Nagaho specializes in stone and brick restorations and particularly in lime mortar restorations.
Buildings made using slaked lime mortars are far more capable of withstanding the vibration from traffic and the movement of the ground beneath them than the more recent cement building.
Today slaked lime mortars and mortars made with NHL (natural hydraulic lime) are gaining ground with enlightened architects and contractors, as a better alternative to cement mortar in new builds. These builds are aesthetically appealing, flexible and far less prone to cracking, they also allow moisture to be released from walls via the mortar bed. Lime also has a much lower carbon footprint than cement.
Structures built with lime mortar have many advantages. Their breathability is an integral part of the way the buildings cope with moisture from the ground, rain and from the activity of day-to-day living. A fundamental part of a building designed with lime mortar is its ability to cope with movement over many hundreds of years.
Any wall is only as good as its weakest point so selecting the correct mortar mix for your wall is of paramount importance and underestimating this decision can prove very costly. If an inappropriate mortar is used, rather than preserving the wall, it will actually accelerate the rate at which the masonry deteriorates. Knowing the performance characteristics and ingredients of the original mortar is the wisest place to start. That is why Nagaho will survey the wall in need of repair and assess the most appropriate mortar mix to use to ensure the best possible results. After we have analyzed the mortar, we will craft a suitable mix that matches the original wall.
Correctly matching mortar extends far beyond just matching colour. Other important characteristics that can and should be matched are:
It is important that repair mortar be matched so that it is compatible with both the surrounding masonry units as well as the contiguous mortar.
Formulating the mortar recipe to perform well in the environmental condition it is exposed to is also critical. Nagaho will consult with you to determine these factors as we have a sound understanding of the science behind historic masonry materials.
If the mortar is not matched, you run the risk of the new repair mortar both contributing to the deterioration of the wall instead of protecting it as well as not being aesthetically pleasing because the color, texture, or tooling doesn't match the contiguous mortar.
At Nagaho we completely understand the grave importance of analyzing and matching mortar on historic masonry repair projects. Contact us for genuine expertise in this regard. Nagho specializes in all types of lime mortar restorations and can ensure that any conservation work will be aesthetically pleasing with precision and care taken to ensure that the colour, tone and texture perfectly fits with the existing structure so that it maintains its natural appearance. Just some of the conservation work we have undertaken has been on garden walls, chimneys and parapet walls.
There is nothing more visually unappealing than poor repointing work as this often raises the level of the mortar joint above the face of the masonry unit, which causes the mortar edge to feather. Such a process is aesthetically undesirable and can cause performance problems as a thin layer of mortar will quickly erode. In addition, depending on the nature of the mortar, mortar that rises above the level of the face of the masonry unit can participate in damaging the arris or corner of the masonry unit. This is why it is essential to get experts like ours to carry out such procedures.
The repointing process begins by removing damaged pointing to a depth equal to or slightly more than the width of the joint, or to the point where sound mortar is reached. Removal of old mortar between joints is done carefully to avoid damage to masonry units. On very old buildings with soft materials, such as under-fired brick, we undertake removal by hand to avoid damage. Hard cement mortar is usually removed with a grinder or power circular masonry blade, taking care not to damage the masonry units. Vertical joints are done by hand or with small power chisels.
We can perform a mortar analysis in order to make recommendations for replacement mortar that is both physically and aesthetically compatible with the building.
We undertake a lot of chimney restorations annually. We can access any area of roofing and we are experts in the field of scaffold erecting so regardless of the location of your chimney we will be able to access it safely.
The reason so many chimneys require attention is that unlike masonry walls, chimneys are exposed to the effects of wind, snow, ice, and rain from five surfaces - the four sides of the chimney and the top. They are therefore subject to a continuous war of expansion and contraction due to the chimney masonry being heated by hot gases from the fire, and the cold, wet outdoor temperatures. This repetitive expansion and contraction creates a lot of movement, and consequently results in deterioration of the chimney.
Nagaho are experts in Chimney restoration. If the mortar joints in your firebox or on your chimney need repointing, it is critical that the correct mortar mix is used for both safety and aesthetic purposes. Nagaho will design and customize each mix to suit the individual chimney.
Most chimneys require a specific custom mortar mix that works in cooperation with the masonry units. This will assure you that all masonry materials used are compatible with each other, and look good too. Because of the severe exposure your chimney is subjected to, it will likely benefit from an application of an appropriate penetrating and breathable water repellent. Water repellents should be applied only after all necessary repairs are made to the chimney. Otherwise, applying the water repellent will likely accelerate the deterioration of your chimney rather than slow it. Not all "sealers" or water repellents are the same! Some actually accelerate deterioration instead of assisting in preventing it! Nagaho can advise clients on the best treatments necessary for the chimney following a detailed examination on site.
We also restore numerous parapet walls annually. A parapet wall is nearly as exposed as a chimney and as a result withstands a lot of abuse from environmental conditions. In most cases we have seen the lead or copper originally used in the parapet has failed and moisture has seeped in and swelled and/or rotted the wall plate and results in cracking or the parapet and making the wall lean in or in worse cases, lean out.
We can access the damage and restore the parapet regardless of age and the result will match the existing structure seamlessly.
What makes Nagaho different from its competitors is the genuine passion that we feel towards every single job that we undertake. We take the utmost pride in our work and we believe that this pride and passion can be seen in every single project completed, regardless of how big or small it is.
Letbany Lodge,
Fowlerstown,
Stamullen,
Co,Meath
info@nagaho.ie
0870995994
We would definately recommend Dean and the work he does. We were very happy with the end result!
Finn & Clodagh Rock, Rush, Co.Dublin
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