How to Install a Robinson Brick Exterior

Prepare the exterior surface by removing any uneven materials such as siding or previous veneers. Rough up the entire exterior with rough-grit sandpaper. Wipe down the surface to remove the sawdust.

Find the studs in the wall by passing a stud finder over the area of installation. Mark the studs accordingly. Drill holes in the studs, spacing them every 12 inches.

Cover the exterior with horizontal sections of lath, making as few seams as possible. Attach the lath to the wall by drilling 3-inch galvanized wood screws through plastic disk washers, through the lath and into each predrilled hole. Overlap all seams by 4 inches minimum. Keep seams on flat surfaces and never on corners. Keep the lath tight during installation.

Spread mortar over the lath using a trowel, applying the mortar until there is a 1/4-inch layer of mortar on top of the lath surface. Let the mortar dry for three hours. Scrape up the entire mortared surface using a metal rake or other forked tool, applying scrapes both horizontally and vertically to make a gridlike pattern.

Let the mortar dry for 48 hours. Keep it dry by draping a tarp over the walls if necessary.

Cover the backside of each brick veneer with a 1/4-inch layer of mortar, using the trowel. Press the bricks against the surface in the chosen brick pattern, holding each brick to the wall for 30 seconds. Cut bricks with a table saw or handsaw if needed to make them fit in smaller spaces. Apply the bricks beginning at the top of each wall and working your way downward.

Wipe away all excess mortar. Allow two hours for the mortar to set, then apply grout to the desired depth between each brick for additional support.

Let the wall dry for an additional 48 hours, covering with a tarp again if the weather requires it.