Stone veneer installation in Auburn AL - stone that stays put and keeps water out
Bare block, a tired foundation face or loose old stone? We check the wall first, then set veneer built to stay put and shed water.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Can you put stone veneer on your house in Auburn?
Stone veneer installation in Auburn, AL means setting thin manufactured stone in mortar on an outside wall, either straight onto clean, rough concrete or over metal lath and a scratch coat, a first layer of mortar that gives the stone something to grip. It gives a foundation, a wall or a chimney face the look of stone without building one.
Most people who call me about veneer have a wall they don't like looking at, like bare block under the house, a plain chimney or an old stone face that's coming loose. The price moves with the square footage, how many corners, windows and edges the stone has to wrap, the stone you pick and how much work the wall underneath needs, and the schedule turns on that same wall work, a permit if the job needs one, and the weather. If the wall you want covered has cracked from settling, that's usually foundation repair before it's a veneer job. Your estimate lays out what we'd do and why, so you can see where the money goes.
What tells you a wall could use stone veneer?
Bare block on display
A block foundation or plain concrete wall that looks unfinished is the most common reason people call about veneer. If the block is solid, waiting costs you nothing but the look, so there's no rush unless something else is going on.
Cracks you want covered
A crack in the wall you're planning to cover usually means something moved, and stone set over it tends to crack along the same line. Covering it now hides the cause until it costs more to reach.
Old stone loose or stained
Stones that sound hollow, joints opening up or dark streaks below the veneer usually mean water is getting behind it. The longer that goes, the more it soaks the wall underneath, so it's worth a look before anyone patches it or adds more stone.
How we handle stone veneer installation
I start by checking the wall underneath, because veneer is only as good as what it's stuck to, and if the block, concrete or framing has a problem we fix that first. Most veneer trouble comes from how it was put on rather than from the stone itself, which the industry guides say too, so we take real care with the water barrier behind it. On a wood-frame wall, the guidance calls for two separate layers of water-resistant wrap, lapped like shingles from the bottom up, and the inner layer and its flashing, the strips that turn water out at edges and openings, are where water drains down and out. Ask any crew how they build both layers, me included. After that come the lath and scratch coat, then the stone, set in mortar with the joints finished as we go.
A lot of veneer goes on walls we build ourselves. If you're planning concrete block walls around a yard or patio, or need foundation block wall installation under an addition or an older house, we can build the block and then face it in stone, so one crew answers for the whole wall.
Stone on part of the wall
A band of stone along the foundation or a wainscot on the lower part of a wall suits houses where you want the look at the base or need to dress up bare block. It's less square footage, so it usually costs less than a full wall.
Adding a rainscreen gap
A rainscreen is an air space or drainage mat between the stone and the barrier, and it's optional, but it helps water drain and lets the wall dry faster. It suits walls that take a lot of rain, and building codes may allow a single barrier layer when the wall has that drainage space.
Get a free estimate for your stone veneer job
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look the wall over and send you a free estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
(334) 780-0060- Based in
- Auburn, AL 36830
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
What happens when you call about stone veneer in Auburn?
Here's how a veneer job runs from your first call to the final walk-through, and who you'll be dealing with at each step.
Call or send the form
Call (334) 780-0060 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time that works. If you know the wall type and a rough size, tell us then.
I come look at the wall
I come out myself, check what's under the surface and ask a lot of questions about the house and what you want. The estimate I send spells out what we'll do and why, including any wall repair, so the number isn't a guess.
We build it and walk it
We take care of any permit paperwork the job needs, then do the work. When we're finished, we walk the wall with you before we call it done.
Why Auburn homeowners call United Auburn Concrete and Masonry for stone veneer
The owner sees every wall
I come out to look at every job myself and work alongside our crew when it's built. The person who checked your wall is there when the stone goes up.
Running our own crew since 2020
I grew up handing brick to my dad and learned the trade from him, then started this business in 2020. We're best known for working out why a wall cracked, and that habit is why we look under a wall before we cover it.
Licensed and insured masonry crew
We're licensed and insured. In Alabama, the Home Builders Licensure Board covers anyone who remodels or improves a home when the work costs over $10,000 in labor and materials, unless it falls outside what the board covers, so ask any crew you're weighing where they stand.
On a veneer job, what counts most is the wall and the barrier you won't see once the stone is up. Your satisfaction, guaranteed. Contact us and I'll come take a look.
Stone veneer and the walls behind it in Auburn
Within Auburn city limits, the city's Inspection Services Department reviews submitted plans and inspects new and remodeled buildings. Whether veneer on an existing house needs a permit isn't settled for every job, so we check with the office that covers your address before we start and take care of the paperwork when the job needs it. If your house falls under the Auburn Historic Preservation Commission's review, its design standards list imitation brick or stone as the wrong material for a foundation and point to stucco or brick piers or infill instead, so we'd talk that through before planning stone on a foundation.
Most of our calls come from owners of older brick homes and from people planning a new wall, and the two ask different things of the stone. On an older house I want the work to suit the house it's on, and we see the same mix of jobs in Opelika and Valley.
Questions about stone veneer in Auburn
Can stone veneer go on my existing wall in Auburn?
Usually yes, if the wall is sound, because industry guidance says not to put it over a wall that's deteriorating or over EIFS, a stucco-look insulated siding. Concrete or block has to be clean and rough enough for the mortar to bond, or it gets lath and a scratch coat first, and the same guidance says not to bond the stone to clay brick surfaces. I'll tell you which of those your wall is when I see it.
How much does stone veneer cost per square foot in Auburn?
Across the US, installing stone veneer usually costs about $25 to $40 per square foot. That's the going rate nationally, not our price, and where your job lands depends mostly on the wall underneath and how much trim the stone has to wrap. Your estimate gives you your own figure.
How long does stone veneer last on a house?
Built to the industry's recommended practices, stone veneer can perform as intended for decades. How long yours lasts comes down mostly to the wall under it and how carefully it was put on.
How do I clean stone veneer without damaging it?
Use soap or detergent, water and a bristle brush, then rinse with fresh water, which is what one stone maker's guide tells owners to do. The same guide rules out wire brushes, acid cleaners, power-washing and sandblasting because they harm the surface, so check your own stone maker's instructions before you scrub.
How hot or cold is too hot or cold to install stone veneer?
Industry guidance calls for hot weather mortar steps above 90°F and cold weather steps below 40°F, so those are the points where the work changes. If your job lands in a very hot or cold stretch, I'll tell you how we'd handle it before we start.
How far above the ground should stone veneer stop?
On stud walls, the industry guidance stops the stone 4 inches above soil and 2 inches above paved surfaces like driveways and patios. Ask any installer where the stone will end along your beds and driveway, because stone run down into the dirt holds water against the wall.
Related masonry work that pairs with stone veneer
Concrete block walls
A solid block wall makes a good base for stone, so if you're planning a yard or garden wall, we can build the block and face it later.
Foundation block wall installation
If an addition, a crawlspace or a failing old foundation needs new block under it, that work comes first and decides what can go on the face.
Service areas for stone veneer around Auburn
United Auburn Concrete and Masonry is based in Auburn, Alabama, and works across the cities around it, including Opelika and Smiths Station. The seven cities below have their own pages, and they aren't the only places we go.
Auburn, AL
Send us photos of your wall
Photos, a rough size in square feet and whether the wall is frame, block or brick let me come out already thinking about your job.