TRUE STONE ENTERPRISES

Commercial Buildings

Whether built with brick or stone, restoring the mortar on historic buildings is crucial to maintaining their appearance and value. Because of its fragile nature, historic masonry should typically be tuckpointed every 20 to 30 years, depending on the climate where the building is located. Areas that experience heavy rain with high humidity and severe freeze and thaw cycles will need more frequent repairs than buildings in drier and more stable climates. This is because older lime-based mortar breaks down faster when exposed to harsh weather.

Additional elements that are integrated with historic masonry buildings include, but are not limited to, metal ties, iron and steel anchors, steel lintels, steel structural elements, flashings, and sealants. The repair of masonry systems includes repairing, replacing, or coating exposed corroded steel elements, integrating new water management flashings, and adding supplemental anchorage.

With buildings of significant historic value, it is worth the investment to tuckpoint the masonry more often to maintain its value as failure of a historic brick structure will cost significantly more to rebuild. We have extensive experience working to update the structural integrity of masonry buildings as well as to restore historic beauty.

Residential

Most historical residential restoration projects includes chimney repairs, step and patio repairs, as well as repairs to buildings damaged by trees, automobiles, and fires. Our goal is to make the repairs blend in with the surrounding masonry to avoid drawing attention to the repair. We spend a great deal of time searching for materials to match and blend in with the original work representing the historical accuracy.

Typical residential masonry restoration services require tuckpointing. Tuckpointing is the process of removing the old, deteriorated mortar joints and filling in the gaps between the stone or brickwork with new mortar. This preserves the structural integrity of the masonry without actually having to replace any stone or bricks. If you want to maintain the value, appearance, and safety of your home, tuckpointing is the best way to do so.

Every historic home project is unique and requires a specialized approach to restore deterioration issues. At True Stone Enterprises, we offer professional masonry repair and restoration services for homeowners owners in Whatcom County. We can help evaluate the condition of your stonework and complete any repairs or replacements needed, working within your individual budgets.