Stone veneer installation in Merced CA - a stone face set on a sound wall
Plain stucco, block or siding you're tired of? We check the wall behind it first, then set stone that looks right for years.
Have your wall checked before picking stone
Call (209) 308-1015 or use the form, because knowing whether the wall needs work first keeps your stone choice and your budget realistic.
What does stone veneer installation in Merced involve?
Stone veneer installation in Merced means facing an existing wall with manufactured stone, a lightweight facing cast from cement and aggregate to look like natural stone. It carries none of the house's weight, so it gives you the look of stone, but it's only as good as the wall it's attached to.
Most people call us when a house front, chimney or yard wall looks plain or dated and they want stone without building a stone wall. What moves the price is the square footage, how much the wall needs before stone can go on, the stone you choose, and how many corners, windows and edges we have to cut around. The schedule turns on that same prep, on any permit your address needs, and on the weather on the days we set stone. After I've looked at your wall, the written estimate gives you the scope and your own figure.
Why Merced homeowners call Optimum Merced Concrete and Masonry for stone veneer
The owner checks every wall
I look at your wall and write the estimate myself, then work on site with our crew while the stone goes up. The person who judged the wall is the one watching it get built.
Back in the trade since 2023
I learned masonry on a crew when I was young and started this business in Merced in 2023. I still work slowly on the details, because a rushed corner on veneer shows for years.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured for the work. California's licensing board lists natural and manufactured stone among what a masonry contractor installs, so ask every bidder what license they hold.
On veneer, the wall behind the stone matters most, so that's where I start. We're based in Merced and work in the cities around it, including Atwater, Turlock, Modesto and Madera, so send us a request or call (209) 308-1015 and I'll come look at yours.
How we handle stone veneer installation
Before any stone goes up, I check that the wall behind it is sound, since veneer depends on what it's attached to, and if it isn't, we deal with that first. Then our crew puts up the water barrier, fastens the lath, the metal mesh that holds the mortar, and trowels a scratch coat over it so the stone has something rough to grab. We set each stone in mortar, cut pieces to fit around corners and openings, then fill and tool the joints to the look you picked and clean up as we go. Your estimate shows how the water barrier is handled on your wall, so you can hold it up against any other bid.
Sometimes the wall has to be built or rebuilt before any stone goes on. For a freestanding yard wall or planter, that usually means one of our concrete block walls, and where the block under a house wall has cracked or settled, it can mean foundation block wall installation first.
Full walls and chimneys
Suits a house front, a chimney or a whole yard wall where you want stone to read as the main material. It covers the most square feet, so wall prep and the water barrier matter most here.
Wainscot, columns and accents
Suits a lower band along the house, porch columns or a fireplace surround when you want the stone look on a smaller area. Less stone goes on, though corners and edges still take careful cutting.
How do you know a wall needs work before stone, or old veneer needs attention?
Stones loose or falling
If you can rock a stone or one has dropped off, the bond behind it has let go, often from water or poor prep. Waiting lets more stones loosen and water reach the wall.
White crust or dark stains
Chalky white streaks or dark damp patches on veneer usually mean water is moving through it and not draining out. Left alone, that water keeps working on the wall behind the stone.
Cracked or crumbling backing wall
Cracks, soft spots or flaking on the block, stucco or siding you want covered mean that wall needs work first. Stone set over a moving or failing wall usually cracks right along with it.
Soil against the stone
When dirt, mulch or paving sits tight against the bottom of the stone, water can get in behind it, which is why one stone maker's guide keeps the base trim up off soil and paving.
What happens when you call about stone veneer in Merced?
I look the wall over
After you call or send a request, I come out, check the wall closely, take measurements and photos, and write up what we'll do and how.
Check permits, set the stone
Once you're ready, we sort out the permit side for your address and our crew sets the stone. Fresh mortar can burn skin with long contact, so keep kids and pets clear.
Walk the finished wall together
When the joints are finished and cleaned, I walk the wall with you before we pack up, so you can point out anything you want looked at.
Stone veneer questions we hear
These are questions homeowners usually ask before facing a wall in stone. If your wall or your job doesn't fit neatly into one of them, call and ask about yours.
How much does stone veneer installation cost per square foot?
Across the US, stone veneer installation usually costs about $25 to $40 per square foot. That's a national figure, so treat it as a rough guide, since wall prep, the stone you choose and the number of corners and openings move it up or down. I'll put the price for your wall in writing after I've seen it.
How do I know if my wall is a good fit for stone veneer?
Your wall is a good fit when it's sound, because the industry installation guide says veneer shouldn't go over a deteriorating or unsound wall or over EIFS, an insulated finish that looks like stucco. If your wall is worn or has an EIFS finish, that wall gets dealt with first, which can change the scope of the job.
What is the best way to keep water out behind stone veneer on a wood-framed house?
Start with the water barrier, since a trade group's note says the ASTM installation standard requires two separate layers of water-resistive barrier over wood sheathing on outside walls. Ask each bidder how many layers their price includes. Ask too what the lath carrying the stone is fastened into, because a fastener held only by the sheathing can work loose, especially if the sheathing gets wet.
Can stone veneer be installed in hot or cold weather?
Yes, but the mortar needs extra steps, with hot weather measures called for when the air is above 90°F and cold weather measures below 40°F, according to that same trade group's note. If your job lands in a very hot or cold stretch, ask how the crew will handle those days, and I'll go over it with you when we schedule.
Who issues building permits in unincorporated Merced County?
The Merced County Building and Safety Division issues building permits for, and inspects, construction in unincorporated Merced County. If you're not sure which application fits your job, the county's online permit portal has a Permit Decision Tool to help you pick. Before work starts, we check whether your address falls under a city or the county and what that office asks for on a veneer job.
Can someone without a license do a small stone veneer job in California?
Only on very small work, because California's minor work exemption tops out at $1,000, up from $500, and it applies only when the job needs no permit and the unlicensed person employs no one on it. A veneer job on a house wall usually goes past that, so ask to see a license before you hire.
Get a written estimate for your stone veneer
Send the wall's size in square feet, what it's made of, a few photos and whether you're in unincorporated Merced County. We reply within one business day and I come out for a free estimate, no pressure to book.
Examples of stone veneer
Work that often comes first
Concrete block walls
If you want a stone-faced garden wall, planter or yard divider where nothing stands yet, a block wall gives the veneer a solid surface to bond to.
Learn moreFoundation block wall installation
When block at the base of a house or addition is cracked or settling, new foundation block gives the stone above it a base that isn't moving.
Learn more