BPS-publication 101 Renovating apartment buildings: Outer walls Horsens Polytechnic/EM, 10.97BPS-Publication [01 Ri DEM Bih-Horsens, 97 Preface Introduction Common practice Outer leat Inner leaf Partition walls Damp-Proof Course Brickwork Mortar Painted facades Bay-nindows & balconies Comices Decorations Openings in brickwork Windowsills Bands and strings Foundation plinths Evaluation of the building’s condition ‘The location of the building Cracks Damp Saltpetre crystallisation Mildew and algae Fungus and vermin ‘Methods of examination Fungal-insurance ‘The Solitary Boe Decorations Cornices Openings for windows and doors Curved and flat arches, Windowsills Decorative-bands Bay-windows and balconies Painted facades Foundation plinths Demolition of attached buildings Checklist for the evaluation of an outer wall’s condition Directions Legal aspects ‘Materials Bricks Mortar Anchors rovatingapariment buildings WA oaauue 8 8 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 u u 12 2 B B 4 4 4 15 16 7 Ig 18 18 18 Contents Repairing cracks caused by subsidence Secondary staircase tower Stopping rising-damp Repairing plain brickwork Bricks Joints Solitary Bees Repair of openings in brickwork Brick lintels and arches Windowsills Repairing plastered facades Mortar for plastering Loosened plaster Limited damage to plaster on surfaces Crackled plaster Stabilised cracks Repairing facade protrusions Comnices Decorations Decorative-bands Foundation plinths ‘The treatment of the outer wall’s surface Cleaning plain brickwork Cleaning plastered surfaces Cleaning natural stone Cleaning rust stains Cleaning copper stains Cleaning moss Saltpetre crystallisation ‘Treatment with silicone Thin plastering and thin rendering Facade paint Updating insulation, Indoor climate From inside From outside Bigger constructive alterations Establishing openings in brickwork facades Demolishing adjacent/connecting buildings Repairing the gables Neighbour boundaries 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 23 2B 24 24 25 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 27 27 28 28 29 30 31 31 31 32 33 ‘Monitoring and maintenance of the outer walls condition ‘The operation ofthe building Registering damage Life-cycles Literature 3 33 3 33 34BPS-Publication 101 wating apartment buildings IM Bth-Horsens, 97 Preface ‘The scope of this BPS-publications is: Renovation of traditional apartment buildings, built in brickwork, from the period 1860 to 1950, During 1979 - 85, BPS published and regularly revised a total of 8 volumes of renovation-details comprising, the following titles: Outer walls Windows Roofs Storey partitions Staircases Partitions Internal doors Balconies The three first publications, which collectively represent the “weather-shield”, have been replaced in 1991 by four new BPS-publications titled: Renovating apartment buildings: BPS 100 Foundations and Cellars Aug. 91 BPS 101 Outer walls Sept. 91 BPS 102 Windows and external woodwork/timber Oct, 91 BPS 103 Roofs Aug. 92 In addition a number of general subjects have been discussed in a fith publication in the series called: BPS 117 General conditions Even though the buildings of this category can have periodic and regional differences, their construction principles are similar or even identical and, therefore, their problems are identical. ‘Most of the building’s constructions contain several different materials with different characteristics and life-cycles and are built by different trade groups. It is {important to interpret the building as a whole, consisting of different details in mutual dependence of cach other. ‘The correct solutions to problems of older apartment buildings require, ofthe consultant architect and Contractors alike, an understanding ofthe problems and a knowledge ofthe common building practices of the era. ‘The solutions to problems shown in this publication are not universal solutions tobe copied without critique, but they are experiences gained by others ‘hich can be supplemented by ones own experience. Preface This series of publications are aimed at architects and engineers, as well as site managers and supervisors who, as the link between the consultants and the contractors, often face problems which need an immediate and correct solution, BPS-Centre ‘September 1991aps. © EMBoh-Horsens, 97 lings Publication: Outer walls The outer walls are an important and exposed part of the building’s “climatic shield”. The outer wall is dependent on the underlying foundations and cellar walls. The outer walls are incorporated into the roof construction and they contains windows, doors, bay- windows, and balconies. Finally, the outer walls are the construction which manifest the changing architectural modes best. To make a useful technical evaluation of a building, it is essential to have a general construction-technical knowledge so that the defects can be identified and the reason for them confirmed ‘The main causes of problems are foundations, moisture and the adverse influence of the weather on constructions. Failure of the foundations often show themselves via damage to the outer walls. Insufficient foundations can be catastrophic for the building’s stability and will continuously cause problems in many of the building’s constructions. Rising damp and the adverse influence of the weather are the cause of much damage, not least in the form of fungal attack on timber constructions which are built into the outer walls, Itis, therefore, important to gather information on the location’s soil conditions, the building period’s foundation methods and the foundations’ and cellar walls’ constructions and materials in connection with the evaluation or survey of the building. Finally, itis very important to know how to treat the registered defects, irrespective of whether they were caused by mistakes in the original construction, poor materials, altered conditions or the course of time. A number of conditions are important when renovating an elderly building, among other on 101. Introduction - things, some legal aspects, the use of suitable materials, examination for fungal infestation or repair and the future use of the building, and conditions pertaining to maintenance and insurance. These conditions are discussed in greater detail in the BPS-publication: General Conditions. The climatic shield’s other elements foundations and cellars, windows and external woodwork, roofs, and balconies are all dealt with in special BPS-publications which can be used with great advantage in the design and construction of renovation works. Reference is also made to the bibliography in Danish at the back of this publication. ‘The way this publication is built-up The publication comprises 3 main sections’ ‘Common practice: “what does it look like?” (Traditions) Evaluation of con¢ problem? ” jon: “where’s the “how are they to be rectifiedIntroductionRenovating apartment © EM Bth-Horsens, 97 ildings Common practice (traditions) The period 1860 - 1950 comprises a number of architectural trends with influence firstly from late classicism and later by the onslaught of industrials into the building sector. (Characteristic for traditional apartment buildings of the period is the bricked facades, the relatively large ‘window openings and, therefore, the narrow brickwork columns. ‘The facades present themselves either as bare brickwork or plastered, and in many cases painted. ‘The buildings from the frst half of the period were decorated with deco-bands, window edging, cornice decorations, etc. ec ‘The rear facades were often more modest and bricked in poorer materials which were not plastered - - often in yellow inner leaf brickwork. From the beginning of the 1900's, it becomes more normal to construct in-situ cast concrete foundations, ‘mainly bare brickwork facades without decoration and , from the 20°s and 30°s onwards, apartment buildings ‘were equipped with larger windows and balconies. SBI-report 142 describes the building traditions for Copenhagen’s apartment buildings in more detail Outer leaf (outer surface of the outer wall) ‘The outer walls of traditional apartment buildings from the period 1860-1950 consist of brickwork. ‘The transition from half-timbering to solid brickwork happened smoothly over a two hundred year period. Copenhagen got its first Building-Act in 1856, whilst towns like Frederiksberg and the other provincial towns got theirs in 1958. In accordance with these acts, all brickwork had to be done in fully backed bricks lai in lime- or cement mortar. ‘The facade brickwork’s thickness shown on the ‘opposite drawing was based on the normal storey height of 4 “alen”" ~ 244 cm from floor to ceiling. ‘When the storey height exceeds 6 alen ~ 366 om., the brickwork must be extended by min, a ¥-brick. The parapet brickwork