How to Cover a Concrete Wall with Stone Veneer | This Old House

[@dennistavares4648]

I am the owner of the wall and can say 8 years later it is fine nothing has fallen off or broken and the cost to do the job was perfect 0 dollars

[@youarerightboss]

Dennis Tavares, good for you.

[@artcore9886]

So they did this in 2009?

[@medjools7643]

Since you already had a masonry wall I think I would have used brick ties, about 4 per 16 inch and 2 per 8 inch. I think that's great that the wall hasn't fallen apart but I wouldn't have done your job without the brick ties, just to cover myself

[@j8ke937]

and took 8 years to produce it. Sure Dennis.

[@6whatisit6]

Looks beautiful!! Good job Dennis and good to hear from you.

[@symcardnel1741]

I come from a family of stone masons. Great grandpappy used to say... "never have a horizontal masonry joint exposed to the element" and "never not trowel your back butter". I'd always ask, "why great grandpappy". He'd just shake his head, slap me and just walk away in disgust. Nice video guys.

[@dennistavares4648]

I have to smile at the comments on fake stone.. no it is real stone individual stone pieces put in a panel and once again again nothing has failed on the wall 8.5 years later::thank you Roger and Ask This Old House

[@GK5_]

Dennis Tavares half these people have never heard of ledge stone. Lmao

[@alexisjankowski3281]

Looks real nice!

[@javee-th5no]

I gotta say ur a badass 4reals. I respect an Alpha Male putting in work cuz I'm a DIY type guy also.

[@luckyvet]

Dennis, its nice to hear the job was free, were the materials also free? Just curious. It looks amazing btw.

[@Rikkcas]

It’s real stone, but the proper term is ‘natural stone *veneer*’. Not to be critical.. but there are also a lot of vertical running joints going up the wall in close proximity. More proper masonry is to cut or make adjustment to avoid repeat, joints like that. I get the idea of keeping it simple... I’m just saying, so others are aware. This was laid more like tile than real stone, imho. With veneer stone, you can get away with it. But if it was actually real, full thickness, ledge stone, it would be considered a weak joint pattern. The exception would be if a repeat ‘grid’ pattern was being used. I’m saying this because I was a masonry contractor for over 40 years, from a family of Italian masons and terrazzo workers. In a ‘real’ stone wall, a close vertical joint layout like that would be susceptible to cracking along the joint. There should always be sufficient seperation and distance on a running bond like that. In this case, simply flipping the panels over in spots could have eliminated that. Other than that, it looks very nice. Good job. 👍🏼

[@ES-fr3yz]

to do this job for rogah you will need: stone veneeah,mortah,wotah and hammah.

[@Cambone13]

We want the mortah to have the consistency of peanut buttah

[@Fusdew]

And that's hwaf an ench ov pourtlend mortaw

[@coldin71201]

+Cambone13 Hahahahaha!

[@coldin71201]

+Bobby Taylor Hahahahaha!

[@toojkool4984]

I think I got the instructions wrong. I kept putting the mortar into 1 pot and the sand into 3 pots. Not working.

[@OU81TWO]

No. It's cause you're using "mortar". You need to use "mortah". It's a different thing.

[@jaimeriquelme6727]

Hi Roger, more than 2.7 mil people have watched this show, amazing, you doing a good job mate,good on ya, greetings from Sydney.

[@mrgallbladder]

4:09 holds it at a 15-20° angle.

[@davec.3198]

There are some scratch coat mixes that are made to go over paint. As long as it is not a high gloss...it works really well. I think it has special modifiers in it that bite into the paint. I have 1,300lbs of stone veneer in my living room all the way to my cathedral ceiling on a cement block wall that was skim coated and painted when i first moved in.

[@CaptainGreenTea]

Did the wall get up and move to the other side of the garage???

[@kkknotcool]

Didn't you pay attention. They already did the stripping and base mud on the left wall before Rodger showed up. That way they could show a whole wall being done in a one day shoot. Otherwise you would have to strip and mud one day and come back to do the tiling later.

