About Brickfield Co.

What This Resource Covers

Brickfield Co. documents the construction methods, material characteristics, and maintenance requirements of Victorian-era brick buildings across Canada. The content draws on masonry conservation standards published by Parks Canada, Heritage Canada, and provincial heritage offices, as well as documented practice from licensed masonry contractors and heritage architects working in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes.

Articles focus on three areas: the original construction logic of 19th-century brickwork; the failure patterns that emerge when that logic is disrupted by modern interventions; and the procedural landscape — permits, assessments, heritage designations — that governs restoration work today.

Why This Exists

Heritage brick buildings in Canada are routinely damaged by well-intentioned repairs that use the wrong materials. The most common error is Portland cement repointing on soft Victorian brick. It appears correct — the mortar is hard and freshly placed — but within a decade it traps moisture that the original lime mortar system was designed to release. The bricks then spall rather than the mortar joints, and spalled brick cannot be economically repaired.

This resource exists because the information needed to avoid that error is scattered across government conservation briefs, academic masonry papers, and contractor experience that does not reach most building owners until after the damage is done.

Contact Information

Questions, corrections, and documentation requests can be directed to:

• Email: info@brickfieldco.org
• Phone: +1 (613) 555-0184
• Address: 147 Elgin Street, Suite 4, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L4, Canada

Disclaimer

The content on this site is provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute professional engineering, architectural, or legal advice. Decisions about specific buildings should be made with qualified professionals holding credentials in heritage conservation and structural masonry.