SUSTAINABLE STONEMASONRY

Founded in 2005, Sydney Stonemasons PL are experts in all aspects of stonemasonry. Whilst specializing in heritage restoration they also have a vast experience in stonemasonry on a commercial and residential scale.

The Sydney Stonemasons team began works onsite in early June of 2021. A total of five buildings at the North Parramatta site were refurbished and renovated for the Hub including the Female Factory, part of the old hospital and the kitchen block.

“We carried out a lot of repointing, desalination, new stone indents and created many new internal and external openings, whilst also modifying many existing openings” said Director Roscoe Hannagan. “Many of the original openings had been closed and we reconstructed them by installing structural steel lintels and carefully removing the sandstone infill. We also made few new openings to facilitatemovement through the new buildings while leaving evidence of the later additions.”

“On one of the buildings the gable required immediate attention. We shored up the gable then catalogued and coded all stones in the wall before careful dismantling. When we removed the external stone skin, we found that there was no footing below the wall and the internal brickwork was failing. We carefully dismantled the brickwork, put in a new reinforced concrete footing, and then reconstructed the internal brickwork, ensuring all windows and doors, the fireplace and chimney breast were all reconstructed to their original details.

We rebuilt using a combination of salvaged stone and new stone, cut, and dressed onsite, to match the original in profile and detail. Finally, the wall was cleaned and pointed using traditional lime mortar. All the salvaged material was stored for re-use and future repairs, maintaining as much of the original heritage fabric as possible.

“The job involved stabilizing the structure so as not to damage any existing features while we carried out our work. Also, colour matching the new stonework was a challenge and we spent a lot of time at Gosford Quarry searching for stone that would match. Eventually we used a mix of four different coloured stones to closely match the original stonework.

“We worked extremely well with FDC; they are a very good team. Our first job with them was at Shore School in North Sydney where we carried out sandstone cladding. FDC were happy with our work there and contracted us for Stage 1 at the WSSH and we will be on Stage 2 of the project, rebuilding the heritage perimeter wall.”Sydney Stonemasons PL have established a strong reputation within the heritage restoration industry. They are based out of their factory
in Hillsdale and employ up to 40 tradesmen with specialist skills who carry out all the preparation and restoration of sandstone and other masonry. The workshop is fully equipped with modern machinery to automate the process as much as possible.

“This allows us to complete work more quickly, as a result we are capable of completing large scale projects to the highest of standards in a timely manner.” said Roscoe.

As one of the leading stonemasonry firms in the country, Sydney Stonemasons PL have been at work on a number of significant Australian buildings. In 2020 they were at the Anzac Memorial Centenary Project replacing and repointing cladding stones, and later that year completed restoration work at the Australian Museum.

The future for Sydney Stonemasons PL involves expansion into the overseas residential and commercial market. In April 2022 General Manager Thomas boarded a plane to Dubai to open a new office.

“Australian architects are designing for Dubai and there’s a lot of heritage work there. We’ll be also looking at the sandstone cladding on the Dubai Museum as well as plans for a massive high rise where we will be installing marble and granite cladding along with sandstone,” Thomas said.

For more information contact Sydney Stonemasons PL, 55 Smith Street, Hillsdale NSW 2036, phone 1300 075 544, email info@sydneystonemasons.com.au, website www.sydneystonemasons.com.au

Sydney Stonemasons is an award-winning specialist in heritage restoration projects and was contracted by Kane Constructions to undertake complex restoration work on the Australian Museum ‘Project Discover’ Redevelopment.

The Australian Museum has been on its present site since the mid-1800’s. The handsome sandstone structure and the priority in the redevelopment work, was to ensure that all modifications fitted seamlessly with the existing sandstone structure. This is where the extensive experience and skilled craftsmanship of Sydney Stonemasons was so invaluable.

Director Roscoe Hannagan, said that as well as ensuring existing sandstone features were not damaged in any way, there was also priority given to protecting all the exhibits throughout the Museum. “Our work was all inside the building, so we had to follow safe practices which took all these factors into account.”

Sydney Stonemasons’ Master Mason Dennis, was called into carry out numerous mortar repairs where he achieved a perfect colour and texture match to the existing stone. Dennis had the task of grinding off the silcon and cement which was stuck to the surface of the stone once the roof had been removed. Once complete the stone was then bush hammered to create the same surface texture, before colour matching to the surrounding stone

The restoration work completed by Sydney Stonemasons included opening new doorways to suit the changes to the Museum layout. “We used sandstone from within the building itself to make the new doorways. Any extra stone that we needed was sourced from the Public Works stockpile,” Roscoe said.

