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masonry: question about brick repair bsd_mike 09-03-2006
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Posted by bsd_mike on September 3, 2006, 9:47 am
I have a small storage building made out of brick, about the size of a
1-car garage.

It has two walls, and inside wall made out of blocks and an external
brick wall.
(A phone company built this long ago)

On one side of the building, some of the bricks on the top row are
starting to decay.

The tops of 3 of them have crumbled....and a few more look like they
want to
crumble. about 1/8 to 1/4 have crumbled and fallen off...one is as
deep as
1/2 the brick has broken off. The rest of the brick is solidly
connected to its
mates.

The rest of the bricks in the wall seem fine, but I am afraid if I
start
up on the top row with a chisel to remove the rest of the broken
bricks, I will damage
bricks under or beside the crumbling brick.

Is it better to clean out the crumbled brick and build the hight of the
brick back up
with some kind of quick set morter?

Is there anything I seal the bricks with to protect the rest?

Thanks,
Mike


Posted by clintonG on September 3, 2006, 12:16 pm
You could be fighting a losing battle. Take a screwdriver and work your way
down the courses from top to bottom of the wall(s). If you can crumble
existing mortar using modest pressure to scratch along the bed joint you
have a serious degradation. Historically speaking, if the building was worth
keeping the wall(s) would have to be tuckpointed or replaced.

This already seems to be obvious to you at the top of the wall where the
roof structure and flashing have played a role -- over time -- in
contributing to the decay you have observed. Ordinarily I would presume this
little building has met its useful lifetime but there is good news...

There has been some interesting developments in face brick surfacing
techniques in regions prone to earthquake where unreinforced brick
structures fall down and go boom. There are techniqes developed that wrap
the brick building with a type of fabric which is sprayed with something to
form a "girdle." Even decayed brickwork remains strong in compression
(almost always that is) so the girdle is a reasonable way to restrict or
prevent the brickwork from falling down due to lateral forces that may be
present. There are variations on these girdling themes. It may be possible
to wrap your little building like this and get another couple of decades of
use out of it. Maybe many more decades outliving you! Check out historic
masonry restoration contractors around San Francisco which I recall was the
area where this new technique was created and is being used.


<%= Clinton Gallagher
NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/
MAP 43°2'17"N 88°2'37"W : 43°2'17"N 88°2'37"W



>I have a small storage building made out of brick, about the size of a
> 1-car garage.
>
> It has two walls, and inside wall made out of blocks and an external
> brick wall.
> (A phone company built this long ago)
>
> On one side of the building, some of the bricks on the top row are
> starting to decay.
>
> The tops of 3 of them have crumbled....and a few more look like they
> want to
> crumble. about 1/8 to 1/4 have crumbled and fallen off...one is as
> deep as
> 1/2 the brick has broken off. The rest of the brick is solidly
> connected to its
> mates.
>
> The rest of the bricks in the wall seem fine, but I am afraid if I
> start
> up on the top row with a chisel to remove the rest of the broken
> bricks, I will damage
> bricks under or beside the crumbling brick.
>
> Is it better to clean out the crumbled brick and build the hight of the
> brick back up
> with some kind of quick set morter?
>
> Is there anything I seal the bricks with to protect the rest?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike
>



Posted by bsd_mike on September 3, 2006, 1:19 pm

Clinton,
Thanks for your reply and the idea. I don't know that I could wrap it
though is
the building abuts up to a building in the back and one on a side.
Only 1
side and the front are exposed. The front is made with a different
type of
brick and it seems to show no signs of decay.

The bricks on the bottom where one can reach without a ladder are very
solid
and there are no cracks in the mortar. The top row is another story
though..
and..perhaps as you say, below that too.

What should I do for a temporary fix? Would it slow the decay process
if
I cleaned out the current decay and built it back up with mortar?

