Want a Perfect Match? Clean Properly Before Coloring Your Repair
“Good as new” is not always preferable when it comes to color-matching a masonry repair.
The cleaned and repaired patch may look bright and fresh. But if the rest of the unit or surrounding masonry has been stained by contaminants such as dirt, debris, rust, or carbon, the repair will stand out like a shiny penny in a pile of dull ones. What you want is a repair that no one notices.
We have a better way. Our simple solution achieves an almost invisible repair using Cathedral Stone Products’ non- and low-acid cleaners and our standard and laboratory-matched pigments and stains.
Let me give you an example. A contractor was making masonry repairs to a limestone office building in New York. He followed the standard process, first cleaning the area around the damage using an acid-based cleaner followed by a neutralizer. He then matched the repair mortar to the cleaned spot.
One problem. The repair contrasted with the rest of the unit and the building overall. After seeing this unintended result, the contractor envisioned how awful the structure would look once multiple repairs dotted the facade.
He contacted us for advice. We understood the problem immediately.
We advised cleaning the entire unit—not just the damaged area—and tinting it to match the surrounding masonry. We also offered to help him determine which products in our line of cleaners would work best for his project.
“Every CSP product is laboratory engineered to clean and remove specific types of debris and staining without the need for acids—even carbon and rust staining can be safely removed.”
The contractor accepted our recommendations. Because the building’s surface showed only light staining, dirt, and grime, we recommended our no-acid Light Duty Cleaner.
Next, he tinted the unit to match the rest of the structure using our laboratory color-matching service.
The project was a success. In fact, the repairs blended so seamlessly with the rest of the building that the contractor had to point them out for visitors to recognize them.
We find our products are successful in this application due to three main factors:
Precision. Our cleaners are made for historic preservation. They are designed for specific substrates and formulated for various types of staining and discoloration.
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Safety. Our masonry cleaners are safe for buildings, safe for the environment, and safe for the crew. They are virtually acid-free—even our Heavy Duty Cleaner only has about the same amount of acid as a lemon. They require no neutralizer. In fact, many of them require only water for cleanup.
Color options. We have many Standard and Premium colors as well as a laboratory-matched custom color option.
Cleaning the entire unit rather than just an area for patching creates the best canvas for an almost invisible repair. Color-matching the full unit with the rest of the structure recaptures a building’s beauty and preserves it for the future.
General / Biological (Bio-Cleaner)
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Carbon/Rust/Copper Patina (Heavy Duty Cleaner)
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