The Annex is one of Toronto’s most heritage rich neighbourhoods. Many homes date from the late 1800s and although they are generally extremely well built, many have been painted or have had improper maintenance and repair work done over the years. Here are some examples of our work in this neighbourhood.
This Romanesque gem had previously been painted several times, obscuring the natural beauty of the stone. Previous attempts to remove the paint by other contractors were unsuccessful, leaving the homeowners feeling frustrated and hopeless.
After cleaning, the stone is revealed as a prominent feature of this beautiful home. Note the burgundy Credit Valley sandstone banding previously obscured by paint and carbon buildup. We finished the job by completely repointing the mortar joints with a lime mortar to match the original.
The brickwork in the area above the stone foundation was decaying, due to capillary movement of moisture and the freeze/thaw cycle. This was exacerbated by previous improper repairs to the stone mortar joints using cement mortars which trapped moisture and sent it up towards the brick to escape.
Improper repairs using hard cement based mortars are an extremely common cause of masonry failures. We work with our clients to identify these problem areas and to strategize to ensure the structural and aesthetic soundness of the home.
All spalled and damaged bricks were replaced with period appropriate vintage bricks, salvaged in part by the passionate homeowner. Several lime mortar match colour samples were made and let to cure before final approval from the homeowner. We used a special bead jointing tool from Australia to finish the joint and have it match the original style from the 1880s.
Spending the extra time getting the materials and details right makes for a seamless repair that blends in with the original.
The mortar joints of this foundation stone were badly eroded and in need of repair.
Joints are prepared for repointing using a specialized Arbortech tool and with chisels and brushes.
Lime mortar was applied in stages to ensure a proper cure and to avoid shrinking and cracking of the mortar joints. The area was also protected from the sun and the wind and kept damp during and after repointing.
A blend of coarse and fine aggregates is mixed with hydraulic lime mortar at a ratio of 1:3 to achieve a final cured strength of 500psi. This is an adequate strength for grade-level masonry and will allow the mortar joints to breathe and expel moisture- reducing the future damage to the brick as seen above. Colour matching is achieved with the addition of a custom mix of mineral dyes, which are tested prior to approval from the homeowner.
