Dovetail Heritage provides a traditional hot-mixed lime pointing service for historic and traditional buildings across Yorkshire.

The business was established to address a widespread and growing problem in the repair of older buildings: the use of incompatible mortars. For over a century, hard cement mortars have been routinely applied to historic masonry, and more recently natural hydraulic limes have often been used where they are still too strong for the building fabric. While these materials can look acceptable initially, they quietly trap moisture within stone and brickwork, leading to long-term deterioration.

Our approach is deliberately different.

Dovetail Heritage specialises in historically accurate hot-mixed lime mortar, produced and applied using traditional methods appropriate to older buildings. This restores breathability, allows moisture to move and evaporate naturally, and ensures the mortar remains sacrificial — protecting the masonry rather than damaging it.

Every project is assessed individually. Mortar design, joint preparation, application and curing are all carried out with care and intent, based on the specific building, its materials, and its exposure. There are no standard mixes, shortcuts or cosmetic fixes.

The service is focused on doing the work properly, not quickly. Hand preparation, appropriate joint depth, careful finishing and controlled curing are all fundamental parts of the process. The aim is work that sits comfortably with the building, performs correctly, and will continue to do so for decades.

Dovetail Heritage works on a wide range of historic and traditional properties, from listed buildings to unlisted stone houses and farm buildings that form the backbone of Yorkshire’s built landscape. The same principles are applied regardless of scale or status.

As the business grows, those principles remain unchanged: correct materials, traditional methods, and a clear understanding of how historic buildings are meant to function.