How do masonry repair and masonry restoration services differ? Here are the differences and the circumstances when one is more appropriate.
Most buildings are as strong as they are because of masonry. Any building comprised of bricks or stones might require masonry repair. Sometimes, structures solely depend on masonry for their construction. However, most modern facilities use different materials but still have masonry facades because they look more appealing than contemporary materials. Masonry is a construction method that uses cement mortar to hold bricks or stones together. Buildings or homes can also have masonry chimneys or walkways. The benefit of building with masonry is that it’s incredibly durable. However, as with any material, it experiences wear and tear over time. If the masonry in your building has seen better days, it’s time to consider having it repaired or restored. How do masonry repair and masonry restoration services differ? We’re here to explain the difference.
Masonry Repair Defined
A professional will come to your building or home for masonry repair services if cracked or broken bricks, crumbling mortar, or discoloration exist (indicating a moisture buildup). Masonry repair involves patching and plugging gaps and cracks in the mortar. It also involves removing and replacing old mortar or bricks that are no longer as robust as they used to be.
Masonry also covers stones that need repair services. Stone repair includes patching and repairing damaged and returning old stones to their former condition. Masonry repair involves replacing your stone, brick, and mortar and specific places. If necessary, professional masonry contractors must match any new material to the surrounding material, ensuring no appearance changes. Our team can help whether you need masonry repair services because of normal wear or tear or accidental damage.
Masonry Restoration Defined
Masonry restoration is a more extensive service than masonry repair. Damaged masonry might only be a portion of a building’s masonry. Thus, a repair job will focus on that specific part. However, masonry restoration typically includes the entire building.
The first step of masonry restoration is removing old, deteriorated materials. If your building contains red bricks, masonry repair experts will replace them with, you guessed it, red bricks. The red bricks will look as the original bricks did when they were new. Then, masonry contractors will replace them with new materials matching the originals.
Consistent maintenance and repairs can extend the life of any masonry. However, there comes a time when a repair is no longer possible. Eventually, a professional contractor must restore the masonry to improve a building’s appearance and ensure the structure can still stand. When done correctly, masonry restoration is especially crucial in older historic buildings because it can preserve older structures for generations. Even if your building isn’t historical, restoration improves its value when needed.
Lanham Construction For All Your Construction Needs
Lanham Construction is an award-winning and dependable construction company dedicated to serving your home or business with whichever construction project you have in mind. Our professional team is eager to serve customers all throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. When you pick Lanham, you won’t ever have to worry about the process. We’re here to help with every step of the way.