Masonry Magazine October 2002 Page. 25
AMERICAN LIMESTONE COMPANY
The availability of brick fluctuates with the time of the year and current construction trends and demands.
QUARRIERS OF BEAUTIFUL LIMESTONES
MANUFACTURERS OF ALL
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS
Since there is an increasingly wide selection of brick choices, selecting the appropriate material is important to the project's longevity and appearance.
For more information, contact the Brick Industry Association (BIA) at (703) 620-0010 or visit BIA's website: www.brickinfo.org
and then ask me how to make it dirty in the wall," Evans recalls. "If they have some that looks a little too new, then I ask them to pick up some of the dirt by the wall of the building and throw it at it. Usually that makes it blend in age-wise."
Masonry's scourge, efflorescence, can be a brick maker's problem, too.
"Most definitely efflorescence is a problem to match," admits Evans. "There are others, though, that are harder to deal with. I received some samples for a job that had mortar smears all over them, so I smeared mortar all over the replicas."
Since replica bricks are a small-order market, StoneArt and its competitors are constrained by the size of those orders. "There's no way to mass produce," Evans acknowledges. "You can't set up a process that you can fine tune and repeat over and over because by the time you figure out the process, the job is finished. Every step is done by hand."
While obviously precluding mass production, handwork can accomplish a lot. Take texture, for example. "We test and make the tools to duplicate textures," claims Evans. "We measure the number of vertical scratches per inch so we get a duplicate texture that's not too coarse or too fine. We change the fineness of the body and the face-it might be a coarse grind or a fine grind-to get a smooth chamois-rubbed type finish, baby-bottom smooth, or something that's very rough. Every job is totally different."
Mass production companies produce enough of a batch for a skyscraper; StoneArt doesn't even try. Their largest order, so far, was for 18,000 brick for a lighthouse in Key Biscayne, Fla. On the other side, they made three brick for one contract because that's all they needed. Ask your local supplier for that small a custom order some day.
Earlier, we wrote, "...StoneArt and its competitors....." However, Evans indicates that might not be accurate. "I haven't met any competitors yet," she says. "I would enjoy meeting them so if you hear of any, let me know."
Although that sounds a bit egotistical, she counters that there are some manufacturers that might consider themselves her competitors. "There are some brick manufacturers that, if the order is in sufficient quantity, will revive some old formulas that they have. Some will tweak something-for example, if they're already doing a run of a certain brick and you need one that has more clinkers in it, they'll do custom mixes, or not throw away the mistakes, or turn the heat up a little. Basically they are adjusting a process they are already doing. As far as actually hand-making 1,000 brick, as far as I know, I'm the only company doing that."
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Design by Drafting and Design Solutions Nov 2001
October 2002
Masonry 23