Many older, natural stone structures have deteriorated surfaces, some of which cause aesthetic, life-safety, or structural concerns for their owners. Unlike brick or other façade materials, natural stone, particularly sandstone, tends to deteriorate. Due to this unique characteristic, the repair, restoration, and preservation of this material requires a thorough understanding and comprehensive evaluation. Source of… Read more »
Posts Categorized: General
Levels of EIFS Repair: To Replace or Restore?
When EIFS-clad structures begin to show signs of age and deterioration, building owners are left asking themselves what to do about it. Many architects and engineers are not educated on these systems and the knee-jerk reaction is to remove and replace the EIFS. However, not all system failures warrant replacement. Many times, less intrusive modifications can… Read more »
Water Repellent Considerations
Water repellents are colorless treatments that are applied to walls or other surfaces with the intent of reducing absorption. Applying a water repellent can be a great way to enhance the weather resistant characteristics of your structure. It is relatively inexpensive and somewhat simple to apply, but there are several things to take into consideration… Read more »
The Impact of the OSHA’s Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard
In 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revised the standard which regulates the hazards associated with respirable crystalline silica in the work place. Though not entirely new, the revised standard has dramatically reduced the exposure limits for workers and has added many new requirements for employers. There are incredible costs associated with compliance,… Read more »
EIFS in Layman’s Terms
The purpose of this article is to try to simplify something that confuses many people: EIFS. EIFS is an acronym for “Exterior Insulation and Finish System.” Many people refer to it as “Dryvit” or mistakenly as “stucco.” Dryvit Systems, Inc. is a manufacturer of EIFS products. This is a generic trademark descriptor, similar to Kleenex (a manufacturer… Read more »
What Are These Blogs Trisco Keeps Posting?
If you haven’t noticed, Trisco has been posting a lot more blogs lately (two per month, to be exact). You can find all the blogs right here on our website. You can also request a hard copy, and we’ll be glad to print or send you a document. What is a blog? A blog is… Read more »
If Walls Could Talk: Biological & Organic Growth
One way that walls talk to us is through the accumulation of biological growth on surfaces of buildings. Moss, vines, grass, trees, mildew, and mold are all natural organisms. However, they are not supposed to live on or in your walls. If there is sustained biological growth (of any kind), the wall is telling you… Read more »
Terra Cotta Replacement Considerations
Architectural terra cotta is a masonry material that has been around since the 1800’s. Terra cotta is basically made of a clay-like material that is formed into shapes, which are glazed and then fired in a kiln. These shapes are attached to a building’s skeleton to form its exterior façade. Mortar is placed between the… Read more »
The Challenges of Estimating Vertical Concrete Structures
In this article, we are discussing the challenges of estimating vertical concrete restoration projects. These are typically the most difficult types of concrete repair projects to accurately estimate. The intent of this article is to help explain the different pricing approaches so you can choose the right one for your project. The challenges There are… Read more »
The Building Assessment Process
Every potential restoration project begins with a need: clients have a building or structure with a problem, so they call an expert such as Trisco and thereby initiate the building assessment process. When executed successfully, this process can identify problems or deficiencies, the cause of these problems, and the design of a solution. The building… Read more »