DIY: Repairing Chimney’s Tuckpointing

Tuckpointing of chimneys should be DIY only if the homeowner is absolutely sure of the job.
Chimneys made from brick and mortar always decays over a period of time. Their repair should be done on time, to avoid a situation where the bricks dislodge completely. 

Tuckpointing contractors in Lincoln Park advice that the balance of a person doing tuckpointing should be stable at all times. The DIY instructions for Chimney Tuckpointing are-

1.Brush the loose mortar on the chimney with a stiff wire brush. Remove all pieces that are crumbling and damaged by using a screwdriver or a tuckpointing tool.

2.Make a mixture of mortar and water in a bucket, by following the manufacturer’s instructions closely. A fortifier can be added to make it extra strong. The consistency of the mortar should be such that it sticks to the trowel when upside down. 

3.Now fill a mortar pail or a piece of wood with a few handfuls of mortar. Dampen the areas identified for tuckpointing with a spray bottle. Concentrate on a small section at one time.

4.Now using a trowel push mortar in between the joints, starting from one side. Smoothen out the mortar after pushing it to give it a smooth finish. 

5.Now repeat this procedure on another section. Spray the entire chimney once the mortaring is complete. Allow the mortar to set and dry completely. If possible the chimney should be subjected to spraying regularly for the next couple of days. The mortar will have a stronger bond by doing so.

A Homeowner’s Basic Guide to Tuckpointing

Tuck pointing is the procedure for removing weathered mortar from the joints between the bricks. Tuckpointing or re-pointing becomes very essential when the mortar leaves its place and becomes loose. The stability of the home structure is at risk if repair is not done on time. Let’s have a look at tuckpointing in detail-

1. Why’s Tuckpointing essential?
Bricks are known to last forever or for almost 30 years or so. But mortar has a much shorter life and needs constant repair and maintenance. To preserve its water proofing ability, it is essential that it is checked by tuckpointing contractors in Chicago, from time to time.

2. What should you tuckpoint?
Tuckpointing is a labor intensive project, it needs time and patience. Tuckpointing contractors oak park advise that it should be done only when it gets absolutely essential. When the mortar starts crumbling and the visible erosion is more than 6mm, it is time to tuckpoint. The first indication is the hairline cracks that start appearing between the brick and mortar. 

3. Identification of Points to Be Repaired
The bricks that have started looking bad and shabby should be scanned closely. A screwdriver or a trowel should be employed to scrape out the debris and test areas for damage. Once the areas are identified they should be marked with a water soluble marker.

4. Treatment with Mortar
Once the damaged mortar is scraped off, all loose material is removed with a wire brush. Now mortar mixture is prepared with water in a thin consistency. The areas to be tuckpointed are dampened with a spray bottle. Mortar is now forced between the joints with a trowel. Using a tool with a convex point, the mortar is given the same old shape. The most critical thing to remember is to work quickly before the mortar dries up. 

Tips to Keep Textured Walls Looking New

Textured walls look more appealing any day. But they look their most attractive when they are spick and span.

Textured walls need to be cleaned with special processes and tools to make them look new. If you prevent your walls from getting too dirty, cleaning won’t be much of a problem. Even if you don’t have much time to spare, going over them with a moist cloth or the vacuum once a week should suffice.  Have a look at some of the steps that you can follow.

1. Materials that you will need
Before you start the project, be sure to stock up on brushes, paint bucket, a couple of old tooth brushes and drop cloths. Most of these items can be easily found at home.

2.Start by removing the dust
Removal of dust is the first step of this cleaning mission. Use the brush attachment of the vacuum cleaner and vacuum your walls carefully. Take special care of cleaning the small corners and small spaces. Do not be too forceful when using the brush. 

3.Get your soap solution ready
Fill two buckets with water. To one of them, add a mild detergent and keep the other one plain. You can use any cleaning solution lying at home or get a specialized one from your hardware store.

4.Start cleaning the walls
Wear an old pair of nylon socks on your hands and start doing the needful. A sponge is not advisable as small pieces of it may break and sick to the texture. You can also combine an old toothbrush with the socks. If at any time you are not sure, call in the experts from any house painting Services Company in Chicago.

5. Rinsing the walls
Now use the plain water in the other bucket and rinse the walls using clean socks. It is important that all the soap is removed or else it will leave back white residue on the walls. You must allow the wall to dry naturally.

Hire professional painting contractor for your paint job

Your time is really most valuable. When it comes to painting your house, it may seem an easy task, but since time comes at a premium – why not hire a professional painting contractor for your paint job?

