Stories From the Field
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- Reputation for Honesty & Integrity (07/16/21)
- We Leave Your Masonry Restoration Project Debris Free (06/18/21)
- Window Lintel Replacement Work in East Lakeview (05/28/21)
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- AAA-1 Masonry Goes International (04/01/21)
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- Changing of the Season (03/08/20)
- The Seasonality of the Masonry Restoration Trades (12/20/19)
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- What Sets Us Apart (10/19/19)
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- Glass Block Windows (06/12/19)
- The Impact of Our Erratic Spring Weather (05/10/19)
- Many (Skilled) Hands Make Light Work (04/19/19)
- Recipient of the 2018 Angie’s List Super Service Award (03/15/19)
- Prohibition-Era Building Materials (01/31/19)
- Recipient of the 2017 Angie’s List Super Service Award (02/01/18)
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- What's That Haze On My Bricks? (08/15/17)
- Grinding & Tuckpointing (07/14/17)
- Some Thoughts About Safety (#5 in a Series) (03/15/17)
- Masonry Restoration Work & Cold Weather Considerations (#2 in a Series) (02/13/17)
- Masonry Restoration Work & Cold Weather Considerations (#1 in a Series) (01/20/17)
- An Industry In Growing Demand (12/20/16)
- Some Thoughts About Safety (#4 in a Series) (07/28/16)
- "High Quality" Masonry Sealers (06/20/16)
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (05/18/16)
- Chimney Restoration in Hinsdale (04/30/16)
- Ask the Hard Questions (04/16/16)
- Masonry Restoration Case Study (04/06/16)
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- Some Thoughts About Safety (#3 in a Series) (01/20/16)
- Masonry Restoration at Second Church of Christ, Scientist (12/28/15)
- Expression of Gratitude (12/11/15)
- The Importance of Conducting Annual Inspections (11/25/15)
- Proper Site Protection Worth Every Cent (11/05/15)
- Former Dairy Undergoes Masonry Transformation (Part 2) (10/31/15)
- Unusual Brick Discovered (09/30/15)
- New Parapet Wall Project in East Ravenswood (09/16/15)
- Former Dairy Undergoes Masonry Transformation (Part 1) (07/14/15)
- Some Thoughts About Safety (#2 In a Series) (07/02/15)
- Some Thoughts About Safety (#1 In a Series) (06/29/15)
- Enduring Masonry in Oak Park (06/20/15)
- Whatever the Job Requires! (06/15/15)
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- Kudos to Frank Kruk (09/15/14)
- Counting My Blessings! (07/31/14)
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- Masons Are Like Farmers (06/13/14)
- Look Up! (05/28/14)
- Bring Your Child to Work Day (04/24/14)
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- Heavy Duty Tarps: Effective, Durable Solution for Winter Leaks (02/18/14)
- Why Weather Matters (01/27/14)
- A Few Thoughts About Quality (12/10/13)
- If You Build It Right the First Time... (09/01/12)
- More Common Than You Think (07/06/12)
- Flashing or Through-Wall Flashing (05/05/12)
- Extensive Edison Park Office Project (Underway) (04/24/11)
- Wright Chimney Restoration (03/15/11)
- Lincoln Park Residential Restoration (09/09/10)
- Critical Facade Inspection Work (08/15/10)
- Residential Chimney Rebuild (07/01/10)
- Vehicular Impact With Building (07/20/09)
- Taken For A Ride (06/15/09)
- Chronic Water Damage (05/10/09)
- Brick Wall Repair (11/15/08)
Stories From the Field
Post: Former Dairy Undergoes Masonry Transformation (Part 2)
Saturday October 31, 2015
This is part two of a two part post. Read the first part here.
Back in July, this former dairy looked like the photo at the topon the left. Three months later, I took another photo of the same area (the "after" photo, at the bottomon the right) I tried to get the men to stand about where they were standing in the "before" photo. They did amazing work on this structure. And with the new roof installed you can barely recognize it!
The men rebuilt the 16"-thick north elevation wall on the left and the west elevation wall directly across from me in their entirety using reclaimed common bricks salvaged from the adjacent vacant building purchased by the owner expressly for this purpose!
The numerous door openings seen in the first photo were removed and converted into window openings. The unattractive in-filled brick arches over the windows were removed and new headers made of re-claimed timbers installed. All of the joist pockets at the very top of the walls were removed and new joist pockets created to accommodate the German-made standing-seam zinc roof ... which we learned comes with a 100-year warranty!
Along the southern wall on the right side of the photo, the men dismantled and rebuilt the upper 6 - 8 feet of wall with reclaimed bricks, and per the owner's instructions left the old parging and paint on the wall.
Even with today's digital technology, my camera cannot properly capture the amazing quality of the light and the sense of soaring space in this portion of the former dairy. Walking into this space overwhelms the senses with good feeling. With the even lighting, the pleasing hue of the sandblasted brick walls, the rhythmic spacing of the oversized windows and the 25'-high ceilings, the space seems to vibrate at the right aesthetic frequency. Mission accomplished!