The Project
This project involved the full dismantling and rebuilding of a Victorian-era façade in the Palmerston–Little Italy area of Toronto. The original masonry had deteriorated significantly over time. The stone foundation had subsided and shifted, and the brick had previously been aggressively sandblasted in an attempt to remove paint, which severely weakened the outer face of the brickwork.
The approach
Due to these conditions, the façade was carefully dismantled down to the wood sheating structure behind it. During demolition, one of the bricks revealed an excise stone embedded in its core—a small reminder of the crude quality control practices used in Victorian-era brick manufacturing.
Once the wall was taken down, the scaffolding was fully enclosed with tarping and heated with propane so work could continue during colder conditions. Rebuilding then began using traditional materials and techniques.
The Details
Custom-cut plinth detailing was installed around the arches, and a semicircular arch was constructed above the second-storey main window using hand-laid voussoirs. Mortar joints were tooled with a slicker to expose the natural arris of the brick, then beaten back with a stiff churn brush and brushed at a 45-degree angle to achieve a traditional historic finish.
As the masonry progressed, the semicircular arch was completed and a plinth corbel course was installed above it, restoring a defining architectural element of the façade.
The Result
Once the masonry work was finished, the tarp was removed from the scaffolding to reveal the completed façade. Approximately 20% of the original brick was salvaged and reused, blended with new matching heritage-style brick imported from Europe. Indiana limestone was installed for the door and window sills, completing the restoration with durable, historically appropriate materials.
This project was completed by Toronto Masonry Restoration.
Watch a short video on this project below: