1801 Wynkoop Street, Denver
We worked on this property on a yearly basis for an extended period of time to help maintain this awesome historic building. We were called upon to repoint many of the interior brick walls and perform routine masonry maintenance on the exterior of the building. Most recently we worked on the south exterior elevation, including the stone work at the base of the wall, and repointed it as needed using a high lime mortar mix. We patched the orange sandstone at the base of the wall with a custom high lime patch material where needed. We also replaced damaged brick with salvaged historic brick. It is always an honor to keep such a beautiful old building in good shape.
Left Bank Lofts
1301 Wazee Street in Denver
We were hired to patch the deteriorating exposed concrete beams of this building. We tinted the patch material to blend in with the aged look of the existing concrete. We tuck-pointed various areas of the building, installed caulking in the building's cold joints, and replaced the damaged brick with historic salvaged brick.
819 and 815 28th Street in Denver
The city deemed part of this building unsafe for habitation, and the residents were displaced after the building began to crack and shift. Part of the second story of this condo building fell off during a freak wind storm.
After working with the customers, an engineer, vendors, the Landmark Preservation Society, and numerous city officials, we started work. We took the entire outer brick wall down to the ground. We rebuilt the outer wall with historic salvaged brick, and tried to retain a historic look and quality to the new work. After we finished, we received final inspection and approval from the city. The customers were very happy with the final product, and it was satisfying to help them get back into their homes.
When extracting the damaged masonry units, there is a high danger of damaging the surrounding areas. Our craftsmen are highly trained and proficient with extraction, using old and modern techniques.
Masonry repair can take many forms in our great city of Denver, Colorado. We rebuild sagging brick walls, repair damaged masonry walls hit by vehicles, rebuild chimneys, repair bowed out retaining walls, remove and replace masonry units on old historic buildings, rebuild sinking porches, and just about any other type of masonry and brick repair imaginable.
Masonry Restoration and Preservation
Masonry restoration can take many forms and involve many different aspects of the trade. Simply put, masonry restoration is: restoring a masonry structure to its former functionality and appearance. It can involve structural repairs and/or cosmetic work. We are often hired to give and old building a face-lift, usually involving restoration cleaning the masonry surface of the building, removing the decades/century of staining, pollution, and grime from the buildings masonry facade. The face-lift can also include removing and replacing any damaged brick or masonry units from the building. Tuck-pointing or repointing is also often needed when restoring a building. Shifting and settling, weather, and exposure often play a big role in the deterioration of mortar joints.
An often overlooked aspect of tuck-pointing is the given age and composition of the structure's mortar. It is important to match not just the color of mortar, but the mortar type. Is the mortar soft or hard? Is it lime putty or Type S cement? Is the aggregate large or fine? Would hydrated or hydraulic lime be better suited for the project? Modern day mortars are very hard when compared to the lime putty mixes used over a hundred years ago. Poorly done tuck-pointing can cause more harm than good to a masonry structure - it can actually accelerate the deterioration of a masonry building. It is important to blend compatible materials together to create a uniform restoration job.
Many decorative features used on older buildings are no longer produced, such as decorative terra-cotta features, sandstone carvings, ornate arches and ledges, and uniquely patterned designs such as egg and dart, or qua trefoils. These accoutrements add character and uniqueness to many of our buildings and homes in the Denver area/state of Colorado. Because of modern innovations and technology, we have access to products that allow use to recreate some of these historic features, when working from an intact sample. If only patching is required, we can do that too.
Why settle for just an okay job? Let us go that extra mile for you and bring your building or home back to life.
Tuck-pointing or Repointing
What do you do if there are cracks in the mortar between your bricks? Or, what if parts of the mortar have been partially washed out by rain or snow? That area of your masonry wall needs to be tuck-pointed.
Let’s talk about the process of tuck-pointing. It is not enough to slop some mismatched mortar into the crack in your brick wall.
Once the area that needs repair is identified, a professional mason needs to carefully remove the mortar between the brickwork to a depth of ¾ to 1". Then, well-matched mortar is formulated to replace the old mortar. Many factors contribute to matching mortar, including the age of the existing mortar, the mortar type and mix, the aggregate used, the base color of the cement, and the tints used to acquire a match.
This process can take years to learn and is not easily mastered.
After formulating an accurate match, the mortar joints are carefully and cleanly filled using special equipment. Once the mortar is replaced, it’s necessary to tool the joints so they match the rest of the structure. Tooling can take many forms including, concaved joints, flat joints, cut joints, and joints aged with exposed aggregate. When tuck-pointing is done correctly, it matches the original work so closely that it’s not possible to tell where the repair occurred.
It is risky to trust just anyone to tuck-point your home or masonry structure. Denver Masonry LLC offers the highest quality tuck-pointing available, performed by experienced professionals.
Masonry Construction
There is a timeless aesthetic beauty to a well-crafted brick or stone home. Decorative masonry accoutrements including patios, walkways, BBQ pits, memorials, brick mailboxes and driveways, additionally enhance the appearance of a property. Whether you want an addition to your home bricked up or a masonry retaining wall designed for your front yard, Denver Masonry LLC’s masons can build it. We construct masonry walls from the bottom up; from the pouring of concrete footers to the cap on top of the wall.
Brick, block, and stone are very durable building materials that have been used for thousands of years. If managed properly, masonry will provide protection from the elements for many years to come.
Concrete
Concrete is one of the most durable and common products used in construction today. Able to cover large areas relatively inexpensively, it is often used for driveways, sidewalks and patios. If a high-quality of concrete was not used in the original construction however, the surface can erode and crack.
Denver Masonry LLC is able to remove cracked drives and sidewalks, form and then pour new ones, using the highest quality of materials. We also install concrete steps, slabs, and other smaller scale concrete projects.