rec for a truly expert, knowledgabe mason?
i’m not looking for someone who just good at repointing or laying brick–I want to find someone who is seriously expert. after a lot of research, it seems clear that one of the reasons (probably the primary reason) for the spalling of our brick walls is that it was repointed by the previous owners using…
i’m not looking for someone who just good at repointing or laying brick–I want to find someone who is seriously expert.
after a lot of research, it seems clear that one of the reasons (probably the primary reason) for the spalling of our brick walls is that it was repointed by the previous owners using cement mortar rather than lime-based mortar. apparently, in pre-1900 buildings, the mortar was lime-based, which worked harmoniously with the type of bricks they were using: the walls “breathe” through the mortar, which is softer and more porous than the brick. when you lay concrete mortar over that, the bricks are forced to breathe through their faces, which is a major cause of spalling.
we had the moisture levels of the bricks and building as a whole check–there is not a moisture “problem” as most will suggest.
thus far, I’ve spoken to several people–contractors and the like–who have never heard of this. they insist you just coat the walls with more cement or impenetrable sealers, which is just contrary to what professional masonry literature says to do with buildings this age.. SO, I’m really trying to find someone with a truly expert knowledge. any great rec’s?
wow, that’s super helpful. thanks, all.
now, aside from addressing the actual mortar problem, what’s the best thing to do about the spalling? some say using a silane/siloxane coating (which is vapor permeable) will help bond the bricks while letting them breathe, and that sounds pretty good to me, but those coatings are made to prevent water from getting on the bricks, and obviously that’s not my problem…
This isn’t a pic of my actual walls, but it looks pretty much the same (though this shows a higher percentage of spalled bricks that I have) http://www.usheritage.com/images/faq/spalling.jpg
i will contact these recommendations. thank you!
Basonas, Malek–both good companies.
You’re probably correct about the mortar problem, but removing it could cause more damage. It’s a fine line. You’re absolutely correct, however, that the recommendations for work that you’ve received are incorrect.
Any way that you could post a photo of a representative area of damage?
premadas, Basonas is correct and I highly recommend them as well. Many of their top guys are from Spain, per jfss above. Nevertheless they are contractors, and I still think an impartial rec is better per my comment above.
I just saw a website http://www.preservationworks.us
Their frontpage says they do “historically correct Lime mortar restorations”. I did not check to see what state they are in.
Another company who has restored some older buildings along Central Park is Basonas Construction. I may not be spelling it correctly, but I heard about them on this forum and they have a website that shows their work.
realistically, you are not going to find a mason in New York who is going to go through the process of slaking lime to make mortar. It is a long, tedious process (by long, I mean months). There is sort of a middle ground however, you could specify the mortar mixture that you want the mason to use which could be a hydrated lime/cement mix. This is soft enough that it won’t cause spalling problems. Most masons that I have worked with have no problems with using your mix as long as you let them off the hook for longevity since many of them aren’t familiar with how the mix is going to stand up (it won’t last as long as portland cement, but you still should get 40 or 50 years out of it before it needs patching).
You don’t let them off the hook however for workmanship. It works and handles pretty much like regular mortar, so that shouldn’t be a problem for them.
If it’s a patch repair, there’s all kinds of things you can do to come up with a reasonably close match. If it’s a complete re-do, make up some test batches and go with whatever is most appealing to you. The sand is what is going to affect the look, since it will be the most common element. Good luck, it’s a hassle going through this, most of us decided long ago that we had no interest in being masons, so doing a mason’s work for them is annoying, but unfortunately there are not a lot of alternatives out there.
Typo in my email address, it is peacenik108 @ aol.com
I’m in the middle of a job with Trascend Construction. They are knowledgeable masons and are repointing my 3 story all brick home over the next 2-3 weeks and also painting, repairing and doing renovations to the interior. My home was built around 1940, so I don’t have the same issue as you. Nick could be open to discussing what you want to have done and research it if necessary.
The work started Monday and so far I’m pleased with it. They work quickly and efficiently and have separate crews for interior and exterior work that are on site simultaneously, 7:30-4:30 daily. Today I had 4 men working interior and 4 men working exterior.
If you call Nick and want to see my job when its finished, or as its being done, you can email me peacenik @ aol.com
You are on the right track looking for a skilled mason. From my experience, the masons from Spain who apprenticed there know what you’re talking about and how to do it right. The trick is to find the good ones. They come to NY from Spain around April and work until almost Christmas when they go back to Spain. The good ones will likely be booked for this season.
I don’t think either of the two masonry contractors I used will take a repointing job. I learned everything you explained in your post (and more) from Edson Construction when he instructed me re my brickwork after he had refaced my brownstone. I used Costas Construction for brick pointing plus much more masonry work. Last I heard he is doing strictly brownstone refacing and his lead time is 2 years.
The best.
Artistic Masonry
(718) 424-3311
Robert Silman Associates
Structural Engineers
88 University Place
New York, NY 10003
Phone: 212.620.7970
Fax: 212.620.8157