Stone veneer calculator
Enter the wall, the outside corners and your stone’s box coverage to see how many boxes of flats and corners to buy and how much mortar to set them.
Enter your measurements
More options: Corner box · Extra
- Bags of veneer mortar
- 13 bags · 80 lb
- of which for the scratch coat
- 6.5
- Wall area (net of openings)
- 100 sq ft
12.5 ft × 8 ft = 100 sq ft + 10% ÷ 10 sq ft per box = 11 boxes
Mortar: scratch 0.5 in + setting bed 0.5 in over the wall ÷ 0.71 cu ft per 80 lb bag = 13 bags
- Corner pieces cover part of the wall face. Some makers let you reduce the flats by the area the corners cover — check your stone’s installation guide.
- Lay stones out on the ground first, mixing boxes, so colours and sizes are spread evenly across the wall.
Quick answers for common sizes
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| How much mortar for stone veneer | 13 bags of 80 lb veneer mortar per 100 sq ft (scratch coat + setting bed) |
Boxes and mortar for other wall areas
| Wall length | Boxes of flats | Bags of veneer mortar | Wall area (net of openings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft | 5 boxes | 6 bags | 40 sq ft |
| 12.5 ft | 11 boxes | 13 bags | 100 sq ft |
| 25 ft | 22 boxes | 26 bags | 200 sq ft |
| 50 ft | 44 boxes | 52 bags | 400 sq ft |
Manufactured stone veneer is sold in boxes of flats (by square feet of wall) and corners (by linear feet of corner). ProVia, for example, packs its flats at about 10 sq ft per box with ½ in joints and its corners at 6 linear ft per box; other brands differ, so enter the figure printed on your boxes.
Mortar: scratch coat plus setting bed
Over lath, the wall first gets a scratch coat. Quikrete’s Veneer Stone Mortar data sheet says an 80 lb bag yields about 0.71 cu ft and covers about 17 sq ft as a ½ in scratch coat (13 sq ft for a 60 lb bag). Each stone is then set into a bed of mortar on its back and pressed onto the wall; the data sheet calls for consistent ½ in joints but gives no coverage for the setting bed, so the calculator uses the thickness you enter — set it from your stone maker’s instructions.
boxes of flats = (wall area − openings) × (1 + waste) ÷ coverage per box corner boxes = total corner height × (1 + waste) ÷ feet per box mortar bags = area × (scratch + setting thickness) × (1 + waste) ÷ bag yield
The worked example is how much mortar for stone veneer, for 100 sq ft of wall.
Tips
- Mist the scratch coat before setting stone in hot, dry weather so it doesn’t pull water out of the setting mortar too fast.
- Start at the bottom corners and work up and across, keeping joints consistent.
- Point the joints with a grout bag and strike them once they are thumbprint-firm.
- For brick veneer instead of stone, use the brick calculator.
What you’ll need
- Self-furred metal lathMid-range price
Gives stucco and stone veneer scratch coats something to grip over sheathing. Follow the maker’s fastener spacing.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Mortar hawkBudget price
A flat board with a handle underneath that holds a load of mortar or stucco next to the work.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Brick trowelBudget price
Spreads and furrows the mortar bed and butters the ends of each block or brick. A 10–11 in trowel suits most hands.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Mortar jointerBudget price
Tools mortar joints to a concave finish once they are thumbprint-hard, which compacts them and sheds water.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet are in a box of stone veneer?
It depends on the maker and profile. ProVia lists about 10 sq ft per box of flats (12.5 for its dry-stack profile) and 6 linear ft per box of corners. Read the box.
How much mortar for stone veneer per square foot?
For a ½ in scratch coat, about 1/17 of an 80 lb bag of Quikrete Veneer Stone Mortar per square foot, plus the setting-bed mortar on the back of each stone.
Do I need lath for stone veneer?
Over sheathing, yes — adhered veneer goes on a scratch coat over lath and a weather-resistive barrier. On clean, unsealed masonry or concrete, some makers allow direct application. Follow your stone maker’s instructions and local code.
Related guides
Sources
- ProVia — Manufactured stone calculator (coverage per box) (opens in a new tab) — Flats about 10 sq ft per box with 1/2 in joints; dry-stack about 12.5 sq ft; corners 6 linear ft per box.
- Quikrete Veneer Stone Mortar (No. 1137) data sheet (opens in a new tab) — 80 lb bag ≈ 0.71 cu ft, about 17 sq ft of scratch coat at 1/2 in; 60 lb ≈ 0.53 cu ft, about 13 sq ft; joints a consistent 1/2 in.