Natural Stone & Stonemasonry Bernese Oberland | Wood Doctor

We provide the full range of natural stone work and stonemasonry in the Bernese Oberland: new floors, wall cladding, stairs, window sills, kitchen countertops, fireplace surrounds and outdoor work. Our stonemasons combine traditional craftsmanship with modern machinery — from sampling through custom fabrication to restoration of existing surfaces.

Our material range covers granite, marble, slate, quartzite, sandstone, alpine limestone and Bündner natural stone. Where possible we work with local stone — short transport routes, regional character, and often required by Heimatschutz (heritage protection) in Saanen and Gstaad.

Beyond new installation, we also handle stone restoration: deep cleaning, sanding, polishing and re-sealing of old stone floors, stairs and walls. Even damaged or stained marble can often be saved without full replacement. Restoration typically costs 20-40 % of new installation while restoring 80-95 % of original appearance.

Alpine stone types — choosing the right material. Bündner quartzite is the icon of Swiss Alpine stone: silver-grey, extremely hard, frost-proof, acid-resistant. Ideal for outdoor surfaces, stairs and facades. Alpine limestone has a warm beige tone with fossil inclusions — perfect for rustic chalet interiors and fireplace plates. Granite is hard, heat-resistant and the standard choice for kitchen countertops. Marble from Carrara or Lasa for elegant wall cladding, bathrooms and fireplaces. Slate for modern dark floors with herringbone patterns.

Outdoor stone in alpine conditions. Frost cycles are the biggest challenge in the Bernese Oberland. We lay outdoor surfaces frost-proof with frost-resistant mortar, proper slope (min 2 %) and correct drainage. Bündner quartzite is our standard recommendation — it survives 100+ years of alpine winters undamaged. For stairs we combine split surfaces (anti-slip) with polished risers.

Natural stone kitchen countertops. Granite is heat-resistant (place hot pans directly), acid-resistant and very hard — the robust standard. Quartzite (e.g. Taj Mahal, Alpine White) has the look of marble with the hardness of granite. Marble in kitchens needs intensive care and careful use — only for purist kitchens where patina is valued as character. We fabricate countertops with sink cutouts, cooktop openings, faucet drilling, drip edges and edge profiles (classic, bevelled, half-round) — CNC-precise and water-jet cut.

Stone restoration — what we can save. Acid stains on marble (wine, lemon, descaler): diamond-grit sanding + repolishing restores original gloss. Joint damage: route old joints, re-grout with matching mortar. Scratches on polished granite: diamond sanding + high-gloss polish. Greyed or moss-covered outdoor surfaces: high-pressure cleaning with alkaline cleaners + impregnation. Limescale stains in bathrooms: special acid treatment — caution, not all stones tolerate this.

Fixed prices for natural stone work in the Bernese Oberland. Floor surfaces: sandstone and slate from CHF 140/m², granite and quartzite from CHF 180/m², marble from CHF 220/m² including laying. Kitchen countertops: from CHF 800/linear metre granite, from CHF 1,100/linear metre quartzite, from CHF 1,400/linear metre marble. Restoration of existing surfaces: CHF 35-80/m² depending on scope. Travel within the Bernese Oberland (Gstaad, Saanen, Thun, Spiez, Zweisimmen) included.