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Posts Tagged ‘bond<’
Posted in Bricklaying on Mar 12
Bricklaying is an art as well as a science. Don’t go it alone. Get a bricklaying quote by clicking on this link to Mr-Skill, where you will find bricklaying experts. It’s not just about the vertical and horizontal dimensions. A good bricklayer will also be checking joint widths, mortar consistency and brick-course levels continuously.
 Foundations – This is the start point of any building project, and stability is paramount. Excessive ground moisture or insufficient compaction could lead to problems with the brick face, and that will not be the bricklayer’s fault. Keep in mind that lack of tensile strength between bricks and mortar inevitably results in cracks – and possible collapse too. Make sure your London bricklayer knows that the City sits on clay.
The Mortar is Too Dry – Mixing mortar correctly is not quite as simple as it looks, and the results of a poor mix could spell disaster. Too little water, and the mortar will not bond correctly between the bricks. The golden rule is that the slower the mortar mixture dries, the better the bond. One trick is to soak each brick in water before building. This method ensures that the mortar will dry slowly where it attaches to the brick. The end result – a stronger wall!
 Plumb or Dumb – A decent plumb line is essential when constructing a brick wall and the age-old trick of suspending a weight on a taught nylon string is hard to beat. The bottom line is that the side of your wall needs to be at right angles to the end. If it isn’t, then the bricks will not combine to form a single structure. The greater the angle of error in your brick wall, the more the pressure on the mortar and the risk of failure of the structure.
It’s far wiser to find a bricklayer on Mr-Skill because we’ve interviewed them personally and you can find out what our other customers think of them too.
How’s that for a good idea. And what’s more it’s completely free of charge to you!
Tags: bond, brick, brick laying, bricklayer, bricklaying, bricklaying quote, collapse, consistency, crack, dimension, expert, find a bricklayer, foundation, horizontal, joint, level, measure, moist, mortar, plumb, right angle, stability, strength, string, vertical, wet
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Posted in Bricklaying on Feb 13
Before you rush off and Find a Bricklayer on Mr-Skill to lay your brick paving, you first need to understand the theory of brick bonds. That’s because they are butted up against each other as opposed to being cemented. In a very real sense, we are talking about unity in strength here. If one comes loose others will soon follow.
 Jack-on-Jack works well provided your pavers are identically-sized and your bricklayer has a straight eye too. They are bad news in a long narrow run where every defect shows.
Running Bond is a bit more robust because the joints are overlapped. This can help prevent the rows from staggering. It is however a very common pattern that often fails to excite.
 Basket Weave is a further enhancement because the joints are contra-staggered adding further strength. The bricks actually form sets of squares that can look extremely pleasant.
Half Basket Weave is a variation of the previous bond that gets away from squares to create a pattern that seems almost random. Note though that patches of Jack-on-Jack recur from time to time.
 Herringbone is in many ways the perfect solution. The joints all overlap and the pattern is not noticeable unless you look for it. This is a strong bond, particularly when the pavers are correctly but-jointed.
Diagonal Herringbone is an interesting variation on the theme that helps soften rectangular spaces. Just make sure the triangular filler-pieces are sized to that everything fits in well together.
Some London Bricklayers employ specialist staff that only lay one kind of pattern. Check this out with them before you ask them to submit a Bricklaying Quote. Otherwise you could come home to find the pattern laid that you least wanted.
Tags: basket weave, bond, brick, bricklaying quote, but, cement, diagonal, filler, find a bricklayer, half basket, herringbone, jack, jack on jack, london bricklayer, overlap, pattern, paver, paving, running, running bond, size, square, stagger, straight
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Posted in Plastering & Drywall on Feb 01
Damp is an on-going problem in many homes in Britain, and that’s not just in the older ones either. Water, especially when forced by wind can find its way inside an outside wall through the tiniest of cracks. After the leak is fixed, it’s time to Find a Plasterer to fix the evidence that alerted us to the damp in the first place.
The Problem
The water has leached the cement away leaving weakened plaster that will eventually come off. The only solution is to hack it out and replace it. You have a choice, though. You could Ask Mr-Skill to Arrange a Plaster Quote, or you could have a go at it yourself.
 Repair Stage One
You have to get rid of the damaged plaster at least a foot above any visible damage or residual salts. If the damp was low down, then you must in any case remove the plaster to three feet above floor level. Brush away every grain of loose material. Complete the job with a vacuum cleaner – you may wish to do this when the wife is out shopping.
Repair Stage Two
This is a tip a London Plasterer taught me years ago. Put on a pair of disposable latex gloves. Make a slurry of cement powder and water with a cup of bonding liquid added – the final consistency should be like runny porridge. Brush this firmly over the space where the old plaster came out. This will allow the new plaster to adhere properly. Wash your hands and tools immediately. Allow the slurry to dry for a day.
Repair Stage Three
Make up a stiff plaster mix of 3-Parts sand to 1-Part cement. Apply this with a wide paint scraper or steel float across the entire surface roughly, and leave it alone for two hours to set. Apply a fresh mix of plaster that stands just proud of the surface. Work this off with a straight edge later the same day.  Leave the job to cure for a week.
