Stone Veneer in Louisville, KY

Stone veneer is a thin layer of natural or manufactured stone set on the face of a wall. It gives a house the look of stone without the weight of a solid stone wall. Around Louisville you see it on the front of newer houses, as a wainscot along the bottom of a brick or siding wall, wrapped around porch columns, and on fireplaces inside. Done well it lasts for decades. HomeAdvisor's stone veneer guide gives a lifespan of 25 to 75 years with proper installation and upkeep.

Natural or manufactured

Natural thin stone is real stone sawn to about an inch thick. Each piece varies in color and texture, and it holds up well to weather. It costs more for the material.

Manufactured stone is concrete cast in molds and colored to look like stone. It is lighter, more uniform and less expensive. HomeAdvisor lists manufactured stone materials at about $5 to $8 a square foot, against up to $50 for solid natural stone.

Both go on the same way: over a water barrier, metal lath and a mortar scratch coat, set piece by piece with mortar joints or dry-stacked tight.

Water management is the whole job

Veneer is not waterproof. Rain soaks into the stone and mortar and some gets behind it. If that water cannot drain out, it rots wall sheathing and framing. Louisville gets about 48 inches of rain and snow a year, so this is not a small concern. A proper installation includes:

• A weather-resistive barrier, usually two layers, lapped so water runs down and out
• Corrosion-resistant lath fastened into the framing
• A weep screed or drainage gap at the bottom, kept above the soil and above paved surfaces
• Flashing above windows and doors and where the veneer meets a roof or deck
• Sealant joints where stone meets windows, trim and other materials

Most veneer problems we see are missing flashing or veneer run down into the dirt or mulch, where it wicks water up.

Repairing failing veneer

If manufactured stone on a 1990s or 2000s house is cracking, loose, or has stains below windows, water is usually getting behind it. We remove a test section to look at the barrier and sheathing before quoting. Sometimes a local repair at a window or roof line is enough. When the barrier has failed across a wall, the stone has to come off and go back on correctly.

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Veneer and older houses

We do not put stone veneer over historic brick. The Louisville Landmarks masonry guidelines say not to install stucco, synthetic stucco or permastone-type cladding over historic masonry or wood siding, and covering brick traps moisture in it. On older homes, veneer makes sense on additions, new walls, columns or fireplaces, not on the original brick.

Inside the house

Stone on a fireplace surround or a feature wall inside is simpler, since rain is not a factor. We check that the wall can carry the weight, use the right backing next to the firebox and keep the right clearances, and plan the layout so the stone pattern looks natural around the opening and mantel.