Category — Stones & Bricks

Bricks are used for many building works at home. This may include walls, fireplace, floor and decorative features. The damaged bricks may have discoloration, cracks or can be warped. The damage may also result from fixtures on the wall. It can be by drilling, nailing, hanging doors or windows. The repair is usually by removing the damaged brick and replacing it with another without bringing down the abutting structure. The bricks for replacement must be similar in texture and color.

The repair of damaged bricks on external walls should be carried out immediately. This is to prevent seepage of water during the rains or wet season. This can allow moisture to cause efflorescence on painted internal surfaces. The tools for the repair work may include a masonry hammer, chisel and electric grinder for cutting. This grinder is used for cutting the brick into small pieces while it is still in the wall. While the work is in progress, ensure the abutting surfaces are protected.

The damaged bricks on a wall surface are first marked out. This allows the repair pattern to be formed. The bricks on the lower courses are repaired first then the ones on the upper courses. Sometimes the brick unit can be chiseled and a half of it removed. This is usually done where the part to be repaired is a structural member like an arch, chimney breast or mantel. Therefore the repair will be to a facing built into the half slot formed. This allows the structural member to retain its work of carrying loads without it being damaged.

The repair process starts with removing the damaged brick. The grinder is put on and it slices up the brick. Then hacking out the pieces takes place. This is done by chiseling out the cut strips. Once all are raked out, a fresh brick is measured to fit into the empty hole. Mortar is mixed using sieved sand and cement. It is placed on the slot as a brick is laid. The two horizontal and vertical joints respectively are filled out with mortar. key pointing is then done to finish the wall repair with matching mortar.

Andrew Karundu Is A Building Economist Providing Home Based Solutions To Fixing, Repairing, Remodeling, Redesigning Your Homes Using Simple Tried And Tested Methods To Improve Your Lifestyles. This Site Should Provide Adequate Information On Most HOME IMPROVEMENT SOLUTIONS.

My husband and I wanted to add a little curb appeal to our house by taking our plain old front porch posts and adding field stone column bases and beefing up the posts into columns. We wanted a little curb appeal. We got a LOT of curb appeal! And we did it ourselves.

This project initially came to mind because the soil in our San Diego yard is VERY rocky and we have tons of field stone that has been dug up over the years from various projects. We thought, why not use it?! We began by looking for professional stone masons to do the job since we did not know how to. What we found was that the few people we called did not know how either. I am sure there are folks out there who still do this kind of work but we could not find them. I think since most people use cultured stone, stone veneer or concrete these days to simulate real field stone it is just not cost effective any more. That brings us to the second thing we realized; even if we had found someone, after doing the work ourselves and seeing the time it takes, we probably would not have been willing to pay what a professional would need to charge. It would just be too expensive. So if you want the look of real field stone columns (you can tell the difference if they are not) you can do it yourself cheap, but it will take some time and effort. But wow! The look is worth it!

We did some practice projects first which only reinforced the fact that we did not know how to do this. They just did not look right. We realized from looking at other people’s columns that the important thing was that the corner stones needed to be stacked on top of each other to make the column a square. We found a simple diagram on line that showed how to install guide lines at the corners of where you want your columns to be so you can follow these lines and keep your corners straight.

The following instructions are not meant to be exhaustive, but rather to give you a good idea of how the project will go and what it entails. You will need to do more research on the technical details you may need to know before being able to complete this project.

You will first need to determine what diameter you want your columns to be and how high you want them to go. Ours are approximately 18 inches per side and about 3 feet high. You must begin by pouring concrete bases for your columns to rest on for sturdy support. Then if you are building around existing wood posts as we were, you must waterproof the posts. We used roofing tar. After the guide lines are in place, (we used simple string lines taped in place from floor to ceiling. Be sure they are at at true vertical!) the stone work can begin. It is really quite simple but does take attention to detail and time. My husband and I worked as a team and we each had our jobs to do.

Mix up a batch of mortar, you will need enough to set two courses of stone for each column (2 high) and you will want the mortar to be on the thick side. Two courses of stone are all you can really do at a time or the weight of the stone and mortar will place too much pressure on what is below it and cause it to squish out. We did 4 columns and started by just working on 1 until we felt we knew we were doing a good job. After that we worked on the remaining 3 simultaneously, doing 2 courses on each of the three at at time. Between courses the mortar must set for several hours before laying the next course on top. You will quickly become familiar with the mortar and how it feels and behaves as it is setting and will be able to judge when it is time to set the next courses. Also refer to the instructions on the bag.

On the bottom level use a trowel and lay a base of mortar for your first course of stones to set in. An inch or two of mortar is sufficient. Choose your stones (they should be at least softball size or larger) and place them carefully so that the corner stones line up just inside the string and the other stones are nicely spaced and with attractive sides facing out. Then begin to fill in all around them, packing the mortar without moving the stones. Be sure to get all the air pockets out and add enough on top of your first stones to place your second layer. Feel free to use much smaller stones to fill in the interior areas that will not be seen.

