Restoring older fireplaces in Davis Islands

Matching mortar color and texture

Mortar color comes mostly from its sand, and fresh mortar dries lighter than it looks when wet. That is why a match is judged on dry samples, a practice the Park Service's repointing guidance also describes.

Our pros mix trial batches, let them dry and compare them with the existing joints before repointing the visible face. You approve the sample, so the finished fireplace looks like one piece.

Taking old paint off fireplace brick

Removing paint from brick is slow, careful work, and it does not always bring back a perfect face, since paint often covers stains or repairs. A test patch shows what lies underneath before the whole face is stripped.

In homes built before 1978, the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule requires lead-safe work practices for paid work that disturbs paint. Our pros raise that question at the inspection, and the estimate spells out how that step is handled.

Older homes and special requirements

Age alone does not make a fireplace historic, and it does not decide how the work should be done. If your home carries a local designation, or you have records of original materials, share them before the plan is drawn up.

Documents like these can affect what may be replaced and which materials are used. Where a conservation adviser is involved, our pros agree the sequence with them before any original material is changed.

What your restoration estimate lists

Each stage of a restoration appears on its own line with its price, so you can approve the plan whole or in parts. Here is what the lines usually cover.

• Cleaning of the face and firebox, with the method
• Repointing, with the mortar type and color
• Firebox relining or rebuilding
• Smoke chamber and damper work
• Hearth, tile and ironwork repairs
• Curing steps before the first full fire