Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!

Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!

Register Log in
  • Congratulations TugboatEng on being selected by the Eng-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

Historic Brickwork Paper 6

Status
Not open for further replies.
AgMechEngr

AgMechEngr

Agricultural
Joined
Jul 22, 2022
Messages
63
Location
US
I am involved in a project that is repurposing an early 1900s warehouse that will include multiple new openings for windows and doors. Does anyone have Dik's historic brickwork paper that I believe used to be hosted on SRE's website?
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
I've seen so much masonry repair done badly that I wrote a little paper about 30 years back to let clients know some of the pitfalls. There were so many buildings in Toronto where they had used sandblasting to clean and removed the fireskin in the process. It started out as a two page Appendix, added to reports and has grown, over the years. Glad to be of help...

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
The owner of the building has mentioned pressure washing before construction; aggressive techniques are still in fashion.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
It depends on the type of brick and mortar, realising that damage to the outer surface is cumulative, once it's done. It doesn't stop at that point. It's very difficult to go back. I've seen a lot of damage caused by improper 'cleaning' and re-pointing... the worst caused by sandblasting and re-pointing using improper mortar. You need to research and contact cleaning agencies that specialise in cleaning historic masonry. To do it properly it's not easy and can be costly.

Can the client live with the 'patina' of 'ancient' brickwork? In some circles, it can be attractive. Is there a local architect that can offer an opinion? Is there an 'out of the way' area that can be used for a 'test'?

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I stepped away from the project after discussions with the contractor. They ultimately just wanted a stamp for permits without paying for engineering.

The paper is a great guide and I will continue to reference it. I am looking to move more into historic renovations/preservation projects anyway. It is fascinating stuff.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I found it fascinating stuff. I'd seen a lot of masonry buildings in Toronto deteriorating because the fireskin was abraded off with sandblasting. I was asked to look into a building that needed remediation (due to water damage) and the client wanted to 'clean it up' in the process. The company I was working for at the time was located at King and John and they had sandblasted the face of it and the structure was continuing to deteriorate. It's then I wrote a little 'blurb' to let owners know that any remedial work be done with care. I did a lot of work on historic brick and brown rot deterioration back then... and only occasionally run into issues, now.

You can give the contractor/owner a copy of my article... there's a really good chance of them 'screwing up' another brick building.



-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
@dik: How many of these little papers do you have kicking around? I think it's fascinating. I do a similar thing in my practice and it's both interesting and really good to maintain competence/consistence/quality.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I'm not sure... likely half a dozen or a dozen... It's just a matter of digging them up. I do them for specific tasks to assist the client/ or some other engineer... Most of them started out to be included in appendices to reports.

The historic brickwork started out as a page and a half... and over the decades, it has been transformed. As I get added information, it gets added to the end to be incorporated into the main body of the paper, at some later time.

I have them for SOG construction, dry-rot (aka brown rot), and a few other items... I've posted versions of the SOG and dry-rot papers, here in past. I seem to recall doing them for concrete testing, placing and inspection for remote projects... and a bunch of other stuff.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Dik, I really enjoyed the write up. Thank you so much. I do a lot of work on brick rowhomes and this paper gives excellent commentary on some of the things I've seen.

If it's not too much trouble to direct me, I would be very grateful to read the SOG paper.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Upvote 0 Downvote
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Engineer CFL
  • Question Question
Strand Pattern in Historic Double Tee
Replies
3
Views
2K
LittleWheels
LittleWheels
Simba13
  • Locked
  • Question Question
Historic Brick Proof Loads
Replies
4
Views
4K
XR250
XR250
Matt PE
  • Locked
  • Question Question
Testing In-Situ Historic Masonry
Replies
2
Views
3K
TRAK.Structural
TRAK.Structural
CGM95
  • Locked
  • Question Question
Historic Joist Catalog
Replies
5
Views
901
JAE
JAE
Lazzaroni
  • Locked
  • Question Question
Historic Hollowcore Nomenclature
Replies
0
Views
126
Lazzaroni
Lazzaroni

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor

Back
Top