Masonry

Tips:

Learn about the different types of mortar.  When re-pointing a heritage property, be sure to use a traditional mortar composition that matches the colour, texture and tooling of the original.

Read the Region of Waterloo Practical Guide to Masonry.

Mortar must be softer than the masonry units (brick, stone, terra cotta etc).

Water penetration is the enemy of masonry. Halt the source of water problems before starting repairs.

Keep sidewalk salt away from masonry. It will destroy it.

Be cautious about cleaning masonry. Improper cleaning can cause irreparable damage to heritage buildings.

• A sound repointing job can last 30-100 years.
• A bad repointing job can ruin your building.
• Consult an experienced professional.

• Below is a list of practitioners who claim to have experience with heritage properties.
• Inclusion in this list is neither an endorsement or recommendation.
• Please check references and previous work before engaging anyone.
• Before you begin, please read this advice from heritage property owners who learned the hard way.