Most buildings are made with masonry, which refers to the building method of using mortar to hold the bricks together. In some cases, the entire building is made with masonry, whereas most modern structures use different types of methods and materials. Chimneys and walkways are also built with masonry.

Old masonry buildings are built out of materials such as bricks, terra cotta, stone blocks and mortar. In fact, mortar generally represents about 20-25% of the entire building structure. The porosity and strength varies from one material to another. It is essential to understand the typical characteristics for each type of material, in order to be able to develop the proper solutions.

Masonry restoration can often be a quite a big project, because it usually includes the entire building. The purpose is to improve the old building’s appearance, while also prolonging its lifespan, by making it sure it can still stand for a long time.

Masonry restoration involves removing the old, deteriorated material. This needs to be replaced with new materials which have to match with the original one. For instance, in case the building was built with red bricks, the replacement bricks need to be of the same color that the old bricks had when they were new.