Andrew and Philip took a group of recent ERAers out for a quick tutorial on assessing the existing conditions of a masonry building, and on how to better understand Toronto’s nineteenth-century architecture. They discussed the various styles of brick treatment of the period, and the differences between the 1860’s style and 1880’s style. They also demonstrated typical kinds of deterioration to clay bricks, different mortar mixes of the era, what sandblasted brick looks like, how to recognize step cracks, the different stages of spalling, etc. A good primer for new employees, and a great way to pass along years of experience in a hands-on setting.
