With the rise of skyscrapers and modern architecture, it becomes more and more important not to leave the historical landmarks in the dust. After all, when you think of a city like New York or Paris, you think of brownstones and Versailles; that is, you think of the historical character of the city in question. It’s this historical character that makes a town dynamic and multifaceted. These buildings shouldn’t waste away into utter loss. If they do, the great cities of this world might end up as homogenous zones of boring uniformity. If you happen to be the lucky owner of a historical building in need of some repairs, the first thing you should do is contact a specialist. He or she will be able to assess the project and see it through to ultimate restoration. Here are a few steps that are involved in masonry restoration.
The Test
After you’ve called the mason, one of the first things that might happen is a basic inspection of the structure. There are a number of ways of going about this, but one of the more common methods is tapping, which involves striking the brick with a wooden mallet. If the block rings out, then the brick is structurally sound, but if the brick emits a flat hollow sound, then it needs attention.
The Treatment
Another step on the path toward masonry restoration is good old fashioned cleaning. If you’re dealing with terra cotta, the masonry specialist will be able to clean the building blocks of your old house with water, detergent and a natural nylon bristled brush. This shouldn’t be too much of a hassle as terra cotta bricks were originally designed to be easily cleaned.
The Restoration
After determining the level of damage and the areas in need of masonry restoration, there are several possible methods that the mason will consider. One of those methods is repointing. This entails repairing the bricks’ joints. Taking the time to repoint the bricks on a regular basis will help preserve the beauty of your historical building. Owning a property that hearkens back to a different time is an amazing gift, and like any gift it needs to be cherished and nurtured.
Masonry restoration is an essential part of the process of preserving history. It’s only through masonry restoration that the classical character of your building will persist through time. Call a mason soon if you want to repair the decaying features of your glorious building.