Masonry Management: Repairing Brick and Stonework

Any masonry on a property makes a bold statement, but if your brickwork is busted or your stonework is strained, it might not be the type of statement you want to show off. The good thing about brick and stonework is that it takes a long time or a lot of duress to make it irreparable. Chances are good that if your masonry is in disrepair, there is a way to fix it.

Cleaning Stone and Brickwork
Old masonry is often covered in years of dirt and other debris, which can hide its true beauty. Therefore, the obvious first step in restoring stonework is to clean it. This task sounds easy enough, but it can get tricky, especially when dealing with old and crumbling mortar.

Unless the stonework or brickwork is relatively new, attempting to clean it properly will be a lot like banging your head against (you guessed it) a brick wall. The type of grime that sticks to masonry can be very difficult to remove, and the pros use different cleaning techniques (some as powerful as grinding and sandblasting) to deal with different situations. Those without experience in the area, or the proper machinery, should probably consult someone who does.

Replacing Individual Bricks and Stones
When it comes to bricks, whether or not you can do this yourself depends on where the damaged piece is and the knowledge you have with mortar. If there is just one offending brick and it is not in a load bearing wall, you can take that brick out piece by piece as long as you don't damage any of the surrounding bricks or the mortar that holds them in place. If there are more than 2 or 3 bricks in the same area that need to be replaced, or you are not sure if the wall is load bearing, call in a professional.

Stones are more difficult to replace, especially if they are not finished (uniformly cut). They are larger and heavier than bricks, and it is difficult to find a replacement stone that will fit properly without being cut (which most of us do not have the tools to do).

Masonry Mastery
Masonry is hard. While the concepts of how it is done might not be that difficult to grasp, to become good at it takes a lot of practice and a ton of time. The people that build and restore brick and stonework go through a lot of training; their knowledge and experience shows in their work, and can't be duplicated by a casual DIY.

Brickwork and stonework are expensive to build and to repair, as well. When dealing with damaged masonry, the average person often finds himself or herself stuck between a rock and a hard place. Doing the work on their own might be possible, but the results are guaranteed to be less pleasing than what a pro could do. On the other hand, hiring a contractor is costly.

On the upside, a masonry repair, when done by a professional, can last a lifetime. In fact, it can last several lifetimes. These materials have been used for centuries, and there are many structures around that can attest to their durability and beauty. When you think of it as an investment that can be handed down for generations, a few extra bucks up front seems pretty reasonable.