Category Archives: brick openings

13
Feb
Is It Too Cold For Masonry Repairs?
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Is It Too Cold For Masonry Repairs?

Many people in Toronto, Hamilton and the surrounding areas wait until the spring season has undoubtedly arrived to turn their attention to home repairs. However, living in southern Ontario means that we often have warm weather spells throughout the winter. If you have a small masonry repair such as a chimney repair, a few bricks to replace or some tuckpointing to be done, you may want to reach out to Wilkens Masonry and have the work done before the rush of the warmer months.

Does Temperature Matter?

For mortar to be mixed, you add water to a mixture of sand and masonry cement. If the temperature is below zero, it means that the water can freeze and the mortar will not be able to “cure” properly (this is the chemical process by which mortar and concrete become hard. Sometimes, in a pinch, you can add a liquid that speeds up the curing process and allows the mortar to be worked with at colder temperatures. However, this can alter the look of the mortar and make it harder to do aesthetic work. Speaking to the masonry estimator can help you determine what course of action to take and weather or not the brick replacement, tuckpointing, chimney repair, parging or other masonry repair needs to be done.

Are Masonry Companies Open Throughout The Winter?

While we cannot speak for the responsiveness of other Toronto and Hamilton based masonry restoration companies, Wilkens is open year round. We will come out and take a look at the work you may need done and provide an honest opinion on the importance and process of the project. If it’s too cold we will let you know and we will help find a solution to ensure you are well taken care of.

Give us a Call for a Free Estimate!

At Wilkens Masonry, our estimates are always free. We serve the Toronto and Hamilton areas. We will come by and give you an honest assessment coupled with a fair price for the services we deliver. Also, if the scope of work is something we don’t cover, we can always point you in the right direction of a company that can service your needs.

Check us out on Homestars and Google! You can also Contact us now for a free, no-obligation consultation or call us at 416 425 8055.

08
Feb
Homestars Hamilton
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Wilkens Masonry Is Now On Homestars Hamilton!

Wilkens Contracting Inc. has been built on quality and referrals since 1977. Most of our leads for masonry restoration, brick repair and replacement, tuckpointing and chimney repair has come from word of mouth and returning customers, throughout that time period. Now, with our recent expansion into the wonderful city of Hamilton, we are proud to be listed on Homestars. We are planning on a broadened relationship with the home renovations website Homestars as one of the ways that the good people of Hamilton, Burlington and the surrounding areas will find us and bring us out for a free estimate.

What Will Wilkens Masonry Be Offering In Hamilton?

Our services to the people of Hamilton will be all things masonry restoration! We want to give you a free estimate, at your convenience, for your brick restoration and repairs, your tuckpointing and repointing, your new masonry openings, your chimney repair and rebuilds and much more! Hamilton is a booming city that we are excited to grow with and serve.

How Does Homestars Work?

Homestars has a brilliant system for helping people find reliable, verified companies for their home renovation and repair needs. The first option, if you are seeking a trained masonry restoration specialist, you can go on Homestars and put out a general call for a reliable contractor. Homestars will send your posting to the companies in the designated area that fit your needs and give them the option to reach out to you.

The next way that you can use Homestars is as a directory for contractors who you can read about, vet and contact all on your own. Homestars has rated the companies based on a variety of categories to give you the control in choosing the contractor, such as Wilkens, for your project.

Give us a Call for a Free Estimate!

At Wilkens masonry, our estimates are always free. We serve the Toronto and Hamilton areas. We will come by and give you an honest assessment coupled with a fair price for the services we deliver. Also, if the scope of work is something we don’t cover, we can always point you in the right direction of a company that can service your needs.

Check us out on Homestars and Google! Watch our short video on Youtube. You can also Contact us now for a free, no-obligation consultation or call us at 416 425 8055.

 

 

30
Mar
Creating Brick Openings For Windows and Doors
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New and Old Brick Openings

Old houses often need to have their windows upgraded, and brick openings are generally in need of updates to allow for new, modern, high-efficiency windows to be installed. Many older houses in Toronto, Hamilton and the GTA have brick arches above their windows which was the original way bricklayers would structure a wall to allow for support above the area where the bricks are absent. Nowadays, we use steel lintels to support the weight. They are much easier to install than brick arches and result in less trim work for the window installers to complete around the window after it has been installed. The arch is often considered more aesthetic as it has a traditional masonry look, but the clean and sharp lines of steel lintel-supported brick openings have a modern masonry appeal. 

The Process

When altering a masonry opening on a house and changing the existing arch to a flat, steel lintel, the difficulty is in supporting the bricks above while you install the new support. We often use jack-posts and wedges which give us enough room to work. Once we have laid enough bricks on the lintel and the new mortar has hardened to offer support, we remove the posts and put on the finishing touches.

