The older a building gets, the more it needs to be looked after. This is especially true when the building is made of brick and mortar—both of which deteriorate quickly when they’re not cared for properly. The problem is that many people don’t know how to take proper care of brick buildings. Homeowners are more observant than most, but historical buildings are sometimes left to sit for years, even decades.
While the prevalence of buildings constructed completely out of bricks has been dwindling over the last decade, many homes, historical buildings, and commercial enterprises still have some sort of brickwork. These accents need just as much care as any other brick wall. When they’re neglected, they can become unstable, dangerous, and quite unsightly. To make sure that your brick building or accent is kept in the best condition possible, we recommend hiring someone with experience. In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about why experience is key for masonry restoration.
Masonry restoration is simply the process of working on, repairing, or maintaining any type of masonry that’s already been built. It does not include the actual building process, but rather, the upkeep of buildings or homes that have already been constructed. Sometimes, restoration involves tearing a structure down and rebuilding it. Other times, restoration is just a matter of making minor repairs, cleaning the structure, or resealing joints through tuckpointing.
Contrary to what many people think, masonry restoration is much more than just adding mortar to a few places of an old building. It involves thorough tuckpointing work. Tuckpointing, on a basic level, is the process of repairing damage of mortar joints or bricks from harsh weather conditions, general wear and tear, or trauma. It can be done to provide structural benefits or cosmetic ones. A professional mason will go in and scrape all the failing mortar out of the joints using tuckpointing tools. After which, they will mix new mortar, fill the gaps, and add any additional aesthetic details.
During the process, your professional mason will check for damaged or missing bricks. Damaged bricks will be evaluated and, if they aren’t too far-gone, repaired. If the damage is too extensive, they can be replaced. Missing bricks also need to be replaced, which can be tricky on older buildings. The problem is primarily finding a brick that matches the original color, but structural stability can create dangerous situations.
Once all of the restoration is finalized on your building, a professional masonry contractor will use a special coating to combat extreme weather and any premature aging.
As we mentioned, if the building isn’t salvageable, it might be required to move forward with a complete tear down or excavation before rebuilding it.
All of this might sound like a manageable weekend DIY project, but it’s not. Masonry restoration requires a level of precision that only comes with years of working in the industry. This is even more important if you’re looking to restore an old or historical building. Opting for someone who knows about the process and cares about quality control is more important than trying to save a few dollars. When you use a professional mason, you’ll get more out of your overall investment and will have results that last for years to come. Professional attention to detail is unparalleled by DIY projects and necessary to ensure that your structure is stable, properly maintained, and safe.
When searching for an experienced masonry, make sure you find someone who has years of practice and a passion for their work, like the professionals at Chicago Tuckpointing Inc. Our team of highly experienced tuckpointers and professional masonry contractors are dedicated to completing each and every job with precision and integrity. The professionals at Chicago Tuckpointing Inc. have over 20 years of experience and will handle the job from start to finish, making sure you’re satisfied every step of the way. Each member of our team is specialized in masonry work and has experience doing masonry restoration on buildings both old and new.
We know how important it is to opt for a qualified professional with experience to take care of all of your masonry restoration, which is why we take our jobs seriously. We promise to handle your restoration process with no hidden costs and impeccable service. Give us a call at (708) 942-1951 to receive a free quote today!