Repointing Brick and Stone Buildings

The Providence renaissance Hotel was a full scale renovation to a very historic façade. The exterior walls for this project were the originals from the construction of the Masonic Temple in downtown Providence. Phoenix Bay State was charged with the tasks of cutting and pointing the complete brick and limestone façade. The St. Astier product of Ecomortar G was used for the pointing of all limestone on the project. Also required were various repairs to the limestone façade in which St Astier’s NHL lime was used for varying crack repairs throughout the façade. Phoenix Bay State was very pleased with the products provided by St. Astier and the expedient service for delivery of materials which were critical for scheduling the project and beating the winter months. To date the installed materials and products have received accolades from the Rhode Island historical commission and the architects, engineers and contractors for the project, Hensel Phelps Management. Phoenix Bay State is very proud of the project and will be submitting the project for national historic restoration recognition.
Architect: Brennan Beer Gorman. Project Engineers: Wiss, Janey, Elstner Associates

This Church Bell tower was fully repointed along with some stabilization of the parapet and other stone details which were crumbling. Color Code is deGruchy's Ecologic™ DGM 250. Joint Profile is Ribbon style. It is located in Easton, PA

This Porte cochere support wall needed a full repointing. The Wissahickon Shist stone also referred to as "Chestnut Hill stone" is found throughout the Philadelphia region.

This stone is a porous and soft sedimentary rock. Often ashlar blocks of stone and "Snecked rubble" coursing complemented the stone with evenly gauged mortar joints. In this case the "Ruled raised ribbon style" was used to create a more formal uniformity.


deGruchy Masonry, Inc. repeated the original use of a ruled raised ribbon pointing to match the balance of the house. Many times when the masons did this style of pointing it was highlighted in a white lime paint in the center of the ribbon. It is typical that only the base color of mortar remains and often the white highlight which has washed away from the acidity of rainwater does not get renewed.

Joint Profile is the "Cobweb ribbon" style. Raised white material on top of a neutral background mortar was the method originally performed on this building in Philadelphia, PA. Color code-Base is deGruchy's Ecologic™ DGM 200. Ribbon- NHL 2 with fine white sand at a 1:1 ratio.

The work was performed by:

Child Enterprises
P.O. Box #186
Springville, Utah 84663
(801)489-5022 fax (801)491-3467

Completion date: Summer 2003

Architect: 3D/International Group

Engineer: Reaveley Engineers and Associates

              Before paint strip and patch pointing                             After paint strip and patch pointing

          Before mis-matched mortar was removed            After mis-matched mortar was removed and blended
                                                                               to match using deGruchy's Ecologic™ Standard                                                                               Construction Grade (SCG) mortar

        Before paint stripping and full repointing using                       After joint removal and repointing
            deGruchy's Ecologic™ DGM 100 mortar