Montauk Lighthouse

For those on BP who have expressed an interest in my adventures with the
Montauk Lighthouse I have posted a graphic of a sample of coating on
PigHabit-L in the files area as mlh-ps01.jpg.

The coating is approx. 1 mm in thickness (thick coating). The arrows point to
cracks in the coating through which, if you hold up the sample, you can
clearly see light. This cracking pattern is throughout the coating, and
evident on all sides of the chimney.

The installer is reported to have stated that the cracking will not affect
the performance of the coating. I suppose it depends on what one means by
'performance'.

The coating is delaminated from the sandstone (which appears to be a
brownstone), sounds out as hollow when tapped, and lifts lightly by sliding a
penknife between the coating and the stone. Stone does not appear to adhere
to the backside of the coating when it is removed. There is something other
than coating on the reverse of the sample; it is a dirty white in color. The
coating adheres, we think, to the mortar joints between the stones. The area
of the stones is roughly 10" wide by 7" high. The coating fully removes from
the surface area of the stone.

I was informed that the tower of the lighthouse was soda blasted and then
washed down with pressure water rinse and the coating operation begun two
days following after the rinse during 30-degree temperatures in February. The
advertisement for the coating states that it can be applied to 20 degrees
Fahrenheit.

The geographic location is that the lighthouse is within 200' of the
Atlantic, essentially with ocean on three sides and land behind. It is a
somewhat windy location with ample opportunity for a salty sea breeze.

The installer has advised the lighthouse preservation group that the problem
is the stone, and not the coating. This is the tip of the iceberg. I'll be
getting into this further, later.

Is anyone able to educate me as to why the coating may be cracking?

If anyone wants to see the graphic, but can't negotiate PigHabit-L, let me
know and  I'll gladly send it as an e-mail attachment.

Thanks,
][<en

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