Radnor, PA Job
Job Description:
deGruchy Masonry cleaned, consolidated and repaired the friable Wissahickon Schist stone and readied the building for another 90 years of service. A weak matrix within some of the exfoliating sedimentary rock was removed and was found to crumble with ease. This condition is typical with sedimentary sandstones like this famous Philadelphia Schist as well as in Serpentine and Brownstones with certain contributing conditions. The remaining stones where treated with Potassium Silicate, (water glass), and this treatment fortified the stone with a breathable and natural material that works as a grain strengthener to improve the condition of what remains of the stone so that it can be repaired well. Some stones received an armature of stainless steel ties embedded into the sound stone which were allowed to protrude from the stone but not out to the surface of the repair material. Custom formulas of Lithomex were made by the laboratory at LimeWorks.us and then used to recreate the multi-layered levels of texture and color found in the original Wissahickon Schist. This included the addition of flecks of mica which was added to the Lithomex to recreate this specific nuance found in this specific stone for this exact application. Some specially made Potassium Silicate stains were also employed to feather in the repairs with the remaining original stone. Finally, repointing work was accomplished with a very coarse aggregate blend used after the LimeWorks.us laboratory made mock-up simulation tiles to get an indistinguishable match. | View Next Job![]() Back to Topics ![]() |
Customer Comment:
While everyone wants to believe that a stone house is maintenance free, after 90 years, this one needed some restoration. I was very pleased to have secured the expertise of your firm and the craftsmen that you had on the job. You and the team had just the right approach to handling each element of the job. We all enjoy seeing the final product. It is very nice to find a company that knows what they are doing and do the job as professionals. I enjoyed having the crew on this job! Thanks for your help.
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20 Years later we received another comment:
As the owner of this property, I can affirm that having Andy do this project was the best investment we made in rejuvenating our house. The craftsmanship and attention to detail continue to be evident to all that view the result.
Steve, Rob and Jeremiah transformed our old painted-stucco-over-fieldstone home into a beautifully pointed dwelling beyond our dreams. These men are very focused and thorough; their work habits are of a high standard. Unanticipated problem areas were dealt with patiently, carefully and expertly.