Exposing brick - why is it black?
We are renovating an apartment in Windsor Terrace, and are exposing a few brick walls throughout the place. We have opened the walls, and to our surprise saw that brick on external walls is black, as if painted with something (see links to pictures below). An internal wall is of regular red colored brick. We…
We are renovating an apartment in Windsor Terrace, and are exposing a few brick walls throughout the place. We have opened the walls, and to our surprise saw that brick on external walls is black, as if painted with something (see links to pictures below). An internal wall is of regular red colored brick. We like both colors, and would like to keep the black wall exposed.
Does anyone know what was the brick coved with, and whether it is toxic or not? How can we clean the black walls to retain the color? Will the acid solvents ruin the color, or just strip it and expose the red underneath?
Any help/advice will be greatly appreciated!
Picture1
I just posted above. I looked at the photos and you should definitely have the brick 100% repointed. You’ll be SOOOOOOOOO much happier after you move in — please listen to me — suck up the cost and do it right or you’ll be sweeping up cement dust constantly! It also looks a million times nicer.
It’ll probably cost about $2500, but it’ll be worth it. Find a Bandleshi outfit — much cheaper than others, but just as good.
The easiest way to remove the tar is to sand it off with an electric sander. It comes off much faster that way. I’m a landlord and have done it many times on rentals and never had any complaints of drafts.
If the cement between the bricks is crumbling, I suggest you have your interior brick walls 100% repointed before you have the place painted. It stinks to always have cement dust falling on the floor. Of course, you should also use a clear, satin stone sealer, but a total repointing is even more important and makes life much better one you move in. If you’re really lucky the cement is in great condition and pointing isn’t necessary.
I had to point my own apartment post renovation and it was a nightmare even though I stayed in another apartment while the work was being done.
One more question: Everyone’s saying that there are problems with a draft coming from the brick walls, as a result of removing the plaster. We’ve been in the apartmetn after the plaster has been removed with the temperatures being VERY cold and we did not notice any drafts. Also the wall is pretty thick, sO I do not think there should be any problems.
Hi all.
Yes the moldings look pretty good on the pics that you saw.
We obviously took the pictures in the best light, in order to hide all the scary crap hanging off the detail. Not to scare people that will see the pics.
If you saw them up close, especially in artificial light, this would wouldn’t be an argument. They were in terrible shape, had lead paint, and were broken and split in multiple places where it really counts.
So yes it is a shame, we have evaluated all the options , but could not have kept the moldings.
Some of our neighbors, that wanted to keep the moldings, ended up ripping them off anyway and duplicating everything from scratch.
We are however going the extra mile and hiring Verrazano Flooring to RESTORE the vintage inlaid floors, even though there is irreparable water damage under the radiators and a hump right in middle of the living room due to sagging joists. It is costing us a hek of a lot more then putting new hardwood flooring (not laminate).
The floors are covered right now, in order to preserve/protect them. You can’t see them in the demolition pictures.
It’s easy to scream “bloody murder” about all the detail. But this isn’t a huge brownstone house. This is a 680sq ft. apartment. We’re trying to create the feeling of space not cozying it up to make it feel smaller.
Thank you for the info about the Tar on the bricks. If anyone has any additional info on removing that stuff, do tell.
Anon 4:26, I could see some validity in your post until your overwrought final sentence. Sorry, but me caring that someone else destroyed a nice apartment is not the reason NYC is not fun anymore. Actually, it is fun for me, but whatever. I still think it’s a shame. If they wanted modern and sleek (which is not what cheesy exposed bricks are IMO) that’s great, but then why buy a place with beautiful original details?
maybe, they didn’t want “charming” at all. maybe they want modern and sleek.
maybe the location, size, and price was perfect, so they bought this place and started demolishing.
you will NEVER have to be inside this place, so why get worked up over it?? it’s a private home, not a bakery or a church. the inside of someone’s home is none of your concern.
i remember when NYC used to be fun.
Sorry, but wantonly destroying original details is a whole different category of “personal choice” than what kind of countertop someone puts in their kitchen. This was a lovely apartment that could have been restored to something really charming. Does anyone actually think that exposed bricks covered in roofing tar is as valid a choice as leaving the original plaster in place? Everything else aside, the place will now be colder and noisier. If you don’t like period details, wouldn’t it be better to buy a place that doesn’t have them?
Do you think publicly ripping into someone’s extremely personal choice in an anonymous post when they’ve been kind enough to share their home with us makes this a better or worse website?
Do you think trying to humiliate someone for tearing out period moldings encourages or discourages others from sharing their own renovations and letting us into their homes?
Mr. Brownstoner himself stopped updating his reno blog after idiots like you flamed one of his renovation choices.
95% of the users of this site want an open, polite forum where ideas can be shared and questions asked without fear of trolls like you.
Please go picket the Atlantic Yards project and then kindly jump in front of a bus.
Thank you,
Berto, on behalf of all True BrownStoners
vandalism would be if they came and did that to your apartment.
perhaps they posted the photos to get a rise out od people like you. and it seems they got the reaction they were seeking… i guess that would make you the fool.