Pre-1940 brick and stone rowhomes require breathable, non-Portland lime mortars. Connect with craftsmen who understand traditional historic masonry.
Pre-1930 historic bricks were fired at lower temperatures than modern brick, making them softer and porous. When modern Portland cement (Type S or N) is used for repointing, it creates a rigid, impermeable barrier. Trapped moisture cannot escape through the mortar joints and instead forces its way through the soft brick faces, causing severe spalling, cracking, and irreversible structural damage during winter freeze-thaw cycles. Historic preservation masons use custom-matched Natural Hydraulic Lime (NHL) or traditional lime putty mortars that allow the building envelope to breathe.
Leveled Up Masonry specializes in residential historic brick and stone restoration across Philadelphia. They focus on preserving historic masonry integrity using breathable non-Portland lime mortars specifically formulated for soft historic brick rowhomes.
Patrick Kane Masonry Restoration has served the Greater Philadelphia area since 1989. They specialize in historic residential facades, brownstones, stone pointing, and structural masonry stabilization adhering to Secretary of the Interior preservation standards.
DiLemmo Masonry Restoration is a family-owned specialist firm focusing on historic stone colonials, fieldstone farmhouses, and brick structures across Montgomery County and Northwest Philadelphia.
Superior Restoration LLC has over two decades of experience stabilizing and repointing historic masonry throughout Philadelphia, specializing in rowhouse facades, structural cracks, and traditional lime pointing.
Premier Building Restoration provides high-end historic restoration for commercial landmarks, institutional facilities, and significant historic residences across the Delaware Valley.
Knapp Masonry LLC specializes in historic preservation and traditional masonry restoration across Greater Philadelphia and southern New Jersey. Mentored by regional preservation architects and engineers, the firm works exclusively with breathable, low-strength lime mortars formulated according to ASTM C270 Type O, Type K, and natural hydraulic lime standards to protect soft historic brick and stone from catastrophic spalling.
Mara Restoration, Inc. provides specialty masonry restoration and historic preservation services for architectural landmarks and residential properties in Greater Philadelphia. Their craftsmen are rigorously trained in non-destructive joint preparation, custom aggregate color and binder matching, and traditional lime-based repointing conforming strictly with NPS Preservation Brief #2.
Operating continuously in the Delaware Valley for over a century, Watts Restoration is one of the region's most venerable masonry restoration firms. Founded in 1923, Watts combines multi-generational trade knowledge with advanced technical preservation practices, ensuring historic brick, schist, and limestone assemblies retain structural breathability and historic character.
Old Philadelphia Associates specializes in structural masonry restoration and historic preservation with a deep focus on Chester County fieldstone, serpentine stone, and Philadelphia brick row architecture. Their team formulates authentic high-calcium lime mortars that allow antique masonry assemblies to naturally disperse vapor without stone fracture.
Established in 1972 in Erdenheim, Dugan Restoration (Joseph Dugan Inc.) provides specialized exterior facade restoration, masonry stabilization, and lime-based joint repointing. The company adheres strictly to historic conservation protocols, utilizing hand-raking and oscillating blade techniques to prevent damaging original brick edges during joint preparation.
Joseph Manero & Sons, Inc. is a family-owned specialty masonry firm with four decades of experience restoring historic stone and brick structures across Eastern Pennsylvania. They possess deep regional expertise in working with Wissahickon schist, mica schist, and Pennsylvania fieldstone, formulating authentic lime mortars that mirror historical joint profiles.
Founded in 1923 in Conshohocken, D.M. Sabia & Co. has spent over a century contributing to the architectural fabric of Greater Philadelphia. Their masonry restoration division focuses on preserving the integrity of historic stone and brick structures through careful mortar analysis, traditional hand-troweled pointing, and structural masonry conservation.
Armor Masonry Restoration provides comprehensive exterior building preservation services for residential, commercial, and ecclesiastical historic properties in the Delaware Valley. Their skilled artisans specialize in executing precise lime mortar repointing that respects original joint tooling—such as grapevine, beaded, and flush joints—while preserving delicate historic brick facings.