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In masonry, mortars are prepared by adding water, cement, sand, hydrated lime, etc. and are used to hold bricks and other masonry, like stone, together to give structural integrity to a wall or other structures. Mortars consist of various types, but the commonly used are type N, O, S, and M. Each type of mortar … Read more

Bricks are made up of clay with water, lime, sand, or any concrete material and then putting the brick molding in fire. Modular size brick is the requirement for many industrial constructions and is becoming an extremely common size in residential use. The measurements of modular size bricks is generally 2.5 inches tall and 7.625 … Read more

Step 1 is obviously recognizing a problem. Like a doctor may not know what a downpipe is on his car, he can still recognize when something does not sound right. So, when you notice cracks in your bricks or mortar around your window, you don’t have to be a scientist – you know something doesn’t … Read more

Masonry work is a labor-intensive field. Moving items like bricks, cement, scaffolding, and more all attribute to final costs in your project. Some masonry work on your house has many routes to choose from and costs often vary based on labor. In this article, we will discuss different tuckpointing options for your project. These options … Read more

Fireplace draft problems are nothing to play around with. The danger of carbon monoxide, tasteless and odorless, is present with fireplaces and can be fatal. Side note – a carbon monoxide detector near your fireplace is a great idea! A fireplace should be build to code, but with regular wear and tear, improper repairs, or … Read more

Brick, stone, mortar, etc… you drive by it every day – some of it is brand new, while other buildings are almost 100 years old. The question then comes… why is this 100 year old brick house still standing and my bricks and mortar are cracking, chipping, or spalling 1 year after I had them … Read more

Stone stairs and stone walkways, a beautiful site at first, and a nightmare to look at two years down the road. What went wrong? Is there something that could have kept your stone stairs or stone walkways from caving in, cracking, moving, or simply loosening up? The answer is yes. It starts with a proper … Read more

Leaks in your basement and in need of waterproofing a brick foundation? In older cities, like Chicago or Philadelphia, many houses are built with a brick foundation instead of a concrete foundation. With this type of foundation there is often less structural integrity and foundations cracks, leading to water intrusion, often occur. Below we will … Read more

Bricks can go through a lot of stress, however, like all things, they do have a breaking point. Overstressed bricks can have multiple outcomes. Some of these include spalling bricks, cracked bricks, chipped bricks, and more. The result is that the brick needs to be replaced. Replacing bricks is a rather simple project, however, the … Read more

Step back for a second and ask… Is it even necessary to remove fireplace ashes? The answer may surprise you – yes and no. Seasonally yes, it is very important to clean up your ashes. Additionally, if your ash buildup is too high than it is important to remove fireplace ashes, however, it is actually … Read more