Stone masonry in Fayetteville NC - stone walls built to stand up to the weather
Loose stones, crumbling joints or a new wall you've been planning? We help you pick the stone, wall type and mortar that'll hold up outdoors.
Who builds and repairs stone walls in Fayetteville?
J&D Fayetteville Concrete and Masonry does stone masonry in Fayetteville, NC. We build walls and other features from natural stone, set dry or in mortar, and we repair older stone walls, which can mean clearing worn mortar out of the joints between the stones. The goal is stonework that stands up to the weather instead of loosening and shedding stones.
Most stone calls I get are about an old wall that's losing mortar or has a stone worked loose, or from a homeowner who wants a new wall built right the first time. The price moves with the stone you pick, whether the wall is dry-stacked or mortared on a foundation, how big it is and, on a repair, how much worn mortar has to come out. The schedule mostly turns on the size of the job, any permit or city review, and how soon you approve a sample. If your house is brick rather than stone, brick pointing is the closer fit. If a wall keeps moving because something underneath it is, we look at foundation repair first. We're based in Fayetteville and work in the cities around it, and I'll come out and give you an estimate for your own wall.
How can you tell a stone wall needs work?
Stone walls usually show trouble well before anything falls. These are the things I look for when I walk a wall with a homeowner, and what each one usually means.
Mortar crumbling out of the joints usually means it's too worn to keep water out of the wall.
Stones that rock when you push them, or have dropped out, usually mean the mortar or base has let go.
Dark, damp patches that linger long after rain often mean water is getting in and not drying out.
A white, powdery crust on the stone face usually means moisture is moving through the wall and leaving salts behind.
Flaking stone next to hard gray patches often points to an earlier repair done with the wrong mortar.
A retaining wall that leans out or bulges in the middle is being pushed from behind and needs a closer look.
If stones are already loose or falling out, call (910) 302-3425 rather than waiting, because a gap in a wall usually grows every time water gets in.
What happens when you call us about stone work in Fayetteville?
Here's how a stone job runs with us, from your first call to cleanup, including where the city comes in if your job needs a permit or historic review.
Call or send a message
Call (910) 302-3425 or send us a message, and we'll set up a time for me to come see the wall. Tell us whether it's a repair or a new build so I come out ready for the right conversation.
Walk the job together
I look at the job with you, answer your questions and talk through the stone, the wall type and the mortar I'd use. You get an estimate for your job, so you know the number before anything starts.
Sort out permits and review
If you go ahead, we handle any permit the job needs. If your house is in a designated historic district or is a landmark property, the city has to review and approve exterior changes first, and its Planning Department answers those questions at (910) 433-1612.
Approve a sample, then build
Before the full job we lay a small sample panel for you to approve, and that panel becomes the standard the rest of the wall is held to. Then I'm on site working with our crew until the work is done and cleaned up.
Get a stone masonry estimate for your wall
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set up a visit. I'll come look at the wall with you and give you a free on-site estimate, with no pressure to book.
- Call
- (910) 302-3425
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
Stone choices and cleaning methods that protect your wall
Not every natural stone is meant to live outdoors, and the ones with a history of standing up to the weather around here give the best results. So before you settle on a look, we'll steer you toward stone that's proven itself outside. It's worth asking any mason which stones have that track record locally, because a stone that looks right in a showroom can weather badly in a yard.
Cleaning old stone takes the same care as picking new stone. Federal guidance written for historic masonry warns that acid cleaners can etch and dissolve stones like marble and limestone, so the product has to suit the stone. That guidance also notes that grit blasting, grinders and sanding discs usually take some of the stone's surface along with the dirt or paint, so ask what will be used before anyone cleans your wall.
Stone masonry questions we hear in Fayetteville
How much does stone veneer cost in Fayetteville, NC?
Installing stone veneer in Fayetteville usually costs about $2,200 to $8,400 for the whole project. That's the going rate for a veneer job, and it doesn't include a freestanding wall, repointing or cleaning, which are priced separately. Your own number depends on the stone and the size of the wall. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Should a stone retaining wall be dry-stacked or mortared?
Either can work, and the choice decides what the job includes. A dry-stacked wall is stones fitted together with no mortar, while a mortared stone wall is set in mortar and built on a foundation. That means more materials and work under the wall. Once I've seen your yard, I'll tell you which one I'd build and why.
What is the best way to repair mortar on an old stone wall?
Use a mortar that lets moisture leave the wall and dry out, which is why we use a softer mortar on older stone walls. Federal guidance written for historic masonry says high-lime mortar lets more moisture through than dense cement mortar, and that mortar trapping moisture in a wall damages the stones. The same guidance says hand chisels and mash hammers take more labor but in most cases pose the least risk to old masonry, so it's fair to ask any mason how the old mortar will come out.
What causes stone veneer to fail?
Water getting in is the most common cause of failure in adhered veneer, the kind bonded straight onto a wall, according to one maker's installation guide. So when I look at a veneer job, new or failing, the first thing I check is how water is kept out and where it goes. If you're planning new veneer, our stone veneer installation page covers that work.
Who signs the permit application for stone work in Fayetteville?
A licensed contractor or one of their employees signs it, and on your job that's us. The city voids permits signed by a real estate agent, a permit expeditor or anyone else, and legal action is possible, so don't let anyone else sign for you. Inside city limits, permits go through the city's Building Plan Review & Inspections office, which enforces the state building code, and if it isn't clear whether a permit is needed, we check with that office before we start.
Does a stone mason need a license in North Carolina?
State law requires a general contractor to be licensed when the total project cost is $40,000 or higher. We're fully licensed and insured. On a big stone project, it's worth asking any contractor to show you their license before you sign.
Related masonry work for your house
Brick pointing
If your house walls are brick and the joints are wearing thin, pointing refills them with mortar matched to the old brick so water stays out.
Foundation repair
When stonework keeps cracking or shifting, the trouble may be underneath it, and fixing the foundation first gives new stone something solid to sit on.
Send us photos of your stone wall
Call (910) 302-3425, email info@fayettevilleconcreteandmasonry.com or use our contact form, and include a couple of photos and a rough size so I can start thinking about stone and mortar before I arrive.
Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM