Tag: masonry repair kansas city
Dutchman Stone Repair According to ASTM E2659-09
Dutchman (masonry) A piece of stone used to repair a larger piece, shaped such that it fills as exactly as possible a void or cavity that is to be repaired
Dutchmen repairs are useful for replacing small missing or deteriorated sections of stone. First, the area of replacement should be neatly trimmed and squared. An insert of either matching natural stone or a compatible cast stone facsimile should be cut to size and surfaced to match the existing material.
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Forms of Deterioration in
Natural Stone
Depending upon the type of stone,
the climate, exposure, orientation,
building use, provision for moisture 
management, and type of construction,
the causes and manifestations of stone
deterioration can be diverse.
As moisture within the wall evaporates
from the exterior face, it leaves
behind waterborne salts, which remain
on the stone surface. This characteristic
white stain, or efflorescence, is often
a result of rising damp, which occurs
when groundwater is drawn up into
the base of the wall. Efflorescence may
also be caused by moisture introduced
into the wall assembly through improperly
installed or missing flashings
at the top of a parapet.
Where efflorescence is observed,
subflorescence also may be present. As
trapped moisture migrates through 
Where a portion of the stone surface
has broken away, the problem could
be delamination, exfoliation, or spalling,
depending upon the type of stone and
the nature of the break. Often caused
by freeze-thaw cycling, spalling is the
result of trapped moisture and salts
that expand beneath the surface of
the stone, forcing off a piece of the
outer face. As stone is exposed to
age and wear, the surface layer may
separate from the body along a vein,
through processes resulting from salt
crystallization. Spalling can also result
from poor repointing techniques
and from using too hard a repointing
mortar. 
Delamination takes place when the
outer surface of the stone splits into
thin layers, which then peel off the
face. Sedimentary stones are naturally
prone to delamination, which occurs
along the bedding planes when the
rock is set perpendicular to the direction
in which it was originally formed.
Like delamination, exfoliation is a type
of surface disintegration in which the
stone sloughs off in very fine layers.
Although the two terms are often
used interchangeably, delamination
tends to refer to fracture along natural
bedding planes, whereas exfoliation is
usually due to thermal stress, impeded
moisture movement, or other
environmental factors.
Where a crack in the masonry unit
leads to a clean break, the fracture
is referred to as detachment.
Detachment may be due to failure of
an original construction joint, or it may
be the result of a weakened plane
within the stone.
Tracing the source of cracking in historic
stone masonry can be difficult,
as it can originate in a wide variety of
sources, ranging from structural settlement
to a repointing mortar that is
incompatible with the stone. If cracks
are narrow and short or confined to
within a single stone unit, the issue
may be relatively minor; cracks that
are wider and longer or those that
extend over large areas may be indicative
of systemic problems.
If, with light rubbing, the surface of the
stone falls away in small granules, similar
in texture to granulated sugar, the
stone may be succumbing to surface
disintegration, or sugaring. Cohesive
minerals in the stone dissolve, and the
remaining deposits are easily brushed
from the surface. Carbonate stones,
especially fine-grained marble, are
particularly susceptible to this type of
granular separation.
As the building ages, the natural disintegration
and erosion of stone due
to wind and rain leads to weathering,
which results in worn and rounded
surfaces.
Kansas city masonry repair. historic brick products, Historic limestone. Masonry Hardscapes, Kansas City Masonry Restoration patios, masonry Kansas city, stone patios Kansas city , hardscaping. More masonry patios installation by Kansas city masonry.The old homes in Brookside and elsewhere in Kansas City are beautiful, but they are built on a delicate stone foundation. Hundreds of people, maybe more, are considering or have already considered the different options when it comes to dealing with their crumbling home foundations.Stone: Stone,Kansas City, Kansas City MASONRY Preserving masonry Kansas City stone foundation, historic buildings, Offers masonry repair, concrete repair, waterproofing
Historic Masonry Mortar, Lime. Master Masons At Work. Lime that has been burnt in a kiln and all the carbon calcium carbonate, is now changed to calcium oxide.
The first mortars were made from mud or clay. These materials were used because of availability and low cost. The Egyptians utilized gypsum mortars to lubricate the beds of large stones when they were being moved into position(ref. i). However, these materials did not perform well in the presence of high levels of humidity and water.
Kansas City Historic Masonry Company, Masonry, Fountain, Historic Preservation.
It was discovered that limestone, when burnt and combined with water, produced a material that would harden with age. The earliest documented use of lime as a construction material was approximately 4000 B.C. when it was used in Egypt for plastering the pyramids(ref. ii). The beginning of the use of lime in mortars is not clear. It is well documented, however, that the Roman Empire used lime based mortars extensively. Vitruvius, a Roman architect, provided basic guidelines for lime mortar mixes(ref. iii).
