A rigid wire lath product having a backing material which may be used to reinforce coatings, such as stucco, applied to building surfaces. The product comprises a mesh of longitudinal wires and transverse wires having a plurality of spaced indentations. A layer of backing material having apertures which straddle the indentations is interwoven in the mesh by longitudinal retaining wires extending along the bottom of the indentations. A method of manufacturing the product by providing a mesh of longitudinal and transverse wires welded together at their intersections substantially in a plane, and forming rows of spaced indentations in the transverse wires. A planar material is overlaid on the mesh such that said portions of the indentations protrude through apertures in the material. A plurality of wires are welded along respective rows of the protruding indentations to sandwich the material between the mesh and the wires.