The trades associated with masonry and stone include masons, bricklayers, mason tenders, pointers, tile layers (or setters), caulkers, marble setters, terrazzo workers and tile, terrazzo and marble finishers. The links and information here are on materials, methods and professional associations for and about the work done by those trades.
Brick / Masonry
Brick Industry Association Technical Notes
The Brick Industry Association is “The National Authority on Clay Brick Construction” and their Technical Notes provide accurate and reliable information on most aspects of brick construction.
Catalan Domes and Vaults
Catalan vault is the popular name for a type of low arch, vault or dome. It’s a construction method for load bearing surfaces that is found throughout the Mediterranean. The term “Catalan vault” was coined in 1904 at an architectural congress in Madrid. Written references to this vault begin in Valencia in 1382 although it is of Roman origin. Other terms used to describe this construction method are tile vault, Catalan turn, Catalan arch and timbrel vault. The video below shows an experienced and skilled tradesman building such a vault. It’s sped up but even at real time the rate at which this guy lays brick is fantastic.
Completed Brick Vaults
This page at Suitelife.com, which is for “Barcelona Real Estate and Life Style Services”, is an introduction to Catalan vaults and includes a number of examples of the form.
Masonry Details by the International Masonry Institute
The value of the work that the International Masonry Institute has done or commissioned to describe and disseminate useful information on masonry construction is hard to overstate. The 3D models that they provide on this page are one of many testaments to that fact.
Model of a Double Wythe Wall by the International Masonry Institute
Scroll to zoom in on the 3D model and drag to orbit about it. Drag cursor + SHIFT to pan
Mortar for Brick and Block in the “Materials & Finishes” Section of JVSBS.com
Mt. Carmel High School, Chicago Cleaning
October 2014 Durability & Design Magazine article
Working With Historic Brick by Loretta Hall
This article on TraditionalProductsReports.com, one of many excellent papers by this site’s contributors, provides information on old brick and mortar composition and replacement.
Cast Stone Architectural Elements on Traditional Product Reports.com
“Dry” and wet-cast formulations of cast stone are explained. A link to cast stone suppliers is provided.
Conproco “Black Book”
Descriptions, selection guides, application guides, competitive product comparisons, and professional tips for Conproco concrete repair and preservation products, stone repair and preservation products, exterior wall systems and below grade waterproofing.
Conproco Product Binder
Fifty-seven Conproco products data sheets in product categories: concrete repair and preservation, masonry repair and preservation, protective coatings (including penetrating sealers, mineral silicate paint, and films), exterior wall systems and below grade waterproofing.
Construction professionals showcase examples of prepping concrete surfaces for further work
A project in New York and another in Michigan are described in this March, 2014 Durability+Design Magazine Article. In the first the contractor used PROSOCO’s Sure Klean VanaTrol new construction cleaner diluted water 12:1 to clean about 50,000 square feet (4,645 square meters) of ground-level vertical pre-cast concrete. In the second the contractor created a seamless transition between existing and new concrete floors by grinding them to the same aggregate exposure with Husqvarna planetary grinders.
Dutchman Stone Repair video
Dutchman stone repair training on the MIT pilot project in Cambridge, MA done in accordance with ASTM E2659-09. Careful removal and replacement of flawed stone with true Dutchman style repair methods.
Masons used a traditional sculptor’s pointing device or an automatic pantograph to duplicate plaster casts of the missing blocks and surfaces for the Dutchman repairs to the Erechtheion. The new blocks and pieces were given a distinctive surface treatment to make the ancient material clearly distinguishable from the modern. An artificial patina was applied to the new surfaces to tone down the glaring color difference between the ancient and new Pentelic Marble.
Edison Coatings, Inc. products
Guide to the Repair of Natural Building Stone by Edison Coatings, Inc.
Edison products for stone consolidation, patching and casting are described as are their repair mortars, adhesives, crack repair materials, coatings, finishes and mortars for tuck pointing.
