Repointing worn stone joints
When joints have gone sandy or sunk back from the face, we rake out the worn mortar and pack in new, so the stones sit tight and water has fewer ways in.
Stone masonry in Little Rock AR - stone and mortar picked to hold up outdoors
Crumbling joints, loose stones or a stone wall you've been putting off? We set and repoint stone so the wall dries out and stays sound.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What stone masonry involves on your house
Stone masonry in Little Rock covers setting natural stone on the outside of your house and repointing the stone you already have, where we rake out worn mortar from the joints and pack in new so the wall stays tight and can dry out.
Most calls start with something you've spotted: joints that crumble when you run a finger along them, a stone that's worked loose, or a plain wall you've wanted faced in stone for a while. The price moves with how much wall there is, the stone you choose, whether it's adhered or anchored, and on repointing, how much old mortar has to come out. The schedule mostly turns on getting your stone in and on any permit or city approval your address needs, and at the estimate I write up what we'd do and why.
We're fully licensed and insured, which is worth asking any mason about, because Arkansas law counts anyone who bids on or manages repairs or additions to an existing single family home as a home improvement contractor. Our work is satisfaction guaranteed.
The owner on every job
I come out to look at every job myself and then work on it alongside the crew, so the person who wrote up your estimate is the one setting your stone.
Repairs that fit the house
Our best-known work is careful repointing on older brick homes, where the job is matching what's already there, and we bring that same habit to stone so new mortar works with the old.
Plain answers, twice if needed
I'd rather explain something twice than have you sign off on work you don't understand, and if a joint or a stone can safely wait, I'll tell you so.
How we set and repoint stone
Before we set any stone, we ask how that stone has held up outdoors, because a good-looking sample tells you very little about the next twenty winters. Then we settle with you whether it gets adhered to the wall or held with anchors, and that call comes from your house: what's behind the stone, the load it carries, the stone you picked and the weather it'll face.
On repointing we use a mortar that lets the wall dry out, so moisture moves out through the joints instead of getting trapped in the stone. On older stone we take the old mortar out by hand with chisels and hammers. It's labor-intensive, and you'll see that in the price, but in most cases it's the gentlest way on the stone and leaves the best-looking joint.
If it's brick joints that are crumbling and not stone, that's our brick pointing work, done the same careful way. And if a crack runs through the stones themselves or the wall has moved, we look at what's underneath before we patch anything, because that can turn the job into foundation repair.
Stone jobs we take on around the house
Natural stone facing on a house
Stone on a front wall or the lower part of a house, set with adhesive mortar or held with anchors depending on what's behind it and the stone you pick.
Stone around porches and steps
Steps, porch piers and entry walls take knocks and standing water, so we look closely at the stone and joints there and repoint or reset whatever has let go.
Loose or cracked stones reset
A stone that's rocking or split can usually be pulled, cleaned up and reset, or swapped for a close match, before water gets in and loosens the ones next to it.
Get a written plan for your stone work
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll look at your stone in person and write up what we'd do and why, free and with no obligation.
Photos help us prepare
Send a shot of the whole wall, a close-up of the joints and any stone you like, so I show up already thinking about the right mortar and setting method.
Tell us if you're in MacArthur Park
If your home sits in the MacArthur Park district, say so on the form, because that adds a city approval step we'll want to plan around from the start.
Quotes you can compare
Masons may call the same job pointing, repointing or tuckpointing, so our write-up spells out what comes out, what goes in and how, which makes quotes easier to line up.
Stone and brick finish examples
Examples of stone faces, joint finishes and stone and brick layouts to talk through when we come out to look at your wall.
Questions about stone masonry in Little Rock
Straight answers to what homeowners ask about stone, mortar, cost and city rules before they book stone work in Little Rock.
How much does stone veneer cost in Little Rock?
Installing stone veneer in Little Rock usually costs about $2,200 to $8,400 per job, and that's the going rate in the area, not a quote of ours. Where your job lands depends mostly on how much wall you're covering and the stone you choose. At the free estimate I look at your wall and write up what we'd do and why.
What kind of stone holds up outdoors?
The safest pick is a stone with a record of standing up to the weather in your own area. Most natural stone is durable, but not every kind suits outdoor use, so ask how a stone has done on houses nearby before you settle on a sample. Bring the stone you like to the estimate and we'll talk it through.
Why do mortar joints wear out first on a stone wall?
Masonry gets treated as permanent, but it wears over time, and the mortar joints are where that usually shows. The bigger risk is the repair. If new mortar keeps moisture and water vapor from leaving the wall, the damage moves into the stones themselves, so ask any mason how their mortar lets the wall dry out.
Do I need a permit for stone work in Little Rock?
The city's Building Permit Desk handles building permits in Little Rock and is the place to ask whether your stone job needs one, at Permits@littlerock.gov. You don't have to chase that yourself. Before work starts we check with the office that covers your address, and when a permit is needed we take care of applying for it.
Do I need city approval for stone work in MacArthur Park?
Yes. MacArthur Park is Little Rock's only local historic district, and owners there must be issued a Certificate of Appropriateness by the city before working on their property. A National Register listing elsewhere is honorary and adds no restrictions. If you want historic tax credits, confirm eligibility with the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program before any work starts, since credits typically can't be approved afterward.
Related brick and foundation work
Have your stone joints looked at
Worn joints caught early usually mean repointing instead of resetting stones, so call (501) 274-1083 or send the form and I'll come take a look.