While working, do not worry about getting mortar on the outside of your stones. Keep a bucket of clean water and a sponge nearby and as long as you wipe the residue off within a half hour or so you will have no problem. You will find as you work that there is a certain artistry to this work and you can work with the mortar blending and shaping it for quite some time as it dries. In the same way, blending the mortar between the courses is easy and when you are done and all the mortar is set it will be impossible to see where one course of stones ended and another began. The mortar blends perfectly.

After you have set your first 2 layers of stones use your hands (always wearing gloves as you work, the mortar is very caustic to skin) to shape the mortar and push it into place where you want it as it dries. After the mortar has begun to set, work with the water and sponge smoothing the mortar and shaping it and cleaning off the outsides of the stones so they do not have a film on them. In this way you will proceed with all the courses of stone until the columns are as high as you want them to be. When you reach your desired height be sure to have the top be as level as possible and then add capstones of some type to give it a finished look. We used travertine tiles attached by building a jig to hold them in place while the mortar dried since we had to work around an existing post.

For our final step we beefed up the posts by wrapping them in 1 x 6 lumber, and trimmed the tops and bottoms with 2 x 2 lumber. Be sure to prime and paint all wood surfaces to protect against rain and water intrusion.

This is a great Do It Yourself project. It can be time consuming, each section of work may take a couple of hours when you take into account mixing the mortar, laying the stones, doing the finishing work and cleaning your tools, but the results are satisfying and well worth it for this classic look.

Kristine Clemenger writes on a variety of different topics most of which focus on natural health.

Please visit her website at http://wellspringsandiego.com

In today’s post we are going to discuss how to build a block foundation and the tools you will need to complete this task. You should have a good construction knowledge and be in good physical shape before attempting to do this. One thing you should do though is have the hole dug and the footers in place by a licensed excavator to ensure you at least have a good starting point.

Lets go over what you will need for this job first, you will need a cement mixer, partner saw, wheelbarrow, mortar boards,a laser for elevations, scaffolding and plank if you are building a basement. The hand tools you will need are a trowel, hammer, striker, chalk box, line, line bars and a 2ft and 4ft. level.

So lets get started, with your footers in place the first you need to do is layout your job and mark all of your corners with a concrete nail or a pencil. This can be a time consuming process so be sure you have someone to help you measure everything out to be square. After you have you corners marked take your chalk box and pull it from corner to corner and snap a line mark down onto your footer, this is the line that your block will follow.

Next you will need to establish your elevations with your laser, i recommend you get a self leveling laser because the slightest error in this step can be very bad in getting your foundation level. Establish which corner is the highest and use it to set all of your other heights. Be sure to mark each corner with how much you need to raise it so you don’t get confused.

Now it is time to build your leads, with all your corners marked lay in your first course, if you need to raise a corner try to do as much as you can if the first course. Use jamb block for your corners, ones without ears on them it will make the job look nicer and they are much easier to level up as well. You can get up to about 1 inch of height with a heavy bead of mortar under your first course, hopefully all your corners are close from your excavators work. Run 4 block out in one direction then 3 block in the other direction for your first course and then lay the subsequent courses on top dropping back 1/2 of a block in each course in each direction till you are left with one block at the top. Check your elevations frequently with your laser to be sure that all your corners are working out to be the same height. It is very important that leads are level, square and plum, this will make the whole job alot easier if it is.

After all your leads are up attach your line to your line bar and pull it tight from one lead to another on the same course. Spread your mortar down the chalk lines and start laying block, try to line the bottom of the block up with the chalk line and the top of the block with the top line. after that course is in it gets a bit easier be sure that your block aren’t lipping over at bottom and keep running them to the top line but be sure that none of the block touch the line, stay off of it about 1/8 inch and you should be good. Continue this process over and over till your walls are up and job is complete, also be sure to strike and brush your wall frequently to be sure that it is sealed good. Also every two courses it is a good idea to put a layer of derwal between the courses, it is required by code in some areas.

If you are still unsure on how to do this project hire a qualified contractor to complete the job for you. Block foundation costs are still typically cheaper than poured walls, about 30% or so and they are just as good or better in most cases because the masons have much more control over heights of corners thus leaving you a more level finished project. And if you want you can then fill all your block with concrete thus giving you a solid block, concrete wall. It is also a good idea to drop a piece of rebar in every 4 foot as well and pack it in with concrete, this is also sometimes required by code.

Professional Mason Contractor
block foundation cost
block foundation

Why flagstone? If I were to try and sell you on the glory or attributes of flagstone, it would be an unfair challenge to be sure. Flagstone is such a versatile and popular product that it needs no one to try and blow its trumpet because it does so well enough by itself. It needs no sponsor or pitchman. One brief visit to your well equipped local plant nursery or garden center will be enough to sell you on the beauty, rusticity, versatility and practicality of this magical stone.

