REPOINTING OLD JOINTSOLD STONE REPAIRSSTONE STEPS & STOOPSFIREPLACE SURROUNDSHEARTHSSTONE FEATURE WALLSAJAX & DURHAM REGIONREPOINTING OLD JOINTSOLD STONE REPAIRSSTONE STEPS & STOOPSFIREPLACE SURROUNDSHEARTHSSTONE FEATURE WALLSAJAX & DURHAM REGION
Ajax homeowners looking for stone masonry can call The Setting Stone Company for stone steps and stoops, natural stone fireplace surrounds and hearths, indoor feature walls and repointing, from Midtown and Memorial Village to Pickering Village.
Older masonry here can need a lighter hand. The Pickering Village district plan says to use lime mortar for repairs and repointing of historic brick, matched to the original, and warns against power tools for removing old mortar. For fireplaces, a gas fitter or WETT-certified technician takes the appliance and chimney, and we take the stone.
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The Pickering Village plan sets out how historic masonry should be treated: lime mortar for historic brick, matched to the original, no power tools to take out old mortar, and no sand-blasting or high pressure water for cleaning. Outside the district, we look at what an older wall was built with before choosing a mortar. New work is mostly about what you can’t see: a compacted base under steps, a true and rigid backing behind indoor stone, and joints that shed water.
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Stone masonry in Ajax covers more than old walls. Steps and repointing need decent weather, and indoor stone does not. See the same four jobs on our Durham Region stone work page.
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On a heritage property in the district, yes. The Pickering Village plan lists masonry cleaning and repointing there as Heritage Permit work, and for all properties it adds new chimneys visible from the street and a change of cladding materials. Heritage Permits are free. Minor work that follows the guidelines and was talked through with the Town first can be approved in one to two business days.
Questions go to heritage@ajax.ca. Across Ajax, the Town’s general line is that all construction work needs a permit, including alterations, and anyone unsure should ask. The rules can change, and buildingpermits@ajax.ca can confirm what applies today.
The Town counts 31 individually designated heritage properties. Altering their character-defining features needs a Heritage Permit, and the Town has up to 90 days to decide.
Property Standards By-law 46-2017, s. 5.22 wants chimneys free of broken and loose masonry. A WETT-certified technician handles that, and we handle the stone around it.
Midtown's 600 prefabricated homes were built for plant workers, so we would keep a new stone stoop in scale with the house.
Permit work must start within six months of issue and finish within one year, and inspections need at least 24 hours notice.
Older masonry and new feature walls need different things, so we see the job before we put a number on it.
Call or send a message, and you will hear back within 1 business day. The on-site consultation is free.
We check the mortar, the base under the steps or the wall behind the stone, and whether a Heritage Permit may be involved.
Your quote is clear and itemized, so you can see the whole job. The decision stays yours, with no obligation to proceed.
Tim's crew protects the house and garden, does the work without subcontractors and goes through the result with you.
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For historic brick in Pickering Village, the district plan says lime mortar, matched to the original. It also warns against power tools for removing old mortar and against sand-blasting or high pressure water for cleaning. Outside the district, we look at what the wall was built with before choosing, and we explain the choice at the visit.
The fireplace itself likely does. A fireplace or woodstove is its own item in the Town's building permit fees, and the Town says all construction work needs a permit, including alterations. A gas fitter or WETT-certified technician handles the appliance. For stone facing on an existing fireplace, email buildingpermits@ajax.ca before work starts.
That depends on the stone's finish. Ontario's Building Code asks for treads and landings that are wear-resistant and slip-resistant, smooth, even and free from open defects, so a rough cleft face deserves a closer look on treads. Coldspring, a natural stone company, also says the finish matters in icy or wet conditions. We choose step stone with that in mind.
Both can work indoors. Manufactured stone is a lightweight product cast from cement and aggregate to look like natural stone, while thin natural stone is real rock, cut thin. A Lake Vista home, where building began in 1955 with solid brick, and a newer Lakeside house may need different backing, so we look at your wall first. The choice changes the price, so we quote the stone you pick.
Homes here run from wartime housing in Midtown to newer builds, so no single figure would help you. The stone, the size of the job and the state of what lies underneath set the price. So the quote waits until we have seen the job. The visit is free and the quote is itemized.
Stone steps pair well with a new walkway, and a slope beside them may need a low wall. Our other local services are here.
Tell us what you have at (905) 922-6684. The site visit and itemized quote are free.
Expert interlock, flagstone, driveways, retaining walls, decks, and fences across Courtice, Bowmanville, Newcastle, Oshawa, and Clarington.
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Tim at Setting Stones rebuilt our slipped stone steps and installed a new retaining wall. Hands down the best contractor we’ve worked with. He was professional, listened closely to our vision, and accommodated every design change without complaint. He kept the site immaculate throughout the project, and the finished stonework speaks for itself. Highly recommend.
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