Hiring one of the diverse painting services in Chicago can take the pressure and stress of painting your home out of your mind. Finding a painting exterior painting contractor in Chicago is an important choice and it requires careful consideration.

If you are looking for painting contractors in Lincoln Park or painting contractors in Park Ridge, you must follow the below mentioned tips to make sure you have hired the best painting contractors in Chicago for you painting project. 

Get referrals The best and probably the easiest way to locate a quality painting contractor is to ask for referrals from neighbors, friends or acquaintances who have recently carried out a paint job with a contractor’s help. This is the quickest way to find a sound painting contractor in your locality.

Get estimates from a couple of contractors When you have managed to contact a few contractors and have received their estimate, which should be about the same price range, pick two or three best suited in your budget. If the price quotes differ too much, you must ask for what different the contractor is offering.

 Schedule interview with the shortlisted contractors In the interview make sure you as the contractor the following questions: 

•Ask how long the contractor has been in the painting business?
• Ask if he has a contractor’s license?
• Confirm if he has an insurance cover?
• Ask if the contractor has membership of the local painting contractors association?
• Also ask for references and after work services.
• Ask of the products the contractor will be using in your project.

Discuss Requirements having finalized the contractor based on the personal interview, now discuss your requirement properly and walk the chosen contractor around the area to be painted to have a fair idea of what is required of him and finalize the color, paint type and pre-painting preparations.
Happy painting!

Expert help is advisable for house restoration projects

When it comes to top notch house remodeling and restoration tasks, it is best to consult experts and then venture out on any kind of project. Be it house painting, masonry, tuckpointing or brick repair; the emphasis should be on completing the task in minimum time possible without any major flaws. Surely, you can go out there and complete all these tasks on your own, but it is highly advised to take help from an expert. 

While you take-up any kind of house remodeling and restoration task go for experts if you reside in the USA. Professionals have loads of experience in completing any kind of house repair tasks with ease. It doesn’t matter if you ae looking for masonry contractors in Lincoln Park, painting contractors in Hinsdale or brick repair experts in Chicago; you can be rest-assured of quality work depending on the professional experience of the contractor hired. 

To get an idea of a good house repair and restoration contractor in your area, the best thing is to inquire from friends and family. Likewise, you can search for experienced contractors online too. Once you have narrowed down your choices, the next logical step is to negotiate on the price of project and the duration in which it will be completed. When the project is initiated you should keep a keen eye on how the contractor is performing and also on the nifty changes that can be incorporated. Tuckpointing contractors in Chicago, masonry contractors in Oak Park or masonry contractors in Chicago are well-profound in their profession when it comes to such tasks. 

House repair tasks such as painting or masonry require expert hands and should only be undertaken by expert professional. This ensures longevity of the job undertaken and that too at minimum cost incurred when we consider long-term benefits.

 

How to prepare old brick and masonry before painting?

Exterior painting in Chicago on bricked and masonry surfaces is very common. However, some people like rough look of bricks on walls and masonry, while its eyesore to the others. If you’re one of those who don’t appreciate rugged brick on their dwelling, then you must paint these according to style of your home. But before doing so you must prepare your old brick and masonry walls for painting.

It is often recommended to take expert help for these complicated structures of the house. There are various tuckpointing contractors in Evanstonand masonry contractors in Evanston and Hinsdale who can help you to prepare your old surfaces for painting. 

The most important step before beginning, and masonry contractors Hinsdale suggest is to clean bricked surfaces of your house. Proper pressure washing of bricked walls is done to remove all debris, molds and algae (if any) from wall surfaces. After that the surface is left for drying for few days, though drying of the surface depends on temperature and humidity conditions of the region.

Once the cleaning is done, look for any damaged part on the wall or masonry that needs to be repaired, masonry contractors Lakeview and painting contractors Lincoln Park specialize in preparing walls for professional painting, you can consult them in case. Instead of doing it yourself, you can hire professional exterior painting Chicago service because repair of these structures is not easy due to its complex design. Experts can help you to achieve perfect smooth surface of the bricked walls. 

Finally, it’s time to paint the rugged section of your home. Depending on interior or exterior you can select your preferable colors for painting. However, professional painters in Chicago can help you in selection in case you’re confused. Painting contractors in Oak Park are easily available to meet all house painting demands. Always consult experts for better outcome because they can efficiently handle all renovation requirements from cleaning to painting the house.