diff --git a/src/surfMesh/mergedSurf/mergedSurf.C b/src/surfMesh/mergedSurf/mergedSurf.C
index 48cf9e2175..65ca1e06c3 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/mergedSurf/mergedSurf.C
+++ b/src/surfMesh/mergedSurf/mergedSurf.C
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2016 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2016-2018 OpenCFD Ltd.
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
@@ -29,24 +29,42 @@ License
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Constructors  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-Foam::mergedSurf::mergedSurf()
-:
-    points_(),
-    faces_(),
-    zones_(),
-    pointsMap_()
-{}
-
-
 Foam::mergedSurf::mergedSurf
 (
-    const meshedSurf& surf,
+    const meshedSurf& unmergedSurface,
     const scalar mergeDim
 )
 :
     mergedSurf()
 {
-    merge(surf, mergeDim);
+    merge(unmergedSurface, mergeDim);
+}
+
+
+Foam::mergedSurf::mergedSurf
+(
+    const pointField& unmergedPoints,
+    const faceList& unmergedFaces,
+    const scalar mergeDim
+)
+:
+    mergedSurf()
+{
+    merge(unmergedPoints, unmergedFaces, mergeDim);
+}
+
+
+Foam::mergedSurf::mergedSurf
+(
+    const pointField& unmergedPoints,
+    const faceList& unmergedFaces,
+    const labelList& originalIds,
+    const scalar mergeDim
+)
+:
+    mergedSurf()
+{
+    merge(unmergedPoints, unmergedFaces, originalIds, mergeDim);
 }
 
 
@@ -69,15 +87,43 @@ void Foam::mergedSurf::clear()
 
 bool Foam::mergedSurf::merge
 (
-    const meshedSurf& surf,
+    const meshedSurf& unmergedSurface,
     const scalar mergeDim
 )
 {
-    // needed for extra safety?
-    // clear();
+    return
+        merge
+        (
+            unmergedSurface.points(),
+            unmergedSurface.faces(),
+            unmergedSurface.zoneIds(),
+            mergeDim
+        );
+}
 
+
+bool Foam::mergedSurf::merge
+(
+    const pointField& unmergedPoints,
+    const faceList& unmergedFaces,
+    const scalar mergeDim
+)
+{
+    return merge(unmergedPoints, unmergedFaces, labelList(), mergeDim);
+}
+
+
+bool Foam::mergedSurf::merge
+(
+    const pointField& unmergedPoints,
+    const faceList& unmergedFaces,
+    const labelList& originalIds,
+    const scalar mergeDim
+)
+{
     if (!use())
     {
+        clear();   // Extra safety?
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -86,8 +132,8 @@ bool Foam::mergedSurf::merge
         mergeDim,
         primitivePatch
         (
-            SubList<face>(surf.faces(), surf.faces().size()),
-            surf.points()
+            SubList<face>(unmergedFaces, unmergedFaces.size()),
+            unmergedPoints
         ),
         points_,
         faces_,
@@ -96,7 +142,7 @@ bool Foam::mergedSurf::merge
 
     // Now handle zone/region information
     List<labelList> allZones(Pstream::nProcs());
-    allZones[Pstream::myProcNo()] = surf.zoneIds();
+    allZones[Pstream::myProcNo()] = originalIds;
     Pstream::gatherList(allZones);
 
     if (Pstream::master())
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/mergedSurf/mergedSurf.H b/src/surfMesh/mergedSurf/mergedSurf.H
index fea99158a2..86886f9bc7 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/mergedSurf/mergedSurf.H
+++ b/src/surfMesh/mergedSurf/mergedSurf.H
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2016 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2016-2018 OpenCFD Ltd.
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ Class
     Foam::mergedSurf
 
 Description
-    Simple class to manage surface merging information
+    Simple class to manage surface merging information.
+
+    Merging is done with PatchTools::gatherAndMerge()
 
 SourceFiles
     mergedSurf.C
@@ -55,20 +57,43 @@ class mergedSurf
     labelList  zones_;
     labelList  pointsMap_;
 
-    //- No copy construct
-    mergedSurf(const mergedSurf&) = delete;
-
-    // Assignment is needed for lists
 
 public:
 
     // Constructors
 
         //- Construct null
-        mergedSurf();
+        mergedSurf() = default;
 
-        //- Construct and merge meshed surfaces immediately (in parallel only).
-        mergedSurf(const meshedSurf&, const scalar mergeDim);
+        //- Copy construct null
+        mergedSurf(const mergedSurf&) = default;
+
+        //- Move construct
+        mergedSurf(mergedSurf&&) = default;
+
+        //- Construct and merge.
+        mergedSurf
+        (
+            const meshedSurf& unmergedSurface,
+            const scalar mergeDim
+        );
+
+        //- Construct and merge.
+        mergedSurf
+        (
+            const pointField& unmergedPoints,
+            const faceList& unmergedFaces,
+            const scalar mergeDim
+        );
+
+        //- Construct and merge
+        mergedSurf
+        (
+            const pointField& unmergedPoints,
+            const faceList& unmergedFaces,
+            const labelList& originalIds,
+            const scalar mergeDim
+        );
 
 
     //- Destructor
@@ -117,7 +142,37 @@ public:
         void clear();
 
         //- Merge meshed surfaces (in parallel only).
-        bool merge(const meshedSurf&, const scalar mergeDim);
+        bool merge
+        (
+            const meshedSurf& unmergedSurface,
+            const scalar mergeDim
+        );
+
+        //- Merge meshed surfaces (in parallel only).
+        bool merge
+        (
+            const pointField& unmergedPoints,
+            const faceList& unmergedFaces,
+            const scalar mergeDim
+        );
+
+        //- Merge meshed surfaces (in parallel only).
+        bool merge
+        (
+            const pointField& unmergedPoints,
+            const faceList& unmergedFaces,
+            const labelList& originalIds,
+            const scalar mergeDim
+        );
+
+
+    // Member Operators
+
+        //- Copy assignment
+        mergedSurf& operator=(const mergedSurf&) = default;
+
+        //- Move assignment
+        mergedSurf& operator=(mergedSurf&&) = default;
 
 };
 
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/meshedSurf/meshedSurfRef.H b/src/surfMesh/meshedSurf/meshedSurfRef.H
index cd60394e19..f228a0c11c 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/meshedSurf/meshedSurfRef.H
+++ b/src/surfMesh/meshedSurf/meshedSurfRef.H
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2016 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2016-2018 OpenCFD Ltd.
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ public:
         (
             const pointField& pts,
             const faceList& faces,
-            const labelUList& ids = Foam::emptyLabelList
+            const labelList& ids = labelList()
         )
         :
             points_(pts),