under the windows could be reduced to 1/1 brick in all storeys except the cellar. ‘Window widths could max. be 2/3 of the length of the building and each brick column should be min, 2%4- bricks thick. Later these rules were revised. In the Copenhagen Building Code of 1929, 35 cm. brick cavity walls, with brick-ties, were allowed on the top storey of a 3-storey building. "Alen feet Publication 101 Common practice = OUTER WALL DIMENSIONS BIVEN IN BRicKLENETHSBPS-Pub Renovating apartment buildings © EMBth-Horsens, 97 sation 101 Common practice 5 Inner leaf, gable and the fire-parapet ‘The inner leaf of the outer walls and gable walls were constructed, in accordance with the 1856- Act, with ‘all thickness’ as shown on the drawing opposite tqt f ‘he 157A chang te einen fr while the inner leafs and columns were built as required in the 1856/58-Act. From 1876, half v4 | timbering at gables were forbidden ‘The gable is extended up over the roof surface in a 30- '50-cm. tall fire-parapet. Covering of and tightening, t|— around the fire-parapet is problematic and is treated in BPS-publication 103: “Roofs”. ‘The first buildings with a secondary staircase “bulging, %e ‘out” of the main building emerges at the beginning of the 1860's. Due to the limited extent of these staircase [ ‘buildings and the fact that they were only loaded with + ‘dead loads from the bricks themselves and the weight mE rr of the staircase and the roof, dispensation was given Fi Cif from the usual requirements of the regulations for the thickness’ of outer walls GABLE wate - OUTER WAU'S INVERLEAF DIMENSIONS BIVEN IN @2ICK LENSTHS FLENSBORS BRICIC Rick FORMATS IV MMS "queey cwssen" Partition walls While the outer walls in buildings of large towns are constructed in solid brickwork from the middle of the 1800’, the partition walls and staircase walls are often constructed in half-timbering with brick in-fil -- often without bonding to the outer walls. This goes on until the about the year 1900. Damp-proof course (D.P.C.) A damp-proof course should be inserted 6” above the terrain, in accordance with the 1871-Act. The Building-Act of 1889 requires a further D.P.C. at the foundation’s connection to the cellar slab - if the cellar is to be used for dwelling. The extent and ‘quality of this damp-insulation is questionable, but it has often preserved the outer wall’s brickwork and timber work better than construction with unhindered rising damp. With the use of in-situ cast foundations/and cellar outer walls, the problem of rising damp is reduced. ‘Simultaneously, it was usual to lay a D.P.C. of asphalt paper in-between foundation and brickwork. Brickwork ‘The Building-Act of 1856/58 forbade the use of ‘unbaked clay bricks and at the same time fixed the minimum length of bricks at 814”. It was at the beginning of 1896 that the standardised “normal brick” measurement was fixed, but deviating brick sizes were available as late as after World War One. Hand made bricks were available until the turn of the century, after which industrially produced bricks, with their uniform quality, became the norm.BPS-Publication 107 PI 4 commence CRACKS DUE TO. ‘colp-e2v6E" ‘SUBSIDENCE —> Damase DUE iM ro moisruee Pakive DUE To F208T DAMase DUE__», To MoisruRé leuarace wares iseerwe DOWN) tq ROCN THE Tee PLES eisive Dae The building’: condition 0 Damp ‘The outer walls are part of the building's “climatic- shield” and are exposed to precipitation which, unless the outer wall’s surface is not water resistant, will ‘cause damage to it due to damp. Relatively few gables have eaves and are, therefore, exposed to rainwater. ‘Damp on facades and gables can cause: a. Frost damage causing flaking of brickwork, bands, cornices and decorations, etc. 'b. Fungal problems at the foot of the roof and windows. . Flaking of rust in lintels or bricked-in joist-anchors, or brackets and stecl fittings. 4. Peeling and flaking of painted surfaces. ¢. Saltpetre crystallisation -- flaking of brickwork. f. Algae on brickwork and plaster. Damage due to damp are apparent internally via: a. The wallpaper peeling off. ’. Discoloration/peeling or flaking surfaces. ©. Mould/Mildew 4 Saltpetre crystallisation e. Fungal attack, ¢¢,, in floor and loft constructions and wood panelling and window casings. ‘The reasons for damp problems could be: ‘a. Condense which can be caused by thin outer wall constructions, ¢.g. 1/1-brick, non-insulated window parapets and gable walls, or when humidity condenses on cold outer walls. b. Rising damp c. Internally asphalt-coated cellar outer walls. 4. Painting with diffusion-tight painting €. Poor roof tiles which are porous or insufficiently backed. {Badly pointed or porous brickwork joints, especially vertical joints give rain a penetration possibility ito brickwork Badly executed joints around windows and doors. Water and snow gathering at bands, cornices, ‘windowsills and plinths - - especially if they slant the wrong way (towards the wal) i, Overflowing water from blocked or leaky roof gutters and down-pipes. j. Leaky roofs at the outer wall’s cornices. re ‘There is a constant wandering of damp in all outer wall brickwork which can result in the decomposition of the mortar’s cementing material. The recipe of the ‘mortar for the brickwork, pointing * and plastering is of the utmost importance. * Precipitation = Snow, rain, etc. * Pointing = fugning (dk)BPS-Pul ing. apartment buildings Saltpetre erysti ‘When the brickwork’s salts dissolves in water and subsequently dries, a thin surface layer ofthe brickwork and joints crumbles and a whitish powder forms. This salt crystallisation can, when it gets moist and in connection with fost, cause flaking ofthe brickwork, plaster or painted wall surface Salt crystallisation is often seen in: a. On brickwork in direct contact with the street ‘where salt is used to de-ice road surfaces in winter. 'b. On brickwork founded on lightly baked bricks without a D.P.C. Mildew and algae formations ‘Humid surfaces can cause good growth conditions for algae, which looks like a slimy greenish layer which is not particularly damaging to the brickwork or plastered surface on its own, but can keep it humid and, therefore, contribute towards its flaking in frost weather and make it difficult to treat the surface with paint, etc ‘Algae on the wall indicates an unintended source of humidity which needs to be identified and stopped, ‘The problem often occurs at north-facing walls. sication 101 ‘The building’ condition a VOR iwereuene oS VERS MOISTURE MEASUREMEN Fungus and vermin’ :The conditions for growth of dry-rot ae: a. humidity b. Warmth (between 15° and 28°C) c. Timber/wood (with a moisture content of 20-30%) d, Base-material, e.g. lime. The 2 latter materials are typical in buildings and ‘make it necessary to avoid moisture in connection with timber constructions. “The most exposed constructions in connection with ‘outer walls are: ‘oist ends which are bricked into the outer walls Roof construction sole-plates’ ‘Timber lintels over windows and doors Internal half-timbering adjacent to outer walls Window- and doorframes Window-casings and window parapet panelling ‘Timber staircases emepo se Methods of examination :With the help of simple tools like a pocket-knife and a timber-drill, the construction technician can make an examination of visible parts of the construction. If fungal infestation is, suspected, itis necessary to cover timber constructions and wooden parts. Even ifthe suspicion is weak, itis necessary to contact a special “fungal-consultant” with a view to an examination of the building, which must result ina report which describes the type of fungus, the extent ofthe attack and the extent and type of treatment recommended. ‘The subject is discussed in BPS-publication: “General Conditions” Fungal-Insurance: The building's insurer must be contacted at the earliest possible time, and will want influence in choosing the remedy for fungal problems, if there is good grounds for suspicion of fungal attack. ‘The solitary bee: can attack the mortar joints of especially south-facing brickwork. They dig burrows and hatch larvae in weak lime-mortar and this may result in the collapse of chimney stacks, etc. It is important to identify the species of insect vermin because only the solitary bee actually causes the ‘decomposition of the brickwork’s mortar. © Vermin = damaging insects, rodents and birds (pigeons), etc. "Normally 4”x 4” timber to which the rafters are fixedtieaon 101 ‘The building’s condition u ing apartment ‘Cornices: ‘The usual cornice constructions are made of bricks with a protrusion of % to % of the normal brick length, or of special longer brick formats, the so-called ‘cornice- or “protruding” bricks. The protrusion is often constructed so that the weight has its centre of ‘gravity within the brickwork facade’s plane. When larger protruding cornices are constructed, the cornice is extended backwards so that there is a counterweight towards the back. ‘The main cornice is integrated into the roof construction and can be anchored to it via bricked-in anchor-bolts or fittings. Damage to the cornices are usually: a. Cracks Crumbling plaster . Crumbling mortar joints d. Where parts of the cornice have fallen down. ‘The reasons for these could be moisture and the subsequent occurrence of fungus or rot in the adjacent timber constructions, and the moisture can come from: ‘a. Blocked roof gutters and down-pipes or gutters which slope the wrong way. b. Leaky roof cladding, cc. Subsidence 4d. Defect connections between the rafters and rafter- foot [Rust from steel fitting going through Cracked or missing roof flashing g. Worn-out or corroded surfaces Decorations Facade decor constructed in plain brickwork of = standardised bricks or special brick formats are, just like the facade’s other protruding constructions, _————— strongly exposed to the weather and can be eroded in both bricks and mortar joints Facade decorations are often constructed of, prefabricated artistic-stone and fixed to the rest of the brickwork with steel fittings and anchors. Air pollution decomposes the surface of the decorations and the steel anchors rust so that the i decorations become loose and decompose further or falloff. ‘Natural stone decor is often made of soft stone types like sande, lime- and chalk-stone. Air pollution ‘decomposes the surfaces of these stones and cause = = flaking, - Dirt on these decorations are damaging because it sigs gathers moisture, which gives ideal growth conditions for algae (as does bird excrements). Also in these decor constructions, rusting of anchors, etc., can cause the decor to fall off. —ication 101 The building’s condition 2 ariment buildings 897 Openings for windows and doors Curved and flat arches Bricked curved arches, which were normally used ‘until the end of the 1920's, were not usually Constructed solid throughout the whole thickness of the wall, but had a 2x 4” or 2 x 3” timber- or RSI lintel behind which fitted the total thickness ofthe outer wall, Defects are usually apparent as cracks in the arch itself or in the “mirror” directly underneath. It is often observed, during the replacement of window frames, that parts of the arches are loose ofall out when the supporting window frame is removed. The reasons for this could be: Subsidence Deteriorated brick lintels due to unintended damp ‘Crumbled joints as a result of moisture from defective downpipes and roof gutters. 4. Missing shoring, that can be necessary when broad windows are placed close to the building's gable. With straight brick lintels in plain brickwork, which ‘was normal after 1930, the brick lintels ofthe outer leaf were supported by the flanges of a RSJ-lintel behind. This lintel can also be made of 2 x 4” or 2 x 3” instead ofa steel RSI (L-profile ese Defects here can be seen through cracks or loose bricks. The reasons for this could be: a. Subsidence . Corrosion of the RSJ due to lack of rust protection (not coated with cement paste during construction) c. Corrosion of the RSJ due to moisture from porous ‘mortar joints or condense, or crumbled brick lintels due to unintended moisture hy ig @) yy, PASBPS-Publication 101 novating apartment buildings EM Bth-Horsens, 97 The be ding’s condition B Windowsills The function of the windowsill is to lead rainwater away from the brickwork and secure the tightness under the window's lower frame, ‘Damage to the sills are visible through: a, Disintegrated, crumbled and discoloured stills (especially the cast ones) Disintegrated joints and bricks (plain brickwork) ‘Damp patches on brickwork underneath the sill Failing steel anchors to natural stone windowsills Rot or fungus at the bottom of the window frame ‘The cause of the damage could be: Subsidence The effects of rain/snow and air pollution ‘Too greater protrusion and insufficient slope Defective surface covering to the sill’ surface Lack of a “drip-nose” under window's frame, pposes Decorative-bands ‘These are primarily decorative elements on the ‘buildings from the last part of the 1800's and are usually found on the street facade. ‘They are constructed as part of the bricklaying process and are in tact with the bond of the brickwork, protrusions being seldom greater than Y-brick ~10 - 12 em, because this is natural with regard to the ‘normal brik format. Special brick formats can be used and they are often profiled with mortar ‘The top of these bands are often covered with slate, ‘mortar, prefab concrete bricks or in-situ cast concrete, ‘A more seldom occurrence is the use of natural stone ‘omamentation for bands, ‘These protrusions are prone to the weather's affects, and damage can be visible through: a. Cracks, as a result of subsidence 'b. Internal damp-patches due to moisture seeping in from defects- or bad slopes of the covering cc. Disintegrated flashing as a result of rainwater/snow or air pollution 4. Disintegrated joints as a result of the affects of rainwater ©. Washed-out joints and damp-patches on the brickwork underneath as a result of defective or missing “drip-noses” £. Loose natural stone coping*BPS-Pub Renovating EM Bth-HHorsens, 97 Bay-windows and balconies Cracks around bay-windows’ and balconies’ connections to brickwork, or visible corrosion/erosion and chipping/crumbling on load-bearing brackets and steel constructions, should always prompt a closer and thorough examination, The subject is covered in BPS- publication * Renovation details - balconies” and is, therefore, not discussed in this publication. Painted facades When examining painted facade surfaces, the following must be scrutinised: a. Which type of paint has been used b. Whether the existing surface treatment can bear the new surface treatment &. Which type of cleaning is advisable with consideration to the plastered wall’s condition ‘When evaluating the ground-layer’s strength, the choice of cleaning method and the new paint treatment, a specialist in paint-work should be ‘consulted, Foundation plinths ‘The lowest part of the outer wall is especially prone to damp and mechanical affects, Damage can be visible through: Cracks due to subsidence Flaking due to frost as a result of rising-damp ©. Frost-flaking as a result of surface water from surfaces sloping towards the plinth, 4. Frost-flaking due to t00 little slope on the top of too greater protrusions. €. Holes and flaking due to mechanical blows and collision. ation 101 The building’ condition 4 £ Flaking and washing-out of joints due to leaky down-pipes Disintegrated bricks and mortar joints due to chemical affects like “salting” of pavements 1 Loose natural stone due to water penetration from the top or from physical damage.BPS-Publ Demolition of attached buildings ‘The stability of bricked gables are achieved by anchorage to the floor partition via gable-anchors. ‘The number and positioning ofthe anchors are calculated so thatthe horizontal wind forces can be transferred tothe floor Partitions and walls. At the same time, the gable wall is held in place to prevent wobbling due to vertical forces. {attached buildings are demolished, the inner walls of 12 - 15 cm’s thickness, without their necessary contact with the floor partitions, have to function as gables, For buildings ina ribbon-development, two adjacent ‘buildings may have a common gable. This can mean that only the building which was erected first has brickwork- ‘anchors inthe gable and one should investigate this condition before any demolition is contemplated, Demolition can result in the displacement of bricked lintels ‘over windows, etc, ifthe horizontal forces cannot be absorbed. This can necessitate the use of raking shores or ‘Aying-shores ‘When contemplating demolition of neighbouring buildings, the following must always be examined: that the neighbouring gable foundation has sufficient strength and will not be displaced . thatthe gable is able to transfer the horizontal forces to the floor partition and the walls © thatthe brickwork-anchors are intact thatthe cellar walls are not exerted to too much earth pressure when cellars are back-flled thatthe gable triangle is sufficiently supported /anchored. to the roof construction f. whether or not hazardous materials like asbestos are resent in the building. ation 101. The building’s condition a - ORDINARY BRIcK-ACOR ~ GABLEANCHORBPS-Publication 101 ating. apartment buildings Horsens, 9 A checklist for the evaluation of an outer wall’s condition Plain brickwork: = cracks caused by subsidence ~ cracks in bricked lintels and arches + displaced bricks ~ cracked and decomposing windowsills ~ cracks around the window