Masonry and Restoration Masonry

Mortar is selected from investigation, testing where specified, unit type, existing mortar properties, exposure, movement, moisture behaviour, and the restoration design. Harrowgate builds a mock-up for colour, texture, joint profile, cutting method, and curing. We do not default to a high-strength mortar that transfers stress into older brick or stone.

Spalling commonly follows water saturation, freeze-thaw cycling, salt movement, corroding embedded metal, hard incompatible mortar, or failed flashing and joints. Harrowgate traces the moisture and movement path, replaces unsound units, repairs joints, and coordinates lintel, flashing, weep, sealant, and drainage corrections so the repair addresses the cause.

The required depth comes from the restoration specification and accepted mock-up, based on joint width, sound mortar, unit condition, and tooling. Harrowgate removes deteriorated mortar to a consistent sound substrate without widening joints or damaging unit edges, cleans the joint, and installs compatible mortar in compacted lifts.

Masonry continues only under the project’s cold-weather procedure. Harrowgate controls material temperature, substrate condition, enclosure, heat, wind, moisture, and protection in accordance with CSA A371 and the specification. Frozen units, frozen substrate, direct unvented combustion exposure, and uncontrolled temperature swings are not accepted as normal production conditions.

A mock-up proves the proposed unit match, mortar colour and texture, joint preparation, joint profile, cleaning method, workmanship, and interface treatment on the actual building. The owner and consultant review it before broad production. Harrowgate preserves the accepted mock-up as the field quality benchmark for each repair type.

Loose, displaced, or bulging masonry is treated first as a safety and structural condition. Harrowgate establishes exclusion and access controls, stabilizes the area to the engineer’s direction, opens approved investigation locations, and documents anchors, backing, corrosion, cracks, and moisture. Reconstruction then follows the issued structural and envelope repair details.

Project records include surveys, sample and mock-up approvals, product data, mortar batch control, weather and protection logs, concealed-condition photographs, repair quantities, anchor or flashing inspections, and deficiency closeout. Harrowgate organizes records by elevation and repair type so the consultant can verify work that becomes concealed.

Mortar that is harder or less vapour-permeable than the masonry can concentrate stress and moisture in the units. Compatible mortar is selected from the existing assembly, exposure, testing, and repair objective rather than compressive strength alone.

Corroding shelf angles or ties, missing anchors, water and freeze-thaw, foundation movement, cavity obstruction, and displaced wythes can contribute. A bulge requires stability assessment and concealed-condition investigation before units are reset or repointed.