Stone Veneer Installation in Tallahassee FL - a dry, well-fastened stone face
Tired of a plain block or siding wall? We set natural or manufactured stone with the layers behind it built to keep water out.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Is stone veneer right for my house in Tallahassee?
Stone veneer installation in Tallahassee, FL means bonding thin natural or manufactured stone to a wall with mortar, either straight onto a clean, rough wall or onto metal lath and a coat of mortar, so a plain wall takes on the look of solid stone without the weight of building one.
Most people who call us about veneer have a block wall, a foundation that shows above the ground, or a front wall they'd like to see in stone, and if you want stone built solid all the way through, like a freestanding wall or column, that's stone masonry rather than veneer. The price moves mostly with how many square feet you're covering, whether you choose natural or manufactured stone, how much work your wall needs before stone can go on, and how many corners, windows and doors the stone has to wrap around. The schedule usually turns on the weather and on whether your job needs a permit, and once I've seen your wall, you get a written estimate in plain words with your own figure.
How we handle stone veneer installation
I start by looking at the wall itself, because a stiff block or concrete wall suits stone better than one that flexes, and what the wall is made of decides the rest of the job. On block or concrete, we get the face clean and rough enough to take mortar, and on a framed wall we put up the layers behind the stone first, then the lath and a scratch coat, a first coat of mortar scored so the next one has something to grip. Most veneer trouble comes from water getting behind the stone, so I take my time on those hidden layers and on how every piece of lath is fastened before a single stone goes up. Then we set the stones in mortar by hand, fit them so the joints look natural, and finish the joints the way the mason I trained under taught me, tearing out and redoing any that aren't right.
If you're building new, a wall from our concrete block walls work gives stone a firm backing, and we can lay the block and face it in the same job. For an addition or a new house, foundation block wall installation comes first, and stone veneer can then dress the part of that foundation you see above ground.
Natural stone veneer
This is real stone cut thin, so no two pieces match and the color runs all the way through. It usually costs more and weighs more, and it suits owners who want genuine stone on a block or concrete wall.
Manufactured stone veneer
This is cast to look like stone, lighter in weight and more even in size, which makes it easier to lay out across a large wall. It usually costs less and suits owners who want the look of stone on a wider range of walls.
If you're planning stone alongside other outside work, like new windows or a porch, call before that work is scheduled so the edges and trim can be planned together.
What happens when you call us about stone veneer in Tallahassee?
From the first call to the last walk-through, you deal with me and the small crew I trained, so the person who looks at your wall is there when the stone goes on.
Call or send the form
Call (850) 391-6065 or send the form with a few words about your wall. We'll set a time that suits you for me to come out.
I look the wall over
I come out myself, look at what your wall is built from and how it's holding up, and explain what I see before I write anything down. You then get a written estimate in plain words, so you know what the job covers before you decide anything.
We prep and set stone
If you go ahead, we set a start date that suits you and take care of the permit side where one applies. My crew and I prepare the wall, build the layers behind the stone and set it by hand, cleaning up as we go.
We walk the finished work
Before we call the job done, we walk the finished stone with you and look at it together, joint by joint if you like. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
Get a free, written estimate for your stone veneer
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free, done on site and carries no obligation, so there's no pressure to decide that day.
(850) 391-6065Stone veneer installation in Tallahassee: permits and licenses
In Tallahassee, the city's Building Inspection Division issues the permits needed to build, renovate or expand a structure, and its list names retaining walls but not stone veneer, so the list alone doesn't settle whether your job needs one. You can apply through the city's Customer Permit Portal or ask the division at 850-891-7001, option 2 and then option 1, and where a permit applies, we help you find out which office handles your property and take care of the paperwork for our part of the work. Florida also has two kinds of contractor licenses. A certified license allows contracting anywhere in the state, while a registered license covers only the cities or counties where the holder has a certificate of competency, so it's fair to ask any installer which kind they hold. We're licensed and fully insured.
We're based in Tallahassee and work across the cities around it, and on jobs here and in Bradfordville and Crawfordville we see plenty of both block homes and wood-framed ones. With as much rain as falls here, we watch where the stone stops at the bottom, since one stone maker's instructions keep the bottom trim, the strip that lets water out, a set height above soil and paving, and we follow the instructions for whichever stone you choose.
Stone veneer questions from Tallahassee homeowners
How much does stone veneer installation cost in Tallahassee?
Across the US, installing stone veneer on about 220 square feet of finished wall usually costs about $5,500 to $8,200 per job, before sales tax, fees and dump charges. That's a national figure and not our price, and the size of your wall, the stone you choose and the prep your wall needs will move it. I'll give you your own figure in a written estimate once I've seen the wall.
Can stone veneer go on my block or wood-framed home?
Yes, it can go on either, though a block or poured concrete wall is the better match. Natural stone veneer is fairly stiff, and a stiff backing wall helps keep it from cracking later, while wood and steel framing flex more. On a wood-framed house, the water barrier and lath matter even more, and I'll go over what your wall needs at the estimate.
How does stone veneer keep water out of the wall behind it?
The layers behind the stone keep the water out, not the stone itself, and one maker's guide names water getting in as the most common reason bonded veneer fails. Over a wood-framed wall, a trade association guide calls for two separate water barrier layers, lapped like shingles from the bottom up. That same guide describes a rainscreen as an optional building method that helps stray water drain from behind the stone and dry faster, and I'm glad to talk through whether it suits your wall.
How do I make sure stone veneer stays on the wall in high winds?
Ask your installer how the lath will be fastened, because a fastener set only in wood or gypsum sheathing can work loose, especially once that sheathing gets wet. Proper fastening helps keep veneer from coming off in high winds, and I'll show you how we plan to fasten it on your wall.
How long does stone veneer need to be protected from rain after it's installed?
One maker's guide asks for its stone to go on at 40°F or above and for the work to be kept from rain or freezing for 48 hours afterward. That's why it pays to plan the stonework for a dry stretch, and we set the start date with the forecast in mind.
Does a tall or two-story stone veneer wall need an engineer?
It can, because one maker's guide says multi-story installations and high walls require design by a registered design professional, such as an engineer. If your wall runs past the first floor, I'll raise it at the estimate so it's settled before any stone is ordered.
Block wall work that pairs with stone veneer
If you're planning a privacy or garden wall you'd like faced in stone, building it in block first gives the veneer a firm backing from the start.
When an addition or new build needs a block foundation, getting the base laid level makes every wall above it, stone-faced or not, easier to finish well.
Talk to us about facing your wall in stone
Call (850) 391-6065 any day of the week or use the form, and send a photo of your wall with its rough square footage so I arrive knowing what it's built from.