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Overview

Brick

Stone

An Example

More Info

Infos Index

Copyright © 1998
Nova Scotia Museum

Additional Info

Masonry can be damaged in many ways. Pollutants in the air can discolour it or attack various materials. Rain on ground water can seep into cracks and dissolve mortar or minerals, or freeze and cause pieces to break off. Notice if masonry near the bottom of a wall is in poorer condition than that above it. Rising damp can often cause this deterioration.

Restoring and cleaning masonry is a complicated process that calls for advice. For exmple, sandblasting, which is now common, is one of the most destructive ways of cleaning masonry. It can destroy the hard outer surface of brick, exposing the vulnerable, softer interior, or remove and decorative finish of stonework.

If you are interested in learning more about masonry, the following book is helpful: McKee, Harley J. Introduction to Early American Masonry; Stone, Brick, Mortar and Plaster. Washington, D.C., Nsational Trust for Historic Preservation, 1973.

Adapted from an article by Stephen Archibald, Curator, Nova Scotia Museum; first published in The Occasional, Vol. 5 No. 2, p. 20.