Stone veneer installation in Indio CA - careful work behind every stone
Want a plain stucco or block wall faced in stone? We build the layers behind it with care, so the finished stone holds tight.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What goes into stone veneer installation on an Indio home?
Stone veneer installation in Indio means setting a layer of natural or manufactured stone onto an existing or new wall, with setting mortar behind each piece holding it in place, so a plain wall takes on the look of stone.
Most people call us about a bare stucco wall, a plain block wall or an outdoor fireplace they're tired of looking at. The price mostly turns on how many square feet you want covered, whether the wall is framed or solid masonry, how many corners, windows and doors the stone has to wrap, how high we have to work and the stone you pick. The schedule depends on how much prep the wall needs before any stone goes up and on the weather, since hot, windy days change which days we can set stone. I'll measure your wall and give you a figure for your own job at the estimate.
How we handle stone veneer installation
On a framed wall, the layers behind the stone are what keep water out, so we take our time with the barrier and flashing before any stone goes up. Next come the lath and a scratch coat, a rough base layer of mortar the stone grips onto, and only then do we butter each piece and press it into place, working from the bottom up and keeping the joints even. On a solid block or concrete wall we start by cleaning the surface and checking that it's sound, because stone holds only as well as what it's set on. We cut with water or dust collection to keep the fine dust down, and we clean up as we go.
Sometimes the wall you want faced isn't there yet. We can build a new garden wall, column or planter with concrete block walls and then face it in stone, and when the stone is going on a new addition or a raised wall that needs a proper base, we start with foundation block wall installation so we know exactly what's under the stone.
Framed house walls
This suits stucco or siding walls on a wood-framed house, where most of the work happens before any stone shows. Because water can reach the framing, this is where we spend the most care on the barrier, flashing and base coat.
Block, brick or concrete walls
This suits garden walls, columns, planters and outdoor fireplaces built of masonry. A clean, sound masonry surface usually needs less layering behind the stone, so the job tends to move faster and often costs less.
If stone you already have is loose or the wall behind it shows water stains, please call (760) 262-2338 before adding more, so I can see what's going on underneath.
What happens when you call us about stone veneer in Indio?
Here's how a stone veneer job runs with us, from your first call to the last walk-around. I'm the one you'll see at the estimate, and I'm there again at the end.
Call or send the form
Call (760) 262-2338 or send the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time for my visit. We answer every day of the week, into the evening, and thank you for thinking of us.
I look at the wall
I come out myself, measure the wall and ask a few questions, then write you an estimate that shows the prep behind the stone as well as the stone itself, so you can see where the money goes. If your job needs a permit, I'll tell you then, and we'll work it out with the city or county office for your address and pull it ourselves.
Our crew sets the stone
When you're ready, our own crew does the work from the first layer of prep to the last joint. If heat or wind changes which days we can set stone, I'll let you know ahead of time.
We walk it and clean up
Before we're done, I go over the finished wall with you so you can point out anything you'd like looked at. Then we clean up the site before we leave.
Get an on-site estimate for your stone veneer wall
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for my visit. I'll look at your wall and give you a free estimate on site, with no pressure to book.
(760) 262-2338Stone veneer installation in Indio's desert heat
Heat is the local factor that shapes this job the most. One stone maker's guide says to protect fresh stone from losing moisture too fast in very hot, dry or windy weather, and daytime highs in the Palm Springs area average up to 108 degrees in July and August. So on hot or windy days in Indio, you can expect the fresh work to be protected and that to decide which days we set stone, which is why those two months deserve the most thought if you're planning outdoor stone work.
Much of what we face here is stucco houses and block garden walls, and we see the same dry wind on jobs in La Quinta and Coachella. We're based in Indio and work in the cities around it across the valley, and we're glad to hear about a job a little farther out.
Stone veneer questions we hear in Indio
How much does stone veneer cost per square foot?
Installing stone veneer across the US usually costs about $25 to $40 per square foot, and that's the going rate nationally, not our price. Where your wall lands depends on its size, how much prep it needs behind the stone and how many corners and openings it has, and I'll price your own wall at the estimate. As with all our work, it's satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
What keeps water out behind stone veneer?
On a framed wall, the water barrier and flashing behind the stone keep water out, and one stone maker's guide says current industry guidance calls for two separate layers of barrier when the wall gets metal lath and a scratch coat. Those layers should lap like shingles and tie into the flashing and the openings, so it's fair to ask every bidder how they do it. A mortar maker's technical sheet also calls full mortar contact with both the stone and the wall critical, because even small gaps can collect water over time.
Can stone veneer go up during an Indio summer?
Yes, but summer stone work takes more planning because of the heat and wind I described above. Fresh stone has to be kept from drying out too fast, so the hottest months may have fewer days that suit setting stone, and it helps to give the schedule some room.
Who can install stone veneer in California?
A licensed masonry contractor can, because California's contractor board describes a masonry contractor as one who installs natural and manufactured stone, among other materials. The board also says a "B" contractor may take the main contract for a specialty job like this only if it holds that specialty classification, or it can subcontract the work to a properly licensed specialty contractor. We're licensed and insured, and I'm glad to answer questions about it at the estimate.
How do I clean and seal stone veneer?
Clean it without acid, and seal it only with a breathable sealer and only if one is specified, which is what one stone maker's guide says. So leave acid cleaners off your list, and ask before you put any sealer on the wall.
What is the best way to get a tight-joint look with stone veneer?
The best way is the same careful mortar work as any other style, because one stone maker's guide says tight joints still need proper mortar contact and full bond coverage behind the stone. The joints just show less mortar on the face, so the work that counts is the part you won't see.
Masonry work that goes with stone veneer
A new block wall gives you a solid, even surface to face in stone, whether it's a garden wall, a column or a planter along the yard.
When stone is going on a wall that carries weight or sits on new ground, a proper footing and block base keeps everything above it where it belongs.
Tell us about the wall you want faced
Call (760) 262-2338 or use the form, and if you can, let us know where the wall is, its rough size in square feet and whether it's a framed wall, so I come out ready.