Edison Custom System 45 Composite Repair Compounds for Stone, Masonry and Concrete
Edison Coatings Inc., ICE 9 RL Mortar Admixture
Edison Coatings is a leading developer and manufacturer of masonry and concrete repair and restorations materials. Their ICE 9 RL Mortar Admixture is an additive that imparts freeze-thaw and salt-scaling resistance to mortars, plasters and concretes. It has also proved to be effective in reducing the need to keep mortar joints hydrated during cure. This benefit makes tuckpointing operations much less labor intensive by reducing if not eliminating the need to replace joint mortar in multiple lifts. This June 2018 article in Design + Durability magazine: Repointing Shortcuts Can Cause Coating Failures, but New Mortar System Offers Relief, by Edison’s founder, Michael Edison, explains how. The article also gives fairly detailed information on the proper methods for mortar joint restoration.
General Information
Dimension Stone Design Manual
Marble Institute of America Dimension Stone Design Manual version 7.2 provides general information such as geology, selection criteria, restoration basics and cleaning of stone and other subjects as well as contract specifications for granite, limestone, marble and onyx, quartz based stone, serpentine, slate, soapstone and travertine.
Gallery of Building Stone
Images of buildings with details of the stone of which they are made, which is a useful format for determining stone type.
Identifying and Sourcing Stone For Historic Building Repair
By English Heritage Publications
Stones of North America
This Marble Institute of America app is a database of quarries, types of stone, stone colors, types of usage and high resolution images of the stones.
Granite
Cathedral Stone Products, Inc. Mortars and Grouts
Mortar for granite repair is one of fifteen categories of Jahn Restoration Mortars and grouts offered by Cathedral Stone. The others are for mica, stucco, plaster, limestone, sandstone, brownstone, terra cotta, brick, granite, bluestone, marble, poured and precast concrete, casting, pointing, anchor setting and injection grouts. Color matching service is provided. Training is also offered and some of the products are only sold to certified installers.
Granite: Characteristics, Uses and Problems
This US Government General Services Administration “Historic Preservation – Technical Procedure” includes general information on the characteristics and common uses of granite and identifies typical problems associated with it.
Specification for Granite
Chapter 5 of the Marble Institute of America Dimension Stone Design manual
Helifix USA
Designer and manufacture of specialty helical wall tie anchors and masonry repair systems.
How To Do Brick & Concrete Repairs on HowStuffWorks.com
Simple, illustrated instructions written for the homeowner but applicable to the professional on HowStuffWorks’ “Home and Garden” section.
Jahn Mortar and Cathedral Stone
Jahn Mortar Used to Repair Cast Stone Video
Repairs to a church in Norfolk, Virginia, USA by an expert demonstrate how to apply and finish Jahn Repair Mortar from Cathedral Stone Products.
Jahn Mortar Training
Cathedral Stone Products, Hanover, MD, USA provides training on how to apply and finish Jahn Mortars. Many of their products are only sold to certified craftsmen and the training is required to receive the certification.
Loss Compensation Methods for Stone
This Journal of the American Institute for Conservation article by John Griswold & Sari Uricheck is about repairing damaged stone, referred to as “techniques of loss compensation”. These techniques are divided into two general classes: replacement and plastic repair. Replacement of stone elements is commonly called a dutchman repair or technique. Plastic repairs involve a moldable fill that adheres to the substrate. Because there is little to no loss of the remaining, original material plastic repairs are more common. The manufacturers of commercial mortars mentioned in the article are Ledan and Mapei, whose products are primarily manufactured and used in Italy, Keim of Germany, Jahn Mortars of the Netherlands and Jahn’s only North American distributor, Cathedral Stone and Edison Coatings, an American company. The Jahn and Edison Products are compared with both said to be valued by conservators for many of the same and some different reasons.
Marble
Direct Adhered Exterior Marble Cladding
Richard P. Goldberg AIA, Architect with Professional Consultants International, LLC © 2006 paper on requirements and considerations when adhering marble cladding to exterior substrates.
Historic Stone Masonry Restoration
Hoffman Architects “Journal of Architectural Technology” article on evaluating masonry construction, the characteristics of stone masonry, the forms of deterioration in natural stone and choosing a preservation treatment.
Thin Stone Veneers offer Unique Design & Performance Demands
Hoffman Architects 1997 Vol 14 N 3 article on the need for precise detailing while dealing with thin stone veneers rather than dimension stone.
