Stone masonry in Wichita Falls TX - repairs that blend into the old stone
Crumbling joints, loose stones or a patch that doesn't match? We repoint and repair stone walls so the new work blends into the old.
What does stone masonry repair involve in Wichita Falls?
Stone masonry in Wichita Falls, TX, means repairing and repointing walls made of real stone, so loose stones get reset, worn joints get fresh mortar and less water works its way into the wall. Done right, the new work blends into the old and nobody can tell where we patched.
Most folks call me when an old garden wall or the stone front of a house starts dropping sand out of the joints, or when an earlier patch stands out like a sore thumb. The price turns on how big the wall is, how much old mortar has to come out and whether it's natural stone or veneer, and the schedule mostly turns on whether the city needs a permit and when you sign off on the sample patch. If the house has brick too, we can handle the brick pointing while we're there, and if the wall is cracking because something underneath is moving, I'll tell you plainly whether it's really a foundation repair job first. The written estimate gives you the figure for your own wall.
How can you tell your stone wall needs work?
Most stone walls tell you they need help long before anything falls. Walk along yours and look closely at the joints and the stone faces, because that's where the trouble shows up first.
Mortar that turns to sand when you scrape it with a key has worn out and is letting water in.
Joints sunk well back from the stone faces usually mean rain has washed the old mortar out over the years.
A stone that rocks when you push on it usually means the mortar behind it has let go.
Stone faces that flake or crumble usually mean water is getting into the stone and not drying back out.
White, chalky streaks on the stone usually mean water is moving through the wall and leaving salts behind.
Hard gray patches smeared over the old joints are a quick fix that often looks wrong and can trap water.
If stones have come loose or fallen out, call now rather than waiting, because every rain puts more water behind the ones still in place.
What happens when you call us about a stone wall?
I come out to every job myself, give you the estimate and then work alongside our crew, so you're talking to the same person from the first visit to the final walk-through.
Call or send the form
Call (940) 298-1133 or send the form, and I'll set up a time to come out and look at the wall with you. Photos, the age of the house and whether you think it's natural stone or veneer help me show up ready.
Look at the wall together
I'll walk the wall with you, ask a lot of questions and talk through what I see, and you get a written estimate with a plain answer on what it really needs. If the job is smaller than you feared, I'll tell you so rather than sell you more.
Handle permits, then do the work
Once you say go, we take care of any city paperwork and line up inspections on weekdays, when the city's permit office is open from 8 to 5. On older walls we take the old mortar out by hand, and I do a small sample patch first so you can see how the finished joints will look before we do the rest.
Walk the finished wall together
When the last joint is done, we clean up and walk the wall with you before we call it finished. Every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Get a free estimate for your stone wall
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out and look at the wall. The estimate is free, done at your house, and there's no pressure to book.
- Call
- (940) 298-1133
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM
Stone, veneer and mortar choices for your wall
Natural stone is real rock laid in mortar, and on many older walls it's carrying weight. Manufactured stone veneer is a lighter cast product made from cement-based materials to look like stone, and it doesn't hold up any part of the house. It gives a wall the look of stone, but it's a different material with different repairs, and if you're adding new facing, our stone veneer installation page covers that work.
When we repoint, the old mortar comes out by hand with chisels and a mash hammer, a short, heavy hand hammer. That takes more labor than a power grinder, but it's usually the least risk to old stone and leaves the cleanest joints. Walls with wide joints can need the old mortar cut back several inches deep, so on those walls that digging out is a big share of the labor.
Across Wichita Falls and the cities around it, including Burkburnett and Iowa Park, we see stone garden walls, stone house fronts and older homes that had veneer added later. One Texas preservation guide for old stone buildings says good practice always includes steering water away before it can get into a stone wall. That's why I'll ask where your gutters and your yard send the water.
Stone masonry questions we get in Wichita Falls
What is repointing on a stone wall?
Repointing, also called pointing or tuckpointing, means taking the worn mortar out of the joints and putting new mortar in. On an older wall the joints steer the moisture that moves through the wall, and that's what keeps the stone itself from getting damaged.
What is the best mortar for repointing an old stone house?
The best mortar for an old stone house is one that's gentle on the stone, not a hard mix like straight Portland cement. A harder mortar that lets less water through can make the stone soak up moisture and fail, which hurts both the wall and how it looks. Ask any mason which mortar they plan to use before work starts, and I'll tell you mine at the estimate.
How do I know if stone veneer can go over my existing wall?
Check the wall behind it first, because one trade group's install guide says manufactured stone veneer shouldn't go over a backing wall that's deteriorating or unsound. The same guide rules it out over EIFS, a foam-board siding with a stucco-look finish, so a worn wall or that siding has to be planned for before any stone goes up. I'll look at the backing wall with you when I come out.
How much does stone masonry repair cost in Wichita Falls?
Your price comes from a written estimate after I've seen the wall, because no two stone walls need the same amount of work. Repointing a wall that's standing straight usually costs less than resetting loose stones or rebuilding a section that's come down, and a tall wall that needs scaffolding adds labor. I'll also tell you if part of it can safely wait.
Who issues building permits in Wichita Falls?
The city's Building Inspections office issues permits, and the city says construction work there has to follow city codes with the correct permits and licenses. That office also licenses and registers contractors, and we're fully licensed and insured. When your job calls for a permit, we handle the application and line up the inspections, and we'll go over whether yours needs one at the estimate.
What is the best way to clean an old limestone wall?
Use a cleaner that isn't acidic, because limestone and similar stone are sensitive to acid. That's the advice of a conservator who looks after the old stone missions in San Antonio, written up in a Texas preservation guide. If you're not sure what your wall is made of, ask before anything goes on it.
Other masonry work that often goes with this
Brick pointing
If your house has brick on one side and stone on another, worn brick joints let water in the same way, and we can match that mortar too.
Foundation repair
A stone wall that's leaning or has cracks running straight through the stones is usually moving, and fixing what's underneath comes before any new mortar.
Have us look at your stone wall
We're open seven days, until 11 PM on weekdays and 10 PM on weekends, so call (940) 298-1133 after work or send the form tonight.
Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM