Title
9952 W 144th Street Wilson’s Foundation Tuck-pointing
History
The petitioner seeks a certificate of appropriateness in order to repair moisture damage to the foundation masonry of his historic home, which is a contributing structure in the Old Orland Historic District.
Project Description.
The petitioner proposes to replace some deteriorated historic masonry units at the foundation of his structure that have been damaged by moisture. It is evident by the photographs attached to this staff report that the masonry units had been pargeted at some point in the history of the house. Pargeted masonry is when the joint profile between masonry units is “repaired” by plastering the profile with a compound (usually concrete or plaster of Paris) in order to either a) improve/ support the structural integrity of the masonry unit, or b) repair any cracks or failures to the masonry. Pargeted masonry is noticeably sloppy and does not fit the joint profile or the original tuck-point.
It is important to note that pargeting masonry is not a recommended preservation practice because it damages the stone or brick more than fixes it. Aside from being unsightly and unruly along the joint profile, pargeted masonry traps moisture inside the masonry joints. It does not seal any cracks in the masonry, nor does it provide any kind of structural support. Instead, it further deteriorates the wall’s integrity and causes moisture to build up and expand and contract, resulting in the typical damage noted in the photographs attached-namely spalling of the unit or wall, which is essentially chipping and masonry failure.
It is important that the tuck-pointing and re-making of the historic joint profile for this building be completed by an experienced contractor who can repair the joints structurally, and restore the historic profile. The Village’s historic preservation consultants, McGuire Igleski and Associates (MIA) categorized the joint profile as a “beaded joint” and noted that it i...
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