If you need chimney repair and it is beyond the point of repair for chimney tuckpointing it must be tore down and rebuilt, and there are a few things that you must do to ensure that your new chimney will last for years to come.

The first thing you must do is select the proper building materials. You should use a brick that is solid with no holes in it this will increase its durability. Bricks that are cored (with holes) tend to have a much shorter life because moisture can build up in the hole cavities and break down the brick and mortar joints from the inside out, this is especially a problem in colder regions. So be sure to pick out a solid brick if you can.

Next the chimney needs to be tore down. You first must protect your roof from falling debris, do this by placing a cloth tarp down over it around the chimney. You should really use cloth tarps because plastic vinyl ones can be slippery and you don’t want to slip and fall, it could result in serious injury or death. After your tarps are in place start by removing the concrete cap first, the concrete cap must be first or you risk a avalanche of heavy masonry units falling all over the place and possibly through your roof. You may have to use a partner saw to cut it in sections first before picking it up, they can be very heavy.

Next thing after the concrete cap has been removed is to start removing brick. It is best to use a small hammer drill for this with a pick attachment on it and just focus the pick on the joint below the brick you are removing till it breaks free and you can grab it. Depending on the roof pitch and placement of the chimney you should use a bucket to put debris in or if you are confident it is safe below you can throw the brick down to the ground in a designated roped off area below. Be sure to remove the center clay flu liner if there is one, as well as you work your way down, but try not to break it, odds are you will send debris down your chimney shaft which is not a good thing and it will have to then be cleaned out. The brick should be removed down to just inside your roof line unless its really bad you may have to reach down further or do a little work inside the attic to get it to a secure rebuild point.

Now that your ready to rebuild be get your new building materials up to your work station and start laying in brick. it is very important to keep the courses level and plum to ensure a good looking and lasting chimney. If you are using clay flue liners put one in place as you go, once it is secured by brick all the way around it up to the top then place your next one in place and continue the process till you hit your desired height. code for most areas is 10 foot from nearest roof line and then 2 foot above that for proper drafting of fumes, Generally in most cases if you build it to the same height it was you should be ok, but be sure to check your area code just to be sure.

After all your brick and flu liners are in place you need to pour a concrete cap, this is one on the most important features of your chimney and it should be done correctly to ensure a long lasting chimney. Yor flu liner should be sitting about 6 inches above your last course of brick, next build a form out of 2×4’s around the top course of brick, fill your form up with concrete till you reach the top of your form, Put a slight slope on the cap from the liner down to the edge of form for good water shedding. Also tap your form lightly as you fill it to help reduce bubbles in the pour. After it sets up for a bit say a few hours pull the form and smooth off the edges of it with a small concrete float to seal all holes and to also make the cap look nice.

After that is complete install a draft cap, or also called a bird cap to finish off the chimney. One of these is needed to reduce the chance of back drafts pushing fumes back into your house and they also serve to rain out and to keeps small animals out as well. They can be picked up at just about any home improvement store and are relatively cheap. You must also install your flashing around the base of chimney as well to ensure that is is sealed and water tight.

Professional Mason Contractor
Chimney repair
Chimney tuckpointing

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A brick wall is a awful accent to your garden or can be a simple means to create privacy in a yard. While being appealing they are also very simple to sustain when finished as they won’t acquire the cracks and cracks that cement block walls might. Bricks are supposed to be arranged against an already existing wall, so if you plan to build a brick wall it should not be too big. People often hire pricey contractors to construct even the lowest brick walks for their homes, but utilising the flowing guide will eradicate the need for doing that and provide a fun home design for do-it-yourselfers.

There are many various styles that a brick wall can be built in. The most common of which is the running bond or the way where each new row of bricks begins in the center of the row before. There are also the herring bone, diagonal herringbone, basket weave, and half basket weave. For the aims of this guide, the style being explained will be the Jack on Jack, where the blocks are placed directly on top of each other.

Required tools and Materials

The materials needed for building a brick wall include the following:

Cement
Bricks (the number of bricks required depends upon the length and the width of the wall)
Measuring tape
Shovel
Trowel
Leveling tool
Chalk

Instructions

Step one:
Measure out the proportions of the wall you want to build, length and height.

