News and Insights on the Masonry Repair and Maintenance of Institutional, Commercial, and Condominium Buildings in
Eastern Massachusetts
Volume 9 No. 2
April 2017
In this issue, our
Case Study article describes Abbot's recent
restoration of a series of five pre-cast concrete portico entrances to the condominiums at 57-65 Babcock Street in Brighton, MA. In our
Masonry 101 article, we describe what a portico is and trace its roots.
We trust that you will benefit from the information provided in this publication. If you have any comments or questions, or would like an estimate on a masonry repair project, we can be reached at 617-445-0274 or www.abbotbuilding.com.
Sincerely,
Michael Norman, President
Abbot Building Restoration Company, Inc.
Case Study
Abbot Restores Concrete Portico Entrances at Brookline Condomiunium
Abbot restored each portico to its original appearance.
Abbot recently completed restoration of a series of five pre-cast concrete portico entrances to the condominiums at 57-65 Babcock Street in Brighton, MA. Each portico consisted of two pre-cast concrete columns and lintel headers that had severely deteriorated over time resulting in a rough appearance with multiple cracks.
Key to the restoration, Abbot hand grinded the surfaces with a special polishing stone to produce a smooth, aesthetically pleasing appearance and injected an epoxy material to structurally fill the cracks. The epoxy binds both sides of the cracks to result in a structurally sound surface. Abbot also repaired the deteriorated concrete and recoated the porticos to match the color of the decorative stone of the building.
Multiple porticos highlight the condominium entrances.
Abbot also removed the deteriorated pre-cast concrete urns at top of each portico and replaced them with new, fabricated fiberglass replicas.
To complete the project, Abbot recoated the tops of the porticos with an EPDM roofing material.
Masonry 101
Anatomy of a Portico
The classic, timeless portico design is as attractive today as it was in ancient Greek times.
From its roots as a principal feature in Greek temples, the portico became a prominent element in Roman architecture and continues in modern times in a plethora of classically inspired structures.
