Santa Monica · Masonry Services
Stone Masonry
Hand-set natural stone: flagstone patios, stone walls, boulder placement, stone steps, and cobblestone.
Stone Masonry · Santa Monica
Natural Stone Work in Santa Monica
Stone is the material clients come back for. We work in full-thickness natural stone rather than thin veneer wherever the design allows, which means flagstone patios laid on a proper base, dry-stack and mortared stone walls, boulders set as structure and as sculpture, stone steps cut into a grade, and cobblestones for driveways and aprons. We pull from California quarries and yards in the basin, and we will walk the yard with you so the palette is chosen off actual pallets rather than a photo. Every piece is placed by hand and by eye. Nothing about good stone work is fast, and that is exactly why it still looks right in thirty years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between natural stone and stone veneer?
Natural stone is solid cut rock, typically 3 to 6 inches thick, while stone veneer is a thin layer of 1 to 2 inches applied over an existing surface. Stone veneer installation costs about 50% less while providing a similar appearance.
What type of stone is best for exterior walls?
Granite and limestone are the most durable for exterior stone work. Sandstone offers warm aesthetics but weathers faster. Your stone mason can recommend the best option based on your climate and budget.
Does a flagstone patio need to be sealed?
Only if you want it to. Sealing deepens colour and makes spills easier to clean on dining terraces, but unsealed flagstone weathers to a softer, more natural finish and needs no maintenance at all.
How long does stone work take?
A flagstone patio of average size runs 4 to 7 days. A dry-stack garden wall takes about a week. Boulder staircases and large terraced stone walls run 2 to 4 weeks depending on access and how much material has to be moved by hand.
Plenty more of what we get asked, grouped by trade, sits on the masonry questions page.
Planning masonry work in Santa Monica?
Tell us about the project and we will come out for a free on-site estimate.
Or call us now: (310) 356-9429