down onto the concrete slab with the notched trowel and smear it up to the edge of your chalk lines. Press the pavers down into the thinset mortar and work your way down along the lines. Use tile spacers between the pavers and work your way back from the starting point, letting the spacers help guide you past the initial chalk lines.