03/07/2026
One thing we were reminded of recently while attending an in-depth workshop on historic masonry and stone repair: water will always win.
Many of the brick homes built in the late 1800s were constructed with soft, breathable materials — brick and lime mortar that allow moisture to move through the wall and dry out naturally. It’s part of why so many of them have stood for well over a century.
Historic buildings are remarkably resilient when they’re maintained and allowed to function the way they were designed.
But those systems rely on two things working properly: the building being able to breathe, and water being carried away from the structure.
That’s why two of the biggest challenges for historic brick homes are failing gutters and modern paint coatings.
Box gutters and downspouts were designed to move huge amounts of water away from the roof. When they stop working properly, water can end up running down the face of the building instead.
At the same time, many historic brick houses have been painted with modern latex paint at some point in their lives. The problem is that these coatings can trap moisture inside masonry that was designed to dry out.
Over time, trapped moisture combined with repeated freeze–thaw cycles can weaken mortar and damage brick.
It’s a good reminder that caring for historic buildings often comes down to understanding how they work — and making sure water always has somewhere else to go.
At Riverbend Renewal, part of our mission is helping share the knowledge and skills that keep historic homes standing for the next hundred years.
