Stone veneer installation in Allentown PA - a stone face that keeps your walls dry
Tired of a plain or patched wall? We put stone veneer on a sound wall, with the flashing and layers that keep water out.
Is stone veneer a good fit for my Allentown house?
Stone veneer installation in Allentown, PA, puts a thin, lightweight facing on a sound wall. It's usually manufactured stone made from cement and aggregate to look like natural stone, so the front of your house gets the look of stone. The veneer is only a facing and doesn't hold anything up, which is why the wall behind it has to be right.
Most calls about stone come from homeowners looking at a bare block foundation, a plain front wall or an old fireplace, and they want it to look like stone. If you're putting in a new hearth, it usually makes sense to plan the stone together with the fireplace installation.
The price moves with how many square feet you're covering, whether you pick manufactured or real stone, how many corners and windows we cut around, and whether the wall needs work before it can carry stone. The schedule turns mostly on that wall work, the weather and the permit check. Your estimate puts the scope in writing, so you can see what you're paying for.
- Manufactured stone or natural thin stone on house walls, foundations, fireplaces and outdoor features.
- Flashing and water-resistant layers behind the stone, so water doesn't sit against your house.
- Repair or rebuilding of the backing first when a wall can't carry stone as it is.
What happens when you call us about stone veneer?
I'd rather you understand the job than just take my word for it, so every step leaves room for your questions. Here's how a stone veneer job runs from your first call to the final walk-through.
Call or message us first
Call (610) 424-2415, use the form or email office@allentownconcreteandmasonry.com, and tell us your wall type and rough square footage, with photos if you have them. We'll get back to you to set up a visit.
I walk the wall with you
I come out myself, look at the wall with you, show you what I'm seeing and go through your stone and joint options. Then I write up an estimate that puts the scope, the stone and any wall work in writing, so you know what you're paying for before anything starts.
We check permits and build
Once you're ready, we check with your local office about permits, and then my small crew and I do the work. I'm on the wall with them, so the person who looked at your house is also the one checking that the flashing goes in right.
Walk through the finished wall
Before we pack up, we walk the finished stone with you and look over the joints, edges and bottom row together. We clean up the site, and you can ask anything you didn't think to ask at the start.
Stone and masonry facing on walls, fireplaces and foundations
These photos show the kind of stone facing the masonry trade does on houses, from full walls to fireplace surrounds. Look at the joint widths and stone sizes, because those choices change the whole look.
Curved gray paver walkway leads from a porch through a landscaped yard toward the street.
Brick house with a steep gray tile roof, arched entry windows, and a curved driveway bordered by lawn.
Stone retaining walls frame a backyard patio with a fire pit, seating, and a brick house.
A curved stone fire pit with red cushions sits beside tiered retaining walls and a broad brick-paver patio.
Outdoor kitchen built from dark stone blocks, with stainless steel appliances and a sink on a paved patio.
A paved patio at dusk has an umbrella-covered table and cushioned chairs beneath glowing string lights.
Get a written stone veneer estimate for your wall
Send your wall type, rough square footage and a few photos, and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. The on-site estimate is free and there's no obligation. I put the scope in writing.
(610) 424-2415Common questions about stone veneer on your house
These are the questions we hear when Allentown homeowners start pricing stone. The answers draw on national industry guides and the city's own rules, so you can see where each one comes from.
How much does stone veneer installation cost per square foot?
Installing stone veneer across the US usually costs about $25 to $40 per square foot for the finished facing. That's a national range, not our price. The written estimate for your wall is the number to plan around.
Can stone veneer go over my existing stucco walls?
Usually not as the wall stands. Mason contractors' guidance puts adhered stone on new or rebuilt walls, not over existing or damaged stucco or EIFS, a foam-backed synthetic stucco. Nobody can tell how strong the old fasteners, lath and backing are, so the wall gets rebuilt to carry the stone first.
Can I get the dry stack stone look outside in Allentown?
Not outside. One stone veneer industry guide keeps dry stack, the look with no grout between the stones, to indoor work or to warm climates where it doesn't freeze. This area sees about 65 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year, so if you love that look, plan it for an indoor wall like a fireplace surround.
Does the city of Allentown inspect stone veneer work?
Yes. Once a building permit is applied for, the city's code officials inspect the project on site. They check that it meets minimum standards and uses appropriate materials. If your job needs a permit, allow time for that visit in the schedule.
How do I clean stone veneer without damaging it?
Leave the pressure washer in the garage, because mason contractors' guidance rules it out for adhered stone at any time. Use other cleaning methods, and pass that on to anyone you hire to wash the house.
What is the best way to add stone veneer to a block foundation?
Start with a sound foundation and keep the stone up off the ground. One stone supplier's guide keeps outdoor stone a gap above the soil and paving, a smaller gap on concrete or block than on framed walls, so check that bottom edge once the work is done.
Stone veneer installation in Allentown and nearby cities
Allentown's permit list doesn't name stone veneer, so we check with the city's building office and file for any permit your job needs. We're fully licensed and insured, and we also work in Bethlehem and across the state line in Phillipsburg.