Tomb Restoration
Before and After Tomb Restoration in St. Louis 2 Cemetery, New Orleans.
Removing bricks at the roofline. We relay the historic bricks using lime mortar.
tomb masonry repairs
We have completed countless masonry repairs on historic tombs including repointing, rebuilding of architectural elements, and securing vaults. We always begin by removing ferns, cleaning the tombs, and using the historic bricks to repair any masonry issues. Major roof repairs are typically part of this process. See photos below for how this project looked at the end!
Sealing up the vault wall.
Fresh plaster on repaired roof.
tomb plaster repairs
After the masonry repairs are complete, we apply two coats of a lime-based plaster on the tomb. These two coats include a scratch coat and finish coat. We will preserve as much of the historic plaster as possible.
Plaster scratch coat
Custom pink limewash in Lafayette 1
Tomb limewash
A breathable limewash or lime paint is the historically accurate and healthiest finish for old tombs. We make our own limewash, and we custom mix each color for every client. We apply about 5 coats to each tomb.
Pinning a marble vase shelf.
Marble cross before cleaning and after cleaning
Tomb restoration in progress
Tomb Restoration completed