MASONRY CONSERVATION
Date: July 9-14, 2012
Instructors: Keith Blades and John Silburn
Course Fee: $1500
Time: Monday-Friday-9-5 pm, Saturday-9-2:30 pm
This intensive one-week course will introduce participants to the conservation of historic masonry, addressing both the analysis of existing situations and the design and implementation of appropriate interventions. The topics will include a review of the use and properties of stone, brick, terra cotta, mortars, plasters, and cast stone; types of assembly; forms of deterioration; site inspection, analysis and testing; structural concerns; cleaning; repointing; repair; and replacement. There will be site work and class participation, using the facilities of the Willowbank National Historic Site estate.
The instructors for the course are Keith Blades of Almonte, and John Silburn of Brockville. Keith is know nationally and internationally as Canada’s leading masonry conservation consultant, and has worked extensively on Parliament Hill and other nationally-significant sites. He has also taught at major preservation centres both in Canada and abroad. He combines an intimate understanding of both theory and practice in the field. John Silburn is a restoration engineer who has teamed with Keith and other conservation experts to conserve significant masonry structures throughout the eastern Ontario region and further afield. He has recently been site supervisor for the restoration of the Red House, the Parliamentary complex in Trinidad.
Course Outline
Day 1Introduction to conservation decision-makingMasonry Materials: StoneTerra CottaMortars, plasters, rendersConcrete, cast stoneDeterioration mechanisms in masonryDay 2Masonry in context: Masonry assembliesStructural issuesSite inspectionsDiagnosis / analysis / testingSite VisitDay 3Repair Strategies: OverviewStructural interventionsMasonry cleaningWorkshops: Cleaning Mortars and pointingSite VisitDay 4Workshop: Mortars and pointing RepairStrategies: Replacement Surface RepairsWorkshop: Surface repair techniquesDay 5Repair Strategies Surface TreatmentsCase studies (in groups) Participant exercisesGroup review and discussionsDay 6Conservation Process: Contractual issuesDocumentationMaintenanceSkills and trainingFinal DiscussionsEvaluation
An evening reception will be hosted at Willowbank on Thursday, July 21, 7-9 pm. Coffee breaks and lunch will be provided for the duration of the course. Please let us know if you have dietary restrictions.
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