Soft Washing in Brantford

The stone and brick Brant County Courthouse is a reminder of what Brantford's older buildings are made of. It was built on land bought in 1852, and additions in the 1880s kept its Greek Revival style. Stone and brick weather slowly, but they hold moisture, and moisture grows algae, moss and dark mould on the shaded sides. High pressure is the wrong tool for them. It can dig into soft mortar, chip the face of old brick and force water into the wall. Soft washing swaps force for chemistry: a cleaning mix loosens the growth, and a low-pressure rinse carries it off.

Houses often carry several materials at once: brick or stone below, painted wood on porches and trim, vinyl or aluminum siding on later additions. The courthouse itself was extended, and houses get added to over the years in the same way, so one wall can carry three ages of material. We list every material before we quote, test a hidden patch and set the mix and rinse for each.

Soft washing starts from $350. The warm months suit it best, on a dry, mild day with no frost in the forecast. Stone and brick dry unevenly, so the wall can look patchy for a day or two after the rinse. That is normal, and it settles as the moisture leaves.

What we plan for in Brantford

• Material list: we note stone, brick, painted wood, vinyl and aluminum separately, and set the mix and dwell time for each.
• Existing damage: we note crumbling joints and chipped faces before washing, so the record shows what was there first.
• Trial patch: we try the mix on an out-of-sight spot, and adjust it before we treat the whole wall.
• Drying time: we explain how long the wall may look patchy, since stone and brick dry unevenly after the rinse.
• Glass and trim: we rinse windows and painted trim while they are still wet, and keep the mix off delicate woodwork.

Questions from Brantford homeowners

Nearby: Soft washing in Paris · Soft washing in St. George · Soft washing in Cambridge · Soft washing in Woodstock · Soft washing across Kitchener-Waterloo