How to Build Brick and Stone Veneer Walls

When laying stone veneer on a concrete black wall, the procedure is
very similar to the laying of a brick veneer wall:
1. With the masonry nails or stud gun, attach wall ties to the wall
every 2 or 3 square feet. (If the concrete block wall is being built from
scratch, insert the ties in the mortar joints between blocks.)
2. Attach the stones to each other to the wall with mortar. Lay a 1"
mortar bed on the footer, and then begin setting the first course of
stones; unless you are using a high grade of dressed stone, you will
also be setting small stoens or gravel in mortar to fill the irregular,
open spaces where the large stones do not meet. For each new
course, build up a mortar bed and set the stones in place, checking
the alignment as you go. Bend as many of the ties as possible into
the joints between the stones.
3. Because very large stones can squeeze out all the mortar in their
joints, support them temporarily with wooden wedges. When the
mortar has set, pull out the wedges and fill the holes with mortar.
4. When a section has been laid, use a piece of wood to rake out the
joints to a depth of ½" to ¾". This will enhance the play of light and
shadow on the face of the wall.