[@AussieWife3746]

We built a cement block well house which protected the well and all its equipment very well during extreme weather then we used stone veneer over the cement block. It looked awesome.

[@jameswatson7778]

This video is good in that it shows you the general thought process and steps required to do this sort of project, but as many have pointed out some of the details are a bit iffy

[@dhollm]

Doing the top course of tapered pieces before the cap would have been a lot easier to mark & cut.

[@briantetley8954]

My thoughts exactly. Scribing those cuts would have been lot simpler.

[@palmerprod]

He most likely had wet cement to use up before he made all the cuts.

[@davec.3198]

Good thought.

[@drleo2641]

That's why they didn't show them cutting it. Because it was a total b****.I would have installed it, let it dry. And cut it off with a concrete demo saw. Have a man with a leaf blower behind me so I don't become a snowman

[@randomsecrets]

I love the finished look! Roger is one of the greats! I watched this 5 years ago when they posted it, and was happy to see it in my recommended videos today. I always notice something i missed the first time when i re-watch This old house videos! - I love them all! :)

[@fredbosco6104]

Roger, Norm, Tommy & Rich are God's in this show. I am amazed at how perfect their calculations are, how flush their end products become and how easily they explain stuff to us.

[@gilguzman8359]

Nice video. To make the last row of uneven cuts, you can place an uncut piece up against the top edge of the cap stone, then place another stone below it, mark it with a pencil, cut the piece and, viola, it's a perfect cut. Tile layers to this and it makes the job of cutting pieces faster and more accurate.

[@youarerightboss]

Roger is a smart and generous man.

[@Eduardo-tq5sk]

That's awesome I learn it to help a friend family! Thank you for your generosity...

[@rorybellamy2533]

Roller for the bonding agent...

[@kyleblum3831]

Nah man use yah maddas toofth brush

[@kyleblum3831]

Nah man use yah maddas toofth brush

[@l.o.lfuntube3771]

ed

[@earlholcomb7723]

the blow up TNT u XT TX

[@johnnyblaze7760]

im so glad i read stuff.....lololololol

[@rokpodlogar6062]

the classic roger enthusiasm. hope he gets like this again.

[@pavilliontreasures2699]

Exactly been doing the same prep for a walkout basement but got paint to remove. Used the gel stuff but needs more and power washer was doing great at @ 2300 psi but popped a whole in the hose. Just bought the darn thing but got new hose and going to tackle it again. Face shield helps but its a mess in a confine area. Going to put on that sticky bond when done. I got the older version of stone veneer mixed with different manufacturers for ledgestone(craigslist) but should be great once finished.

[@glorygloryholeallelujah]

I am absolutely LIVING for these accents! 🤣❤️👍

[@mariamendoncs6788]

Dont forget to caulk the bottom joint to protected from water as it penetrates the joint and freezing in the winter which will lead to detiriation.

[@dennistavares4648]

I have current photos of the wall 12/11/17 not one piece is missing from it or has ever fallen off

[@oerc201]

what stones were used?

[@ashyclaret]

Any links?Or do we have to take your word for it.lol

[@iancrossley6637]

I did a wall on my barn 25 years ago and it's held up fine. I believe the trick is that what we called Milk. It's the bonding agent, expensive but it make the project last.

[@Aezelll]

For an expensive exterior job like this I would really want to see mortar spread on both substrates, and have it a bit wetter. I really think those top caps are going to just flake off eventually. Mortar too try and probably not a lot of bonding power to the top caps.

[@rocketsauce08]

+natty4now nobody cares about your output

[@tomself6505]

nobody cares about your input, output, or anti- American ideology. Cultured stone built this cuntry, mortar dry, wet or otherwise!

[@jasonwood5730]

I bought a refurbisher sander, Porter Cable, it's got some sweet sanding pads for everything, tough too, I would have added a plug on each wall an ran Led light under the cap stone lip on each side to show the wall off at night , an keep non driving people from hitting it,

[@silver60618]

Can you use Type S mortar? or does it require the special mix blend?

