Historical Building Restoration

How We Contribute

The importance of properly preserving and restoring our historic Masonry structures can not be overstated. The elusive art (or lack thereof) of Historic Masonry Restoration and Repair reveals itself in many of our area’s finest historic structures.

Historic Restoration is to Masonry what brain surgery is to Medicine. You wouldn’t have a Bone Doctor working on your frontal lobe.

Neither should you have a “Masonry Contractor” working on your historic brick or stone.

Most Masons today are not aware of Lime Putty Mortar or hand molded soft brick or any of the hundreds of nuances that are present in a restoration project.

Many well-intending masons have caused irreparable damage to historic structures in an attempt to help the structure because of a lack of historic masonry knowledge.

Bramwell-McKay has specialized in Historic Masonry Restoration for more than a quarter of a century. We have consulted on and completed thousands of historical masonry restoration and preservation projects throughout Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky and look forward to discussing your historic masonry restoration/preservation with you.

For help with masonry, restoration, or chimney or basement work in Jasper Indiana, Bloomington Indiana, Louisville, Evansville and Indianapolis, please contact Bramwell-McKay today for a free, no obligation consultation

What he didn’t know was that the building he was tuck pointing had brick that were manufactured in the 1880’s and were very soft. The mortar used to lay the brick was made of Lime Putty.

Lime Putty Mortar is a very soft cement made for a very soft brick.

When the modern Mason used a modern Mortar to tuck point the old brick, it ruined them. Portland cement-based mortar expands and contracts at a much greater rate than Lime Putty Mortar and damaged the brick with the change of seasons. The end result for this project was to remove and replace every single brick on the building at a cost of just under $200,000.00

The original tuck pointing bid was $38,500.00

While this example is extreme, you don’t have to look very hard around your town to see examples of failed attempts at tuck pointing. Take a look at the top of most chimneys and you’ll see someone’s attempt to “fix” failing mortar joints.

Tuck pointing is an art. Pure and simple.

For Tuck Pointing help In Jasper, Bloomington, Louisville, Evansville and Indianapolis, please contact us at 812 33-BRICK, or 812 631-5925.