parapets ~ bricks damaged by frost + crumbling bricks + crumbling mortar + saltpetre crystallisation = growths of mould or algae + dirty patches on the brickwork = must formation over doors and windows = musty gable anchors + cracks/corrosion and flaking around balconies and ‘bay-windows + infestation by the solitary bee External plastered surfaces: cracks caused by subsidence ~ cracks in bricked lintels and arches ~ cracked and crumbling window sills cracks around window parapets ~ crumbling plaster ~ chipping, peeling and cracking of surface + saltpetre crystallisation ~ growth of algae and mould = damp patches = dirt patches + rust formation + rusty or missing gable anchors + cracks/corrosion and flaking around bay-windows and balconies Decorative “bands”, cornices and other deco: cracks ~ displacements of the bands/comnices, ete. = flaking due to damage by frost ~ crumbling and cracking + dirty patches Roof gutters and down-pipes: ~ blockages = damage to gutters and down-pipes Fire-parapets: + cracked parapets + loose roofing tile covering ~ flaking due to damage from frost Foundation plinths: cracks due to subsidence ~ crumbling and flaking due to frost damage The building’ s condition ae) ~ crumbling plinth plaster flaking ~ cracking, = must flakes ~ crumbling joints ~ corroding or decomposing flashings = down-pipes the location and condition of DPCs Internal surfaces: ~ cracks caused by subsidence; hidden behind panels ~ cracks at door and window lintels ~ cracks at window parapets ~ cracks at the sides of window openings ~ cracks at adjacent cross partition walls + vertical cracks in plaster ~ crumbling plaster flaking ~ damp patches = loose wallpaper patches of dirt ‘Timber constructions in connection with outer wall: ~ examination for rot and fungus infestation by insects THE USE OF THE UT FoR SuRVEVINE TUE BUUDINEPS-Publication 101 Renovating apartment buildings © EMBth-Horsens, 97, Instructions With the general knowledge of the period's common Practice and the previous section’s evaluation of | typical damage and shortcomings as prerequisites, this section will show some typical solutions which have been proven in practice. ‘These instructions are divided into Legal aspects Repair of subsidence cracks Stopping damp Repairing plain brickwork Repair of openings in brickwork Repair of facade plaster Renovation of the facade’s protrusions ‘Treatment of surfaces Re-insulation/ the internal climate Major constructive changes Inspection and maintenance BuULDINE REeULATIONS: NEW VERSION EFFECTIVE FROM 1 APRIL 1945 7 Directions Legal aspects (Old apartment buildings do not live-up to modern planning permission requirements and norms, and ‘When renovating them itis not always practical to bring them up to modern standards. ‘The consultant architect must familiarise hin herself ‘with the requirements for attaining planning permission. ‘This subject, including the Defects Liability and Quality Assurance Reform, is treated in more detail in the BPS-publication “General Conditions”. The conditions mentioned here refer only to outer walls, The Building Regulations 1995, Part 3. Heights and distances: contains different rules regarding the protrusion of small building constructions beyond ‘neighbour boundaries, paths and roads, The Building Regulations 1995, Part 6. Fire safety ‘This partis subdivided into 18 subsections of which the following will have special interest in renovation work: 6.2. re: fire compartments and divisions 6.4.re: fie-parapets and protrusions 6.5.re: Escape routes 6.6.re: Rescue facilities 6.7.re: Structural requirements 6.8.e: Fire safety in multi-storey housing ‘The Building Regulations 1995, part 7, Resistance to ‘moisture, part 8. Thermal insulation and part 11, Indoor climate: deals with, among other things, the ‘moisture insulation of cellar walls and outer walls. (Ordinary requirements for the insulation and ventilation of the building, The Building Act of 3.6.93, §10, clause 2: deals with doors, windows and sign-posting in connection with free gables. $22: deals with shoring-up of neighbouring houses with regard to foundations, excavations and demolition. § 124, deals with the lowering of the water-table.BPS-Publication Renovating apartment buildings © EMBtlrHorsens, 97 Materials Bricks A variety of different brick sizes and brick qualities have been used in buildings from 1860 - 1950, Because of technical or architectonic reasons, care must be taken when existing brickwork is being renovated to replace these bricks with those of similar quality and appearance. “Modern bricks are standardised with regard to quality and size. A variety of special formats are also = 3mm 2 ‘The Danish System for Quality Control of Bricks ‘The system, called “Dansk Murstenskontrol”, is a voluntary system for manufacturers of bricks and brick lintels. The idea behind the system is to bring about, specified quality demands which the quality control organisation of the individual factories in the brick producing industry can use. The demands live-up to the minimum demands for bricks stated in the norms and standards. The declaration of bricks ‘The Danish System for Quality Control of Bricks requires of its members that the bricks’ technical characteristics be declared by marking their packaging with a label outside or with a written declaration inside the package. The declaration must contain the Producer's name, the type of brick, the class of brick, the brick format, the area of its use and its gross density ‘The brick producer must implement production control to ensure that the declaration’s characteristics are withheld and the Quality Control System implements inspection visits to the brick producers to ensure that the requirements are adhered to. The informative labelling of brick lintels: ‘The Danish Brick Quality Control System established a labelling system for brick lintels in 1989, This system required that each individual lintel was ‘identified and labelled and that production control was ‘implemented in the running of the factory. Mortar ‘When repairing old brickwork and plastered surfaces, it is important to use the correct mortar in the right Directions 18 proportions so that the mortar has the same elasticity and is able to “move” with the existing materials, ‘A more detailed description of materials is made in BPS-publication “General Conditions”. The ‘description of mortar here is confined to more general terms for recipe and constitution: a, The cementing material is identified with a letter: K= lime b. The mortar recipe is expressed as letters and figures which represent the weight proportions between the cementing material and sand. The constitution of the cementing material is always 100 and the figure for the sand aggregate is kg. pr. 100 kg. cementing material. Example: KC 50/50/700 is a cement-lime mortar with 700 kg. sand pr. 100 (50+-50) kg. cementing material on 2 “ NM " ‘The Danish Mortar Quality Control System This voluntary system for the manufacturers of lime- ‘and cement-lime mortar is for controlling that the ‘mortar is produced in accordance with Danish norms and codes of practice. It implements inspections of its ‘member mortar producers’ production to see if there is, ‘compliance with norms and standards and, f.ex., 10 ‘ee if the requirements for the sand-curve and the declaration for the cementing material is withheld. Anchors Anchors for floor partitions, roof constructions and gables can be effected by moisture and corrode, thus loosing their function and resulting in collapse or displacement of the construction, If corrosion of the anchors are discovered they must be ‘uncovered and the following evaluated: a. whether the anchor can be reused b. whether the anchor should be replaced Re a: the anchor’s accessible parts must be cleaned for rust and painted with rust protective paint and cement Pasta before being re-bricked Re b: Temporary anchors are established. Defective anchors replaced by stainless steel or bronze ones,BPS-Publication 101: Renovating apartment buildings DEMBti-Horsens, 97 Repairing cracks caused by subsidence The evaluation must make it clear a. whether the subsidence has stopped and conditions have stabilised. b. or whether subsidence is continuing to develop Re a. The repair of the cracked bricks or mortar joints are implemented by replacing the damaged bricks, joints/plaster or rejoining - and plastering as described on page 20: “Repair of plain brickwork”, and page 21: “Repairing plastered facades”. Reb. Ifthe cracks are still developing, the reasons for this must be found, ¢.2., through geodetic ‘examination, and the cause remedied, Subsidence due to foundation failure and remedying them are described in BPS-publication 100 “Foundations and cellars”, Ifthe movement cannot be stopped, one must