Sydney Stonemasons has a total staff of 25, all with the specialist skills of working with sandstone as a construction material. “As one of the few companies to specialise in heritage restoration, we have a commitment to detail and are always meticulous in our craftsmanship which earns us regular repeat business,” Roscoe said.

For more information contact Sydney Stonemasons, 55 Smith Street, Hillsdale NSW 2036, phone 1300 075 544, email info@sydneystonemasons.com.au, website www.sydneystonemasons.com.au

Stonemasonry focuses on the repair, conservation, and restoration of stone buildings, bridges, and statues, along with the construction of new stone structures. Stonemasons have a good understanding of the various stone types, how to fix and shape stone, as well as the tools used in their trade.

Working in the field of stone masonry can be varied: you might spend days painstakingly chiselling lovely carvings one day and find yourself using modern power tools for the preparation and trimming of blocks of stone for the cladding of modern buildings the next day.

Looking for a local stonemason solution? Contact the team at Sydney Stonemasons today for more info.

Stonemasons are of two main types

– Fixer masons

– Banker masons

Banker masons operate mostly from a workshop, using various tools for skilfully shaping stones for new designs or replicate and replace existing stone. They can polish finish slabs of stone or even produce intricate carvings made of stone for both new and existing buildings.

Luke Mollica, an Australian mental wellness expert, notes the importance of the role of the stonemason. “We often hear about the role of being a stonemason, but not many people could tell you what their exact work looks like. However, the work they do on the buildings that we walk past every day is incredibly breathtaking and deserves a lot of appreciation.”

Fixer masons, on the other hand, generally work outdoors and do the installing i.e., putting the stones that have already been shaped by the process of banking into place. They are incredibly skilled when it comes to using traditional lime mortars and have an excellent understanding of specialist fixings.

What Is a Stonemason?

A stonemason is a person that turns rough pieces of stone or rock and shapes into geometric shapes for the purpose of creating a structure and/or a piece of art. Structures that a stonemason can make include buildings, tombstones, cathedrals, monuments, etc.

Australian landscaping expert Patty Leglise of Wayne’s Landscaping says that being a stonemason is a job that’s often overlooked by people. “It’s easy to think about the end product of what a stonemason may produce, but it’s somewhat of a noble art. Creating these beautiful patterns from stone is a job that’s not an everyday one.”

Stonemasons have been responsible for structure, statue, and building construction since the start of civilization. Stonemasons have created some of the most impressive and notable art pieces and structures such as the Egyptian Pyramids, Stonehenge, the Taj Mahal, the Chartres Cathedral, the Easter Island statues, etc.

Definition and Scope of Work

Stonemasons work with both artificial and natural stone. The natural stones they use include limestone, sandstone, granite, and marble. Stonemasons use tools such as chisels, hammers, mallets, brushes, pneumatic drills, wedges, and trowels.

The stone facing the stonemason that’s put on the surfaces of buildings is known as the veneer. It is generally two inches thick and fastened on and supported by the steel frame of the building.

Stonemasons have to cut stone to exact size sometimes. To ensure easy cutting, they determine the grain of the stone and mark a line along it. Next, they strike the stone along this line using a stonemason’s hammer. Stonemasons also use an abrasive saw sometimes to cut valuable stones.

What Does a Stonemason Do?

Stonemasons aid in the repair and maintenance of structures, such as houses or churches. This can include carving or cutting different types of stone, and you will usually have to make sure that you maintain the building’s feel and look.

The Role of a Stonemason Involves the Following:

– Repair of monuments and old buildings

– Dressing stone and building walls

– Making and fitting stonework such as archways and window frames

– Working with a wide variety of hand tools

– Interpreting technical buildings

– Working with different materials such as granite, marble, limestone, sandstone, and slate

– Thinking creatively and solving problems

– Collaborating with conservationists and historians

– Working both outdoors and indoors, sometimes at height and in dusty environments

– Lifting and carrying heavy equipment and materials

Stonemasonry is a profession that isn’t just learnt overnight – it takes years to hone the necessary skills. That’s why you need the best in the business for all of your stonemason needs, and Sydney Stonemasons are the only solution you need to worry about.

Whether it’s heritage restoration, commercial solutions, Sydney Stonemasons can fulfil your stonemasonry needs. Get in touch with us today and find out how we can help each other.