The Masons Company sets itself apart from all others in its commitment to historic restoration and preservation. With their passion and deep devotion to the fundamentals, these craftsmen are genuine relics to the craft of masonry
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A Seamless Juncture: New Construction in a Historic Setting.
When creating and building new masonry structures in Kansas City proper , it is extremely important to make certain that existing ones are complimented. It is vital that the historical character of a property be retained and preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features that characterize a property should be avoided.
Respect for the original architectural design or architect must remain steadfast. Great care needs to be taken to ensure that new construction shall be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion to protect the integrity of the property and its environment. The new construction must be undertaken in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and candor of the historic property would be unscathed. Kansas City has a long history of great architects , such as Shepard, Farrar, and Wiser; Alice Walton; Edward Delk; Root and Siemens; Smith, Rea and Lovitt; Howe, Hoit and Cutler; John Van Brunt; Adriance Van Brunt; and Courtlandt Van Brunt, only to mention a few.
The Masons Co. is a Kansas City Masonry contractor whose company is built on expertise from being passionately entrenched in the trade of masonry for thirty years. High standards and an innate passion for the craft ensures a completed project that is prolific and gratifying to the homeowner or commercial property owner.
The Masons Co/Kansas City Masonry
(913) 203-0685
Office Location:
The Cosby Building
107 W. 9th St.
2nd Floor
Kansas City, MO 64105
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J.C. Nichols 63rd and State Line Fountain- An Expedition in Time with Kansas City Fountains
Kansas City Masonry / The Masons Co is revitalizing yet another majestic fountain in Kansas City!
J.C. Nichols‘ remarkable development of the Country Club residential district was unique in that he used irregular lots with shapes that were defined by curving streets that followed the terrain, instead of the usual grid plan of rectangular blocks. Landscape architect George Kessler provided a street plan that incorporated small parks and triangles into his Nichols’ ideal design.
On one of those triangular plats, the enchanting Stratford Garden Park Fountain still sits today. In 1927 the Nichols Company placed an antique Carrara marble horse trough there as the main focal point of the historic fountain. The relic was reportedly first used in a public square in Rome. Affixed to an upright wall surface, a smaller rectangular basin is placed above it. This piece was originally used to refresh humans waiting on their animals to drink.
Both basins are carved with ornamental fluting. Two openings in this upper basin allow water to stream into the larger trough. The water flows out of a spout in the center of the horse trough and then it is carried through a stone-lined channel approximately thirty feet to terminate in a circular reflecting pool which is six feet in diameter.
Kansas City Masonry / The Masons Company is a custom contractor that restores, repairs, preserves, designs and builds residential and commercial fountains with a passion for architecture detail and absolute function.
These historical fountain repairs are complex projects, because they’re both works of art and works of engineering that are constantly at the mercy of mother nature. The Craft.
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The Art of Masonry, or the Craft.
What is an art? What is a craft? What’s the difference?
The definitions of art and craft are not uniform, but in Western Europe crafts predate the arts. A time long ago when there was a focus on the beauty in the world, and if you had the talent to make something beautiful, or at least the ability to learn to make something beautiful, you apprenticed at a trade guild. Metalsmiths, architects, weavers, carpenters, these were the artists of their time, each forming into a guild of tradesmen under a master craftsman, who designed the craft..
Masonry is the art and craft of building and fabricating in stone, clay, brick, or concrete block. Construction of poured concrete, reinforced or unreinforced. The craft of stonemasonry (or stonecraft) has existed since humanity could use and make tools- creating buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone from the earth. They were beautiful, made to exact, repeatable designs and specifications from the master, meeting all standards set by the guildmaster, created by the craftsmen, and assisted in their craft by their apprentices. The value of it was that it was recognizable. It carried the master’s trade mark.
Medicine, while founded in science, has long been called an “art.” Likewise, the delivery of medical care is known as “practice,” though it will likely never be made perfect. Medicine is part science. Part art. The relationship between physicians and patients is at the core of healing.
Over time the world changed, and the emphasis shifted from the work to the worker. The artwork was absolutely valuable, but more because it was a unique expression of the experiences of the artist or an interpretation of the beauty the artist saw. The crafts sliped away to be repeatable to exacting, high standards.
1.Art is a work created by the accumulation of experience, skill, expressible point of view, and is entirely unique.
2. Craft is work created by the skills and experience of a skilled artisan meant to meet and conform to exacting standards of the Master.
Stonemasonry is one of the earliest craft in civilization’s history. During the time of the Neolithic Revolution and domestication of animals, people learned how to use fire to create quicklime, plasters, and mortars. They used these to fashion homes for themselves with mud, straw, or stone, and the CRAFT masonry was born.
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Kansas City Craft Masons/Historic Masonry Company, Masonry, Fountain, Historic Preservation. 