Repair Stage Four
Apply a moist mix of Polyfilla over the entire surface. When it’s totally dry and the surface has gone a little powdery, finish the job off with an a sanding block or orbital sander, using medium-grit paper. After that, you are ready to decorate!
That’s all very well in theory, but do you really have the time to spend on this? If not, that’s where Mr-Skill comes in. We provide a matching service between customers and tradespeople. Unlike some others, we don’t add a penny to the cost of jobs.
Tags: adhere, bond, brush, cement, clean, consistency, crack, cure, damage, damp, dry, dust, exterior, find a plasterer, float, get rid of, glove, grit, hack, london plasterer, mix, orbital, outside, paint scraper, plaster, plaster quote, polyfilla, powder, remove, replace, salt, sand, scraper, set, slurry, stick, straight edge, tip, wall, water
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Posted in Bricklaying on May 10
 When you are in the process of considering Bricklayer Quotes on Mr-Skill you may find yourself bombarded with bricklaying jargon. The following are some of the commonest terms that you may encounter.
Bricks are glued together with a mixture of cement, sand and water that sets hard. Brick bonds, which are brick-laying patterns, add extra strength to joints between bricks by adding overlaps. These bonds may be varied between different courses of bricks to create visual interest. Effects can be quite remarkable when bricks of different colours and textures are used.
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o The Stretcher Bond remains the commonest bricklaying pattern in use today. This is because it is time efficient and easy to apply. It is universally used inside plaster walls where a cosmetic effect is unnecessary. It is also the only bond possible in a single brick wall. Bricks laid in this way are called stretchers. This is the commonest recommendation you may receive after you Find a Bricklayer on Mr-Skill.
o The Flemish Bond may be used to create stunning effects where different colour bricks are used. It is also immensely strong because every course is a  combination of alternating stretchers and headers.
o The English Bond is similar in concept except that courses of headers and stretchers alternate. Although it is equally strong there are fewer opportunities for visual effects. It is ideal for use in areas of heaving clay or repeated earth tremors.
o The American Common Bond is a further variation on a similar theme, except that this time complete rows of headers and stretchers alternate. This is an attractive wall with many decorative possibilities, especially when different textures of bricks are used.
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A Bricklayer in London is often left with little choice of bond to use when building in the older parts of the City. This because the City Fathers want things to blend in with the prevailing patina, which many believe to be more attractive than some recent modern buildings.
More good ideas from Mr-Skill published in the interests of transparency.
Tags: american bond, blend, bond, brick, bricklayer(s) quote(s), bricklayers London, bricklaying, bricklaying job london, bricklaying quotes, cement, colour, common, effect, english bond, find a bricklayer, flemish bond, header, jargon, overlap, patina, pattern, sand, stretcher, stretcher bond, texture, water
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The advice that follows applies only to small cracks not more than 5 centimetres wide on average. If your crack is larger, then we recommend that you find a handyman on Mr Skill. Cast concrete floors are common in all types of houses, although they are usually covered with tiles or carpets. They are more typically visible in garages or hard standings in back yards. If not properly reinforced, they may crack for environmental reasons that include temperature change, ground moisture levels, stress caused by vehicles and other heavy objects, or building movement. Root causes can also be an unstable base or a bad mix.
 When a crack develops, this needs repairing as soon as possible to prevent deterioration of the edge and widening of the crack. Here is how to fix a small one in exposed concrete:
o Cut away any loose pieces if the crack has split and joined again using a suitable hammer and cold chisel. At the same time, open up the crack so that the material you patch it with will have enough “meat” to cure slowly. Strike the concrete at an angle so that the crack is wider at the base than at the surface to help the filler bond.
o Remove every single scrap of dust and dirt from the crack preferably using a vacuum cleaner. If the boss of the house will not lend you one, wait for a suitable opportunity or use a hand brush. If time is on your side, wash the crack out finally with a garden hose and let it dry completely before proceeding.
o Mix sufficient concrete according to the manufacturer’s instructions, taking care not to add too much water. Trowel this into the crack after waiting fifteen minutes and re-stirring, working it in nicely with the point of the trowel. If the mixture settles after a few minutes, add a little more, working this well into the rest. After half an hour, work off any surplus with a metal float. Handymen in London often prefer to seal the entire floor with a water-based polyurethane filler to finish off the job.
If a job like this goes well, then you will not have to call for handyman quotes. Remember to put the vacuum cleaner back as you found it, or you could find yourself sleeping on the concrete floor tonight.
Tags: bond, brush, cold chisel, concrete, crack, cracked, deterioration, dirt, dust, filler, find a handyman, float, floor, garage, hammer, handyman quotes, handymen london, hard standing, loose pieces, polyurethane, reinforced, repair, slab, trowel, vacuum cleraner, widening
Posted in Handyman Services, Tiling & Flooring | Comments Off
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