Stone masonry in College Station TX - walls and joints that let the stone dry out
Mortar crumbling out of your stone wall, or a new one you're planning? We repair and build stone so joints and stone both hold up.
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What does stone masonry involve on a College Station home?
Stone masonry in College Station means building walls of stone and keeping the ones you have sound. Most of that upkeep is repointing, where we take the worn mortar out of the joints and pack fresh mortar back in so water stops getting behind the stone.
Most people who call J&M College Station Concrete & Masonry either have mortar sanding out of an old stone wall or are planning something new and can't decide between real stone and a stone veneer facing. The price moves with how much wall there is, how deep the old joints have to come out, which stone you pick and whether a permit or an engineer is part of it. The schedule turns mostly on the city side and the weather, since fresh mortar can't be left to bake dry. Your own figure comes in the written estimate after I've seen the wall.
How can you tell your stone wall needs a mason?
Mortar sanding out of joints
If you can rub the mortar out with a fingertip or see gaps where it used to be, the joints have worn past doing their job. Water gets in behind the stone through those gaps, and the longer it does, the deeper we have to dig and the more joints go with it.
Stone flaking or crumbling
When the face of the stone itself is spalling off, the stone is usually taking the wear the mortar should be taking, often because an old repair used mortar that was too hard. Left alone, you lose stone, and real stone that's gone is hard to match.
Loose stones or a leaning section
A stone that rocks when you push it, or a stretch that's started to lean, means the joints have let go or the ground under the wall is moving. Waiting usually turns resetting a few stones into rebuilding that whole section.
How we handle stone masonry, old and new
On an older wall, I start by finding which joints have actually failed, because if only some are bad we fix those and leave the sound ones alone. We take the old mortar out by hand with chisels, which is slower but a lot kinder to the stone than a grinder, then we pack the joints with a mortar that lets the stone dry out and tool them to match what's there. On new work, I'll put samples in front of you and help you choose between natural stone and a manufactured look, then our crew builds the base, sets the stone and cleans the face as we go.
If the house behind the stone is brick, our brick pointing is the same careful joint work, with new mortar matched to the old. When stones keep shifting because something underneath is moving, I'll tell you so, because foundation repair has to come first or new joints just crack again.
Natural stone
This suits you if you want a wall that stands on its own or holds back a slope, since real stone can carry weight that a facing can't. It's heavier and slower to lay, and that usually shows in the price.
Manufactured stone veneer
This suits you if you want the look of stone on a wall that's already there. It's a lightweight, cement-based product cast to look like stone, and it carries no structural weight, so it's a facing and not the wall itself.
Get a written estimate for your stone wall
We reply within one business day to set a time, and the estimate is free, done at your home and comes with no obligation. I come out myself, we look the wall over together, and you get a written estimate that spells out the work and the materials.
(979) 393-7020What stone masonry in College Station has to account for
The City of College Station draws the permit line by what the wall does. It says a stone wall under six feet tall needs no building permit, a retaining wall over two feet does, and any contractor building a wall that needs a permit has to be registered with the city. Stone facing on a house is a separate question those wall rules don't settle, so I check it with the city before we start. When a permit is ours to pull, we pull it and set up the inspections.
Most of the stone damage we're called out for starts with water. A report on San Antonio's stone missions found that rain soaking into a wall, splashing onto it or wicking up from the ground all harm it, and that the best practice is to divert water before it gets in, so on a repair we look at where the water's coming from and not just at the joints. We see the same thing on jobs in Bryan and Navasota, mostly older walls and planters sitting near downspouts and sprinklers.
What happens after you call about your stone wall?
Call and set a visit
Call (979) 393-7020 or use the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out myself. We look the wall over together and I tell you what I'd fix and what I'd leave alone.
Get a written estimate
You get a written estimate that spells out the work and the materials, so you know exactly what you're paying for before you decide. If you go ahead, we sort out the city side before anyone starts.
We build, then walk it together
Our crew of masons does the work and I check it as it goes, which matters most on old joints where the depth and the mortar have to be right. At the end we walk the job together and leave the place clean.
Frequently asked questions
How much does stone veneer cost in College Station?
Installing stone veneer usually runs about $25 to $40 per square foot across the US, and that's the going rate nationwide, not our price. On your house, the stone you pick, how much area you're covering and how much prep the wall needs move it the most, and the written estimate gives you the figure for yours. Our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Why does the mortar type matter on an older stone wall?
Mortar that traps moisture in the wall ends up damaging the stones themselves, according to guidance written for older stone buildings. In those buildings the joints are meant to be the sacrificial part, wearing away and letting water out so the stone stays whole, which is why we use a mortar that lets the stone dry out. If you own older stone, it's worth asking a mason how your joints are holding up, and I'm glad to show you on yours.
Who designs a retaining wall in College Station?
A Professional Engineer does, because the city requires retaining walls to be designed by one, so plan for engineering before any building starts. A permitted retaining wall also needs a final inspection once it's finished, scheduled through Planning & Development Services at 979.764.3570 or through eTRAKiT. When the permit is ours, we set that inspection up.
How long does new stone veneer need protecting in hot weather?
Through 72 hours after the work, under one trade association's guide for manufactured veneer. It calls for protecting the veneer from drying too fast when the air is over 100°F, or over 90°F with wind above 8 mph, so on a hot, windy stretch we plan the job around that drying time.
How do I clean a limestone wall without damaging it?
Use a cleaner that isn't acidic, because limestone is sensitive to acid. That's the advice of a conservator working on San Antonio's stone missions. If you're not sure what kind of stone you have, I can tell you when I come out.
Can I build my own stone wall in College Station without a contractor?
Yes, a homeowner can do permitted wall work at their own homestead without registering as a contractor, as long as they apply for a building permit with the city before construction begins. If you'd rather pull the permit yourself on your own home, I'll tell you what the city will want to see.
College Station, TX
Tell us about your stone wall
Have the wall's height, whether it holds back soil and the area you want faced ready, because those three answers tell me most of what the job involves before I even come out.