Step two:
Make the concrete base for the wall. This will ensure that the wall is flat once it is made. Mix the concrete as per the instructions on the bag and lay it out along the area that will be used as the base of the wall. It is okay if the width of the base is uneven as you will be able to cover it with earth once the wall is complete. Let the concrete to dry completely which will take at least one day.

Step three:
Once the concrete is dry, mark the length of the wall with chalk and a straight edge such as a piece of wood. This will be used as the guide to lay the first layer of bricks.

Step four:
Start building the wall from the left most side. Apply a liberal new layer of wet cement on top of the now dry wall base with the trowel. Spread the cement with an even back and forth motion.

Place down the first layer of bricks, moving from left to right without allowing any space between them. Subsequent layers will have a joint or space between each brick that is filled with cement.

Step five:
With the leveling tool see that the first layer is as level as possible. The cement will provide some amount of movement for misplaced bricks. Uneven bricks can be shifted to give evenness across the length of the wall. Remove the extra cement that is pressed through the sides using the trowel and use it for the next brick to be placed.

Step six:
Repeat steps four and five until the height of the wall you are making is achieved.

Tips and Warnings
Check with your local constructing agency before making a brick wall. Many laws will allow small ones (under 3 feet high) without it being necessary to file for permits.

Keep the bricks you will be working with in a wheel barrow to your right. This way they are within arms reach and can be easily moved as you move down the length of the wall.

Please visit these links for more information on: How to Build a Brick Wall and Build a Brick Wall.

Granite is a stone produced from strong heat. It is one of the hardest types of stone and hence is used as building material. The granite has been used for building bridges, buildings, paving monuments and many exterior projects. It is also used as design material for floors, countertops, or stair treats to name few.

North Granite and South Granite

North Granite is famous for the quality and elegance. Wide collection of granite stone which varies in color and texture is available in the market such as cheema pink, cheema blue, cherry brown, bala flower, china white, copper silk, crystal yellow, French brown, green pearl, Jhansi red, merry gold, rakhi green, raniwara green, rosy pink, royal cream, royal green, seaweed green, sindoori red, and tiger skin to name a few.

Similarly, south granite such as Baltic brown, black galaxy, bash paradisco, golden oak, Hassan granite, imperial pink, jet black, Kashmir gold, Kashmir white, lady dream, sapphire brown, siva gold, tan brown, golden brown, green galaxy, imperial gold, Madurai gold, rawsilk ivory, river white, sapphire blue, and white galaxy to name a few are available in the market.

Uses of Granite

Granite Stone is most popular material used for building. It has been used for both exterior and interior applications. It is very prestigious stone used in the various projects to give it an elegant look. Granite is used in kitchen as countertops, flooring tiles, sinks, wall panels, paving stone, and curbing to name a few.

Advantages of Owning Granite
. Granite is natural stone made up of the quartz, mica, feldspar etc. It does not contain chemical.
. It is harder as compared to other stones. Hence, making it more durable.
. Maintenance of granite is much easier. In case scratch appears on the stone it can be repaired.
. The granite lasts for longer period.
. Price of granite stone is much less than other stones.
. Granite is available in varied colors and patterns. This helps in producing different varieties of product.
. Granite is heat resistance and hence does not burn even if anything hot is placed on the same.
. The granite is easily available.

KushalBagh Marbles Pvt Ltd. established in 1988 is one of the major manufacturer and supplier of the natural stones. It is also one of the leading exporters of natural stones in India including south and north granite. It supplies extensive range of natural marble stone, limestone, sandstone, granite stone, pebble stone, cobble stone, and mosaic of very good quality. It has factory with latest technology which involves tiling plant- block cutter, tiling plant – calibration and polishing line, tiling plant – chamfering / beveling machine, and epoxy oven.

Johan Morkel is giving web address of natural stones supplier. The Company Kushalbagh is providing best marble and granite stone in best price in national and international market.

One of the great benefits of brick pavers is the relative ease in which you can replace cracked, chipped, or stained bricks. While concrete brick pavers are very strong and should last a lifetime if sealed correctly, accidents do happen. An unsightly oil stain on your new driveway or a chip caused by a dropped item can drive you crazy if not repaired.

