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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.

 

 * Sydney Stonemasons Pty Ltd
   55, Smith Street
   Hillsdale- 2036 NSW
 * 1300 075 544
 * info@sydneystonemasons.com.au

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© 2021 Sydney Stonemasons Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved

 * Who we are
 * What we do
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 * Contact Us