assure that they do not cause damp problems, e.., by using ‘mastic joining materials in the cracks, etc Cracked joints in plain brickwork must not be repaired with a strong mortar, which might cause the crushing of bricks if movement continues. ‘Cracks in plastered brickwork can also be joined with ‘mastic filler. These cracks will, however, continue to develop and if this is unacceptable, a more ‘complicated reparation is called for where the adhesion between the repair mortar and the underlying brickwork must be prevented ca. 50 mm. on both sides of the crack. This can be done by fixing a strip of bituminous paper or plastic fil to the brickwork and repairing the plaster using reinforced (galvanised chicken-net or mesh) mortar which must extend 100 ‘mm, on both sides of the crack. A mortar analysis ‘must assure that the adhesion between the new plaster and the old is sufficient and does not cause cracks between the old and new plaster. ‘The secondary staircase tower ‘As mentioned under the section on “Common Practice” (building-traditions), the secondary staircase tower was often built with thinner brick walls than the rest of the building Subsidence can, therefore, necessitate extensive repair work. In serious cases, the whole tower or the top part of it may need to be re- bricked. In such cases dilatation-joints can be used at the rear facades. 19 Directions Stopping rising-damp ‘Rising-damp can, under extreme circumstances, reach an height of 3 m, over the cellar floor an cause damage to both wooden windows and timber floor partitions. Establishing a DPC’ in the cellar outer wall and other advice regarding rising-damp are mentioned in BPS- Publication 100, “Foundations and cellars”. + PRESBING-N A cozeusArED _ METAL sueer INTO ouréR Wwe ‘The outer wall is affected from the outside by precipitation (rain/snow) and from the inside by condense. The reasons for damage due to damp must be found and repaired by: a. Generally “tightening” the bricked/plastered wall . Re-joining around the windows and doors. ©. “Tightening” (weather proofing) at the top of decorative bands, sills and other deco. 4d. Cleaning/repair of roof gutters and down-pipes, ¢. Tightening around roof coverings and over cornices, {Insulation of thin, massive outer walls or parts of outer walls. g. Establishing sufficient ventilation, ° DPC= Damp Proof CourseBPS-Publication ne II Ser ror TRUE Plans AESIND BRC ANEISES 2 BS ARE REMOVED AD The MORE cleat OF @ust, Tue ANCOR I PANES ll oeorecrve PANTIE. REBEICUN wal Catenre Hoerae. Directions c) Repairing plain brickwork In cases of extensive fungal infestation or if the bricks are crumbling or defect, the re-bricking of parts of the ‘outer wall may be necessary. I his is the case a structural engineer must be brought in with regard to design of temporary shoring, etc. Bricks When replacing bricks it could be advantageous to use “old” bricks which have the same patina ( aged look) as the rest of the outer wall. Only mortar with a “controlled” formula must be used. When using new bricks for repair, the patina corresponding to the old can be achieved, f. ex., by adding a little oxide-black (powder colour) to the acid-wash - - and this is especially advantageous for red brick facades. The acid-wash after brickwork- and joint repair must be done so that it does not leave acid residue on the wall: a, The repaired section ofthe brickwork is wetted down until it absorbs no more water. The brickwork is brushed down with diluted hydrochloric acid in the proportion 1:10 (preferably more dilution than less). ¢. The brickwork is washed down with water as soon as the acid-wash is complete ‘The acid-wash and water-wash is done starting at the top and continuing downwards, Ifthe repair concerns very small defects on the surface of the brickwork, which does not result in the seeping, in of rainwater, etc,, the necessity of the repair itself should be carefully considered as itis not advisable to “fill-out” crumbling bricks with mortar. Joints (Crumbling or badly made mortar joints should be repaired as follows: a. The joints are scratched out to min. 2 em, depth. and the exposed bricks are cleaned. b. The joints cleaned, possibly pneumatically or with a stiff brush. ¢. Any unfilled joints are filled-out with mortar to the ‘same depth as the scratched-out joints, The brickwork is watered-down before re-joining. e. The brickwork is grouted with mortar Corresponding in strength to the brickwork itself ‘Where the joints have to be given the same patina as the rest of the brickwork, this can be done by colouring the mortar. £ Joint mortar of the KC-type should be dried slowly ‘and the brickwork can be watered during the first 2 =3 days. Solitary bees: The infected areas can be sprayed with insecticides and repaired as describe above.BPS-Publication 101 Renovating apeartment buildings © EMBth-Horsens, 97 Repair of openings in the brickwork Brick lintels and arches ‘The top of doors- and windows were made of bricked arches supplemented with timber or steel RSJ-lintels behind. Later, the whole construction was made of reinforced concrete/brick- steel rod lintels, Often, the lintels ae integrated into the floor partition, which ‘makes it necessary to involve a structural engineer who can design shoring and improvements to the ends of joists when repair is considered. If rotor fungus is found in the overlying timber joists or if rust has attacked RSJ’s, these constructions must be replaced, possibly with brick lintels, prefabricated concrete beams or new steel joists which have been protected against damp via painting with rust- Protective paint, treatment with cement pasta or zgalvanisation. They must be fie-insulated in accordance with the building regulations requirements and other valid norms. Bricks in the facades’ brick lintels and arches are often loose and must be replaced or re-bricked in connection with the repair of the timber/RSIs behind them, Reference is made to the section “Repairing plain brickwork” on page 20 re repairing loose or crumbling, Joints in brickwork. Window sills: Window openings are bordered at the bottom by sills which close off the brickwork and Jead rainwater away form the window a. Repairing windowsills, see page 20 ', Cast sills which are cracked right through must be replaced, whilst smaller defects can be repaired by cleaning loose debris and casting new concrete. ‘These repairs will probably only last a few years. ©. Corroded slate or clinker sills must be replaced, a Directions Repairing plastered facades Even though the following method is used, it is difficult to avoid the formation of cracks between the ‘old and new plaster. The reason for this is that breaks are formed under the underlying mortar when the repair mortar begins o shrink. This can be tolerated ‘when dealing with small repair jobs, but is ‘unacceptable with large repair jobs which will necessitate re-plastering of the whole facade mother cases one would be able to re-plaster only the ‘part of the facade which has been especially prone to dents and knocks. In these places itis advisable to use stronger and possibly reinforced plaster. Mortar for plastering ‘The existing plaster is examined to ascertain its composition. For smaller repair jobs this is done very roughly but for larger jobs, especially for restoration ‘work, the existing plaster is analysed. ‘The following exception is, however, valid: very old Jime-plaster is, asa rule, very rich. Repair of this type ‘of plaster should not be made with a plaster which is just as rich, ‘The repair of old plaster with lime must not be done with new plaster containing a high cement content. Such a plaster forms a tight layer which prevents the ‘evaporation of water and can result in damage due to frost or flaking For the repair of modern lime-plaster, plaster mortar consisting of hydrated lime or a lean lime-cement ‘mortar is suitable, Plaster mortar which is used for repair can be coloured so that is has the appearance of the existing facade plaster as much as possible. Otherwise, the facade can ’be painted so that differences in the plaster’s colour and texture are not noticeable. If the whole facade is re-plastered, a coloured plaster mortar can be used.BPS-Publi Renovating apariment buildings OEM Bth-Horsens, 97 Loosened plaster ‘When repairing plastered surfaces where the plastered surface is loosened, whether the surface is large or small, the main rule are: a. that all loose plaster is removed b. that the underlay for new plaster must be stable. If the surface layer is crumbling it must be removed. If ddcbris from damaged plaster hangs on it must be chipped off. Bricks which are damaged by frost must be chipped clean in these areas and totally damaged bricks must be replaced. The whole plaster cleared area is brushed down