The historic preservation of a building represents so much more than just keeping an old structure in one piece. Every historic building represents a story of the past that lives with us in the present and will continue to carry on into the future. The responsibility of choosing a contractor for your historic masonry restoration project is no doubt a daunting task. A valuable historic preservation contractor provides restoration, preservation, and maintenance services to ensure the results are not only beautiful but effective and long-lasting.
Varieties of Mortar for Historic Masonry Restoration
Signs of deterioration such as spalling, cracking, loose bricks or stones, crumbling mortar, and water intrusion are all indicators that tuckpointing is required. With the various amounts of construction materials used to construct buildings throughout history, it’s important to utilize a contractor that understands the different kinds and types of mortar and knows how and when to appropriately apply each. As an example, for millennia the traditional mortar was made from lime mixed with water, then combined with sand. Other materials such as crushed marine shells, brick dust, clay, natural cement, and oddly enough, even hair can be found in mortar. Later on in the 19th century with the industrial revolution, came the mass-production of Portland cement which is now known as the most common type of cement in the world. Simply put, there have been a variety of mortar mixes used throughout the ages, and understanding each is an important aspect of masonry restoration. A knowledgeable contractor such as Presto Restoration, will guarantee the replacement mortar matches the historic mortar in color, texture, and tooling.
Repairing Mortar Joints with Tuckpointing
Each building has its own unique needs in regards to masonry. The majority of buildings are constructed using concrete, masonry-brick, natural stone, stucco, and/or terra cotta. Due to exposure to external elements, masonry will begin to deteriorate and in most cases, the deterioration will be most apparent at the mortar joints. Repointing or “tuckpointing” is the process of removing and replacing failed mortar from the joints. When completed correctly, tuckpointing improves the building’s aesthetics as well as its physical integrity. Done incorrectly, the structure and the overall beauty of a building can be destroyed. A properly trained tuckpointing team considers the original architecture and craftsmanship of the building to devise and execute a plan that maintains the original integrity.
Additional Historic Restoration & Protection Services
Capable historic masonry restoration contractors offer additional services such as full surface restoration and protection, anchor and wall tie replacement, metal rust removal and polishing, window putty replacement, painting, and weatherproofing. One service that is oftentimes overlooked after a restoration project is completed is weatherproofing. Caulking and clear waterproof coatings create a barrier between construction materials and external elements that cause water penetration, staining, and deterioration. By protecting the restored masonry with waterproofing solutions, the beauty and integrity of your building will be preserved and the facade will require significantly less cleaning and maintenance.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Historic Building Restoration Contractor
There’s no replacement for craftsmanship and attention to detail, therefore; if you’re planning a historic building preservation project, choosing a valuable historic preservation contractor such as Presto Restoration to guide you through the historic restoration of your building will take the stress out of finding an effective and long-lasting solution.
With decades of experience serving commercial clients of all sizes, Presto is the trusted name in historic building restoration. We use experienced and highly skilled technicians. From beginning to end, you’ll get the quality and customer service you deserve. You can read about a recently completed historic building restoration project and many other projects on our portfolio page.
If you are looking for historic masonry restoration services in your city, we would love to learn more about your project.
Contact Presto Restoration for a free consultation today.
Call us at 1-800-785-9927 or Request A Quote.