[@heppylifestyle]

superb vid -- details are explained and it's concise! thank you!!

[@pandaDotDragon]

Great. This little wall is stronger than the house ^^'

[@marcosmota1094]

We love you Roger!

[@SteveBueche1027]

Hoff an inch? That’s not on my tape measure! Lol Great show guys👍🏻

[@LoraineMojicaMcCall]

Do you have to wait a full day from mudding the wall to installing the veneer?

[@ashkrikorian5753]

Great video! I have a question, why can't you just use thinset to bond the stacked stone to the concrete wall? I plan on a similar project soon. One will be indoor and one will be outdoor. Both will be built roughly 4' high, and then covered with the stacked stone... I was under the impression I can use regular thinset mix. Would that not bond well enough?

[@giacomopeters9988]

What an outstanding idea! Our builder left our foundation exposed and ugly! I would have to remove some dirt to get at it. I think I would have it done because I no longer have that kind of stamina to do big jobs. Thanks for the idea!

[@dturk1022]

Does all the prep work, up to applying mortar on the wall, need to be done for a bare concrete wall?

[@therealamirhere]

Nice work on the whal!

[@godbluffvdgg]

The setting mortar was WAY to dry...You can tell the old guy worked with his hands for many years..:)

[@EpilepsyWarning]

great idea

[@EpilepsyWarning]

wait wrong guy

[@mattjudy4037]

Yes it was

[@benclarkson4205]

He pressed the first piece on the wall and the wall just laughed 😆

[@Wormanatti]

Waaaay too dry.

[@steelydanfan100]

Good video. I am going to comment that Quikrete makes pre-mixed mortar for tile installation, I doubt seriously that the beginner DIYer is going to mix this stuff up on his/her own. Also, the mortar does need to be somewhat dry, it is supposed to stay on a trowel when the trowel is turned to 90 degrees from horizontal. Wetting the tiles is what makes the bond activate, not a runny mortar mix.

[@zackzander425]

Wetting the stone helps prevent the moisture from transferring out of the mortar to the stone too quickly causing it to flash cure.

[@john38261]

This type of stone you use thin set same as you would tile. I've layed it loads.

[@Mrjohnboyd1959]

Incredible acting. ""Roger, this is just amazing!" It moved me to tears....

[@BillyOnYouTube]

I wish you'd show the process of measuring, marking, and cutting the stone

[@pacificdynamicbuilders4380]

stick your tile all the way up the wall. then cut them off with the grinder, run your cap.

[@EpilepsyWarning]

great idea man

[@jasonponciano6823]

I think the vibration from the grinder will just gut out the tiles off the wall you know...

[@andres783]

You can butt them in to the wall, run a pencil/marker line parallel to the wall to mark your cut, then cut. Easy, simple, no issues.

[@vitaliykhomichuk9811]

As a mason, this is tough to watch lol. Im glad it held up and nothing fallen off.

[@honeelemon]

Why do you say that? I’m planning on putting the same kind of stone on a cement wall too.

[@nightcoder5k]

I would put the caps on last because with the caps on it's a bit harder to measure the triangle pieces.

[@djunderwood4059]

Can you do this the same with a cinder block retaining wall or do I need to do anything different?

[@KewlCrayon]

Why'd you put the cap on first before the cut pieces?

[@MarceloApparatus]

the best chanell, thanks of Brazil (Montenegro-RS - south Brazil)

[@adrielchagas2167]

Cara sabe onde axo esse moldes e fórmulas ??

[@jgyrwa]

I enjoyed this video and your country twang. Great job bro! You were technical and informative of your trade. Video production was good too.

[@starrskyeevents8044]

That's not a country twang, that's a Boston accent.

[@PezzOnaytor]

Rest In Peace letter “R”, you will be missed!

[@20pawranch]

Did Roger pass away?

[@Ari-ll1wp]

He just doesn't say the letter "R". He might neveh say it again.

