Good masonry contractors use a number of processes to restore an old building to its earlier looks, like brick pointing NY for buildings which have exposed brickwork exteriors, or pressure washing NYC for buildings whose exteriors have become dirty and faded. But one of the most popular ways of masonry restoration New York is a complete overhaul of the façade with the help of brownstone restoration Brooklyn NY. Brick pointing Brooklyn NY could be one of the aspects of this process, but there are many other steps involved.Let us look at the basic steps involved in brownstone restoration.
The first thing that the contract needs to understand is how many and what layers of pain have been superimposed on each other for the façade. This is because most brownstones are quite old structures and over the years, layers of paint could be added on to existing layers instead of peeling them off. This needs to be viewed in conjunction with what is the final colour or combination of colours that is needed. Depending on that, different parts of the façade would need to have the paint peeled and repainted, or scrubbed and then repainted, or simply given a fresh coat.
The contractor also needs to keep in mind that all surface colours might not be always restored with actual ‘paints’. Sometimes a mix of brownstone and cement is also used to restore the colours of surfaces. If there are some parts of the frontage that is in wood, then no kind of paint can be used before first scrubbing and polishing the wood. Some of the wooden parts, especially the window frames, need to be examined carefully for decay and replaced with fresh wood if needed.
Many brownstone buildings have brickwork facades, in which the bricks still look good but the mortar in the joints has come loose. This not only looks bad but also reduces the structural stability of the building. Brick pointing or tuck pointing is done to restore the look and strength of the brickwork façade.
While the above process would usually cover most buildings, the contractor needs to come up with a specific process for each building. Also, there are certain things which could escalate the costs, which need to be taken care of. Some of these things are wrong certification or permits taken, being able to find the best raw materials at most reasonable prices, and sudden change in client’s choices.
