Facade restoration | Archives American Terracotta

Lake Hopatcong Train Station, Landing, New Jersey

June 9, 2020 by Jeff Roush Leave a Comment

1911 train station at Lake Hopatcong in Landing, New Jersey. Black paint had to be physically removed. Multiple cracked, broken, and missing parts of the terracotta trim needed to be restored.

The building was cast in place with concrete, and slots were cast into the building to receive the terracotta trim pieces.

In the rear of the station facing the tracks, half of the units were missing or damaged. They were originally made by Rookwood.

Decades of water ingress and misdirection caused much damage, staining, and degredation to the concrete and terracotta.

Replacement units were made in studio using Edison Coatings restoration mortars.

Where spalling occurred, re-profiling was done. Unless too compromised, all remaining terracotta units were repaired and restored.

The historical Lake Hopatcong Train Station was purchased in the fall of 2014 by the Lake Hopatcong Foundation and now houses their offices as well as an Environmental and Cultural Center, hosting meetings and community programming.

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2-Condition-in-rear-of-station-facing-the-tracks.-Half-the-units-missing-or-damaged.-Originally-made-by-Rookwood._800x600

3-Building-was-cast-in-place-with-concrete-slots-were-cast-into-the-building-to-receive-the-terracotta-trim-pieces._800x600

4-Decades-of-water-ingress-and-misdirection-caused-much-damage-staining-and-degredation-to-concrete-and-terracotta._800x600

5-Replacement-units-made-in-studio-using-Edison-Coatings-restoration-mortars._800x600

6-Where-spalling-occured-reprofiling-was-done.-Unless-too-compromised-all-remaining-terracotta-repaired800

7-Installation-of-replacement-units-on-track-side-of-station._800x600

8-Left-side-rear-entrance-nears-completion_800x600

9-Right-side-rear-entrance-installation_800x600

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16-Lake-Hopatcong-historic-train-station-2019.-Thank-you-Marty-and-the-Lake-Hopatcong-Foundation-for-the-work._800x600

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222-230 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, New Jersey

June 9, 2020 by Jeff Roush Leave a Comment

A 1929 facade in Montclair, NJ was revealed during renovation. Note the compromised condition of the glazed terracotta.

Any projecting features were knocked off to facilitate the installation of aluminum or stucco facings, a common practice in the mid 1900s. It was thought of back then as urban renewal.

An analysis of the original mortar and glaze was undertaken. Moldmaking was done at this point to recreate missing or broken elements and units. A more flexible rubber is used to make a mold when the detail is deep and intricate.

Edison coatings offers excellent glaze matching. Applied in studio and on site to maximize accurate blending to original surfaces.

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2-Any-projecting-features-were-knocked-off-to-facilitate-installation-of-aluminum-or-stucco-facings-a-common-practice-in-the-mid-1900s800

3-An-analysis-of-the-original-mortar-and-glaze-was-undertaken.-Moldmaking-was-done-at-this-point-to-recreate-missing-or-broken-elements-and-units_800x600

4-a-more-flexible-rubber-is-used-where-detail-is-deep-and-intricate_800x600

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8-Edison-coatings-excellent-glaze-matching.-Applied-in-studio-and-on-site-to-maximize-accurate-blending-to-original-surfaces._800x600

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Emory Beacon Methodist Church, Washington, DC

January 10, 2019 by Jeff Roush Leave a Comment

Emory Beacon Church originally built in the mid 1800s was razed and rebuilt during and after the Civil War. A 1920 era expansion included the addition of a terracotta façade, pedimented portico and cornice. During the following decades, inappropriate repoints and water intrusion issues led to spalling, staining, and some breakage of masonry units comprising the columns of the portico.

Once historically accurate materials matching was completed, repairs were executed on the portico columns. A complete joint removal and replacement was necessary to remove inappropriate prior repoints. Sensitive repoint was done using minimal power tools and hand tools only to prepare the joint for repointing with a historically accurate mortar. Edison coatings provided superbly matched mortars and coatings to help restore damaged units to match intact original units.

The final results are a freshened look which maintains the historic qualities of the building to the greatest degree possible.

1-Historic Emory Beacon Methodist Church, 6100 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC-before restoration

2-Emory Beacon Methodist Church, 6100 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC-repairs to portico columns

3-Emory Beacon Methodist Church, 6100 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC-sensitive repoint

4-Emory Beacon Methodist Church, 6100 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC-matched mortars and coatings

5-Emory Beacon Methodist Church, 6100 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC-matched mortars and coatings completed

6-Emory Beacon Methodist Church, 6100 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC-restoration completed on site

7-Emory Beacon Methodist Church, 6100 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC-freshened look which maintains the historic qualities of the building

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Empire Building, Syracuse, New York

January 10, 2019 by Jeff Roush Leave a Comment

The 1930 terracotta additions to this historic building were heavily damaged over the course of decades of renovation and changes to the façade. Removal of 1950s and 60s façade renovations revealed both the terracotta features and the extent of damage. My work began by assessing this damage and preparing a proposal for restoration.

Using a variety of mold making and modeling techniques, several different molds were created in house and replacement units were made. In this case local masons were employed to install the replacement units. The project was completed with a lab matched coating to create a unified, compatible, and historically accurate result.