We think of a building’s façade as more than just an exterior wall – it is a complex, protective envelope around your building. Over decades, environmental pollution, harsh weather, and structurally destructive modern cement repairs take a heavy toll, particularly on historic masonry.
Our brick and stone restoration service is a comprehensive, multi-phase process. True restoration goes beyond basic cosmetics, and hence we combine advanced, non-destructive cleaning technologies with structurally precise repointing and custom masonry repairs to systematically reverse decades of decay and return your property to its architectural prime.
What is involved in a masonry restoration project?
Every successful restoration project requires a tailored combination of two core disciplines: Advanced Surface Cleaning and Structural Substrate Repair. We diagnose the unique make up of your building’s masonry so that we can deploy the exact combination of services it needs.
Above: a brickwork restoration project on yellow-buff bricks at Green Walk, Bowdon, Cheshire.
Before any structural repair or repointing can take place, decades of carbon staining, atmospheric pollution, and biological growth must be safely removed. We utilize specialized systems to uncover the true, vibrant character of the original masonry without damaging the brick or stone beneath.
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DOFF® Superheated Steam Cleaning: Operating at up to 150°C with low pressure, this system melts away flexible paints, heavy carbon, and biological spores while leaving fragile historic brick and stone entirely intact.
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Targeted Chemical & Abrasive Solutions: For industrial-grade staining, dense paint coatings, or rugged stonework, we utilize precisely controlled, neutralizing chemical washes and professional sandblasting.
Once the masonry is clean, we address the underlying structural health of the building. This phase remedies past structural settling, weathered joints, and the destructive effects of previous, incorrect sand-and-cement repairs (which are extremely common).
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Traditional lime mortar repointing: For period and listed properties built before 1930, we carefully extract failing mortar to a minimum depth of 20mm and hand-apply breathable Natural Hydraulic Lime (NHL 3.5) mixes.
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Contemporary masonry repointing: For modern brick and stonework, we use high-durability, structurally appropriate mortar profiles designed to withstand heavy weathering while maintaining clean, flawless lines.
Bespoke masonry repairs & colour matching
True restoration means making repairs invisible. When a property has suffered from “spalling” (where the faces of the bricks have cracked or popped off) or fractured stone sills, we don’t just patch it up with generic builder’s mortar.
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Bespoke aggregate matching: We blend specific natural sands and stone dust to perfectly match the original colour, density, and texture of your existing masonry. We don’t rely on cheap, synthetic chemical dyes.
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Sympathetic replacement & tinting: Where individual bricks or stone blocks are structurally compromised beyond repair, we can make attempts to source reclaimed period-matched alternatives, or use precise structural tinting to seamlessly blend new components into a historic façade.
Above/left : stonework restoration on Grade II listed Barclay Hall, Mobberley, Cheshire.
Uncompromising standards, guaranteed
Both brick pointing on a modern property and restoring masonry on a period property requires significant investment, and we understand you want total peace of mind with that. At Unique Pointing we are fully structured to protect you and your property:
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10-year workmanship guarantee: Backing all full-elevation pointing and lime repointing contracts.
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Fully insured: Protected by £5,000,000 in specialist Public Liability Insurance cover.
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We are a VAT registered limited company: Registered at Companies House under company registration no. 15765224.
Proving our competence on landmark restorations
We don’t expect you to take our word for it. Our restoration portfolio features some of the finest residential and commercial assets in the North West.
Our complete restoration process can be seen first-hand on the prestigious, grand gault-brick Victorian villas of Green Walk in Bowdon, Grade II listed Barclay Hall in Mobberley, Tower Croft in Marple, Elcho Lodge in Bowdon and the former Oddfellows Hall in Lancaster, to name a few of our recently competed projects.
Above: our masonry restoration services are suitable for conservation, heritage, and listed properties.
Have any questions?
Please note, our office address is for written correspondence only – all services are provided on-site at your property.
You can also send us a direct message, including image attachments if required, using our contact form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.