Stonework Restoration – Chapter 5 of Martin Weaver’s Book
From “Conserving Buildings: A Manual of Techniques and Materials” by Martin E. Weaver (on Harvard University’s server).
Masonry Repair / Patch Using Conproco Products
This video demonstrates the proper surface preparation and application procedures for repairing broken stone and other masonry components with non-polymer modified masonry repair mortars. Products featured are Conproco’s Matrix and MIMIC repair mortars.
Nawkaw Concrete Cleaning and Staining Services and Materials
Nawkaw is a resource for architects and general contractors who need color applied to masonry and concrete. Nawkaw considers themselves to be “the world’s premiere stainer of masonry and concrete” and a pioneer in the masonry staining process. Their products are in use worldwide under extreme conditions, from desert heat to extreme cold.
“We provide a permanent solution for coloring masonry and concrete, that won’t peel or fade—guaranteed for 25 years! Nawkaw stain technicians are the most experienced you’ll find, bringing years of expertise and know-how to a variety of applications. Whether you’re blending an addition, preserving an historical landmark or erecting a modern skyscraper, Nawkaw has a color solution for your brick, concrete and precast.”
Nawkaw Masonry Cleaning and Staining Specification
Nawkaw Masonry Stain Architectural Specification
Quickpoint Mortar Gun
The QUIKPOINT MORTAR GUN is a mortar dispenser with an auger, driven by a Black and Decker, 5.2 amp drill motor which makes the tuckpointing operation much faster than the conventional method.
Prosoco Sure Klean Cleaners
PROSOCO is a US company with very extensive experience and success as a manufacturer of products for cleaning, protecting and maintaining concrete, masonry and tile; making building envelopes air and water-tight; and cleaning, protecting and restoring new and existing masonry buildings.
Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildiings
Preservation Brief 2 by the U.S. Park Service.
Tuckpointing
ASTM E 2260 – 03 Repointing (Tuckpointing) Historic Masonry
Brick Industry Association “Brick Brief” on Repointing (Tuckpointing)
This “Brick Brief” (“short discussions on specific topics”) addresses criteria for deciding if repointing (tuckpointing) is called for, how to select / specify replacement mortar and additives, mortar preparation and placement and selecting a contractor.
Edison Coatings Inc., ICE 9 RL Mortar Admixture
Edison Coatings is a leading developer and manufacturer of masonry and concrete repair and restorations materials. Their ICE 9 RL Mortar Admixture is an additive that imparts freeze-thaw and salt-scaling resistance to mortars, plasters and concretes. It has also proved to be effective in reducing the need to keep mortar joints hydrated during cure. This benefit makes tuckpointing operations much less labor intensive by reducing if not eliminating the need to replace joint mortar in multiple lifts. This June 2018 article in Design + Durability magazine: Repointing Shortcuts Can Cause Coating Failures, but New Mortar System Offers Relief, by Edison’s founder, Michael Edison, explains how. The article also gives fairly detailed information on the proper methods for mortar joint restoration.
Repointing Mortar on onlineTips.com
This article is a good guide and includes tips that aren’t necessarily mentioned by others, for example, the author points out that, “It is critical to perform the tooling at the right time, which is when the mortar is almost but not quite dry. Mortar tooled when too soft will have a color lighter than it should be, may not match existing mortar, and can develop hairline cracks. Tooling mortar when too hard can cause unsightly dark streaking called tool burns, and cause bad closure of the mortar against the brick. This is one example of the specialized experience required for repointing.
Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildings video series
Lime Mortar Repointing: The Basic Techniques for Restoring Historic Brick Homes
Reasons to replace mortar joints in old masonry, lime versus cementitious mortar and other point are discussed in this first video of the series by Preservation Works of Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. This video references Preservation Brief 2 by the U.S. Park Service.
Techniques for Safely Removing Mortar
Methods and tools used to remove mortar from joints are given in this second video of the series by Preservation Works of Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. This video references Preservation Brief 2 by the U.S. Park Service.
How Sealant (caulk) Damages Mortar Joints
Why sealant should not be installed in mortar joints is explained in this third video of the series by Preservation Works of Easton, Pennsylvania, USA.
