Stone Veneer

Real Stone Veneer Looks Rugged and Natural With a Touch of Luxurious Class

A real stone veneer is one of the most elegant ways to finish portions of your home or building!

As expert stone masons in Massachusetts we build with stone using instinct and intuition. Every stone mason's work is one of a kind and will be built to last many generations if done properly. It is up to the mason to translate the vision of the customer into a beautiful stone masterpiece!

Throughout civilization man has relied on natural stone for a wide variety of purposes, from making arrow tips and constructing buildings to making the world’s most notable monuments and statues. Stone masonry is perhaps the cornerstone of the history of mankind.

When a mason uses quarried stone as a building material a harmony is created between the stone, the project, and the mason. Natural stone masonry requires a mason to have intuition and experience to create the exquisite designs we commonly see.

Natural stone can be used in a multitude of ways depending on the creativity of the designer and experience and ability of the craftsman. Every mason sees something different when working with stone, and they chisel and fit the stones in their own way.  Every stone project a mason builds is an authentic masonry design, as he cannot replicate his previous stonework.

Limitless options give stone masonry the ability to communicate any intended result. It can be worked into a project to be used for a structural purpose, to be made as a decorative accent piece, or a combination of the two. Stone masonry oftentimes stops people in their tracks so they can take a moment and soak in its beauty while admiring the mason’s skill and craftsmanship. Natural stone, while quite hard and cold, emits a feeling of warmth and can be soothing to look at.

Stone is the original green building material. It is part of our culture and has served us for thousands of years. Due to ever improving technological advancements in quarry technology, stone mining companies are able to produce much more quarried stone than ever before. Authentic stone masonry belonged in yesterday’s world, and it belongs just as much in today’s.

JB Mohler Masonry is a masonry contractor based out of Lancaster, MA and serving the outlying areas of Massachusetts.  We specialize in the installation of real stone veneer on homes or businesses throughout our service area.  If you are in the process of building a new home and/or remodeling and are searching for durable, low maintenance exterior materials then you really should give stone veneering a closer look.

Full-bed stone or thin stone?

Both are real stone. The difference is thickness, and that decides where each one belongs.

Full-bed stone veneer is natural stone several inches thick. It has weight, so it needs a footing or a ledge to sit on. It is the right choice for new construction, additions, and anywhere the structure is being built to carry it.

Thin stone veneer is natural stone cut to about an inch thick. No footing, far less weight, and it can go right over a sound foundation, a framed wall, or an existing brick fireplace. On a finished house, it is almost always the answer. See our thin stone veneer page for how we install it.

Where we install stone veneer

• House exteriors, foundation lines, and gable ends
• Chimneys and fireplaces, inside and out
• Porch columns, piers, and entryways
• Interior feature walls
• Outdoor kitchens, fire pits, and retaining walls

On any wall with wood framing behind it, what goes behind the stone matters as much as the stone itself: the moisture barrier, the lath or ties, and the flashing at the base and around every opening. That work gets covered up the day the stone goes on, and it is the part that decides how long the wall lasts.

For a closer look at the cost side of the decision, see how stone and brick veneer can change a Massachusetts home without the weight and demolition of full masonry.

Questions about stone veneer

What is stone veneer?

Real stone used as a facing instead of a structural wall. Full-bed veneer is natural stone several inches thick. Thin veneer is natural stone cut to about an inch. Cultured stone is a man-made cement product shaped to look like stone. We install all three.

Can stone veneer go on a wood-framed house?

Yes, with the right layers behind it: a moisture barrier, lath or wall ties, and flashing at the base and around windows and doors. Skip those and water gets trapped against the sheathing. That is the part of the job you never see, and it decides how long the wall lasts.

Can stone veneer go over existing brick or concrete?

Usually, yes. Clean, sound brick or concrete makes a good base for thin stone. Painted or sealed surfaces and anything crumbling need prep first, and we will tell you which one you have.

How much maintenance does stone veneer need?

Very little. Keep gutters and downspouts from dumping water on it, keep mulch and soil below the bottom edge, and look over the joints every few years. Skip the pressure washer.

How do I choose the right stone?

Start with the house. Stone that suits the architecture and the region still looks right thirty years from now. We bring samples so you can see the stone against your siding and trim before a single piece is set.

We install stone veneer throughout Worcester County, Middlesex County, and Norfolk County. If you'd like to schedule an estimate for your stone veneer project, give us a call at (978) 365-6800 or fill out our online contact form and we'll get right back to you.