[@vipleather]

Mortar was a little dry. Would have used a notch trowel after I buttered the stone. 3to1 is too much sand. 2to1 would had made a better bond.

[@ericagonzalez446]

Ttt

[@mixingreen]

how long did you wait after the scratch coat was layed to apply the stone?

[@gangisspawn1]

Too long.

[@FrankWu]

Another optional for removing the paint from concrete area wall is to use a Diamond cup grinder bit. for removing

[@Kievlar]

I wanted to see how was the connection between the wall and the top. How it looks and and how can the top stay put strongly.

[@atirocks]

Can someone recommend an adhesive/epoxy/mortar and grout good enough for extreme frost and thaw cycles? Im retiling my porch because it wasn't done correctly before and every year tiles will come off during winter. I live in southern Ontario, we can get nasty ice storms. Im using textured porcelain tiles on a large porch exposed to all the elements. Please advise.

[@2stepdvm]

Was the wall grouted at the end. I have used this tile and have had to hand grout it. The over engineering/ technique is good to show for the beginner. A master may have different techniques to save time.

[@MrGrasham1]

Can I use grout ready mixed instead??

[@thomaswild9044]

The only confusion that I have is it appeared the first layer of motor dried before all the stone including the cap was set in place.

[@drleo2641]

The scratch coat was supposed to be dry. That's why it looked dry

[@dodojack1045]

Does the scratch coat have to dry before starting with the rock veneer..?

[@omegapointil5741]

So what did you do with that gap between the tops after you got the inch overhang?

[@AnnaLVajda]

Looks great not sure why they did not finish all the pieces before capping it but it looks great finished.

[@buckbuck9225]

What do you have against thinset? Nothings gonna hold better.

[@m.w.6526]

Could you do this same exact process for a cinderblock wall inside a basement?

[@howardgilmour8464]

Cheers. Enjoyed the video.

[@vermontthinstonenaturalsto7099]

Excellent work!!!

[@yohighness]

Awesome stuff, guys!

[@The702Ghost]

Thanks for the share! Gave us lots of awesome ideas we can do for our dull and very large walls. This video also was very informative and gives a grasp of DIY. 👍🏼

[@billcoley8520]

That looks really nice

[@qstrian]

Vertical spacer to accommodate warm weather expansion, This Old House?

[@stlchuckhd]

Wow! Awesome 😎🇺🇸!!

[@886014]

Wow, I normally like TOH videos, but this one was a shocker!

[@patmonroe1989]

Dennis, I just purchased this for a back splash for a reworked stucco fireplace area. My fireplace guy prepared the old stucco surface by scraping the old stucco off, putting on bonding agent, adding the netting, and the mortar, then the stucco. We left the stucco off the back splash area in order to lay the tile. The man doing the tile says I can't put that stone on the wall without it leaking because it is glued together with no grounding. I told him we are sealing the stone before and after, Is he right?

[@LovemeAquarius]

Good and informative. The sand that you used seems not that good. I can see a root at 03:17 in your mixture.

[@LesAnderson45]

I have a very flat cement wall 6 metres by half metre high, do you think I might get away with adhering to to the wall with a silicone gun containing something designed to stick concrete and is a little flexible?

[@mariovidmar7]

what about exterior house walls , what pros or cons would be to use tiles instead of stone or other conventional cladding ?

[@ramyantunez8406]

that's easy to do .you can see me do that in the chimney that's amazing job

[@Daemiex]

is it just me or does it look like the tiles arent sticking to that already drying wall?

[@electrocomm]

Not just you. If you move the tile on already dried mortar then the poorest adhesion is guaranteed.

[@donedwards5301]

It looks great. Any thoughts to doing a staggered joint with the pieces? Just wondering. When laying flooring, I would try to do this so repeating layout would not be apparent.

[@KevinBolsajian]

Don’t you just LOVE the way he says Mortar

[@Pwn3dbyth3n00b]

The when winter comes the ice is going to pry that right off.

[@gdoumerc1984]

That wahl looks wicked haat.

