Stone masonry in Tuscaloosa AL - the right stone and mortar for your wall
Crumbling joints, loose stones or a leaning wall? We find the cause and repair it with stone and mortar that suit your wall.
- Stone type named plainly Every price says whether it's natural stone or manufactured veneer.
- Hand removal on older walls We chisel old mortar out by hand when that protects the stone.
- I show you first I point to the actual joint or crack before I price anything.
- Cause before patch We find why a joint failed before we put new mortar in.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
How do you know your stone wall needs work?
Stone holds up well, but the joints between the stones wear first, and catching that early usually keeps a repair to the joints instead of the stones.
Mortar that crumbles to sand
Scratch a joint with a key and it turns to powder or sand. The mortar's worn out, and water gets in behind it until stones start to loosen.
Stones that rock or shift
Push on a stone and it moves, or a cap stone has slid off. Once the joints around it let go, the stones beside it usually follow.
A wall leaning or bulging
A garden or retaining wall tips forward or bellies out in the middle. Something behind it is pushing, and the lean tends to grow once it starts.
Chipped stone around old patches
Older patch jobs where the stone around the newer mortar is chipping or flaking. The repair mortar usually doesn't suit the stone, and the damage spreads along the patch.
Damp stains and white powder
Dark wet patches or a white chalky crust on the face of the stone. Water is moving through the wall, usually through open joints, and it'll keep wearing them.
Veneer cracking or coming loose
Manufactured stone on a wall or column is cracking, sounding hollow or falling away. Water is usually getting behind it, and the wall underneath needs checking before more comes off.
How we do stone masonry work
I start by working out what your wall is made of, because natural stone and manufactured veneer look alike but go together differently, and every price I give you says plainly which one it's for. On a wall that needs repointing, we take the worn mortar out first, and on older walls we do that by hand with chisels and mash hammers when that's what protects the stone, since national preservation guidance says hand removal takes more labor but in most cases carries the least risk of damage. Then we pack the joints with mortar chosen for that wall and clean the stone face as we go. A dry-stacked wall is different, because it holds back the earth with interlocking rocks and no mortar or steel, so the weight, size and shape of each stone and how it locks into the next decide how well the wall holds. What moves the price is the kind of stone, the size of the wall and how much old mortar has to come out by hand, and the schedule turns on any permit and on what we find once the old joints are open, so your written estimate gives you your own figure.
Stone often isn't the only thing wearing. If your house has brick too, its joints usually wear at the same pace, and brick pointing on the same job saves setting up twice. When a stone wall or chimney cracks because the house underneath has moved, new mortar won't hold until that's fixed, so we look at foundation repair first instead of patching the same crack twice.
What happens after you call about stone masonry?
From your first call to the last joint, here's who you deal with and what you get at each step.
Call or send a request
Call (205) 579-1102 or send the form, and I'll set a time to come out and look at the wall with you.
Read the written estimate
I show you what I'm seeing, then write up the work and the price, noting anything I can't know until the old mortar's out.
Permits first, then the work
If you go ahead, we sort out any permit questions before we start. Then our crew gets to work on your wall.
Walk the finished wall
We clean up the mortar and stone chips, then walk the wall with you so you can look at every joint.
Why Tuscaloosa homeowners call D&L Tuscaloosa Concrete and Masonry
Our own crew sets your stone
The people working on your wall are our crew, and I check their joints on site while the work goes on.
In business since 2017
I learned from an older mason who made me explain each step back, so I'll explain your wall to you too.
We're licensed and insured
Alabama's Home Builders Licensure Board covers home building, remodeling and repair over $10,000 in labor and materials, so check whoever you hire.
Older Tuscaloosa walls are familiar
Most of our calls here are crumbling joints and cracks on older homes, so we know how old mortar and stone wear.
Get a written estimate for your stone wall or veneer
Send the wall type, its rough size and a few photos of the stone or joints. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free estimate at your property with no obligation.
Examples of stone masonry
Look through these examples of stone walls, veneer and repointed joints to get a feel for the finish you'd like on your house.
Stone masonry questions we hear
These are the questions people ask me most about stone walls, veneer and mortar in Tuscaloosa. If yours isn't here, call and ask about your own wall.
How much does stone veneer installation cost in Tuscaloosa?
Stone veneer installation in Tuscaloosa usually costs about $2,100 to $8,500 per project. That's the area's typical range for veneer only, so a natural stone wall or a repointing job gets priced once I've seen it. Whatever the price, it's satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Do I need a permit for a stone wall in Tuscaloosa?
A new stone wall likely needs one, because the city requires permits for all new construction, remodels and alterations, and its permit administrators handle permitting and inspections for homes. For a repair like repointing, ask them at 205-248-5110, and when a job needs a permit, we handle the application with the city or county office that covers your address. Work next to Lake Tuscaloosa may also need a Land Development Permit, and work in the Lake Tuscaloosa, Harris Lake or Lake Nicol watersheds may need a site stabilization plan, so the Office of the City Engineer at 205-248-5380 is the place to ask.
How do I find out if my Tuscaloosa house is in a historic district?
Ask the city's Planning & Zoning office at 205-248-5100 or hpc@tuscaloosa.com, because Tuscaloosa says extra rules may apply to projects in a historic district. Walls are part of that review, and the city's historic commission has taken up a request to build a wall and gate in the Druid City Historic District. If there's any chance your home is in one, we check before we schedule anything.
Is manufactured stone the same as natural stone?
No. Manufactured stone veneer is a lightweight product cast from cement-based materials to look like natural stone, and it doesn't hold up any part of the structure. When you compare quotes, ask which kind each price covers, because two prices for stone can be for very different products.
What is repointing on a stone wall, and why does the mortar matter?
Repointing means taking the worn mortar out of the joints between stones and replacing it with new, and you'll also hear it called pointing or tuckpointing. Stone walls are usually thought of as permanent, but they wear, mostly at the joints. National preservation guidance says repair mortar has to let moisture move out of the wall and dry, or the stone gets damaged, so on an older wall, ask what mortar a quote uses.
How do I protect new stone veneer in hot weather?
One trade group's guide says to shield manufactured stone veneer from drying too fast when the air tops 100° F, or 90° F with wind over 8 mph. That protection runs before, during and for 72 hours after the work. If your veneer job lands in summer, ask how the crew plans to keep the new stone covered.
Book a look at your stone wall
Our phones are open until 11 PM on weekdays and 9 PM on weekends, so call (205) 579-1102 after work or send the form.