Problems We Fix
Veneer, joint and stone repairs for Astor Farms chimneys
The cricket behind a wide chimney
A wide chimney on a sloped roof catches water running down from above. A cricket, a small peaked ridge built behind it, splits that water around the chimney. The veneer industry detail extends the cricket at least 2 inches beyond each side of the chase. Without it, water can pool against the back of the stone.
We look behind the chimney as part of every stone repair and tell you if a cricket is missing or damaged. Call (645) 465-4122 for a free look in Astor Farms.
Hand tools around soft stone
Hand chisels are the least damaging way to remove old mortar, according to Park Service guidance, which warns that power saws and grinders in careless hands chip the edges of the units. On stone, where every edge is irregular, we cut joints mostly by hand and use power tools only where they can be controlled.
It takes longer, and the stone keeps its edges. Call (645) 465-4122 to book a free stone chimney inspection in Astor Farms.
Keeping new joints damp in the heat
New mortar that dries too fast in sun and heat can crack before it gains strength. Park Service guidance describes misting fresh joints lightly over the first day or two and covering the wall with burlap for the first three days to keep it damp and shaded. We plan stone work around the weather and protect the joints as they cure.
Your written record lists the curing care for the new work. Our family-owned team in Astor Farms explains it before we leave.
Grouting and tooling veneer joints
Joints between manufactured stone units are grouted once the units have taken hold in their setting bed, filled from a grout bag to the depth of the joints around them. The installation guide has the grout left until it is thumbprint hard, then tooled with a wooden raking stick or pointing tool, taking care not to scratch the face of the stone.
Matching the joint depth and texture is what makes a repair blend in. Our local stone pros take that care on veneer repairs in Astor Farms.
Solid stone chimneys
Stone appears among the materials the Florida Building Code lists for masonry fireboxes and smoke chambers, and some chimneys are built of solid stone rather than faced with it. In a solid stone chimney each stone is part of the structure, so a loose one is reset carefully in its bed and nearby joints are checked for movement before anything is disturbed.
How your chimney was built decides the repair, and we explain both. Call (645) 465-4122 for a free inspection in Astor Farms.
