For more than twenty years, J.S. Goray has provided hundreds of clients in the Chicago area with professional exterior maintenance and restoration services. See what we can do for you today!
Efflorescence is the gift that keeps on giving. Like pyrites to precast, efflorescence is an unsightly condition that can ruin the appearance of your masonry structure or even damage it to the point of repair. What causes efflorescence? A recent article published in July 2019 Masonry Magazine takes an in depth look at the issue at hand, the following is a excerpt from that article, the full article can be accessed by members of Mason Contractors Association of America.
Thermal changes and ground settlement are some of the reasons concrete surfaces crack. This is inevitable with all types of concrete and concrete surfaces, ranging from smooth and split-face concrete block to poured-in-place, precast, and tilt-up walls.
Leaving existing joint sealant in place and installing an overlay of new sealant can be an option if the conditions allow. While this could be considered a cost saving technique, the majority of existing conditions would not be acceptable for this technique. While it would save the installer time, in addition to material, by not removing the existing sealant, it mostly results in improper joint design and extremely premature failing of system.
J.S. Goray Inc recently returned from a week long trip to Las Vegas for World of Concrete 2018. Six representatives from our firm were in attendance, including both field and management personnel.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE INITIAL RATE OF ABSORPTION IN BRICK MASONRY WALLS
Masonry mortar must bond well to the masonry units in the wall. Brick absorption, including initial rate of absorption (IRA), is an important property affecting the bond. IRA also is a property for which a standard test method exists.
The pricing of building restoration work is more of an art than a science. An accurate estimate and proposal is critical to both the contractor and owner. Under bidding of projects will result in a very low Bid - Hit ratio. This would seem to work to the owners advantage but unfortunately the opposite result is more likely.