[@PJJ196]

Awesome work

[@DrAfunguy]

The video shows them prepping one curved wall and then cladding the other straight wall. Can someone explain how does one fit the flat stone veneer on a curved wall?

[@taqveem]

This gives me an idea 🤔

[@meganjarvis7970]

Love your video, but any suggestions for a contractor who will do this here on long island NY----? Suffolk County-? Want that done here, can't find anyone to help me get that going..... Please help.Thx.🤓

[@danallan171]

Good job! But we would have put all the wall units up first so that we could scribe them from the back! Just saying! Also mortar seemed a little tight when setting caps, to dry and it wont bond! Keep up the good work Roger! Dan Allan , Capital Concrete Contractors Inc. 38 yrs experience.

[@VidzMisc]

+Dan Allan i agree with you Dan, exactly the way i would have done it myself

[@zackzander425]

This ^

[@sentry9834]

Dan, can construction adhesive be used to bond stone veneer to a substrate instead of cement mortar?

[@garybrown9719]

Epoxy paint is the best bonding agent.

[@dougiequick1]

We bought this home in a most beautiful scenic area but things were never finished....for instance there is a wonderful robust cinder block Gate entrance for the driveway. It is quite massive obviously made to support large steel gates. It includes planter boxes on each side even. But they NEVER finished it! It is ugg ugg uglly cinder block ...we are on a budget so I am naturally considering having it stuccoed over and color coated....BUT there are hundreds and hundreds of these galvanized steel sheet metal tabs that were installed in between the blocks ALL over the entire work! I am thinking they were installed to help fix a stone facade of some kind? But now what are my options?? Would it be a total sin to cut them all off and stucco the things?? Or just bend them over? Or wrap it with stucco wire and bend the tabs over on TOP of the wire to hold the wire?? OR should I spend some more money and put some kind of economical facade on it?? Stone or brick etc....I am just at a loss what to do? I wish you were located in north san diego county area (above pauma valley) and come over and look at it...you or any viewers here have any suggestions?? btw my email is [e-mail] if anyone replies...otherwise not sure I will find this again weeks down the line if someone does not answer til then?...

[@Madafuknjoker]

Doug Chaney that sounds like it was set up for natural stone that is real thick and heavy. to stucco the wall you need to remove the tabs and apply some bonding agent than apply your stucco cement or just type s or n cement and after it cures fiber glass mesh the wall with a special cement for the fibor to prevent lines and cracks in the future and than your choice of texture finish that allready should have your color mixed in. if you are interested please let me know and I can send you thru a supplier that has everything for stucco plus more

[@autosalvage]

Great information!

[@billbliss2500]

Nicely done!

[@TheJSmithBA]

So is it "half inch", or "hoff inch" scratch coat ? Please advise.

[@qsballistics7545]

Thought the wall had uneven spots .. You just leave those? Didn't see where he smoothed it out. The brush on angle grinder?

[@MrDavevo76]

Why did they run the stone level with the driveway? You can see the top pieces are all cut at huge angles.

[@karlthomson9894]

Massachusetts i can hear it anywhere i love it

[@csrboltfan2643]

Why not use a roller to apply the bonding agent?

[@Jowamana]

i love it, that's how my chimney looks like

[@heroknaderi]

Incredible 👍

[@jerrysabo7043]

What was the brand of bonding agent?

[@pinaysaparisvlogbeth4268]

Great work, nice and clean 👍

[@tomn.9879]

Hi, what do I need to do differently if I want to apply a veneer along the bottom of a cinder block foundation?

[@zackzander425]

The "moretah" he is buttering the stones with is a little too dry. You want it to push out when you press the stone tight to the wall. That way you will get a strong bond; it will almost feel like the suction of a vacuum if you try to pull the stone off after you lay it. Also don't use a mallet. To get the stones to adhere to the wall better again use a little wetter mortar and rub them back and forth. If that was on a wood framed house the vibration will make all the other stones you just set fall off. I see more good than bad though if manufactured stone is the route you decide to go.

[@rampooni8122]

Wonder how much in material that was