Stone masonry in Clarksville TN - stone walls that stay tight and dry out
Mortar falling out of your stone wall or stones working loose? We find the cause and repair or rebuild it so the wall holds.
Call before loose stones become a rebuild
Resetting a few stones and repointing usually costs less than rebuilding a whole section, so call (931) 272-0045 or use the form while the problem is still small.
What does stone masonry repair involve in Clarksville?
Stone masonry in Clarksville, TN is building and repairing stone walls, whether they're set in mortar, filled with grout or stacked dry with no mortar, and repointing them by cutting out worn mortar and packing the joints with new, so the wall keeps water out and the stones stay put.
Most people call because mortar is sanding out of the joints, a few stones have worked loose or a patch of wall stays damp, and once I've looked, it's often a smaller job than they feared. The price moves with how much wall there is, how much mortar has to come out, how many stones need resetting and whether new stone has to match the old, while the schedule mostly turns on dry weather for the mortar work and on any permit. When a job needs a permit, we find out which city or county office covers your address and take care of it as part of the job. I go over all of that at your wall before you see a number.
Why Clarksville homeowners call A&K Clarksville Concrete and Masonry for stone work
I write every estimate myself
I learned the trade beside an experienced mason and started here in 2021. I come out myself and write the estimate, so you hear what I saw from the person who answers for the fix.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, so you aren't taking a chance on who's working around your house and yard. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job, stone work included.
Careful around sinkhole-prone ground
Large parts of Montgomery County are karst ground prone to sinkholes, and the county allows only storm runoff into them. We check where your wall will sit and keep our mortar wash and debris out of them.
On a stone wall, the joints you can't see decide whether a repair lasts, so the first step is me looking at them with you. Get in touch or call (931) 272-0045 to set that up.
How we handle stone masonry, from worn joints to new walls
On an older stone wall, I start by looking closely at how deep the worn joints run, because that sets how much mortar has to come out. Our crew then cuts the bad mortar back to sound material, resets any loose stones and repoints with a mortar chosen so the wall can dry out, since mortar that holds moisture in ends up damaging the stone. National guidance written for historic masonry buildings notes that high-lime mortars let moisture pass more easily than dense cement mortars, and that advice fits older stone walls best. We finish by shaping the joints to match the rest of the wall and cleaning up the site.
Stone often sits next to brick, and when the brick joints are wearing the same way, brick pointing is the same idea done in brick and it often makes sense to do both at once. If the stone is part of your foundation, or the cracks look like they come from movement underneath, we'll look at it as foundation repair instead, because new mortar won't fix a problem below it.
Repointing worn joints
This suits a wall that's still standing straight and solid but losing mortar. It's the smallest fix that keeps water out of the wall, and it's where most stone repairs start.
Mortared or grouted stone wall
This suits a new wall where you want a solid, finished look. A grouted wall gets its strength from the grout filling the space between the rocks, so how well that fill goes in matters most.
Dry-laid stone wall
This suits a garden or landscape wall with a natural look and no mortar to keep up. It lasts when the stones interlock and tie into the soil behind, so its strength comes down to how carefully each stone is fitted.
How can you tell your stone wall needs work?
Mortar turning to sand
You rub a joint and it crumbles or brushes out like sand. That's mortar that has worn through, and the longer it goes, the more water gets behind the stones.
Stones that rock or shift
A stone moves when you push on it because it has lost the mortar or fit holding it. Left alone, one loose stone lets the ones around it work free too.
Damp patches that linger
Dark, wet-looking areas that stay long after rain usually mean water is getting in and not drying out. Trapped water breaks down both the mortar and the faces of the stone.
Flaking or cracked stone
Stone that's scaling or cracking along its face often means the joints aren't letting moisture out, so the stone takes the damage. Caught early, it's usually a joint repair rather than new stone.
What happens after you call about stone work in Clarksville?
Call or send a message
Call (931) 272-0045 or send a message, and I'll come out, look at the wall with you, answer your questions and give you an estimate.
Permit first, then the work
Once you say yes, we sort out any permit with the right office, and when the city issues one, it follows the job until it's complete. Then our crew does the work.
Walk the finished wall together
When the work is done, I walk the finished wall with you, go over what we repaired or built, and answer anything you're still unsure about.
Stone masonry questions we hear
These are the questions Clarksville homeowners ask about stone walls and joint repair. If yours isn't here, call or send a message and ask about your own wall.
How much does stone veneer cost in Clarksville, TN?
Installing stone veneer in Clarksville usually costs about $2,200 to $8,700 per job, which is what the work runs around here and not a quote from us. That range covers veneer only. Stone walls and repointing vary too much with size and joint condition to price that way, so I give you a figure after looking at your wall.
Do I need a permit for stone work in Clarksville?
Your project may need one, because the City of Clarksville issues residential building permits for construction, additions and renovations, and you apply through its Self-Service Portal. Whether a particular stone job counts is the city's call, and we check it for your address. When a permit is needed, we take care of it as part of the job.
What is the best way to choose a contractor for a large stone project in Clarksville?
Start with the state license, because in Clarksville any project with a total valuation of $25,000 or more has to be done by a contractor licensed by the State of Tennessee. On any size job, it's fair to ask who comes out to look and who actually does the work.
How deep should old mortar be cut out of a stone wall?
Deep enough to reach sound mortar, and on stone walls with wide joints, national guidance for historic masonry says that can mean several inches. It's a fair question to ask any crew before they start, since a shallow cut leaves weak mortar sitting behind the new.
What causes mortar to crumble out of a stone wall?
Mostly time and water, because masonry wears out at the mortar joints first even though people think of it as permanent. Water that gets in and can't dry out speeds that up, so keeping the joints tight is most of the upkeep a stone wall needs.
Can I do stone work on my own house in Clarksville?
Yes, the city lets a homeowner get a permit to work on their own primary single-family home. If you're acting as your own contractor, you'll provide a notarized Homeowner Affidavit with it. If you'd rather hand the job off, call (931) 272-0045.
Get a stone wall estimate on site
Tell me where the wall is and its rough size, and add photos of the joints or loose stones. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
Stone walls and joint work
Related masonry work
Brick pointing
If your house has brick alongside the stone, worn brick joints let water in the same way, and pointing them keeps the whole wall drying evenly.
Learn moreFoundation repair
When cracks run through stone and keep coming back, the cause is often movement below, and fixing the foundation is what stops the joints from opening again.
Learn more