Historic Masonry Restoration in Cincinnati
We repair 19th-century brick and stone with soft lime mortar matched to the original.
Old brick plays by old rules
A 19th-century wall was built to breathe: soft brick in lime mortar, so water left through the joints instead of the brick.
Hard portland mortar, pressure washers and sealers trap that water, and freeze-thaw winters pop the faces off. We find the leak first, then repair with materials that behave like the originals.
What we fix
Repointing in lime mortar
Lime-rich Type O or Type N, mixed to stay weaker than your brick.
Cornices and corbels
Loose courses reset, broken units swapped for matching reclaimed brick.
Window hoods, sills and lintels
Cracked sills and hoods reset, and rusting lintels fixed before they lift the brick.
Bulging walls and cracks
Stainless helical pins and crack stitching tie the brick layers back together.
Parapets and coping
Coping bedded back on fresh mortar so rain stops running into the wall core.
Gentle cleaning
Water under 100 psi and nylon brushes. No straight acid or sandblasting.
See the difference
Soot-stained Italianate facade cleaned and repointed in lime mortar, with its broken stone window hoods restored
How a restoration job runs
We work to the National Park Service Preservation Briefs.
- Survey. The owner, Adriel Moore, walks the building and finds where water gets in.
- Mortar match. Sand and color matched by eye. On a landmark, the old mortar goes to a lab.
- Sample panel. You sign off on a test patch before we start.
- Approvals. In a historic district we prepare the scope, photos and mortar spec.
Who does the work
1993
In business since
$2M
Liability and workers’ comp
OSHA
Trained crews
1 year
Workmanship warranty
Swiss-trained masons · Licensed, bonded & insured
The owner sees every job before writing your free estimate.
★★★★★
“Historic brick restoration on our Over-the-Rhine building. Passed city inspection first try. They know historic work.”
Tom W., OTR
Historic Brick Restoration
★★★★★
“We inherited a historic home with a failing stone foundation. Swiss Masonry worked with our structural engineer and the city’s historic preservation office without us having to babysit a single conversation. They know how to work with old buildings. Highly recommend.”
Rebecca S.
Historic Restoration
Questions about old brick
What does historic masonry restoration involve?
Historic masonry restoration repairs old brick and stone with materials that behave like the originals: mortar softer than the brick, matching reclaimed units and gentle cleaning.
Can I use Type S mortar on my 1880s brick?
No, Type S is too hard for soft hand-made brick and makes the faces spall. Pre-1920 brick needs a lime-rich Type N or Type O mortar.
Do I need approval to repoint in Over-the-Rhine or Covington?
Often, yes. Exterior work in a local historic district usually needs a certificate of appropriateness from Cincinnati’s Historic Conservation Office or Covington’s Historic Preservation Officer first.
Related Services
tuckpointing · brick repair · stone work · box gutters and soffits · commercial masonry
Nearby Service Areas
Over-the-Rhine · Mount Adams · Clifton · Downtown Cincinnati · Northern Kentucky · all service areas
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