Stone masonry in Fort Lauderdale FL - stone walls built to keep water out
Thinking about stone on your walls, or seeing loose stones and cracked joints? We lay it in full mortar so water has nowhere to sit.
Talk through your stone wall with us
Call (754) 228-0031 until 9 PM any day of the week, so you can describe your wall after work, or use the form whenever it suits you.
What goes into stone masonry on a Fort Lauderdale home?
Stone masonry in Fort Lauderdale means facing your home's walls with natural or manufactured stone set over a block or stud backing, with a gap left behind it so water can drain out instead of soaking into the house.
Most people who call about stone either want the look on a front wall, a column or a planter, or they're seeing stones loosen and joints crack on stone that's already up. The price moves with how much wall there is, whether you pick natural or manufactured stone and what shape the wall behind it is in, while the schedule turns on getting the stone delivered and on the weather, because fresh mortar doesn't like a hot, windy afternoon. Your estimate puts all of that on paper for your wall, with each step and material listed.
Why Fort Lauderdale homeowners call J&R for stone masonry
I'm at every estimate myself
I come out to every estimate and stay on site with our crew while the work is done. The person who looked at your wall is the one checking how each stone goes on.
Licensed and fully insured
In Broward County, a contractor license is called a Certificate of Competency, and it's issued trade by trade. We're licensed and fully insured, so you're not taking on the risk of the crew working at your house.
Measured, checked and written down
I spent years at an office desk before taking up masonry, and since we started in 2023 I've run every job by measuring, checking and writing it down. You see exactly what's planned before anything gets mixed.
On stone, the work that counts is the mortar you'll never see behind each piece. Tell us about your wall and I'll come take a look.
How we do stone masonry
We start by checking the wall the stone will go on, because a facing is only as sound as the block or framing behind it. Then we lay out the stone, mix the mortar and bed each piece in full mortar, packing the joints completely, because small gaps behind or between stones hold water and that's where stone work starts to fail. We tool the joints so they shed rain, clean the face as we go and leave the site swept when we pack up.
Stone often sits next to other masonry that needs attention of its own. If the brick on the rest of the house has worn or crumbling joints, brick pointing brings it back in line with the new stone. If the wall you want faced is cracked or settling, I'll tell you plainly whether it needs foundation repair first, since stone set over a moving wall cracks right along with it.
Natural stone
Natural stone suits a homeowner who wants real stone with its own color, grain and edges. It's heavier, and rough rubble stone varies in thickness piece to piece, so it takes more fitting and a backing that's in good shape.
Manufactured stone veneer
Manufactured veneer is cast from a cement-based mix to look like stone, and it's lightweight and carries no load, so it's a facing over the wall, not part of the structure. It suits a wall that wasn't built to hold heavy stone.
How can you tell your stone wall needs work?
Stones that feel loose
A stone that rocks or sounds hollow when you tap it usually has a gap in the mortar behind it. Left alone, water works in and the stone can drop off.
Cracked or missing joints
Cracks or open spots along the mortar lines let rain get in behind the face. The longer they stay open, the more joints you end up repairing instead of a few.
Dark patches after rain
Patches that stay dark long after a storm usually mean water is sitting behind or inside the stone. Caught early, it's often a joint repair rather than taking stone down.
White chalky film
A white, powdery film on the face is salt left behind as water moves through the wall and dries. It tells you water is getting in somewhere, and that spot is worth finding.
What happens after you call about stone work in Fort Lauderdale?
Call or send a request
Call or use the form and we'll set up a visit. I come out myself, find what's causing any trouble and write an estimate that lists each step and material.
We prepare and lay stone
Once you're ready, we handle any permit the job needs and do the work. On a designated historic home, the city's board reviews changes at monthly meetings, so we plan around that.
Walk the finished wall together
At the end we walk the work with you, joint by joint. I want it square, clean and something you'd be glad to show a neighbor.
Stone masonry questions we hear
These are the questions Fort Lauderdale homeowners ask most about stone work. If yours isn't here, send it along with a photo of your wall and I'll answer it.
How much does stone veneer cost in Fort Lauderdale?
Installing stone veneer in Fort Lauderdale usually costs about $2,500 to $9,000 per job, and that's the going range in the area, not a quote from us. Where your job lands depends on how much wall you're covering, natural or manufactured stone, the shape of the wall behind it and how many corners and openings it has. Your written estimate spells out each step and material for your wall.
Which stone holds up best outdoors in Fort Lauderdale?
The stone that holds up best is one with a track record of standing up to weather like ours. An older industry guide, from 2010, points out that not every natural stone suits outdoor use and favors stone with a history of resisting the weather where you live. Before you order, I'll ask how the stone you like has held up outdoors, so you don't find out the hard way.
Does my historic home in Fort Lauderdale need city review before adding stone?
Yes, if your home is a designated historic property, because the city requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for any work that would change its exterior appearance, and stone on a wall does that. The city's historic preservation design guidelines are a reference for designated buildings and carry information for owners of older homes too. Tell me at the estimate if your home is designated, so the review is part of the plan.
How do I clean a stone wall without loosening the stones?
Clean it gently, with low pressure and a soft brush. The same older guide warns that aggressive high-pressure washing might loosen stone on a veneer wall, so a pressure washer held up close is the wrong tool for it.
How long does new stone veneer need protecting from heat and wind?
For manufactured stone, 72 hours after the work is done. The industry's guide specification calls for shielding manufactured stone veneer from fast drying in high heat or wind before, during and for 72 hours after it goes up. That's industry guidance, not a city rule, but on a hot, windy stretch it's worth planning the job around.
What should I ask a stone mason before I hire one?
Ask whether they're certified for manufactured stone or can show jobs of a similar size and scope. That's what the industry's guide specification looks for in installers, and it's a fair question to put to anyone, us included.
Get a written stone masonry estimate
Send a few wall photos, a rough size, the stone look you want and whether your home is a designated historic property. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free, no-obligation estimate.
Stone masonry examples
Other work that often goes with stone
Brick pointing
When older brick beside new stone has soft, sandy or missing mortar, repointing it keeps the whole front sealed and looking like one house.
Learn moreFoundation repair
A wall that's cracking or settling will crack any stone laid on it, so fixing what's underneath first protects the money you put into the facing.
Learn more