or blasted clean so that all plaster debris and salts are removed. Any soot or oil must be removed. Ifrick surfaces are found to be damaged by frost, these surfaces must be chipped clean or the whole brick removed and replaced. Finally, the surface as a whole must be brushed clean, with a stiff brush or blasted with clean pressurised air so that all plaster debris and sand coms and salts, which do not adhere to the underlay, are removed, The surface is “grounded” with course mortar and kept suitably moist before the next layer is added, for ‘example by: a. adding a thin layer of plaster/coating it with mortar paste. . by casting a layer of course mortar in max. 10 mm, thickness which must be allowed to dry before the next layer. The mortar quality must be Suited to the existing facade’s plaster and under layers. - Rous Plasree 16 cast ONTO FACADE Directions 2 Limited damage to plaster on surfaces When repairing limited damage to plaster, which ‘could be the result of mechanical knocks, frost, or due ‘to rusting reinforcement, etc., the method used could be the following: a. The damaged plaster is cleaned to the extent that all weakened parts of the plaster and underlay are removed. If sandblasting is used, the plaster and brick quality must be ascertained and the weaker parts must be hand cleaned. b. Ifthe cause of the damage is still present it must be removed, Rusty steel must be cleaned and protected With, for example, epoxy treatment or priming with “red lead” and a finish coat of a suitable paint. Bricked/-in, rusty steel is uncovered, cleaned and primed with cement mortar paste. Damaged roof ‘gutters, down-pipes, lashings, etc. are realigned so that they do not lead water towards the facade. ‘Damage due to knocks must be avoided in future ¢. Before the plaster work is implemented, any deep scars in the underlay must be repaired with mortar. This should be done well before the actual plastering work is begun. Crackled plaster If the cracks are superficial and the surface has a crackled appearance, the need for cleaning and possible repair ofthe surface, before the final paint- work commences, may be necessary Cracks which have been stabilised ‘When it has been ascertained that the plaster on either side of the crack has good adhesion to the underlay and that the crack is no longer active, a groove is cut ‘or sawed parallel and symmetric along the crack with a total width of 100 to 150 mm. After the groove has ‘been cut itis examined to see whether the remaining, plaster has good adhesion. If this is not the case, the plaster must be considered to be loose plaster and be repaired as such (see top of page). ‘The work method for repair of the crack should be as follows a, Cutting away loose plaster around crack b. Cleaning and moistening ©. Priming 4 Reinforcement (galvanised chicken-nevstretch mesh) Plastering ‘The plaster is kept moist for the 3-4 day curing period. Only after this can the surface treatment be ‘implemented.BPS-Publication 101 Renovating apartment buildings © EM Bih-Horsens, 97 Repairing facade protrusions Cornices ‘The main cornices’ function, as the protectors of the facade and the border of the roof, makes them exposed and vulnerable constructions. ‘The rafter ends must not exert pressure to the top of a cantilevered comice. The roof construction must have “ait” 10 the top of the brickwork. When the wall-plate is replaced it should be observed that this can shrink due to drying-out In certain cases, the cantilevered cornice is so great that a counter balance is necessary and in some cases ‘especially long bricks, natural stone or concrete ‘elements have been used. When bricking-in large concrete elements, it should be observed that the coefficient of linear expansion for concrete is three times that of brickwork. Repair of defect cornices often involves the roof construction, which can be missing parts of the ‘cornice. This publication observes the cornice as part ‘of the outer wall, whilst the oof construction’s problems are discussed at length in BPS-publication 103: “Roofs’-- see also page 18 about anchors. A large number of loose bricks in the cornice can result in its collapse, with resulting stability problems for the roof. Therefore, a structural engineer should always be involved, aiding in calculation and design of shoring/strengthening, etc. a. Brickwork cornices I special brick formats which are difficult 10 replace have been used, reinforced brick lintels can bbe used as load carriers. The repair of brickwork comices is implemented as described on page 20: “Repairing plain brickwork”. b. Plastered cornices: If defective brickwork is found in these types of comice they are replaced - - possibly using brick lintels as carriers. Ifthe repair is tobe total, the template/stencil can be made of ine instead of the traditional plywood, When repairing crackled/frost damaged plaster, the directions on page 21: “Repairing plastered facades” should be observed. ©. Natural stone cornices : Heavily decomposing natural stone cornices should be replaced. If they are loose, the stone and the underlying and surrounding brickwork should be re-bricked. Dirty stonework can be cleaned as described on page 26. B Directions ~ BRICKED AWD DeAWIY coRMICES ~ THE STENCIL FOR “DeawWive" coRWicEsBPS-Pubtication 101 Renovating apartment buildings EMBti-Htorsens, 9 Decorations Facade decor in the form of pilasters, columns, ‘window architraves and other ornaments, statues and. figures are, for the most part, prefabricated standard ‘goods which have been worked into the facade’s other decorative elements, Brickwork and plaster decor can be repaired as described on page 20, 21 and 22, ‘Sandstone ornamentation which is decomposing duc to sulphur dioxide in the polluted air must be either accepted, protected against further decay with silicone impregnation or replaced - - which can be a costly affair. Decomposed decor elements in artificial stone are difficult to replace because they are not produced anymore. Intact decor elements can be dismounted and a ‘gypsum cast taken of them which can be used to recasting new clements, If this is the case, reinforcement or anchors should be made of stainless steel or bronze, Directions 24 Decorative bands Apart for their decorative function, these bands have a technical function similar to a windowsill. These ‘bands’ protruding tops are especially exposed to the ‘weather and are prone to more damage than the vertical surfaces of the outer wall’s brickwork. a. When they are bricked they should be repaired in accordance with “Repairing plain brickwork” on page 20. The top of the structure, including the Joints, must be intact and have a slope away from the wall. Very large or exposed protrusions should bbe covered with zinc or impregnated with silicone. ». Plastered bands are repaired as directed on page 21/22: “Repairing plastered facades”. As with the case above, especially exposed bands should be covered with zinc, aluminium, concrete or strong, ‘mortar and painting. . Natural stone bands are often of lime-or sandstone which are soft stone types which can be decomposed by the weather and the polluted air of towns. Cleaning of natural stone can be done as describe on page 26.BPS-Publication 101 Renov artment bu © EMBtl-Fforsens, 97 Foundation plinths Damage tothe plinth is often a result of rising-damp, If this isthe case we must try to stop it, for example by inserting corrugated stec! plates or injecting special silicone fluids or making other provisions such as draining and tightening of the cellar walls. See BPS- publication 100: “Foundation and cellars”, ‘When the rising-damp has been stopped, the damage ‘can be repaired in the following way: 8. Brickwork plinths: under plain brickwork are repaired by removing /cutting-out damaged areas. The bricks used in the repairs must be hard-baked and frost-proof. Crumbling joints must be repaired. Both bricks and mortar should be adjusted to the existing materials. . Plastered plinths: Loose plaster is removed. Cracks are cleared out in minimum 1.5 em. width, The edges are cut clean, loose particles are removed With a stiff brush, washed down and primed with “bastard-mortar” (a rude word for KC-mortar) When the place to be repaired is dry itis plastered with cement mortar. The areas to be repaired should be kept moist (in dry weather). The repaired area must be cut inclined under the terrain. ‘Natural stone plinths: Loose stone is freed and re- bricked into place with moist cement mortar. The joints are repaired with joining-mortar similar to the existing joints. It might be necessary to completely change the plinth to plastered plinth if the natural stone is heavily decomposed. Directions - Mo Wer EARTWRLOWER-BEDS ABAINET| THE PUNCH , ONLY PaVINE - DOWNPIPES MUST BE CUECKED, ASD