Stone masonry in Cedar Rapids IA - walls that let water out and hold up
Crumbling joints, a stone wall that's leaning or a veneer you're planning? We build and repair stonework that handles water and our winters.
Request an estimate
What does stone masonry cover, and what will my job involve?
Stone masonry in Cedar Rapids covers building stone walls, setting stone veneer on a house and repointing, where we rake out the worn mortar from the joints and pack in new. Done right, it gives you stonework that sheds water and keeps its shape through our winters, and most of the work comes down to getting the joints and the drainage right.
Stone looks permanent, but it does wear, and the mortar joints usually go first, so you may be looking at sandy or missing joints, a wall that's starting to lean or a bare wall you'd like faced in stone. The price mostly follows the size of the wall, the stone you choose, whether it's dry laid or mortared, and how much old mortar or loose stone has to come out before new work goes in. The schedule turns on the size of the job, the weather, since mortar work needs days above freezing, and what your city or county office asks for before we start. When I come out, I'll write up what I'd do and why, so you have a plan for your own wall.
How we handle stone masonry, from the stone to the drainage
I start by helping you choose the stone, because not every natural stone is suggested for outside use, and one stone guide points toward stone with a record of standing up to the weather where you live. Next we settle the method, dry laid or mortared, and I'll tell you which one suits the spot where your wall will stand and why. On a mortared wall we leave a way for water to get out from behind, because one wall-building guide warns that trapped water builds pressure that can break a rigid wall, and it calls for weep holes, small openings that let the water out, with drainage backfill behind the wall. Then we dig out, set the base, lay the stone and clean up, and on repointing jobs we cut out the worn joints and fill them with a mortar chosen to suit the stone that's there.
Stone work often sits beside other masonry that needs the same care. If your brick chimney or walls have worn joints too, our brick pointing work can often be planned alongside it. And if the wall under your stonework is cracking or bowing, foundation repair comes first, since new stone is only as sound as what it sits on.
What we check before stone masonry work in Cedar Rapids
Whether your stone job needs a permit is up to your city or county, and I won't guess at it from here. The state's licensing office tells contractors to contact the city or county government on every project to learn what it requires, so before each job we call the office for where you live, then tell you what they asked for and who will handle it. We're based in Cedar Rapids and do the same check on jobs in Marion and Hiawatha, because each city and county sets its own requirements.
Our winters freeze and thaw over and over, and that's hard on stone with open joints. One stone veneer guide recommends against dry-stacked veneer, laid with open joints, on outside walls where it freezes, and keeps that look for indoor walls or warm climates, so on an outside wall here we settle the joint style with you before you pick a stone.
- Call (319) 536-8125
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
- Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
What happens when you call R&S Cedar Rapids Concrete & Masonry in Cedar Rapids
Call or send us a message
Thank you for reaching out. We'll get back to you and set a time for me to come see the wall, the veneer or the joints in person.
I look the job over
I walk the wall with you, ask what you've noticed and look at where the water goes. Then I write up what I'd do and why, and if some of it can wait, I'll tell you so.
We check and set a start
Once you're ready to go ahead, we contact your city or county office before any work begins. We tell you what they need and who's handling it, then set a start date.
We build and tidy daily
The crew and I do the work together, and at the end of each day we cover the work and leave your yard tidy. When we finish, I walk the job with you so you can see the joints and the drainage.
Why Cedar Rapids homeowners call R&S Cedar Rapids Concrete & Masonry for stone work
I look at every job myself
I come out, look the job over and write the estimate, and the same small crew I work beside does the work. You won't explain your wall to one person and then have strangers build it.
In business since 2023
I framed houses for years before I learned masonry working beside an experienced mason, and I started this business in 2023. Knowing how a house goes together helps me see where water gets into stonework and where it needs to get out.
Licensed and insured on every job
We're licensed and insured, and I'm glad to talk that through when I come out. It means you aren't carrying the risk while our crew is working on your property.
Downspouts checked before we repoint
On older homes around Cedar Rapids, worn joints often sit right under a leaking downspout, and that water washes mortar back out. I'll point out any drainage that needs fixing first, so your new joints aren't wasted.
On stone work, what matters most is how water leaves the wall, so let's start by looking at yours. Request an estimate or call (319) 536-8125.
Request an estimateGet a written plan for your stone wall, veneer or joints
We reply within one business day to set a time, and I come out for a free on-site estimate with no obligation. I'll look at the stone, the joints and where the water goes, then write up what I'd do and why.
- Licensed and insured.
- Phone
- (319) 536-8125
- Location
- Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
Questions about stone masonry in Cedar Rapids
Should my stone wall in Cedar Rapids be dry-stack or mortared?
For a new stone wall in a cold place like Cedar Rapids, dry-stack is worth weighing first, because one wall-building guide says a wall laid with open joints moves with frost heave instead of cracking and drains through those joints. That guide calls this the number one reason dry-stack outlasts mortared work in cold climates. A mortared wall can still be the right choice for some spots, and I'll tell you which suits yours when I see it.
What mortar should be used for repointing stone?
Use a mortar that lets moisture move out of the wall and dry off, because mortar that holds water in leads to damage in the stones themselves. It's a fair question to ask any mason how their new mortar lets the wall dry, and on our jobs I choose the mix to suit the stone that's already there.
How much does stone masonry cost per square foot?
A new stone wall or installed stone veneer usually costs about $15 to $49 per square foot across the US. That's a national figure for the market, not our price, and where a job lands depends on the stone, the method and how much prep the site needs. I'll give you a figure for your own wall when I come out for the estimate.
Does a stone mason need to be registered in Iowa?
Yes, Iowa requires contractors who earn $2,000 or more a year from construction to register with the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. People working only on their own property don't have to register. It's a fair thing to ask about before you hire anyone.
What causes stone veneer to fail?
Water getting in is the most common cause of failure in adhered veneer, stone bonded to a wall surface, according to one veneer maker. One installation guide also calls full mortar bedding behind each stone essential, because even small gaps can collect water and lead to early failure. Ask any crew how they fill the back of each stone.
How do I clean a stone veneer wall without damaging it?
Clean it gently, because one veneer guide warns that aggressive high-pressure cleaning might loosen the stone. If your wall has stains you can't lift with a gentle wash, I'm glad to look at it before you reach for a pressure washer.
Related work on the same house
Brick pointing
If the brick on your chimney or house has sandy, recessed joints, pointing replaces that worn mortar before water starts working into the brick behind it.
Foundation repair
Cracks, bowing or water in the basement can mean the wall your stonework sits on needs attention, and it has to be sound before new stone goes on.
Book a look at your stone wall
Have the job type, a rough square footage and photos of worn joints or nearby downspouts ready when you call (319) 536-8125, so we can talk it through on the first call.
Request an estimateCall (319) 536-8125