Flagstone is easier to work with than brick or tiles. It is also easier to lay because both brick and tile do best laid with cement. Flagstone is more than not laid on sand or crushed stone. So much so that flagstone has become a favorite choice by the amateur homeowner who would like to be able to boast that he or she built, with their own hands, the flagstone patio or walkway that their guest is walking on. The ease of use because of flagstone’s varied sizes and shapes and forms and the diversity of its colors and hues make flagstone one of the more popular and proven garden and building products available today.

If you feel that you do not have the imagination it takes to design your own garden using flagstone, do not despair. It will be well worth the time and effort to visit your nearest home and garden center to thumb through the many garden and home improvement magazines to give you ideas of how and where flagstone can be used throughout your garden and even your home. Better still, sign up for one or more of your home improvement’s free classes that they offer on ‘how to’ lay and use flagstone. As they will surely tell you, you do not have to be a mason to lay flagstone and to do such a good job that you can boast to everyone that you are the builder of these amazing creations. So, your class is over and you have finished going through all the magazines on the shelves. What do you do next?

Well, one valid and useful suggestion is to drag that drawing pad or notebook from where it has been shelved and, with pen in hand, sit on a comfortable chair and try to look objectively at your garden and general outdoor area. Without a doubt and within a short time, your creative juices and your imagination will surely begin to work together and before you know it, you will have put down on paper many of the wonderful garden projects that can be built using that versatile, charming and rustic stone known as flagstone.

If you don’t mind sharing the glory with someone else, then invite one of your friends to sit with you and brainstorm together on the whats and hows and how-longs and before you know it, you will both be bragging and boasting about how easy and effortless and satisfying and enjoyable all your garden projects have been. It is right at this point that your friend will turn to you and say “okay, now it’s my turn. When can you come over and help me out?”. Now look at what you have done, you and ‘flagstone’!

I personally have years of experience working with flagstone. One of my speculates is installing flagstone patios and paths. I’ve complied all my tips and techniques in an easy to follow step by step picture guide that will take you by the hand as I show you How To Lay Flagstone.

If you plan on laying a flagstone patio or walkway then my site “How To Flagstone” will help you understand exactly how a professional stone mason builds a dry laid patio.

To support the weight of the fireplace and chimney, provision must be made in the foundation plans. Most plans use a solid reinforcement for concrete footer. This footer is usually 12″ (305mm) thick and extends at least 12″ (305mm) past the perimeter of the chimney.

Fireplaces are designed in three types:

1. Constructed totally on the site.
2. Using a manufactured firebox and flue system.
3. Freestanding units.

Major components of fireplace and chimney structure:

1. firebox
2. chimney
3. smoke chamber
4. flue support
5. damper
6. throat
7. steel anchor straps
8. cap
9. terra cotta flue lining
10. face
11. smoke shelf
12. angle-iron brace
13. hearth
14. ash pit
15. footing

Fireplace

The main part of the fireplace is the firebox. The firebox reflects heat and draws smoke up the chimney. Included in the firebox are the sides, back, smoke chamber, flue, throat and damper. Most of the fireboxes are constructed in a factory. The constructor places the firebox in the proper location in the chimney construction and lines it with firebrick. Materials used in fireplaces and chimneys is usually of brick, stone or concrete. Hearth should be constructed of fire-resistant material such as brick, tile, marble or stone. The best method of drawing the construction details of a fireplace is to prepare a sectional drawing. This will show the position of the firebox and the size of materials used in the footer, hearth, face, flue and cap of the chimney. Showing also the relationship of the chimney to the floor and ceiling lines of the structure.

Chimney

Extending from the footer through the roof of the house is the chimney. The footer must be of sufficient size to support the entire weight of the chimney. The chimney extends above the roof line. Its height above the roof line varies, local building codes in most areas scale its distance as 2′ (610mm). The chimney is secured to ceiling and floor joists by iron straps embedded in the brick work. The constructor must also indicate the type and size of flues to be inserted in the chimney. One flue is necessary for each fireplace or furnace leading into the chimney. Fireplaces add warmth and atmosphere to a room. However, most of the heat produced by some fireplaces goes up the chimney. To reduce this heat loss and redirect some of this heat, warm-air outlets, balanced by cold-air outlets, can be installed.

Prefabricated fireplaces

Freestanding metal fireplaces constructed of heavy gauge steel are available in a variety of shapes. They are relatively light wood burning stoves and therefore need no concrete foundation for support. A stove pipe leading into the chimney provides the exhaust flue. Prefabricated fireplaces do not require a foundation to support their weight. They are complete, ready-to-install fireplaces. Nevertheless, a fire-resistant material such as concrete brick, stone or tile must be used beneath and around these fireplaces.

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Kendrick Lester is better known as the “Mad Scientist” of the small business world. He specializes in experimenting with simple small business models that have worked for several people over the years and “spicing” them up for bigger beefier profits.