What is the best way to clean or repair patches on stonework?

Question

Hello 
I have stone walls for my house which have been damaged and eroded over time that may need refiling, with some small patches of decolourisation in some areas from erosion/damage over time. These are Bath stone walls specifically and, where possible, I would like to resolve this myself. 
Are there any suitable materials that I can use without damaging the stonework?

Neil · Accepted Answer

Hello 
You would have two main options available to you for repairing the damage to the stonework.
The higher quality option is to use a repair filler with some suitable stone that matches your walls, while the cheaper option is to use mortar repairs. 
For repair filler a popular choice is Litho-Max, which is easiest found online these days, and you can find matching stone from stone merchants or even salvage merchants. (You may also want to consider dye powder if you want to get the colour to be an exact match.)
As this is Bath stone, you should find it reasonably straightforward to chisel the stone as it is quite a soft stone – but if you are unfamiliar with this, this may be where you would prefer a stoneworker to do this for you. 
Generally speaking, natural stone repairs will be best for the value of your house in the long-term and without some of the risks of mortar repairs. 
Mortar repairs will be quite cheap and convenient enough to do yourself, however it is more difficult to get a matching texture or colour, which may not be ideal if you ever plan to sell your property. Additionally, the mortar will be porous which means it can hold water – this may be problematic in cold or icy weather where this can cause the mortar to crack and cause further damage. In some cases, this could cause leaks to the inside of the home. 
Generally, I would recommend the option of using a repair filler (specifically Litho-Max) and to source some Bath stone that is local to you. If there is any of the work that you are not sure about, I would recommend to seek advise from, or hire, a local stoneworker to you.

Scott · Answer

Always use lime with stone never use cements. If you need small patches fixed use lithomex it's a lime based stone repair plaster

Maria · Answer

Hi there,

Your best solution is to contact a stone repair company and send them photos of what needs to be done.
Once assessed they can provide you with a quote for filling in the pores with matching resin, and check the type of repairs they can offer for the different kinds of damages there may be.

Hope it helps,

Gino · Answer

If you have skills then go ahead but a stone restorer would make them look very nice again worth considering if you wish it to last

Sean · Answer

get a 4-inch grinder with a cutting blade on it and square of all the erosion damage then get a bag of bash stone pre-mix and re-pair it with that you will just need a sponge to get it nice and flat to blend into the rest of your bashstone hope that helps you

What is the best way to clean or repair patches on stonework?

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