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Masonry Solutions

News and Insights on the Masonry Repair and Maintenance of Institutional, Commercial, and Condominium Buildings in  
Eastern Massachusetts  
 


Volume 12 No. 1
May/June 2020
 
Welcome to the premier issue of Masonry Solutions for 2020. We are pleased 
to continue to bring you information about our recent projects and helpful tutorials about masonry restoration.  In our Case Study article, we focus on another large scale project -- this one involving repair of 24 interconnected brick and stone apartment buildings in the Grove Hall neighborhood of Boston's Dorchester section. In our Masonry 101 tutorial, we discuss alternatives for brick repair or replacement. 
 
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 by telephone at 617-445-0274 or at our web site at www.abbotbuilding.com.
 
Sincerely,
 

Abbot Building Restoration Company, Inc.
Case Study

Abbot Completes Another Large Masonry Repair Project

Blue Hill Avenue Apartments
Abbot recently completed a comprehensive masonry repair project involving 24 interconnected brick and stone apartment buildings in the Grove Hall neighborhood of Boston's Dorchester section. Abbot procured the project as the low bidder in a private bidding process among several competitive masonry restoration firms.
 
Castlegate Apartments
 
Prior to involving Abbot, the owner contracted with an architectural/engineering firm (Thompson & Lichtner, Canton, MA) to survey the properties, identify deficiencies, and develop a set of remediation plans.
 
Due to the large scope of the project, Abbot called on its in depth masonry repair expertise to address the multitude of issues in the repair plan. A summary of the repair work is as follows:
  • Washington Street Apartments
    Repointing defective mortar joints
  • Cutting out and caulking vertical expansion joints and perimeter of the windows
  • Replacing deteriorated brick to match the original brick
  • Power washing and applying water repellent to all brick surfaces
Masonry 101 
 
Brick Replacement

In the above article, Abbot repaired or replaced damaged brick across the surfaces of the Grove Hall apartment buildings.

Brick repairs can be handled in several different manners depending on the degree of deterioration.

An example of poor brick matching
However, if brick replacement is needed, you'll be faced with more of a challenge. Because of the changes in brick manufacturing over time, as well as texture and color differences, finding a perfect match may not be such an easy task. Once a color and texture match is confirmed, a series of ASTM tests can be performed to ensure the replacement bricks approximate the structural and physical characteristics of the existing bricks.


abbot logo

Abbot Building Restoration Co., Inc. 
28 Allerton Street, Boston, MA 02119 
Tel: 617-445-0274  ยท Fax: 617-445-0277
www.abbotbuilding.com

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