Thanks,
Mike





clintonG wrote:
> You could be fighting a losing battle. Take a screwdriver and work your w=
ay
> down the courses from top to bottom of the wall(s). If you can crumble
> existing mortar using modest pressure to scratch along the bed joint you
> have a serious degradation. Historically speaking, if the building was wo=
rth
> keeping the wall(s) would have to be tuckpointed or replaced.
>
> This already seems to be obvious to you at the top of the wall where the
> roof structure and flashing have played a role -- over time -- in
> contributing to the decay you have observed. Ordinarily I would presume t=
his
> little building has met its useful lifetime but there is good news...
>
> There has been some interesting developments in face brick surfacing
> techniques in regions prone to earthquake where unreinforced brick
> structures fall down and go boom. There are techniqes developed that wrap
> the brick building with a type of fabric which is sprayed with something =
to
> form a "girdle." Even decayed brickwork remains strong in compression
> (almost always that is) so the girdle is a reasonable way to restrict or
> prevent the brickwork from falling down due to lateral forces that may be
> present. There are variations on these girdling themes. It may be possible
> to wrap your little building like this and get another couple of decades =
of
> use out of it. Maybe many more decades outliving you! Check out historic
> masonry restoration contractors around San Francisco which I recall was t=
he
> area where this new technique was created and is being used.
>
>
> <%=3D Clinton Gallagher
> NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
> URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/
> MAP 43=B02'17"N 88=B02'37"W : 43=B02'17"N 88=B02'37"W
>
>
>
> >I have a small storage building made out of brick, about the size of a
> > 1-car garage.
> >
> > It has two walls, and inside wall made out of blocks and an external
> > brick wall.
> > (A phone company built this long ago)
> >
> > On one side of the building, some of the bricks on the top row are
> > starting to decay.
> >
> > The tops of 3 of them have crumbled....and a few more look like they
> > want to
> > crumble. about 1/8 to 1/4 have crumbled and fallen off...one is as
> > deep as
> > 1/2 the brick has broken off. The rest of the brick is solidly
> > connected to its
> > mates.
> >
> > The rest of the bricks in the wall seem fine, but I am afraid if I
> > start
> > up on the top row with a chisel to remove the rest of the broken
> > bricks, I will damage
> > bricks under or beside the crumbling brick.
> >
> > Is it better to clean out the crumbled brick and build the hight of the
> > brick back up
> > with some kind of quick set morter?
> >
> > Is there anything I seal the bricks with to protect the rest?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Mike
> >


Posted by clintonG on September 5, 2006, 1:22 pm
Make the calls Mike. The whole-wrap concept doesn't sound as if it may apply
but you never know what you're going to learn when talking to a couple of
two or three real dudes who wear dirty pants if you know what I mean. Start
local and work your way out.

Finally, as I see it, you're still focused on the cure when you should be
determining the cause. My experience working with older buildings that have
decayed masonry almost always starts and ends where the roof meets the
walls. That's where you find f*cked up or no flashing, rotted roof members
and so on that cause further problems. Make the calls. Start local and work
your way out.

<%= Clinton Gallagher
NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/
MAP 43°2'17"N 88°2'37"W : 43°2'17"N 88°2'37"W



Clinton,
Thanks for your reply and the idea. I don't know that I could wrap it
though is
the building abuts up to a building in the back and one on a side.
Only 1
side and the front are exposed. The front is made with a different
type of
brick and it seems to show no signs of decay.

The bricks on the bottom where one can reach without a ladder are very
solid
and there are no cracks in the mortar. The top row is another story
though..
and..perhaps as you say, below that too.

What should I do for a temporary fix? Would it slow the decay process
if
I cleaned out the current decay and built it back up with mortar?

Thanks,
Mike





clintonG wrote:
> You could be fighting a losing battle. Take a screwdriver and work your
> way
> down the courses from top to bottom of the wall(s). If you can crumble
> existing mortar using modest pressure to scratch along the bed joint you
> have a serious degradation. Historically speaking, if the building was
> worth
> keeping the wall(s) would have to be tuckpointed or replaced.
>
> This already seems to be obvious to you at the top of the wall where the
> roof structure and flashing have played a role -- over time -- in
> contributing to the decay you have observed. Ordinarily I would presume
> this
> little building has met its useful lifetime but there is good news...
>
> There has been some interesting developments in face brick surfacing
> techniques in regions prone to earthquake where unreinforced brick
> structures fall down and go boom. There are techniqes developed that wrap
> the brick building with a type of fabric which is sprayed with something
> to
> form a "girdle." Even decayed brickwork remains strong in compression
> (almost always that is) so the girdle is a reasonable way to restrict or
> prevent the brickwork from falling down due to lateral forces that may be
> present. There are variations on these girdling themes. It may be possible
> to wrap your little building like this and get another couple of decades
> of
> use out of it. Maybe many more decades outliving you! Check out historic
> masonry restoration contractors around San Francisco which I recall was
> the
> area where this new technique was created and is being used.
>
>
> <%= Clinton Gallagher
> NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
> URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/
> MAP 43°2'17"N 88°2'37"W : 43°2'17"N 88°2'37"W
>
>
>
> >I have a small storage building made out of brick, about the size of a
> > 1-car garage.
> >
> > It has two walls, and inside wall made out of blocks and an external
> > brick wall.
> > (A phone company built this long ago)
> >
> > On one side of the building, some of the bricks on the top row are
> > starting to decay.
> >
> > The tops of 3 of them have crumbled....and a few more look like they
> > want to
> > crumble. about 1/8 to 1/4 have crumbled and fallen off...one is as
> > deep as
> > 1/2 the brick has broken off. The rest of the brick is solidly
> > connected to its
> > mates.
> >
> > The rest of the bricks in the wall seem fine, but I am afraid if I
> > start
> > up on the top row with a chisel to remove the rest of the broken
> > bricks, I will damage
> > bricks under or beside the crumbling brick.
> >
> > Is it better to clean out the crumbled brick and build the hight of the
> > brick back up
> > with some kind of quick set morter?
> >
> > Is there anything I seal the bricks with to protect the rest?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Mike
> >



Posted by bsd_mike on September 5, 2006, 6:41 pm

Thanks everybody. I will call some local masonry people. There are a
couple
in the town where the building is located. When I called early this
summer,
they were way too busy to visit...perhaps now they have time for a
chat.

