Tuesday 30 December 2014

Add Value to your Home through Tuckpointing

It is more than just ugly, when your brick mortar is cracked. Water penetrates into the cracks, freeze, expand, and separate the cracks even more. Sometimes, the mortar isn't just cracked: it isn't there anymore, having crumbled and fallen out over time. The need to repair a mortar join is more common than to replace a brick. The mortar joint plays an important role in the structure and structural assimilating of the wall. Holding the bricks together, bearing the compressive weight of the wall and keeping water out of the wall, are the responsibilities of mortar.It is also the weak point in the brick wall system, if water is allowed to get past the mortar and into the wall, brick failure may occur such as cracking ,also known as spalling.


The solution to this is Tuckpointing-a process to repair a mortar joint. The term is so because you tuck the mortar into the damaged mortar with the point of a tool called ‘pointing trowel.’ Since this repair technique requires some patience and fineness. The biggest challenge with this process is getting the repaired mortar joint to balance in with the surrounding mortar. Specialized tuckpointing contractors like tuckpointing contractors-Oak Park can easily complete this challenge with their experience and knowledge.

The tools and materials required in this repair activity are a cold chisel, heavy hammer, stiff bristled brush, mortar hawk or overturned brick trowel, joint strike, mortar mix and pigment. Eye protection and leather work gloves are needed too for the safety of the workers.


For few joints to tuckpoint, driving right in is recommended. But if you have a large wall totackle, you must start in a small area to get a prepared for the operation before you start waylaying out entire walls. Professionals like ‘Tuckpointing contractors-Lincoln Park’ can guide you better regarding the total time and material needed in the entire process.

Monday 29 December 2014

Home Improvement: Paint your world



A good paint on any building can exaggerate its looks and attributes. It only needs experienced professionals talents like painting contractors, Oak Park who could provide you the best paint service at affordable prices. 
There are mainly two types of painting, interior painting and exterior painting:

EXTERIOR PAINTING:  It is recommended that you get your home painted from outside every 5-7 years. Everyone wants their house to be exactly what they have in their mind. Exterior paints experts like ‘painting contractors, Lincoln Park’. Though painting the exterior of a house is a tough task, you can still save yourself a lot of work by preparing properly for the project. It is important that you decide how much of the exterior paint will be painted. Also, determine what colors you want for painting the walls. Many companies provide recommended color combinations with their sample books to show you what look good together. Make sure that the surface of your house is clean, dull and dry before starting the painting. After cleaning the house, any cracked point or peeling should be scrapped off. Once the priming is completed, you can begin to print the trim. 

INTERIOR PAINTING:  Paint can renovate a room in your home. It is a simple way to give a space a fast and impactful decorating makeover.  It is always a best way to browse forvarious interior painting ideas to use in your bathroom, living room, bedroom, office, kitchen, or dining room. Painting a room is not just picking the right colors. A successful paint job also involves using the right tools and techniques.
Faux Painting

Besides painting the home with different colors in combination, a new trend has become very popular in the market today- the faux painting. It is a term used to describe decorative paint finishes that replicate the appearance of materials like marble, wood or stone. It creates texture and depth in any room. Decorative painting technique like crackling, marbleizing and color washes can create richness and visual interest on walls and other surfaces. This is the main reason behind its popularity.  
Be it any kind of painting; make sure the type and quality of paint, tools and techniques used should be proper. Expert painters like painting contractors Lincoln Park have the requisite skills to cater to your complex paint tasks too that can be accomplished by experienced contractors



 

Friday 19 December 2014

Need of Tuckpointing Masonry

Do you see cracks in your mortar or any kibbling mortar or any evidence of water damage in your walls? Tuckpointing Contractors Oak Park is your place for solution and the solution is Tuckpointing.

In Tuckpointing, the old mortar joints in brick or stone is repaired by grinding or scraping out the old mortar to a certain depth and then filled in with new mortar. It is a very laborious and vigorous job and experienced masonry contractors like tuckpointing contractors Hinsdale
can determine the scope of the work needed to be done. How to determine whether your walls need requires tuckpointing??

There is a simple way of determining by carrying out a short examination. Rub a key across the mortar joint and if you could see powdered material on rubbing, you need tuckpointing. You should approach a good masonry contractor to help you out. When mortar is in weakened condition and the walls bear water for years, it causes moisture to break down the brick masonry and deteriorate the wall quality. Tuckpointing proves to be the best solution as it provides a moisture proof covering to the wall and increases its life. Another reason when tuckpointing can be done is to save money before it gets too late and you are left with the only option of tearing and relaying the wall.

          Tuckpointing involves the use of tuckpointing tools by the professional tuckpointers like tuckpointing contractors, Evanston. These tools are made up of wooden handle which is attached with a brass ferrule. Their thickness or width may vary between 1 mm and 14 mm depending on the tuckpointers' personal preferences and the type of existing brick or stone work that a tuckpointer is tuckpointing.  There are many different types of tuckpointing tools like Standard Tuckpointing Tools /flat bottomed, Square Beaded Tuckpointing Tool, Round Beaded Tuckpointing Tools, Stubnose and Longnose Tuckpointing tools and also Rounded Corner Tuckpointing Tools.

          With this brief information based on research about tuckpointing, you might have got an idea as what, how and when to use tuckpointing. So, take care of your walls and contact a good tuckpointer whenever needed.

 

Concept of Brick Masonry and Brick Replacement


Tradesmen who are experienced in number of construction and building activities are known to be masonry contractors. Masons are not involved in building and construction but also provides other services like brick repair and replacement, creating fireplaces and patios and walkways, etc. the trade is one of the oldest construction professions all over the world.

There are various types of masonry contractors like brick masons- specialized in working with brick and mortar, stone masons-work with a variety of stones to build naïve structure, concrete masons-work with poured concrete or concrete bricks and provide services like coloring, texturing and finishing concretes, tile setters-work in bathrooms or kitchens, lay tiles on walls, ceilings and floors. 



Though bricks are durable, they are insusceptible to air, wind, rain and snow which renders a need for them to be cared and maintained. Repairing a declining brick wall requires basic masonry skills and a few tools and materials. Out of a number of popular masonry contractors, masonry contractors  Old town, provide world class services in brick repair and replacement. 

Brick repair or replacement requires a club hammer and chisel for removing the mortar surrounding the damaged brick. Some professionals like masonry contractors Lakeview also use the drill machine to make small holes in the mortar as per the condition. The bricks around the one removed are dampened and mortar is applied to the bottom and to the sides of the bricks that were dampened. Then the new brick is placed in the space and mortar is applied back vigorously to make it look identical to other bricks in the wall.


 

Brick repairing and replacement requires great perfection like that of brick repair, Oak Park, since they are related with the looks of the building. Nobody likes patches or smears on their walls. It requires great dedication, experience and heed to accomplish these tough jobs.