Masonry Contractors in Anchorage, KY

Anchorage is small, about 2,500 people at the 2020 census and 810 housing units on 2.97 square miles, but it holds some of the oldest and most carefully kept homes in eastern Jefferson County. That makes the job of masonry contractors in Anchorage mostly about restraint: repairing old stone and brick so it lasts without changing its character. The city takes its name from The Anchorage, the estate of riverboat captain James W. Goslee, and it incorporated in 1878, three years after his death. The land was once part of Isaac Hite's 1773 land grant.

A railroad town with an Olmsted plan

The Louisville and Frankfort Railroad came through in 1849, and an interurban line opened in 1901, making it easy to commute to Louisville. In 1914, Bernheim commissioned Frederick Law Olmsted's firm to plan Anchorage, and the plan was to include stone bridges and triangle intersections like the Olmsted parks in Louisville. The Anchorage Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Many new upscale houses followed, especially after 1977.

Repairing old stone and brick

Older Anchorage properties often have limestone foundations, stone garden walls, brick chimneys and stone or brick steps. On these, the key decisions are:

• Mortar: a soft, lime-rich mix that is weaker than the stone or brick, so the joint gives before the masonry does
• Joint removal: hand tools wherever possible, so edges of old brick and stone are not chipped
• Matching: sand color, joint width and tooling matched to the original
• Cleaning: gentle and low pressure, never sandblasting

These are the same principles in Louisville Metro's masonry design guidelines for historic buildings, and they work just as well outside a preservation district.

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Big lots, old trees and walls

Anchorage is known for large wooded lots. Old trees are beautiful, but roots lift steps and walks, and leaf litter keeps walls and chimney tops damp. Stone walls along drives and property lines eventually loosen as roots grow and the ground freezes and thaws. We reset and rebuild loose sections of stone wall, match the stone and bond pattern and leave enough drainage at the base for water to escape.

Newer homes in Anchorage

Houses built after the late 1970s are often large brick or stone homes with multiple chimneys, terraces and outdoor fireplaces. At 30 to 45 years old, those chimneys commonly need new crowns and caps, and terraces and steps need resetting. We repair them with materials that match.

Permits and approvals

Louisville Metro requires a building permit for retaining walls over 4 feet tall. Anchorage is one of the smaller cities within Louisville Metro, and Metro advises owners there to check with the city early about additional approvals. We confirm both before larger projects.

Working carefully on established properties

Many Anchorage properties have mature landscaping, old trees and finished lawns right up to the masonry. We protect plantings and turf, use plywood paths for wheelbarrows and keep mortar and debris off walks and drives. On historic walls, we photograph the existing pattern before taking anything down, so it can be rebuilt exactly as it was.

What we do in Anchorage

• Stone wall repair and rebuilding
• Historic brick repair and tuckpointing
• Chimney repair and rebuilding
• Stone and veneer
• Retaining walls
• Masonry steps, terraces and porches

Call (502) 443-8557 to set up a visit in Anchorage.