How to Install Cultured Stone on Halls

Measure your wall and multiply the length times the height to get the area of Cultured Stone in square feet that you'll need. Subtract the area covered by door openings. You also will need corner pieces for the ends of the hallway that have corners. Corners are sold by the linear foot, so you’ll need the height of the ceiling. Use these measurements to purchase your stone and mortar.

Scrub the wall with TSP or another strong wall cleaner. Lay out the stones on a drop cloth in a room adjacent to the hall wall you want to cover. Become familiar with how they fit together to minimize the time you have to spend trimming the stone to fit.

Nail or staple sheets of metal mesh to the studs in the wall to be covered. The mesh, called metal lath, will catch the mortar and provide a foundation for your wall.

Mix your mortar in a bucket or wheel barrow. Follow directions on the package; set-up times vary. Mortar must be moist, not crumbly, but firm enough that it doesn't run down the wall.

Load some mortar on your hock or a piece of plywood and carry it to the wall. Spread the mortar evenly with your trowel on a 5- to 10-square-foot area so that it covers the lath.

Butter the backs of stones and place them on top of the mortar, one at a time. Twist each stone lightly as you place it to ensure a good seal. Apply corner stones first, down each end of the hall. Lay the remaining stones, beginning at the top of the wall and working down to the floor, 5 to 10 square feet at a time.

Brush any mortar drips or splatters from the stone surfaces with a dry wisk broom when you have finished the wall. When the mortar dries enough that it's firm but still damp and cool to the touch, use a grout bag to add mortar to even out the joints. Strike the mortar with the tuckpointing tool to make all the joints even.