Message text written by "BP - \"Infarct a Laptop Daily\""
>SOP -- when matching new material to old material match the new to the old
as
if the old were cleaned. If, in future, the next team of preservationeers
decides to clean the masonry then they do not have to remove all the new
because it then looks dirty next to the old that is then clean. 
<

I have seen the results of this S. O. procedure -- the building repairs
stick out like a sore thumb for 10 years until the whole thing gets dirtier
because if they don't clean it up front, it's not likely to get cleaned
later. 

>The majority
public seems to expect buildings to appear harmoniously colored in the
short
run, thus when matching new to old the logical conclusion is to clean the
old
to match the new old cleaned. This works for contractors as they get paid
extra to clean. Another choice would be to dirty the building, but that
does
not appear very popular. The few times I have suggested making a building
dirty as an alternative I have gotten weird looks from customers. I usually
suggest rubbing raw potatoes on masonry in order to induce a biologic
patina
that turns black within a few months. Can't say how well it works as I'm
still waiting on a customer to hire us to rub potatoes on their walls. My
GRAND IDEA is to make potatoe juice and use a modified Hudson sprayer for
application.

][<en<

Actually, I know of at least one preservation consultant who does call for
something very much like this. Patches get matched to the clean, and then
if the building is not being cleaned he applies "liquid dirt" to the
patches. Put that in your Hudson sprayer and...

Mike E.

P.S. : PotatoE?