Stone masonry in Las Cruces, NM - stone and joints that keep the weather out
Mortar crumbling out of your stone wall, or planning new stone work? We pick the stone, joints and mortar that keep water from doing damage.
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What's involved in stone masonry work on my house?
Stone masonry in Las Cruces is natural stone set and joined with mortar, for walls, facings and repairs, and most of the wear on it shows up in the mortar joints long before the stone gives. The most common repair is repointing, where we rake out the worn mortar from the joints and pack in new.
If you're looking at sandy joints, a stone that's worked loose or a bare stretch of yard you'd like built up in stone, the price mostly comes down to the kind of stone, how many square feet of wall there are, how much old mortar has to come out and how easy the wall is to reach. The schedule usually turns on getting the stone on hand, whether the job needs a permit and the weather on the days we're laying mortar. Once I've seen your wall, the written estimate gives you your own figure.
How we handle stone masonry
Before you settle on a stone, we talk about how that kind has held up around here, because not every natural stone suits outdoor use, and one stone supplier's guide advises picking stone with a history of standing up to the local weather. We bring up the joint finish early too, since that same guide says joints pressed smooth with a curved concave tool shed water best on stone veneer, the thin stone facing on a wall, and raked or rough-cut joints shed it less. On repairs we cut out the worn mortar and repoint with a mortar that lets the wall dry out, so moisture leaves through the joints and the stone itself doesn't take the damage. We back the work with one plain promise, your satisfaction, guaranteed.
Stone often sits right beside other masonry that needs the same attention. If your house has brick with tired joints next to the stone, we do brick pointing with the same care for the mortar. When cracks in a stone wall run down toward the house, it's worth a look at foundation repair, because new joints won't hold if the wall underneath is still moving.
Stone masonry rules and ground in Las Cruces
The City of Las Cruces reviews applications for most building projects before it issues a permit, and you apply through the city's Citizen Portal. Whether your stone work needs one is something we find out for your address, and when it does, we take care of the application and set up the inspections. It's also a reason to hire a licensed contractor, because New Mexico licensed contractors keep a $10,000 surety bond for the whole license period, and payments from it go toward fixing code violations the state certifies when the contractor caused them and left them uncorrected.
A lot of ground around here holds caliche under the surface, a whitish gray or cream layer cemented by carbonates that can be a soft, thin crust or a hard, thick bed, so I check what's there whenever the job means digging. We run into the same ground on jobs in Chaparral and Anthony.
- Call (575) 222-9031
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
- Las Cruces, NM 88001
What happens when you call D&R Las Cruces Concrete & Masonry in Las Cruces?
Call or send a request
Call (575) 222-9031 or use the request form, and tell us about the stone and what's bothering you. We get back to you to set a time for me to come out.
I look at the wall
I come out myself, look over the stone and the joints and work out what's causing the trouble. You get a written estimate for the work, so you can think it over without anyone waiting on you.
We handle any permit
If the job needs a permit, we take care of the paperwork with the city, which says it processes residential permits within 0 to 3 business days. That review is usually what sets the start date.
We build and walk through
Our crew and I do the work, cleaning up as we go. When it's done, we walk the finished wall with you.
Why Las Cruces homeowners call D&R Las Cruces Concrete & Masonry for stone masonry
I look at every job myself
I come out to every estimate, and the work is done by me and our crew. You talk to the person who'll be standing at your wall, so nothing gets lost between the visit and the job.
In business here since 2013
I learned masonry carrying block on my father's jobs, and I've run this business since 2013 the way he worked, slow enough to get it right. That pace matters most in the parts you won't see once we pack up.
We're licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, and we'll show you the paperwork when you ask. If something goes wrong on your property during the work, you aren't the one left carrying it.
Working both sides of the line
We're based in Las Cruces and work across the cities around it, on both sides of the state line. Getting me out to look at your wall doesn't mean waiting on a crew from far off.
If you've got a stone wall shedding mortar or a stone project in mind, send us a request or call (575) 222-9031 and I'll come take a look.
Request an estimateGet a written estimate for your stone work
We reply within one business day, and I come out myself to look at the stone, find what's causing the trouble and give you a free written estimate at your property. There's no pressure and no obligation.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Phone
- (575) 222-9031
- Location
- Las Cruces, NM 88001
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
Questions about stone masonry in Las Cruces
How much does stone masonry cost in Las Cruces?
Brick and masonry work in Las Cruces usually costs about $10 to $25 per square foot, and that's the going rate around here, not a quote of ours. Where a stone job lands in that range depends on the stone you pick, how much old mortar has to come out and how hard the wall is to reach. I give you your own figure in writing after I've seen it.
What is the best mortar for repairing an old stone wall?
High lime mortars let moisture pass through more easily than denser cement mortars, which matters because mortar that keeps moisture from leaving the wall leads to damage to the stones. It's fair to ask any mason which mix a repair will use, and we'll tell you ours before we start.
What license should a mason have in New Mexico?
New Mexico rules require a business acting as a contractor to be issued a license, so any mason working on your house should have one. A New Mexico license allows work only in the classification shown on it, so ask which classification the license lists before you hire.
What causes white stuff or flaking on a stone wall?
Salt is usually the cause, and salt deposits sitting on the face of stone are usually fairly harmless. When salt crystallizes inside a stone, though, it can push off parts of the outer face, which masons call spalling, and that's worth having looked at because it usually means moisture is moving through the wall.
Can I use dry stack stone on an outside wall in Las Cruces?
One stone supplier's guide recommends against outdoor stone veneer with open joints anywhere the weather cycles through freeze and thaw. It says dry stack, stone laid with no mortar in the joints, can be used indoors or in warm climates where it doesn't freeze, so we talk through where it's going on your house before you settle on it.
Do I need a permit for stone work in Las Cruces?
Many stone jobs do, since the city reviews most building projects before it issues a permit. We check what your address needs and handle the application when one's required, as covered in the Las Cruces section above.
Other masonry work around your house
Brick pointing
Brick chimneys, walls and trim wear at the mortar too, and fresh joints there keep water out of the brick the same way they protect stone.
Foundation repair
Cracks that keep opening wider or doors that start sticking can point to a foundation moving, and that needs fixing before any wall above it.
Send us photos of your stone wall
Photos of the wall, its rough size in square feet and any worn joints let me come out already knowing what to look for.
Request an estimateCall (575) 222-9031