Stone Veneer Installation in Davis CA - A Finish That Stays Put on a Sound Wall
Tired of a plain or worn wall? We check what's under it first, then set stone that looks like it belongs on your house.
Stone veneer is a face, not a wall. It needs solid backing.
Stone veneer is a thin face of stone set on a wall you already have. The manufactured kind is cast from a cement mix to look like natural stone, and it's lightweight. Neither kind holds your house up, so the stone is only as good as the wall behind it.
Most people call because a plain concrete block wall, a fireplace or the front of the house looks bare or worn. Over a sound wall, veneer can look like it was always there. Over a bad one, it cracks or comes loose, and you end up paying again to take it off.
What moves the price is how much wall you're covering, the stone you pick and any prep or repair the wall needs first. The schedule mostly turns on whether a permit is needed. Your estimate gives you the figure for your own wall.
Stone veneer starts with the wall. We look before we quote.
I look at the wall myself before I quote anything, because stone only holds up on a sound surface. I'm checking for cracks, soft or crumbling spots, and paint or sealer the mortar won't grip. If the wall needs prep or repair first, that shows up in your estimate as its own step.
Then a lead mason and I run the crew on site. We lay out the stone with you before setting it, so the color, the corners and the edges around windows look like they belong on your house.
Stone veneer is more than stone. The prep counts too.
Checking the wall
We look for cracks, soft spots and paint or sealer before quoting, because veneer needs a sound surface it can bond to.
Cleaning and bonding prep
Dirty or coated walls can be power washed or blasted. If one still won't bond, lath and a scratch coat, a rough mortar base, go on first.
Repairing the wall first
When the wall itself is failing, we fix it before any stone goes on, which can mean new foundation block wall installation at the base.
Choosing the stone
We go over manufactured and natural stone with you, including color, size and shape, so the new face fits the rest of your house.
Setting and cutting
We set each piece in mortar, keep the joints even and cut stone to fit around windows, doors and corners so it reads as solid stone.
Hot-day protection
Above 100°F, or 90°F with wind over 8 mph, one model spec calls for shielding fresh veneer from fast drying before, during and 72 hours after.
Stone veneer and the wall behind it. Do both right once.
Most veneer problems come from how it was put on, not from the stone. Skip the wall check, rush the mortar or set stone on a coating it can't grip, and pieces work loose or joints crack. Fixing that means tearing off what you paid for and starting again.
Industry guidance says veneer installed the recommended way can perform as intended for decades. Getting there is mostly care, so we fix the wall before the stone goes on, and I check the work as the crew goes.
From the first call to the last walk. Here's how it runs.
Call or send the form
Call or use the form with a few photos of the wall and its rough size, and we'll get back to you to set up a visit.
I come take a look
I come out myself, look at the wall with you and tell you right there whether it's ready for stone or needs work first.
Your written estimate
A written estimate follows, with any wall prep or repair listed as its own step so you can see what each part costs.
Permit, work and walk-through
We pull any permit needed. The City of Davis says processing typically takes 20 to 35 business days, then we build, clean up and walk it with you.
Tell us about your wall. We'll come take a look.
Send photos of the wall and its rough size. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.
(530) 298-0279Based in Davis. We work the cities around it.
- Davis, CA
- Vacaville, CA
- Woodland, CA
- West Sacramento, CA
- Dixon, CA
- Winters, CA
- Elk Grove, CA
- Fairfield, CA
- Roseville, CA
- Rancho Cordova, CA
- Florin, CA
- Arden-Arcade, CA
We're based in Davis and do stone veneer work in Woodland, Dixon and the other cities around it. If your city isn't listed, call and ask.
Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
Straight answers on stone veneer. Read these first.
Read the answers below on the wall, the stone, permits and cost. If yours isn't covered, call (530) 298-0279 and ask me.
Can stone veneer go over my existing wall?
Usually, yes, if the wall is structurally sound and has no coating that stops mortar from bonding. Industry guidance says veneer shouldn't go over a wall that's breaking down or over an exterior foam-and-stucco insulation system. When I come out, I'll tell you whether yours qualifies.
Which natural stone holds up outdoors for veneer in Davis?
Not every natural stone is suggested for outdoor use, according to the stone industry's own guidance, which favors stone with a history of standing up to weather where you live. If you want real stone, ask your supplier to certify it suits local weathering. Manufactured veneer is the other option, and we'll go over both.
About how much does stone veneer cost in the Sacramento area?
Installing stone veneer in the Sacramento-Roseville area usually costs about $3,000 to $10,000 per project. That's the going rate around here, not our quote, and your job lands where the wall size, the stone and any prep put it. Your written estimate gives you the figure for your own house.
Do I need a permit for stone veneer in Davis?
Yes, if your house is a designated historic building or in the Downtown Traditional Guidelines District, going by an older city handout. For any other home, ask the city's Building Division, which issues every permit type and has the current rule. If yours needs one, we take care of it, or give you what you need to file it yourself.
Does stone veneer on an older Davis home need extra city review?
It can. The same handout says exterior changes to designated historic buildings and Downtown Traditional Guidelines District buildings also go through Planning Division review. Davis has design guidelines for its Conservation District too, the area inside the original city limits, which first took in downtown, Old North Davis, University Avenue and Rice Lane, and Old East Davis.
What kind of contractor installs stone veneer in California?
A masonry contractor. California's contractor licensing board defines masonry contractors as the ones who install natural and manufactured stone, along with other masonry materials. We're licensed and fully insured, and we handle the wall prep and the stone as one job.
Stone veneer is one part of it. See our other masonry work.
Stone veneer and wall prep in Davis? Call for a free estimate.
Call or send the form with the rough size of the wall and whether you're in the Conservation District, and we'll set a time to come look.
(530) 298-0279