WIC TIBI PAVING AROUND TE ‘srourBPS.Publication 191 Renovating apartment buildings © EMBtl-Horsens, 97 ‘The treatment of the outer wall’s surface ‘The building's materials, architecture and technical condition is paramount to the choice of the outer wall’s surface. The Danish Technological Institute has isoued two detailed catalogues, "MBK - Malerfagligt ‘Behandlings-Katalog” and “MBK -Vedligehola’, in 1980 and 1988, respectively. The catalogues are organised schematically with information sheets for cach of the buildings surfaces. Reference is generally ‘made to these MBK-catalogues as their directions will only give methods and materials which are verified and often used in the renovation of outer walls of ‘traditionally built brick buildings. Cleaning plain brickwork Facades which are to remain in plain brickwork must not be sandblasted or cleaned by other methods which will remove the bricks’ surface “baked skin”) or the {ntact joints If the brickwork is intact, dirt and muck can be removed by: a. Mechanical cleansing in the form of scraping and brushing, This method can be used with regard to different facades condition and is probably the ‘most lenient towards fragile parts of the facade. b. “Water-soaking” is a very lenient and ‘environmentally friendly method, where ordinary water dissolves dirt for a period of 5 hours to several days. The great amount of water is a problem from both a water consumption and “water collection in the brickwork” point-of-view. c. High pressure hosing: where the water pressure ‘must be adjusted to the given surface, If warm water is used, the same result can be achieved at a lower water pressure. 4d. Cleaning the facade chemically. The brickwork is coated with chemicals to dissolve the specific pollution layer coating it. Algae layers can be removed with a copper chloride or aluminium ‘compound, but the treatment gives only temporary protection against new attacks and has to be repeated with regularity. The type, dosage and ‘composition of the compound should be left to 2 specialist. tral treatment should be implemented before the project is put into operation. If the dosage is wrong, or the chemicals are not properly washed off with water, the residue chemicals may harm the brickwork. This method can cause problems in connection with the working- environment. Directions a Cleaning plastered surfaces Facades or parts of the facade which are plastered and painted can be cleaned as described for plain brickwork: 4. Most lenient when scraped/brushed down b. Water-soaking ©. High pressure hosing, where the water pressure and temperature is adjusted to the surface's condition, 4. Chemical solutions which must be adjusted to the existing surface’s painU/structure orty: €. Cleaning with a flame. £. Sandblasting, which should only be used if parts of the plaster’s underlay is loose or requires repair. Cleaning natural stone: Expert assistance should be sought when cleaning extensive areas of natural ‘stone as there are numerous stone-types, both soft and hard, with different chemical compositions. The ‘wrong cleaning process can do more harm than good. One should be aware that the cleaning of natural stone seldom gives a result comparable to the original appearance. If algae growth is observed it can be cleaned with a anti-algae solution, Cleaning rust stains a. Warm, concentrated oxal-acid b. Spraying with water Cleaning copper stains a. A solution of Calcium cyanide (poisonous) b. Spraying with water Cleaning moss a. 2% solution of zinc-silicate (poisonous) b. Spraying with water, Salt crystallisation: If the problem is caused by ‘the use of road-salt, the problem can hardly be solved unless another form of de-icing of the roads is used. Flaked surfaces as a result of rising-damp are not easily resolved. Even though a DPC is inserted, the brickwork’s salt is not removed. The problem can only be solved by replacing the bricks or re-bricking the area in connection with the establishing of the DPC. It is not advisable to surface treat brickwork which clearly contains salts,BPS-Publication 101 Renovating apartment buildings © EM Bth-Horsens, 97 ‘Treatment with silicone ‘When the brickwork worth preserving is built of poor bricks and the joints are crumbling, penetration by rainwater can be a problem even though reparation of joints and plaster have been completed. In these cases, the facade can be treated with silicone-resin which is available as a colourless impregnation Muid, Silicone is watertight and weather-proof but diffusions-open for moisture vapour penetrating from the inside. This treatment can only be used on “tight” brickwork which must be dry on application Silicone treated brickwork gets its patina slowly and, therefore, differentiates itself from other brickwork and one has to consider this fact when treating only parts of the facade with silicone, such as bands and ‘other decor. ‘The impregnation solution should be tried out on a ‘sample piece of brickwork where any resulting patches will not be unsightly. Once the solution is applied to the wall, the result can cause discoloration and the result cannot be changed. Silicone impregnation can be toned and can, therefore, bbe made to suit existing surfaces, but the treatment has a limited life-cycle and must be maintained every 5 to 10 years, Thin plastering and thin rendering Facades in plain brickwork can be of such poor quality that one has to resolve the problem by thin rendering or thin plastering it, Plastcred facades which have crackled, but where the underlay is still fixed, can be given a new surface in. the form of plastering or thin rendering with a trowel. This treatment must be chosen from a point-of-view of the architecture and constitution with the surrounding buildings. Plastering and thin rendering, with a jute sack or trowel, can be done with coloured plaster mortar which, when done correctly, can reduce the running ‘maintenance costs even though the colour cannot remain unchanged for more than 2-3 years - - after which especially dark colours fade. Coloured plaster is marketed in many colours but experience shows that itis difficult to attain a satisfactory result with dark colours on large, unbroken surfaces. a7 Directions ‘To avoid differences in shades and patches, the application of coloured plaster must be done: a. in precise accordance with the manufacturer's directions . during weather conditions where the facade is not directly exposed to rain, sun or frost. c. “WET on WET” 4. in precisely the same recipe - - which means that the mortar must not be watered down further ‘during the process. ‘The work process can be planned so that bbreaks/restarts of the application can coincide with natural facade clements such as bands and other natural breaks in the facade, SEACALE HI CART BE DIVIDED iro HORZONTAL BANDS AND VERTICAL BANDS Ar TUE DOWNPIPES,BPS Public Renovating apartment buildings ©EMBth-Horsens, 97 Facade paint Brick outer walls without effective damp-proof courses and, maybe, constructed with pooriy baked bricks should be able to “breathe”, Because of health reasons nearly all inner surfaces of ‘walls are coated with plastic-based painting but, in spite ofa certain diffusion openness, the following ‘must be observed: a, The rooms must be ventilated in order to remove ‘condense as a result of moisture from within, b. The outer-leaf of the wall must be painted with a product that allows the moisture in the brick to evaporate, Listed" buildings requires that planning permission is attained from “Planstyrelsen'™” before painting is allowed and many councils would want to be involved in the design of alterations to facades. The paint industry is constantly introducing new Products, which are subsequently described in the ‘MBK-catalogues - - where knowledge can be gained. fone is not competent within the world of paint specifications, it is advisable to stick to known and tried treatments when dealing with this sort of building: Lime, Limecolours: must be thoroughly slake, finely ground. Dough-Lime is achieved by storing the slaked lime for long periods of time in baths under water. . Cement powder paint Pigmented white cement with an additive that cures the cement faster and is water resistant, Give a water resistant, drt absorbing but ‘washable surface which is diffusions open. The treatment is weather stable. Mineral Silicate paint: Pigmented cementing substance whichis, in principle, “water-plass” which can be added an acrylic plastic dispersion. This i a strongly alkaline pint which is used for absorptive mineral facades. The pint cures with the aid of the moisture and the at's C02, The surface is dull, alkaline-proof, mildly rubs-off, \Waterand weatherproof, but difficult to clean. The paint layer is porous and diffusion-open. 4. Silicone