MORTAR & RESTORATION

Sponsored by The QUIKRETE® Companies

	The QUIKRETE® Companies www.quikrete.com 1-800-282-5828 For further information download these PDFs from The QUIKRETE® Companies: Mason Mix Bulk Masonry Mortars Veneer Stone Mortar

Expertise, Aesthetics and Practice Vital to Matching Effort of 100-Year-Old Mortar

The QUIKRETE® Companies supplied specially formulated mortar to aid in the $23 million restoration of the Darwin D. Martin House complex located in Buffalo, N.Y. The multi-structure complex was designed and built by world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Determined to remain faithful to Wright's original design and materials, The QUIKRETE® Companies expertly matched new mortar with historic mortar applied more than 100 years ago.

The project, the third in the four-stage restoration and rehabilitation plan, focused on rebuilding masonry walls, restoring face brick and matching mortar for the interior brick on the 10,000-square-foot main house, Martin House, and a 100-foot-long covered walkway.

Amidst high expectations, the project required an extraordinary effort to uncover the mortar formula exactly matching the historic mortar in texture, grit and color gradation, while preserving the home's historical accuracy and aesthetic beauty.

Under the direction of King Brothers Masonry Contractors Inc., The QUIKRETE® Companies supplied different types of sand from gravel pits throughout the northeast to match the color and texture of the historic mortar. Matching was made particularly difficult, as there were no historical records kept on the original masonry-formulations.

"There were many issues faced in matching the mortar and the face brick. The home was originally constructed between 1903 and 1905, so time, age, weather and the inconsistency of old material had certainly taken its toll on the landmark," said Gregg Schiltz, project foreman for King Brothers Masonry.

Once the proper sand color, mortar color and texture were achieved in the mortar, brick mock-up test panels were constructed to analyze the visual and physical integrity of the masonry units themselves.

To facilitate this matching effort, QUIKRETE® representatives were asked to mix aggregate by hand for exactly five minutes, using a stopwatch, to maintain uniformity in the absorption rate of each batch. More than 60 different test panels were required throughout this evaluation process.

"The overall goal was to recreate the original materials used in the project not only in size and color but also in aesthetics and practice," stated Dennis Winchester, QUIKRETE® executive vice president. "Our expertise allowed us to respond to these job parameters with effective selection, delivery and consistency solutions."

The QUIKRETE® Companies were also responsible for matching mortar used to install interior brick, which was lighter and required the use of white sand. Using an old striking method, masons cut off the mortar flush with the face of the brick and cleaned the masonry units with a rag at the end of each day. As a result, this combination of materials and technique provided excellent contrast to the exposed interior walls.

The multi-structure complex includes the main house; a smaller Barton House; a carriage house; a glass-roofed conservatory; and covered walkway. Requiring more than 50 masons working 10 hours, six days per week, the original construction took nearly two years to complete.

Recognized as a National Historic Landmark, the highest possible federal designation, the Martin House complex is the most extensive "Prairie House" ever designed. The "Prairie" style of design features low horizontal lines and open interior spaces.

Additional information on the restoration can be found at www.darwinmartinhouse.org.

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