Scaffolding Hire Essex : Ensure Masonry Repairs Are Solved Efficiently and Safely
/Maintenance of building façades and roofs is a critical element to protecting your property from further damage. External factors, such as bad weather and urban pollution, often mean that apart from minor maintenance work, localised repairs are often required on the structure of the building at inaccessible areas.
By acting promptly when a problem appears, you avoid the roll of the dice and the issue generating expensive structural work.
Utilising a scaffolding structure as part of any building work significantly improves your efficiency to complete the project within the timeframe and ensure site safety for construction workers and the general public.
In this article, we shall also be explaining the common causes of masonry damage, how they are repaired and the benefits of implementing a scaffold system as part of regular maintenance tasks. | Scaffolding Hire Essex : Ensure Masonry Repairs Are Solved Efficiently and Safely
Common Causes of Masonry Damage
Building disorders often originate from water infiltration, which soaks and damages the masonry surface; then causing the breaking of internal elements of the masonry. In addition to this, although unnoticeable due to the vast time-frame, the movement of the building as it settles on its foundation or following renovation work is also an involved factor. Finally, natural erosion from environmental/urban elements also plays a part. No building is designed to last forever, the strongest materials inevitably suffer the ravages of time.
Most common repairs to masonry are very localised. They are carried out with putty or simple mortar. Thus, to protect, consolidate or repair damaged stone, manufacturers have developed products capable of providing a targeted solution which implements anti-salt chemicals, water repellent materials, preventative mineralising and fast-hardening resin.
Smart Products
In a regularly maintained property, repairs are usually minimal. To solve the majority of problems, it is better to use small quantities of high-quality products ready for use. Even if they are a little more expensive you will avoid wasting time by having to repair your previous repair attempts.
Repairing A Crack
A property needs to be maintained regularly to preserve its appearance and fix the damage before it escalates to serious levels. Due to structural deformation, cracks are a common sight on the facades of residential houses and commercial buildings; if untreated, property owners risk infiltration by rainwater. Therefore, repair them without delay!
Common cracks on facades are formed when the coating is no longer completely waterproof; the winter period promotes their appearance. To solve these problems in the long term, cracks, holes or missing wall plates (and their surroundings) must be filled with plaster to become hard, cohesive, clean, healthy and dry. To do this, follow these common steps:
Dig and clean the cracks thoroughly with a scraper or a painter's knife.
Rub the cracks with a wire brush to remove the remaining non-adherent parts from the support.
Carefully dust the inside of the cracks and the surrounding support with a wide radius brush.
Apply facade sealant inside the cracks with a cartridge gun.
Carefully smooth the joint with your finger and remove the excess with a cloth to smooth the surface.
Effective masonry work depends on good workmanship and efficiency. Each motion should have a purpose and accomplish a definite result. The work must be arranged in such a way that the builder is continually supplied with the required tools and materials when the surface is stripped back to the damage, a point in which the building is extremely vulnerable to external factors. Therefore, scaffolding must be planned in advance before the work begins, so that engineers can inspect the damage up-close at often inaccessible areas and cause the least interference when technical repair work begins.
Contact FX Scaffolding today to arrange your scaffolding rental in Essex well in advance!
Scaffolding Hire Essex : Ensure Masonry Repairs Are Solved Efficiently and Safely
Sustainable Solutions
In case of crevices more than 2 mm wide, it is necessary to envisage the installation of a patch or an armed band on canvas to durably reinforce the repair. The overflow on the banks of the crack, settle due to the cooling of the coating within the adhesive. They must then be covered with a special coating, such as fibre-based or resin-based coatings.
Close-up Of Professional Workman Applying Silicone Sealant With Caulking Gun On To A Wall
Reinforce A Wall Corner
Some wall cracks require more extensive repair work, requiring consolidation via mechanical tools to get to the root of the problem.
Damage often develops at the junction of two walls, or a wall and a floor due to the movement of the soil, insufficient chaining and water damage; the causes are multiple and more or less identifiable. The repair of these breaks is not insignificant and requires more substantial work than for a small crack.
Stake the stone with a chisel and dig grooves perpendicular to the crack at 1 to 2 cm deep.
