Stone is quite possibly the most resilient material you can think of using in construction. High precision stone constructions like the pyramids can last for thousands of years, and even stone buildings that are not very good quality are known to last longer than most metal or concrete buildings.

Nevertheless, not all stone buildings are built as well as the pyramids, so you’ll need the presence of an masonry restoration expert to deal with the damage. Buying an old stone building without a thorough assessment and inspection of all damages can be a risky business, as the foundation work alone can cost tens of thousands of dollars to complete. Foundation issues are actually among the most problematic maintenance concerns with old stone buildings.

Another issue is the masonry and the mortar. If there are cracks between the stones, water can seep in and deform the building or cause damage that leads to instability over time. A masonry expert has to be called to evaluate such damage in detail and provide an estimate on how much it’s going to cost to fix it. The price won’t always be too low.

Finally, you have to consider problems involving mold and vegetation that may have grown on or through cracks in the walls. Pests may also have built their homes inside or around the stone, which can cause additional problems that might be pretty costly.

Should you consider fortifying your home with bricks, installing brick veneer or getting a brand new privacy wall or fence that will increase your security while keeping away prying eyes? Whichever your choice, it’s very important to keep up with modern trends and choose the best and most popular brick designs and colors available today:

• Some of the most popular brick colors include dark and medium shades of gray. These bricks often go well with darker hues or with high contrast designs that will make your property stand out.
• Another great choice is to opt for mixtures of beige and white. If you want your home or your walls and fences to look classy, this is a highly popular option that will turn heads as soon as your home comes into view. Also, a great thing about choosing lighter colored bricks is that they tend to reflect sunlight rather than absorbing it. Your exterior walls will therefore ensure that your home remains energy efficient in the summer.
• Red bricks are still some of the most popular. With shades of crimson and lighter red, as well as light and dark orange, these traditional bricks will give your home an imposing look and definitely improve on its curb appeal as well. Find masonry experts such as http://www.nemasonry.com and take a look at some of the brick colors choices that others are choosing, before you decide.

Masons are those who work with stones, bricks, cement, etc. in order to build houses, pathways or walls. This type of job has been practiced for many thousands of years, only that the materials have certainly evolved a lot.

Most masonry experts start as apprentices. Apprenticeship programs can be accessed through community and technical colleges or masonry unions. To enter this kind of programs it is generally required to be over 18 years old and to have a high school diploma. Sometimes apprentices are also required to take a test.

Apprenticeship programs for masonry restoration Connecticut can last three or four years and include on-the job type of training. As they advance in their training, apprentices can get extra job benefits such as health insurance, vacation time, and so on.

There is also classroom learning involved, with subjects such as construction math, how to read blueprints, or history of the masonry trade. Moreover, prospective masons learn about the tools, tricks and techniques used for this type of job.

Cement masonry apprentices get to learn some other essential things such as how to set forms, make and spread cement, and so on.

After finishing the program, apprentices may start working as journeyman masons. After gaining experience, they can finally become master tradesmen.

Masonry areas which are exposed to harsh weather sometimes need to be tuck pointed. This can be the case for chimneys, outside brick walls, veneers, patios or other similar parts of a building or a house.

In short, the mortar between the brick can get damaged and therefore needs to be removed and replaced. But in order for this technique to be considered tuck pointing and not re-pointing, the mortar needs to have the same color as the bricks. After that, a thin line is being cut in the middle of the newly added mortar, and this line is filled with mortar with a contrasting color to the brick structure.

The prices for tuck pointing may vary, as they depend on a large number of factors. The average price is that of $5 to $25 per square foot. As an example, an area which is 8 feet high and 40 feet long can cost somewhere over $1,600.

The variations in price largely depend on the labor involved. Tuck pointing materials are rather inexpensive. In case you are located in a region where construction jobs are generally more expensive, then tuck pointing may also cost you more than in other areas. The best option is to call New England Masonry and Restoration for pricing and the different options that are available to you.

In case you own a building, there are many chances for it to have been built with the use of masonry. Masonry is a construction method which can hold bricks or stones together. In short, any kind of building which was built with bricks is likely to have masonry involved in it.

In some cases, the whole building was made with masonry, but most of the time buildings are made with different materials. However, many buildings keep their masonry facades, because they look better than modern types of materials.

There are many signs that your Connecticut masonry needs to be fixed, including cracked bricks, discoloration or crumbling mortar.

Masonry repair involves patching cracks in the mortar. There are also many situations in which your brick, mortar or stone has to be replaced, at least in certain places. As far as masonry restoration is concerned, this involves more efforts than a mere repair.

The very first step is that of removing old, damaged masonry. Then those structures are replaced with brand new materials that mimic the appearance of the old ones. As a matter of fact, masonry restoration is necessary only when a whole building’s masonry gets affected, and that, of course, does not happen very often.