Natural and cultured stone chimney repair in Azalea Park

Three ways a chimney ends up stone

A stone chimney can be built of solid stone masonry, with thick units that make up the wall itself. It can be natural stone veneer, thinner stone set against a masonry or framed backing. Or it can be manufactured stone veneer, a lightweight cast product adhered over a layered backing.

From the street, all three can look alike. Their repairs do not. We identify the construction first, because the right mortar, the right method and the right questions about water all depend on it.

• Solid stone masonry
• Natural stone veneer on a backing
• Manufactured stone over lath and barrier

Flashing where the stone starts and stops

The maker's instructions call for corrosion-resistant flashing or weep screed and a means of drainage at all penetrations and terminations of the stone cladding, with flashing type and locations following the applicable building code.

On a chimney, those edges include the roof line, the top under the cap and any trim transitions. Missing or failed flashing at an edge can explain water behind stone, so we check every edge on the chimney.

Replacing a missing stone

A missing stone leaves the backing or core of the chimney open to rain. We check what is behind the gap first, since damaged backing needs repair before any stone goes back.

If the fallen stone survived, it is cleaned and reset. If not, we look for a replacement close in type, size, color and texture, sometimes from a less visible part of the property or a stone supplier. You see the replacement next to the wall before it is set.

Our warranty and satisfaction guarantee on stone work

Our workmanship warranty backs the stone repairs we finish. If a stone we reset or a joint we repointed fails because of how we did it, we come back and correct it.

Our 100% satisfaction guarantee goes further, since if the finished work is not right in your eyes, you tell us and we make it right. Both promises are written on your paperwork, and both come from a family-owned team that intends to be here for the next inspection.

Upfront pricing on stone chimney repair

Stone repair can sound open-ended, since you cannot always see how deep the damage goes. Our pricing is upfront. After the free inspection, every part of the job has its own price on the written estimate before any work starts.

No hidden fees are added later. If opening an area reveals something new, we stop, show you and give you the choice. The price you approve is the price of the work described.