The tools of masonry restoration

Masonry restoration is a pretty broad category that includes cleaning, sealing, repairing mortar, and even tearing down and rebuilding sections of masonry. Basically, masonry restoration is any work on a building that’s already standing, as opposed to masonry work to actually build that building.

Here are a few tools of the masonry restoration trade.

Hammer and chisel

Hammer and chisel are two classic tools of the masonry trade, especially when it comes to chipping out old mortar in order to repair crumbling masonry. Of course, there are power tool versions of the hammer and chisel now, too. They can make a job go faster, but sometimes the classic hammer and chisel are still needed for more delicate work.

Grinder and blades

An electric grinder or blade can help more quickly remove old mortar on a tuckpointing job, and some grinders may be suitable for smoothing the surface of masonry during a surface restoration project.

Trowel and jointers

The trowel is a classic masonry tool, and it’s used in both new masonry and masonry restoration. Different sizes of trowels can help with spreading mortar in the necessary spots to finish the repair, and it’s an important tool if breaking down and rebuilding an entire section of masonry. Jointers are a specialized tool used to work mortar in between bricks when tuckpointing.

Brushes and sponges

Any masonry restoration job requires that the surface be clean and free of any dust or debris prior to applying new mortar or a protective coating on the surface. Brushes are useful for getting dirt and dust out of crevices, while sponges can be used to remove dust from the entire surface.

Mortar

You can’t fix crumbling mortar without having some new mortar to apply. While mortar comes in a variety of colors, you may not be able to buy a color that matches your existing mortar exactly. But there are tinting products available and options to mix multiple colors to achieve the desired look.