Construct A Stone Interior Wall
A stone interior wall can add a striking appearance to any home. Many landscape companies offer a wide variety of stone including traditional wall building slate. Although the entire process can be a little messy, with some added knowledge and a little bit of caution, you can add this incredible feature to almost any room in the house. First do a little online research checking out construction possibilities. If you decide to go with decorative stone, you may want to sketch out possible patterns that would be created by color differences or the staggering of brick and other similar shaped stone requiring a specialized construction.
•Thick plastic sheeting
•Mortar mix
•Sate
Step 1 - Measure
Measure the area in a room where you plan to install the stone wall and take this to your supply house. Here you’ll get the needed advice to determine how much mortar mix and slate you’ll need to complete the job. You should be able to get all the supplies you need at your local landscape store. Substitute large river rock or cobblestones in place of the slate if desired.
Step 2 – Use Plastic
Lay down the heavy duty plastic sheeting as close as possible to the area where the wall will go. This will keep the slate from hurting any existing flooring so be careful when placing the stone on the plastic. Cover the floor all around the area for protection as well. You will have to remove any carpet and padding. You can build on tile or a hardwood floor, so it is wise to build on the plywood subfloor under a carpeted room.
Step 3 – Mix It Up
Mix the mortar according to the instructions. Apply a thin layer to the floor where you will stack the slate to make the wall. Use the notched edge of the trowel dragging it along the applied mortar. Place a row of slate on top of the mortar firmly pressing it into the mix.
Step 4 – Build it Up
After completing initial bottom row, repeat the process gradually building the height of the wall. If you are using cobblestone instead of slate, place mortar all around the stones and stagger the mortar joints so the stones are not evenly atop one another. When using cobblestones, bricks or river rock, it is important to place the layer on top over the vertical mortared area between two stones on the row below. Make sure to follow this method on each level as you build higher.
Step 5 – Remove Excess
Before any mortar dries, inspect the entire wall on both sides for any errant spots found with a wet sponge. Also, get rid of the plastic covering before the mortar dries because it will be easier to remove this heavy sheeting while the mortar is still wet.
Remove any mortar mix that goes astray before it dries. Discard the plastic covering before the mortar dries as well--it is easier to remove wet than dry.