I do know this...When they put the new roof on a few years ago, they
put
no flashing at all....I guess I never noticed until you mentioned it
and I looked.

Thanks again everybody.

-Mike

clintonG wrote:
> Make the calls Mike. The whole-wrap concept doesn't sound as if it may ap=
ply
> but you never know what you're going to learn when talking to a couple of
> two or three real dudes who wear dirty pants if you know what I mean. Sta=
rt
> local and work your way out.
>
> Finally, as I see it, you're still focused on the cure when you should be
> determining the cause. My experience working with older buildings that ha=
ve
> decayed masonry almost always starts and ends where the roof meets the
> walls. That's where you find f*cked up or no flashing, rotted roof members
> and so on that cause further problems. Make the calls. Start local and wo=
rk
> your way out.
>
> <%=3D Clinton Gallagher
> NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
> URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/
> MAP 43=B02'17"N 88=B02'37"W : 43=B02'17"N 88=B02'37"W
>
>
>
> Clinton,
> Thanks for your reply and the idea. I don't know that I could wrap it
> though is
> the building abuts up to a building in the back and one on a side.
> Only 1
> side and the front are exposed. The front is made with a different
> type of
> brick and it seems to show no signs of decay.
>
> The bricks on the bottom where one can reach without a ladder are very
> solid
> and there are no cracks in the mortar. The top row is another story
> though..
> and..perhaps as you say, below that too.
>
> What should I do for a temporary fix? Would it slow the decay process
> if
> I cleaned out the current decay and built it back up with mortar?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike
>
>
>
>
>
> clintonG wrote:
> > You could be fighting a losing battle. Take a screwdriver and work your
> > way
> > down the courses from top to bottom of the wall(s). If you can crumble
> > existing mortar using modest pressure to scratch along the bed joint you
> > have a serious degradation. Historically speaking, if the building was
> > worth
> > keeping the wall(s) would have to be tuckpointed or replaced.
> >
> > This already seems to be obvious to you at the top of the wall where the
> > roof structure and flashing have played a role -- over time -- in
> > contributing to the decay you have observed. Ordinarily I would presume
> > this
> > little building has met its useful lifetime but there is good news...
> >
> > There has been some interesting developments in face brick surfacing
> > techniques in regions prone to earthquake where unreinforced brick
> > structures fall down and go boom. There are techniqes developed that wr=
ap
> > the brick building with a type of fabric which is sprayed with something
> > to
> > form a "girdle." Even decayed brickwork remains strong in compression
> > (almost always that is) so the girdle is a reasonable way to restrict or
> > prevent the brickwork from falling down due to lateral forces that may =
be
> > present. There are variations on these girdling themes. It may be possi=
ble
> > to wrap your little building like this and get another couple of decades
> > of
> > use out of it. Maybe many more decades outliving you! Check out historic
> > masonry restoration contractors around San Francisco which I recall was
> > the
> > area where this new technique was created and is being used.
> >
> >
> > <%=3D Clinton Gallagher
> > NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
> > URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/
> > MAP 43=B02'17"N 88=B02'37"W : 43=B02'17"N 88=B02'37"W
> >
> >
> >
> > >I have a small storage building made out of brick, about the size of a
> > > 1-car garage.
> > >
> > > It has two walls, and inside wall made out of blocks and an external
> > > brick wall.
> > > (A phone company built this long ago)
> > >
> > > On one side of the building, some of the bricks on the top row are
> > > starting to decay.
> > >
> > > The tops of 3 of them have crumbled....and a few more look like they
> > > want to
> > > crumble. about 1/8 to 1/4 have crumbled and fallen off...one is as
> > > deep as
> > > 1/2 the brick has broken off. The rest of the brick is solidly
> > > connected to its
> > > mates.
> > >
> > > The rest of the bricks in the wall seem fine, but I am afraid if I
> > > start
> > > up on the top row with a chisel to remove the rest of the broken
> > > bricks, I will damage
> > > bricks under or beside the crumbling brick.
> > >
> > > Is it better to clean out the crumbled brick and build the hight of t=
he
> > > brick back up
> > > with some kind of quick set morter?
> > >
> > > Is there anything I seal the bricks with to protect the rest?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Mike
> > >


Page 1 of 2       1 2 > last >>
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