Stone veneer installation in Bellingham WA - a stone face that suits your house
Worn siding or a bare wall you'd like faced in stone? We check what's behind it first, then set stone that suits your house.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What does stone veneer installation involve, from the wall check to the last stone?
Stone veneer installation in Bellingham gives your house a stone face, using natural stone or manufactured veneer set as cladding over a water-resistant barrier that keeps rain off the wall behind it. The job usually comes with work you won't see once it's done, like checking the framing, dealing with old stucco or siding and getting that barrier on right.
Most people who call about this have a wall they're tired of looking at, whether that's worn siding, cracked stucco or a bare concrete block wall out in the yard. The price moves with how much wall there is, how high it goes, which stone you pick and what has to come off or get fixed before any stone goes up. The schedule turns on what we find behind the old finish, what the office for your address needs and the weather on the days we set stone. When I come out, I look at the wall with you and put what I'd do, and what it costs, in writing.
How do you know your siding or veneer needs attention?
Siding that's worn out
Paint that won't hold, split boards or soft spots near the bottom of the wall usually mean the siding has had its run and water is starting to get through. The longer it goes, the more framing has to be fixed before anything new can go on.
Cracks and stains in stucco
Hairline cracks are common, but wide cracks, bulges or dark streaks under windows usually mean water is getting behind the stucco. Waiting lets the wall underneath soak, and that's the part I'd need to see before we talk about covering it.
Loose stones or open joints
Stones that sound hollow when you tap them, pop off or sit beside joints that have opened up usually mean water has been getting behind the veneer or it wasn't stuck down well. Left alone, more stones come loose and the wet wall behind them starts to rot, which turns a reset into a rebuild.
Work that often comes before the stone
Concrete block walls
If you'd like heavier natural stone on a new wall outside, a block wall underneath gives it a solid backing that carries the weight easily.
Foundation block wall installation
If you're planning an addition, the block foundation comes first, and getting it level and square decides how well any stone above it sits.
How we handle stone veneer installation
Before we pick a stone, I look at what it's going onto, the framing and any old stucco or siding, because the wall behind the veneer matters as much as the face you see. Once we know the wall can carry the stone you want, we take off or repair what has to go, put on the water-resistant barrier, fasten a metal mesh and a rough first coat of mortar for the stone to grip, and lay the stone from the bottom up. Our masons cut pieces for the corners and edges so the joints run the way stone would on its own, and we finish by cleaning mortar off the face and the ground around it.
Veneer often goes onto masonry we build ourselves. A new yard wall from our concrete block walls work can be faced in stone to match the house, and when we do foundation block wall installation for a new room, we can carry the stone down over the part that shows.
Natural stone veneer
Real stone suits you if you want the look of rock that came out of the ground, and it suits a wall that can carry it, like block, concrete or framing we've checked. It's the heavier choice, so it's the one where looking at the wall first matters most.
Manufactured stone veneer
Molded stone is lighter and comes in steadier sizes and colors, so it suits upper walls on wood framing, accent walls and jobs where weight or budget is the worry. The good ones are hard to tell from real stone from a few feet back.
Get a written estimate for your stone veneer
We'll reply within one business day to set a time, then I'll come look at the wall with you and leave a free written estimate, no obligation. You can also call (360) 255-7006.
Call (360) 255-7006Why Bellingham homeowners call us for stone veneer
The owner writes every estimate
I'm the one who walks your wall and writes the estimate, and our masons do the work while I check in with them and with you. You deal with someone who knows your job from the first look to the last stone.
Doing masonry work since 2013
We started this business in 2013, and before that I spent years selling brick, block and stone and answering the same questions you're asking now. That's why I'd rather explain a choice twice than have you feel rushed into one.
Licensed and insured in Washington
We're licensed and insured, and the questions below show how to look up any Washington contractor yourself. It takes a couple of minutes, and it's worth doing with anyone you hire, us included.
Built to Bellingham's house code
In Bellingham, the city's residential code covers detached one- and two-family homes up to three stories, so stone on a typical house here goes on to that code. We're based in Bellingham and work in many of the cities around it across Whatcom and Skagit counties, where each office has its own rules.
If you've got a wall you're thinking about facing in stone, tell us about it and I'll come look at what's behind it before we talk about which stone.
What happens after you call about stone veneer?
Call or send a request
Call (360) 255-7006 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out. Tell us what's on the wall now and how many stories the house is.
I look at the wall
I walk the wall with you, look at the framing and whatever's on it now, and answer your questions. You get a written estimate that lays out what I'd do and what it costs, so you can weigh it at your own pace.
We check permits, then schedule
Before work starts, we check with the office for your address and tell you what it says, and in Bellingham that's the city's Permit Center, which takes building applications by email. If a permit is needed, we help you sort out the application, then set a start.
Our masons set the stone
Our masons do the work while I check in with them and with you, so you always know where things stand. When the last stone is set and the site's cleaned up, we walk the wall with you.
Common questions
How much does stone veneer installation cost in Bellingham?
Your price comes from a written estimate after I've seen the wall, because the biggest swings come from things you can't see from the street. Natural stone on upper wood framing may mean framing work first, and old stucco usually has to come off, while a bare block or concrete wall at ground level is the simplest case. Lighter manufactured stone and fewer corners usually bring the cost down.
Is natural stone too heavy for my house wall?
It can be, because full bed natural stone averages about 35 pounds per square foot, while framing designed only for manufactured veneer carries 12. Putting natural stone on that kind of upper-story wood framing is a common way these jobs fail, so heavier stone starts with a framing check. I look at the framing before we pick a stone, and if it isn't built for the weight, we talk through lighter stone or what the wall would need.
Can stone veneer go over existing stucco?
One trade article advises against sticking stone onto existing or damaged stucco or EIFS, a foam-backed stucco-style finish, because nobody knows how sound the old fasteners, mesh and wall underneath are. So on a stucco house, you need a plan for the old finish before you choose the stone. I look at the stucco and what's behind it at the estimate, and we work out together what has to come off.
What does a rainscreen do behind stone veneer?
A rainscreen gives stray water that gets behind the stone a way to drain out, and it shortens the time the wall takes to dry. It's optional, so think of it as an added layer of protection for the wall rather than a must. If you're weighing it, I'll go over whether it makes sense for your house when I come out.
What causes problems with stone veneer?
Industry guidance says the work done in the field tends to be the main source of problems with adhered manufactured stone veneer, so who installs it matters about as much as which stone you pick. A good question for any installer is how the water-resistant barrier goes on, since guidance for light wood-frame walls calls for separate layers lapped like shingles, starting at the bottom of the wall. Lapped that way, water running down the wall stays on the outside of each layer.
How do I check a contractor's license in Washington?
Look them up in L&I's Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson, or Business tool, where registered Washington businesses are listed. The state requires every construction contractor to register with L&I, and state law also requires them to be bonded and insured. Check anyone you're thinking of hiring there before you sign.
Have your wall checked before you choose stone
Snap a few photos of the wall and what's on it now, note how many stories the house is, and call (360) 255-7006 or send the form so I know what I'm walking into.