Masonry Solutions

Diamond Bar

News and Insights on Masonry Repair and Maintenance of Institutional, Commercial, and Condominium Buildings in Eastern Massachusetts   
 



Vol.6 No. 5

     July 2014     




In this issue, our Case Study article describes our recent restoration of the brick and pre-cast stone facade of historic St. Joseph Hall in Watertown, MA. Our Masonry 101 article describes pre-cast stone and its use as a replacement for natural materials in a multitude of architectural building applications.

We trust that you will benefit from the information provided in this publication. If you have any comments or questions, or would like an estimate on a masonry repair project, we can be reached at

617-445-0274 or at www.abbotbuilding.com.  

  

Sincerely,

  

Michael Norman, President
Abbot Building Restoration Company, Inc.

 

Case Studies  

Abbot Restores Brick and Pre-Cast Stone Facade of Historic Watertown Building   

 
Abbot recently restored the pre-cast stone and brick fa�ade of St. Joseph Hall in Watertown, MA. Currently consisting of 25 affordable senior housing units, this historic 5-story building was built in 1935 and was the former site of the Rosary Academy High School until the school closed in 1981.

 

The masonry restoration was part of an overall interior and exterior renovation overseen by Curtis Construction (Quincy, MA), the general contractor on the project. 

 

St. Joseph Hall, Watertown, MA 

Abbot's major focus involved replacement of the pre-cast stone and the entire set of stairs, as well as to replicate and replace the ornamental dental detail above the door to the east entrance. In the course of this effort, Abbot removed a section of the shelf and dental molding to fabricate a mold to replicate the original profile of the section. Further, Abbot replaced the panel above the door with the signage, and installed a new panel with letters to match the original font.

 

In addition, Abbot power washed the entire fa�ade to remove atmospheric dirt and debris, repointed areas of the brick as necessary, and repaired the precast concrete around the perimeter of the building.  To complete the project, Abbot coated the precast stone with an elastomeric coating and waterproofed all of the brick with a clear sealer. 

 

St. Joseph Hall is part of an educational campus that was established by the Dominican Sisters of Peace in 1911, and has evolved into a multi-generational community of rental apartments, condominiums, and pre-school.

 

Masonry 101

Pre-Cast or Cast Stone:  

A Refined Architectural Building Material 

Pre-cast or cast stone is a refined architectural concrete building material manufactured to simulate natural cut stone in an array of masonry applications. It is composed of sand, white or grey cement, and graded stone aggregates typically 1" or smaller.
 
The grand foyer at Reagan Place in        Old Parkland, TX is an excellent example of the architectural use of cast stone.
Cast stone can be colored with pigments to achieve the desired hue and appearance while maintaining durable physical properties. Used in trim, facing, or architectural ornamentation where limited structural strength is required, cast stone is an excellent replacement for natural cut limestone, brownstone, sandstone, bluestone, granite, slate, keystone, travertine, and other natural building stones.

 

Cast stone has been a prime building material for hundreds of years. The earliest known use of cast stone dates back to France in the 11th century, while its first extensive use was in London in the year 1900.

 

Since the early 1920s, cast stone has earned widespread acceptance in the U.S. architectural community as a suitable replacement for many masonry materials and for all types of natural cut building stones.
 
abbot logo
 

Abbot Building Restoration Company, Inc.

 

28 Allerton Street, Boston, MA 02119
Tel: 617-445-0274  � Fax: 617-445-0277

[email protected] www.abbotbuilding.com  

Featured Articles  

 

Case Studies

Abbot 's recently completed restoration of the brick and pre-cast stone facade of a historic building in Watertown, MA. 

 

See full article below 

 

Masonry 101

Pre-cast stone can be used in a multitude of architectural building applications.  

 

See full article below

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