How to Install Stone Tile Mortar Felt & Chicken Wire

Whether you are dealing with natural stones or cultured stones, all stone installations require a mixture of concrete or thinset mortar on top of a layer of chicken wire and felt paper to protect the wood substrate below. The felt paper acts as a moisture barrier and the chicken wire helps provide a structurally sound foundation layer for the stone to be installed on top of with mortar packed into the wire as well as on the tiles themselves. This provides a solid base for your stones to last the years to come.

Work gloves
Safety glasses
Utility knife
Tin snips
Felt paper
Chicken wire
Thinset mortar
Trowel
Tile wet saw
Spacers
Hammer tacker with staples
Drill with paddle
Bucket

Instructions

- 1
  Protect your substrate surface with a layer of felt paper. Cut the roll to fit with a utility knife and overlap the sheets by a few inches to help keep spillage to a minimum. For vertical installations keep the highest layers overlapping so that any moisture that penetrates the stone will work its way down the wall from sheet to sheet. Staple it into place with the hammer tacker.
- 2
  Install and prep the area. Cover the same area with a layer of chicken wire. Cut it with a pair of tin snips and install it on top of the paper. Staple it into place with the tacker. Mix up some of the thinset mortar in a bucket with a drill and paddle and use a trowel to spread the mortar across the wire mesh, filling it up. Trowel it flat and wait 24 hours for the installation of the stone.
- 3
  Mix up a new batch of thinset. Use the trowel to apply an even layer of mud across the back of the stone tile. Depending on the size you can choose to trowel it on with a notched trowel or apply a liberal amount on the back with a flat trowel. Install the stone onto your scratch-coated surface and repeat the process for all of the stones.

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