While some people want the brick arch to be recreated, which is something we can most definitely do, it takes quite a bit more time and, of course, more cost. We have to figure out a way to keep the original look but expand the arch further or contract it smaller so that the new window can fit seamlessly.

Working Together

At Wilkens, we have done both new brick-arched lintels and steel lintel installations hundreds of times and can be relied on to deliver the work you need to update your home and provide you with a sound and stable opening for your new windows.

We are fully insured, our estimates are free and we can work closely with you or a hired general contractor to make sure that our quote will fit in with any blueprints or plans that may exist.

Wilkens Masonry Is Now In Hamilton

Wilkens Masonry has officially set up shop in Hamilton, Ontario! We have been serving Toronto for 45 years and are excited to be in a new city where we can build our reputation as a full-service masonry restoration company. Get in touch for a free estimate to discuss your repointing, tuckpointing, parging, brick repair and chimney repair.

We are fully insured, our estimates are free and we can work closely with you or a hired general contractor to make sure that our quote will fit in with any blueprints or plans that may exist.

Check us out on Homestars and Google! You can also Contact us now for a free, no-obligation consultation or call us at 416 425 8055.

 

05
Jun
Toronto Services For Brick Openings
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Toronto Services For Brick Openings

Owners looking to make changes to their homes, whether it be creating an opening in their brick wall, or closing off one instead, we here at Wilkens Contracting can provide masonry services to get the job done! We service the Greater Toronto Area and are happy to visit your home for a free estimate. Therefore, those looking for Toronto services for brick openings should consider enlisting the help of professionals, like our experienced contractors at Wilkens Contracting. Find out more about our masonry services below!

Professional Expertise

With so many how-to videos and websites, the internet is a treasure trove of knowledge that can help you create, repair, and build a multitude of things on your own. This a great development for doing small jobs around the house, but when it comes to more substantial repairs and rebuilds, it’s sometimes best to leave the work to professionals. If you are considering creating a brick opening in your home, why not enlist our help our professional services here at Wilkens Contracting that will keep your home structurally sound, and those within, safe from harm.

Our Services At Work

Choosing to work with our company means securing yourself a team that has decades of experience in the construction industry, with the knowledge and know-how to complete any masonry job you require of us. We will ensure the structural soundness of the opening, and complete all masonry work to have your new window or door looking like it always belonged in your home. As we have the utmost respect for our clients, we will always clean the area in which we are working. We’ll make sure the place is spotless before we leave, so you don’t have to worry about anything else except enjoying your new addition to the home.

Free Estimate

Finding Toronto services for brick openings for your home can be a quick and efficient fix when you hire professional like us at Wilkens Contracting. We have been faithfully servicing the Greater Toronto Area since 1977, and completing all masonry jobs to the full satisfaction of our clients! Our company offers a free estimate for individuals looking to hire masonry services for brick repairs, openings, and much more, providing transparent pricing for all potential clients.

Please click here to find our contact information online, and inquire more about our expertise, or schedule your free estimate surrounding your brick openings today.

17
Dec
Where Can I Get My Brick Openings Repaired?
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Where Can I Get My Brick Openings Repaired?

Brick openings, whether they are windows, doors, archers, or the like, need to be accurately formed to provide the right support for the structure. If brick openings are compromised, so too is the safety of the building. The proper support is needed when dealing with any form of construction, especially so when that form is your home. If you are looking for a reliable and professional team of masons to repair your home’s brick openings, Wilkens Contracting can help!

 Please read on to learn how our company can best serve you!

 Lintel Use

For stone and brickwork to keep its structural integrity around openings, it needs the proper support. A lintel is a structural member placed over an opening in a wall, to allow for this stability, supporting the load above the opening.

 Lintels can be constructed using an array of materials, as long as the proper design is adhered to, usually in the form of angles, flats, or T-sections. As the Wilkens Contracting team is made up of knowledgeable masons, we will be able to facilitate brick opening repairs on any of these lintel types.

 The Support

There are five methods of supporting brickwork over an opening: brick arches, steel bars and angles, prefabricated reinforced concrete, prefabricated brickwork, and directly from the reinforced concrete structure.

Each support method has its own purposes and uses depending on the size, length, aesthetic design, and location of the opening. Whether the wall is a load bearing wall or not, will also play a key role in brick opening repairs.

Our Help

Wilkens Contracting and our team of professional and experienced masons will assess your home’s brick openings and lintels to see which of the five methods are being used. From there we will be able to perform the necessary repairs to revitalize your home and have it looking as good as new. Whatever issues you may be having with your brick openings, we will be able to help!

Visit Us

Here at Wilkens Contracting, we offer a free estimate to all potential clients so you can understand what your masonry repair or build will entail from the start, with zero hidden fees. Just provide us with your contact information and what you are looking to have repaired or replaced, and we will promptly get back to you.

Contact us online or visit our facility in person to get your masonry repairs underway today! We look forward to hearing from you.

 

 

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