Laying Concrete Wall Copings
Step-by-step guide made from Sam Davies's YouTube video.
This project demonstrates how to install concrete coping stones on top of a brick and block wall. The process includes preparing and laying a mortar bed, applying a primer to the copings for a strong bond, setting and leveling the stones, and finishing the joints for a clean, weatherproof seal.
- Difficulty: intermediate
Safety
- Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including safety glasses, hearing protection, and a dust mask, when cutting masonry with an angle grinder.
Must know before you build
- SBR primer is critical for smooth coping undersides to prevent detachment.
- Pre-check all coping stones for size variations to ensure consistent overhang.
- Align coping joints directly over wall expansion joints to prevent future cracking.
- Tap coping stones in the center when leveling; tapping edges causes tilting.
- Cut from the waste side of your mark to account for blade kerf and preserve measurement.
- Verify copings have a drip groove (throating) to prevent water runoff down the wall.
Tools
- Trowel (Brick Trowel)
- Wheelbarrow (construction wheelbarrow) (optional)
- Bucket
- Tape Measure
- Spirit Level
- Angle Grinder (Makita)
- Pencil
- Straight Edge (straight edge ruler)
- Jointer (Brick Jointer / Jointing Bar)
- Brush (Soft Brush) (optional)
Materials
- Sand and Cement (Mortar, 4:1 mix ratio)
- Concrete Coping Stones (concrete coping stone)
- SBR (Styrene-Butadiene Rubber) (Bonding Agent)
- Cement
Step by step
Step 1: Lay the Mortar Bed
Mix a 4:1 sand and cement mortar and lay a bed on top of the wall for the first coping stone.
- Prepare the Mortar. Scoop a standard 4:1 sand and cement mix from your wheelbarrow.
- Apply the Mortar Bed. Using a trowel, spread a full, even bed of mortar on top of the wall, similar to how you would lay a block.
Step 2: Prime the Coping Stone
Mix and apply a primer slurry of SBR and cement to the underside of the coping stone to ensure a strong bond.
- Mix the Primer. In a bucket, mix SBR bonding agent and cement to create a slurry-like primer. You can also use a pre-mixed product.
- Apply the Primer. Using a trowel, paste a thick, even coat of the primer onto the underside of the coping stone. Avoid applying it to the very edges that will overhang the wall.
- Watch out: Without a primer, the smooth underside of the coping won't bond properly to the mortar and can 'ping off' over time.
Step 3: Set and Level the First Coping
Place the primed coping stone onto the mortar bed, adjust for an even overhang, and tap it down until it is level.
- Place the Coping. Carefully lower the primed coping stone onto the fresh mortar bed.
- Set the Overhang. Use a tape measure to check the overhang on both sides of the wall, adjusting the stone until it's centered. For this wall, the target is a 35mm overhang on each side.
- Level the Stone. Place a spirit level on the coping stone and gently tap it down with your hand until the bubble is centered, ensuring it's level both along its length and across its width.
Step 4: Set the Second Coping
Lay another mortar bed, apply mortar to the end of the first coping for the joint, prime and place the second coping, and level it with the first.
- Lay the Next Mortar Bed. Spread another bed of mortar for the second coping stone.
- Butter the Joint. Apply a layer of mortar to the end of the already-laid coping stone. This will form the vertical joint between the stones.
- Prime and Place the Second Coping. After priming the second stone, carefully place it on the mortar bed, pushing it firmly into the buttered joint of the first stone.
- Check Alignment and Level. Measure the overhang to ensure it's consistent. Use your spirit level to tap the stone down until it's level with the first one.
- Tip: It's often quicker to apply mortar for the joints as you lay each stone, rather than filling them all at the end.
Step 5: Continue Laying Copings
Repeat the process of laying a mortar bed, priming, setting, and leveling the remaining coping stones for the section of the wall.
- Lay the Third Coping. Lay a mortar bed, butter the joint, prime the third stone, and set it in place.
- Level Across the Run. Use a long level across all the laid stones to check for overall levelness and make any fine adjustments by tapping them down.
- Clean Excess Mortar. Scrape away any large pieces of mortar that have squeezed out from under the copings.
- Watch out: When tapping a stone down, try to tap in the center. Tapping too close to one edge can cause the opposite edge to lift up.
Step 6: Cut a Coping Stone to Size
Measure and mark the final coping stone, then cut it to the required length using an angle grinder with a masonry disc.
- Mark the Cut Line. Measure the required length for the final coping stone. Because the stone has a peaked profile, mark the measurement on both outer edges and in the center peak.
- Draw the Guide Line. Use a straight edge to connect your marks, drawing a clear guide line for the cut.
- Cut the Stone. Wearing safety gear, use an angle grinder with a diamond or masonry blade to cut along the marked line. Make a shallow scoring pass first, then cut all the way through.
- Tip: When cutting, cut from the side of the line you intend to discard. This preserves your exact measurement, as the blade itself has thickness (kerf).
- Watch out: Cutting concrete creates a lot of silica dust, which is hazardous to inhale. Always wear a proper dust mask or respirator.
Step 7: Point the Joints
Once the mortar has started to dry, use a jointing bar to tool the joints for a clean, finished look.
- Check Mortar Firmness. Wait for the mortar in the joints to become 'thumbprint hard'—firm enough to hold a shape but not fully cured.
- Tool the Joints. Press a jointing bar or brick jointer into the mortar and run it smoothly along the joint to create a clean, concave profile. Fill any small gaps with extra mortar as you go.
- Brush Off Excess. After tooling, gently brush away any loose mortar crumbs with a soft brush for a tidy final appearance.