I come out and look at your wall
I come out to every job myself, look at the wall with you and tell you what I see and what I'd do. If something can wait, I'll say so instead of selling you work you don't need.
Stone veneer installation in Yakima WA - a stone face built to shed water
Got a plain block foundation, faded siding or a dated fireplace wall? We face it in stone, with the water details behind it built right.
What does it take to put stone veneer on a wall in Yakima?
Stone veneer installation in Yakima means setting stone in a mortar bed on a wall you already have, so a plain foundation, chimney or fireplace wall ends up with a stone face.
Most calls start with a wall somebody's tired of looking at. The price mostly comes down to how many square feet you're covering, what's on the wall now, how many corners and openings we have to cut around, and how high we have to work. Bare block usually takes less prep than a wall that needs a new base first. The estimate puts all of that into a number for your wall.
The schedule turns mostly on weather, because fresh mortar can't be left to freeze, and on what the city needs before we start. The city's list of work that skips plan review names re-siding but not stone veneer, so I check with City of Yakima Codes first, and if your job needs a permit, we take care of the paperwork with you.
What happens after you call about stone veneer?
You deal with me from the first look at the wall to the last walk around it, and the crew that sets the stone works with me on site.
Commercial training, our own business since 2023
I spent years laying brick and block for a big commercial outfit, where somebody was always checking the work against the plan. I started this business in Yakima in 2023, and we hold small jobs to that same standard.
Licensed and insured, with me on the job
We're fully licensed and insured. I stay involved while the crew builds it, and when the stone's done I walk the finished wall with you. Satisfaction guaranteed.
How we handle stone veneer installation
First I look at what the wall is made of, because that decides what has to go on it before any stone does. Then we build the water details behind the stone, since what's behind the stone matters as much as the stone itself. After that we set the stone in mortar and finish the joints, and we plan the work days around cold weather so fresh mortar isn't left to freeze.
If the wall doesn't exist yet, we can build that too. Stone goes well on a new concrete block wall in the yard, and on a foundation block wall we put in for an addition, so one crew handles both the wall and the stone face on it.
- A look at your wall's surface and what it needs before stone goes on
- Water details behind the stone, planned for your wall
- Stone set in a full mortar bed
- Work days planned around cold weather
- Cleanup of mortar, dust and offcuts when the stone's done
How the days on site usually go
Once you've said go and the paperwork's sorted, this is the order our crew works in.
Protect the area and prep the wall
We cover plants, windows and walkways first, because mortar and stone dust get everywhere. Then we clean and check the wall so everything after it bonds to a sound surface.
Build the layers behind the stone
We put up the base and the layers that let water drain down and out, taking extra care at the bottom edge and around windows and doors, since that's where water usually finds its way in.
Set the stone
We lay the stone out on the ground first so sizes and colors mix evenly across the wall. Then we press each piece into its mortar bed, starting at the corners because they set the lines for everything else.
Finish the joints and clean up
We fill and tool the joints, then brush off mortar smears before they harden, because dried mortar on a stone face is hard to get off. We haul away the offcuts and leave the area clean.
Get a stone veneer estimate for your wall
Send us your wall's size, what's on it now and whether the stone goes inside or outside, through the form or by calling (509) 452-1015. We respond within 1 business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free and done at your property, with no pressure and no obligation.
(509) 452-1015Stone veneer questions we hear in Yakima
How much does stone veneer installation cost per square foot?
Stone veneer installation across the US usually costs about $25 to $40 per square foot, installed. That's a national range, so where your wall lands depends on its size, what's on it now, the stone you pick and how much cutting the corners and openings take. I'll give you the number for your wall when I come out.
What goes behind stone veneer to keep water out?
Federal building guidance calls for an extra drainage layer behind all adhered stone veneer, so water that gets past the stone has a way out. Some of the worst wall failures come from water details that were poorly planned or built. When you compare bids, check that each one includes that layer, and ask each installer how they'll build the water details around the stone.
Can stone veneer be installed in cold weather?
Not on a freezing day, as a rule. One mortar maker notes that standard portland cement mortar is often permanently damaged if it freezes right after it goes on. Plan the job for days above freezing, or ask your installer how they'll keep fresh mortar from freezing.
How do I check if a contractor is licensed in Washington?
Look them up with the state's contractor Verify tool, which shows whether a business has an active contractor registration and a paid-up workers' comp account for its employees. It also shows safety violations and lawsuits against the contractor's bond. Washington requires construction contractors to register with the state Department of Labor & Industries and to be bonded and insured, so hire one who is all three.
What Yakima weather means for your stone
The city's building design criteria rate weathering here as Severe, which means outside stone and mortar in Yakima take hard weather. Natural Stone Institute guidance notes that most natural stone is durable but not every type suits outdoor use, so for an outside wall, ask for stone with a track record of standing up to weather around Yakima. That rating is also why the timing of mortar work matters here, as the cold-weather question above covers.
We work out of Yakima and take jobs in the cities around it, including Terrace Heights, Selah, Union Gap, Toppenish, Sunnyside, Ellensburg and Grandview. A lot of what we see is a bare block foundation or an older fireplace wall that the owner wants faced in stone. If you don't see your city listed, call and ask.
Tell us about the wall you want covered
We answer (509) 452-1015 seven days a week and into the evening, so you can call after work or send the form whenever it suits you.
If you've got a wall you're thinking of facing in stone, call or send a message and I'll come take a look.
Tell us about your project