When a paver does need to be replaced here is a step by step guide for replacing the damaged brick.

If you are replacing several bricks be sure to mark the bricks first to ensure that you are replacing the correct size brick in the correct spot. This is especially important if you used a complicated pattern in your paver layout. If you are replacing loose bricks it is good to get the correct bricks back into the original slot.

Once the pavers are removed be sure to clean any debris from the cavity. A thoroughly cleaned area will ensure that the bricks fit back properly while leaving the proper gap between the existing brick pavers.

Put a layer of sand down next. Use a wooden masonry wood float, taking the time to push sand into all the corners. Use the float or your foot to compact the sand down thoroughly. Check the level of the sand with a level.

It is now time to place the new brick paver into position. Use the marks you made to match up the correct position. Use a screwdriver to make sure the gap is even on all sides.

Finally, pour sand on top of the new bricks, filling all the gaps evenly. A mallet can be used to tap the new brick pavers into place.

If all is done well your new bricks should fit in seamlessly with your existing layout.

To learn more about brick pavers and see some samples of beautifully designed and installed systems check out http://www.outbackcontractors.com.

One of the things that first drew you to your home was the fantasy of you and your family sitting down next to a crackling blaze inside those wonderful brick fireplaces. While you have spent many great evenings and weekends sitting comfortably around a roaring fire, the reality is that where there is a fire, there are smoky stains, black soot and piles of old ashes on your brick fireplaces.

Tips on Cleaning Brick Fireplaces with Wood Fireboxes:

In many cases, you can clean fireplaces with some simple household items. First, gather together your “toolbox”. Most of these items can be gotten affordably at most hardware or home maintenance stores.

You will need:

o A couple of plastic buckets and a good stiff scrub brush
o A vacuum cleaner with disposable bags
o A rubber gloves
o A set of goggles or safety glasses for protecting your eyes
o A disposable drop cloth
o A container of TSP (Tri-Sodium Phosphate) or a commercial scrubbing powder
o A “green” substitute for TSP is white household vinegar
o A small bottle of chlorine bleach (optional – for mold and mildew removal)
o A heavy duty broom, shovel and metal bucket for handling wood ashes
o Paper towels, sponges and cloth cleaning rags
o A soot removal sponge

First, you need to remove any piles of ashes from inside the firebox or ash pit, if you fireplace has one. Be careful how you trash your ash…always store ashes inside a metal container until you can dispose of them properly. Remember ashes can keep embers hot and combustible for as long as four days!

You can use a wet-and-dry vacuum to clean up any leftover dust or small bits too small to sweep from the pit and firebox. Next you start the cleaning up process. If you have glass fire screens you can use a half-and-half mixture of the white vinegar and water to make a streak-free cleaner.

Now for the smoke – take a bucket of clean water and a sponge and wet down section of facing you will be working with. Work your way from top to bottom. This water saturation is to keep any cleaners and solvents from soaking into the pores of the mortar and brick.

Next mix up a mild solution of TSP or use your scouring powder and scrub brush to go over the face of each brick of the fireplace. You should do only one section at time and rinse as you go along. Be careful of the mortar joints or else you run the risk damaging the masonry or mantels for brick fireplaces and resurfacing fireplaces can be very expensive.

Once you have finished working the mantel, hearth and external walls, you can move into working on the firebox. Here you will find more soot and ash debris. Since it is a carbonized residue, it will literally turn into a quick staining ink if you wet it.

First, you must clean up the soot as much as possible using your broom, shovel and soot removal sponge. Don’t wet this sponge! Just use it on drag down the soot from the top of the firebox to the bottom.

Remove the debris with the broom, shovel or shop vacuum. Polish any metalwork and you are done cleaning your brick fireplaces.

My dad was a shipping magnet and because of that, me and my family had to travel with him constantly.I gained a lot of knowledge through that. With my dad’s influence I went into importing and exporting and this kept me on the road. I am settled now in one place and find it most fulfilling in writing articles. View some more articles by Marc Willis at http://www.fireplaceguide.net