Integrate large flat metal brackets into the grooves. Secure them with screws pegged to the wall.
Fill the crack with plaster and let it dry under a protective layer for a month.
Reconstitute Cut Stone
The cleaning of exterior stone elements can be carried out with water under high pressure, possibly with the addition of sand if the facade is very dirty.
The stone can present specific pathologies. Small craters resulting from the crystallization of salts within rainwater when it evaporates. Some efflorescence comes from sulphates and nitrates which become encrusted and thus create an expansive salt; causing the surface which it is embedded to burst. Limestone particularly can be severely damaged by acid rain causing the dissolution of its protective surface.
Wash the stone with a pressure washer. Adjust the pressure according to its condition and hardness. Let it dry.
Purge the damaged stone elements to a minimum thickness of 5 mm with a masonry pin.
Apply a special stone primer without over brushing the surface, then wait to dry.
With a hammer, plant a few brass nails in the stone to facilitate the adhesion of the plaster.
Connect them with brass wires at a depth greater than 2 cm. Then fill with special stone mortar (2 passes).
Roughly sand the repair plaster and dust off with a brush. Apply the finishing coat with a trowel.
Let dry until hardened and then finish by scraping and planing.
To accomplish these particular repair projects, scaffolding experts use specialised equipment which allows technicians to work on surfaces in an efficient manner. FX Scaffolding is dedicated to commercial and residential scaffolding and uses both lightweight and robust equipment to optimise working conditions of construction operatives while guaranteeing the health and safety of the teams on the ground.
In Essex and the surrounding areas, FX Scaffolding stands out in the scaffolding industry. Our organisation has gained a special place thanks to our team of experts who provide complete solutions for work at height. For more information, and to talk to us about Scaffolding Prices in Essex contact us today.
Scaffolding Hire Essex : Ensure Masonry Repairs Are Solved Efficiently and Safely
Using a scaffolding system ensures a safe working platform for maintenance technicians to operate from.
Refresh a stone facade
When the stones and their joints begin to degrade, do not wait for the facade to be renovated.
Remove the masonry joints at 1 to 3 cm deep using a chisel and remove the weathered stones.
Rub the moistened stone firmly with a wire brush the day before to remove the powdery residue.
Fill the joints manually using a normal or cat tongue trowel, or mechanically via a mortar pump.
After drying, brush the joints clean of stones or rubble with a wire brush.
Protect a roof terrace
A small leak on a flat roof is enough for stagnant water to seep into the masonry and make its way into the interiors.
Start by cleaning the deck using a high-pressure pump to loosen the non-adhering parts. Brush the surface carefully.
Apply a coat of resin and hardener at the leak points, then affix a fibreglass mat to reinforce the surface.
Cover the fibreglass with resin and hardener until the set becomes transparent.
After drying (4 hours minimum), sand lightly and prepare a gel coat seal agent for the top coat.
Spread the sealant over the fibreglass mat and roll evenly across the surface. Note: there are tinted products that unify the colour of the roof.
On a very damaged roof, do not hesitate to renew the gel-coat by treating the vertical relays well to ensure final water tightness.
By not using a scaffold structure when working at height you risk safety and restrict the amount of tools maintenAnce technicians can have at hand during repair work.
Restore a gutter
Sometimes metal gutters break through and leak. It is best to intervene without delay to avoid replacing them later.
Sand the area of the crack or hole well using an average abrasive.
Dust and degrease the surface then apply the first layer of resin with a soft spatula; then place a piece of fibreglass over the hole. Repeat the process until an impenetrable layer has been created over it.
To guarantee water tightness, apply a gel-coat (hardening resin) with a brush.
All of the building repair projects outlined in this article not only require workers to have the right tools at hand and skilled abilities in mind but also call for teamwork and advanced preparation.
By contacting FX Scaffolding today you will be set in motion your future building repair works in an efficient and safe manner. Careful planning, expert selection of scaffolding equipment and access points, weather-proof mounting and regular inspection are key elements of our work and lay the foundation for safety on the construction site.
Contact FX Scaffolding today to arrange your scaffolding rental in Essex today!
Scaffolding Hire Essex : Ensure Masonry Repairs Are Solved Efficiently and Safely
