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News and Insights on the Masonry Repair and Maintenance of Institutional, Commercial, and Condominium Buildings in
Eastern Massachusetts
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In this issue, our
Case Study article describes Abbot's recent
restoration of the facade and windows of a large one-story commercial building at 2000 Washington Street in Boston's Roxbury section. It is once again significant to note that Abbot was contracted by an owner based on successful work at the same property in the past. The project is also being done in two phases to optimize cash flow for the owner. In our
Masonry 101 article, we describe how concrete "sound testing" is accomplished.
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.
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Case Study
Abbot Restores Concrete Facade and Windows on Large One Story Commercial Building in Roxbury, MA
Abbot recently completed restoration of the facade and windows of a large one-story commercial building at 2000 Washington Street, Roxbury, MA.
Built in 1926, the 65,000 square foot concrete building was originally used as a warehouse/storage facility until it was repurposed for tire retread manufacturing in the mid-1960s. When the tire industry changed and retreads became obsolete, the owner modified the building for use as a bus depot and rented the space to the City of Boston for use in transporting special needs children around the city.
Abbot was first contracted by the building owner back in 2008 to remove and repair defective concrete, and recoat the façade.
By 2016, further deterioration occurred to areas on the façade that had not been previously repaired. At this point, the owner proactively decided to replace the roof that was deemed to be one of the primary sources of the problem. Then, based on the long-term relationship established between the owner and Abbot, Abbot was contracted to repair the deteriorated concrete as well the multi-pane windows.
To optimize cash flow, the project was divided in two phases with Phase 1 taking place in the Summer 2016 and Phase 2 to begin in June 2017.
To repair the concrete façade, Abbot first sound tested the concrete walls and removed any debonded material. Abbot then saw cut the perimeters, and exposed and cleaned the steel reinforcement. Next, Abbot coated the exposed reinforcement with Sika Armatec 110, a concrete rod protection and bonding agent, to create a strong bond to the surface. Then Abbot repaired the reinforcement with SikaTop 123 PLUS, a polymer-modified, cementitious, non-sag mortar. Upon completion of all repairs, Abbot coated the concrete façade with Conpro Lastic waterproof acrylic elastomeric coating to protect the surface.
To repair the windows, Abbot ground down all of the metal trim, and primed and painted the surface. Abbot removed the glazing around the glass, reglazed the windows with a silicone sealant, and then painted the metal with a rust inhibitive
coating.
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Masonry 101
Concrete Sound Testing
Common defects in concrete include voids and inclusions due to improper consolidation, poor surface finish or cracked surface due to plastic shrinkage), damage and cracking from residual stresses due to thermal effects, surface weakness, weak bonds between steel and concrete due to bleeding, cold joints etc.
Concrete deterioration over time could be load related -- such as fatigue, impact, residual stresses due to overloading and creep -- or environmentally-related, such as corrosion, chemical attack, alkali-silica reaction, creep and shrinkage, carbonation, freezing and thawing, or salt scaling. Improper maintenance or repair could also be classified as a service-induced damage.
In our Case Study project above, we used a "sound testing" method to help determine where the defective areas in the concrete walls were located. This is a simple, non-destructive test that is typically accomplished with a hammer or steel rod.
Simply stated, sound testing involves striking the concrete surface and interpreting the sound produced. Solid concrete will produce a ringing sound, while concrete that is spalled, delaminated, or contains voids will produce a flat or hollow sound.
Sound testing is best suited for flat surfaces, vertical or horizontal, where large areas can be tested in a reasonable amount of time.
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Abbot Building Restoration Co., Inc.
28 Allerton Street, Boston, MA 02119
Tel: 617-445-0274 · Fax: 617-445-0277
www.abbotbuilding.com
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