8 min
0
Lead Detailing That Actually Sheds Water
I was standing on a site in Surrey last autumn, watching a young lad try…
Category: Masonry
8 min
0
Chimneys Get the Worst Weather and the Least Attention
I spent forty-three years watching men pour foundations only to have them crack six months…
8 min
0
Indent Repairs Versus Mortar Repairs
I remember standing on a driveway in Surrey back in ’98, watching a lad in…
8 min
0
Bedding Stone the Way It Lay in the Quarry
I remember standing on a job site in ’94, watching a lad try to build…
10 min
0
The Stone Fireplace: What the Showrooms Won’t Tell You About the Foundation and the Flue
I once stood in a living room in Surrey, watching a homeowner point at a…
7 min
0
Stop Obsessing Over the Surface: the Real Secret to Maintaining Old Limestone Masonry in Residential Homes Is What’s Happening Behind the Stone.
I saw a lad last week trying to scrub a limestone facade with a high-pressure…
7 min
0
Stop Obsessing Over the Pattern and Start Looking at the Prep: Why Traditional Techniques for Laying Decorative Brick Patterns Fail When You Ignore the Foundation.
I spent forty-three years on site, and if there’s one thing that gets my blood…
7 min
0
Stop Obsessing Over the Stone and Start Choosing the Right Mortar for Stone Work—because the Bond Is Where the Failure Begins.
I spent thirty years watching lads buy the most expensive, fancy-label bagged mixes from the…
10 min
0
Cracked Brick Walls: Why the Patch Is Only Half the Battle
Stop looking at the mortar and start looking at what’s happening under your feet. I’ve…
11 min
0
Matching Bricks on a Repair
I’ve spent forty-three years on sites, and if there’s one thing that makes my blood…