Stone chimney repair in Lake Geneva by local masons
Hard cement patches or caulked joints on your Lake Geneva chimney come out before any new mortar goes in.
- Fully licensed and insured
- Locally owned
- Family owned and operated
- Same-day service
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Stone repair experts who identify the build first
- Locally owned in Jacksonville
- Family owned and operated
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed
- Free inspection and estimate
- Same-day service available
- 10% off any service
Water behind the stone is traced before the stone is put back.
- Free inspection and estimateWhether your Lake Geneva chimney is full stone or veneer is settled on a free visit, before any price.
- Upfront pricing, no hidden feesStones, joints and veneer area are priced in writing one line at a time.
- Family owned and operatedOur family-owned masons approve the mortar sample with you before the first joint is filled.
Caulk squeezed into stone joints
Caulk in the joints of a stone chimney looks like a seal, but it stops the joint from drying, and water that gets behind it stays there. Over time the caulk peels, the mortar behind it softens and the stones loosen. The caulk also bonds to the stone faces, which makes it harder to remove cleanly the longer it stays.
We remove caulk from stone joints in Lake Geneva, rake out the soft mortar behind it and repoint properly. Where a sealant joint belongs, such as around the flue at the crown, it stays, and the estimate says which is which.
Lake Geneva is in Clay County. Lake Geneva lies inland.
What our stone masons fix in Lake Geneva
- Deep stone joints raked and repointed in layers
- Loose adhered veneer taken off and reinstalled
- Water barrier and lath repaired behind veneer
- Dry-stack veneer refitted tight
The order of a stone chimney repair
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Describe what moved
Tell us what has shifted or fallen, and the free visit comes equipped for it.
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Build and backing confirmed
Corners, joints and the base show the build, and a loose piece shows what is behind the veneer.
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Reset, repoint or reinstall
Stones go back on fresh beds, joints fill in layers, and veneer returns to a repaired backing.
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Matched and cured
An approved mortar sample and the old joint profile guide the finish, and the cure time is written down.
The cap on an inland stone chimney in Lake Geneva
A stone chimney in Lake Geneva needs a sloped cap with a drip edge, just like every other masonry chimney. Without one, rain runs over the top courses and into the joints.
Every stone repair includes a look at the top, with crown work priced separately.
10% off any service booked within 72 hours of inspection
Stone work keeps our workmanship warranty when the 10% comes off.
Resetting a loose stone
A loose stone comes out, and both the stone and its bed are cleaned down to sound mortar. The stone goes back on a fresh bed, adjusted to line up with its neighbors, and the joints around it are packed and tooled once the bed has firmed.
If the bed behind the stone has turned to sand deep into the wall, resetting one stone will not hold, and the repair widens to the area around it. We tell you that before starting, with the extra stones counted, rather than after the first stone is out. Small stone spalls or wedges are used to hold the stone in line while its bed sets, then removed or hidden in the joint.
The drainage exit at the base
Water that gets behind adhered veneer is meant to run down the barrier and out at the base, through the screed or flashing R703.12 calls for. That exit only works if it is open to the air, with a gap above soil, mulch and paving.
Every veneer chimney's base is checked for a working exit. Where it is buried or missing, the estimate covers opening it up or adding the detail, which can mean removing the lowest course of stone. Where a patio or step has been built up against the base, the exit may need to be recreated above the new grade.
Repairing dry-stack veneer
Dry-stack veneer is set with pieces fitted tight together and no mortar joint showing, so the look depends on fit. A repair has to reproduce that fit, which means trimming pieces to close the gaps and keeping mortar back from the face.
Because there is no visible joint to repoint, loose pieces are found by sound and by pressing. We count the loose pieces, reset them with the setting mortar the maker specifies and trim replacements so the pattern closes up. A dry-stack repair is slower per square foot than a grouted one, and the estimate prices it that way.
What we check on a stone chimney in Lake Geneva
- Loose stones counted, reset on fresh beds and repointed
- Veneer gap above the roof corrected to the maker's guide
- Access equipment and roof protection listed on the estimate
- Structural movement flagged ahead of any stone work
Before a stone is taken out
Could you come out today for a loose stone in Lake Geneva?
If a slot is open that day, yes. If a stone has already fallen, keep people clear of the base until we arrive.
Why not just seal the joints with caulk?
Caulk keeps water in as well as out, so the mortar behind it stays wet and fails. Repointing with the right mortar lets the joint dry the way it should.
More services in Lake Geneva
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Learn more about stone chimney repairAll services in Lake Geneva
Loose stones or failing veneer in Lake Geneva?
Full stone or veneer, our stone specialists in Lake Geneva explain the repair the build calls for and write down the price.
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