In a message dated 12/15/2000 10:04:15 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< So, what were your options, nature boy?

>>>>>>We first tried all manner of water soaks on the brick and on the stone
for various lengths of time, and then a variety of chemicals (which I have at
the office somewhere).  None of it worked worth a damn, and the only thing
that seemed to work at all  on the brick (which for some reason was
particularly resistant to cleaning; Mr. Pepi reported having found the same
brick with the same problems at the Selwyn theater) was a fine upstanding
product called SAFE & EASY.  It turned out to be neither, nor did it provide,
as you have so graciously pointed out, an entirely satisfactory result.

The limestone gave best results, after extensive testing, using (as I
remember) one of the standard ProSoCo products.  But the goddam black schmutz
didn't want to come out, the stone had some serious pitting (some pretty
good-sized natural voids) in some areas (it doesn't appear to have been the
highest grade limestone, which would be consistent with omission of flashing
at the steel columns and spandrels. The lack of spandrel flashing at the roof
levels resulted in extensive rusting of the roof level spandrels, tilting and
bowing parapets; lack of column flashing allowed water to penetrate and rust
some sections of some of the columns (not enough to cause structural damage
to the column itself, but enough to crack the masonry cladding).

As is usually the case, the cleaning is the most visible part of the work
that was done, but the project was driven by the need for structural repairs
needed to correct less than optimal original construction. We also found
soaking wet setting bed beneath quarry tile on the terraces, as is
(virtually) always the case, but fortunately the coal tar waterproofing below
had held up well for the most part.  Omission of flashing at steel lintels
over doors and windows on the upper floors had resulted in a fair amount of
rust and bowing, so we removed the bad lintels and installed new ones with
flashing.

Enough already....unless of course you want more (yeah, right).  One of the
Little Ralphs wants to get on the internet, so I gotta shut up.<<<<<<<<<<<<

 Sign me,  Fluff Cycle >>

>>>>>>>>Sign me, Tri(plet)cycle.<<<<<<<<<<<<<