emulsion paint, dul: consist of siicone-resin emulsion in wate and containing a solvent and pigment ‘Thinned with water and must be applied in thin coats to avoid crackling. Once dy, the paint layer is water resistant, dffusons-open, drt-absorben and not clearable. Thee is some rubbing-off. It has good ‘weatherproof capabilites. '° Listed = protected by law " Planstyrelsen = Authority governing national structure plan 01: Directions 28, Updating insulation, Indoor climate ‘The renovation of old apartment buildings often involves the installation of central heating and more stringent requirements for heat- and sound insulation. ‘The central heating system and the provisions for insulation should be designed with careful consideration to each other because the “climatic shield”, ie., the tightness and thickness of the outer walls, have a decisive influence forthe design of the heating system and the level of insulation; with the latter itis important to remember thatthe conditions for constructions kept “outside” the new insulation Jayer are changed because they are exposed to greater temperature affects, ‘Updating the insulation standard and the installation ‘of central heating changes the indoor climate, which can have consequences for both the outer walls and the building's other constructions. The alteration of the heating system can result in new “movements” in the building because of alterations to existing- and new timber constructions - - the result can be the formation of cracks, To avoid damage due to moisture it is important that rooms and constructions fused together with the outer walls are ventilated, for example: a. Cellars; b. Attics; c. Roof constructions; d. Floor partitions. Inorganic and impregnated materials should be used in rooms and constructions which are especially exposed ‘to moisture, like the ground floor or bathrooms: because of the difficulty of keeping membranes intact. INSULATION OF ARLEBPS-Publication 101 Renovating apartment buildings © EM BtleHorsens, 97 Updating the insulation level of the building from the inside Brickwork in the window parapets are often thinner only I-brick) than the rest of the outer wall and, as the radiators are technically best placed under the windows, itis advantageous to insulate the parapets; ‘which can be done with “heat-shields” and without too ‘much trouble. ‘The heat-shield is not really a proper insulation provision but it reduces the radiator’s heat loss. In much of the older apartment buildings, the borders ‘between the walls and ceilings of the rooms are made in stucco, with side panels to windows and profiled parapet-panels and skirting boards. When updating the {insulation internally one must consider the room's future appearance, because: ‘a. Stucco cannot easily be moved b. Window panels have to be taken down, altered and remounted, or replaced by a new construction. ©. Parapet-panels have to be removed and remounted after insulation, or altered to new cladding, 4. Skirting boards must be removed and remounted, Internal insulation of outer walls can cause problems like: ‘a, Fungal attack in bricked-in joist ends 'b. The formation of mildew on covered (insulated) wall surfaces. A special problem is the insulation of window rabbets'* which, in theory, should have the same degree of insulation as the wall surfaces to avoid ‘moisture problems (cold-bridges). Solving this problem often results in unsatisfactory conditions for the window opening. ‘The DPC can also cause problems because it is difficult to establish correctly, ic,, as a continuous layer within the insulation layer. The cladding enclosing the insulation must be ‘minimum class 2 in buildings of between 1 to 5 storeys. Gables are often constructed with walls that are thinner in “economy felts”. In some cases window ‘openings, French-doors and glass modules could be built onto permanently bare gables. Consideration ‘must be taken to these when insulating gables internally ° Rabbet = vindue fals 29 ections ‘The following 2 methods are used for internal re- insulation: 1 Niners niton wi pling SrUCCO WiliCH Make POSTNSULATION DiFricuur Moe oot icin with ighsight cones panels eS ss IOIMIME Marenia. IGUUATION. —uetrweistr conceere EE Wirt eS. ACUI RAVE WeCASiNE y_-MINERAL-WOOL FILL Poogsorsrs Stucco Di6ArrEARS Duzive POsr-NSULATIONBPS-Publication 101. Directions M Bul-Horsens, rulings Updating the insulation level of the building from the outside ‘From an insulation-technical point-of-view it would be preferable that the building is constructed with continuous layers, i¢., that the openings in the load- bearing outer wall construction, primarily the windows, are situated and altered to being part of the thermal insulation layer. DPC’s often cause problems ‘because they cannot be made continuous; a heavy brickwork construction functions as a membrane and it would, therefore, be a good technical solution to fix a continuous insulation layer to the outside of the bricked building, and protect this layer with a light “weather-shield” ‘The external insulation of the facades of houses built from 1850 to the beginning of this century is not suitable, primarily because these houses are often richly decorated with many narrow columns between the windows. But for apartment buildings built in the 1930°s and 40's, the lack of decoration and especially their exposed gables make them suitable for external insulation. When employing this technique, however, consideration must be taken not only to the building’s thermal-technical conditions, but also to the surrounding area's architecture, The following are 3 ‘methods of external insulation: Mine. woot ination wipe ladingBPS-Publication 101 31 Renovating apartment buildings EN Bb-Horsens, 97 Bigger constructive alterations ©. Attaining permission for demolition from the local Establishing openings in the brickwork facades authorities From an aesthetic point-of-view itis not advisable to 4. Examining for hazardous materials in the building establish large openings in the outer walls of (asbestos, etc.) traditionally built facades, ‘Such an operation will require the participation of a structural engineer and the approval of the local authorities in connection with new lintel-beams and ‘temporary shoring, which could be: a, “Single Dead-shoring”, which consists of RSIs supported by timber columns which are wedged into place, b. “Double Dead-shoring”, where timber columns are ‘mounted on RSJ-beams; this minimises the risk of subsidence. ‘The demolition of adjacent buildings and connected buildings Demolition of adjacent or connected buildings are often specified in connection with urban renewal. ‘Where renovation can influence neighbouring ‘buildings, an examination of these building (with the ‘owners’ permission) will be necessary, This is necessary because of the structural problems and in order to minimise disputes which might arise later as a result of misunderstandings. Before demolition is implemented, the followings must be achieved: 8. Getting approval of the planned shoring of the building . Getting structural analyses and calculations approvedBPS.Publi Renovating. apartment buildings © EMBIA-Horsens, 97 |— EXISTING HOLP-riMB EINE Wirt BRICK NEL AN EXAMPLE OF BRICK CLADDING TO EXITING 6ABLE jon 101 Directions oe Repairing the gables In connection with the demolition of adjacent or attached buildings, the following must be examined: a, whether the buildings have a common(joint) gable 'b. whether the existing gable can absorb the future loads c. whether the degree of heat insulation is sufficient d. whether a new building will be constructed against the newly exposed gable. If the building has a common gable with the neighbouring building and if the gable will be removed by the demolition, or if what's left is a /4- brick inner-leaf as the only gable, then a new gable ‘wall must be designed and constructed. This process will need expert structural engineering assistance in the calculation of foundations and shoring, etc., for the ‘new gable. ‘The new gable wall can be constructed of a 36 cm. cavity wall with tien" bricks. This new gable cannot ‘be fixed to the “old” gable or Y-brick-leaf as this cannot transfer wind forces to the floor partitions. The tic-in brick courses must, therefore, be fixed directly to the floor partitions and the thickness of the new gable ‘will vary with the position of the floor partitions. Special provisions must be made for anchorage of the roof construction to the top of the new gable. ‘The foundation of the new gable must be taken down to the soffit of the old gable’s foundation; but minimum to a depth which is free of frost. Casting the new foundation to the old will be advantageous ‘because difference-subsidence will be avoided in this way. Where the exposed gable is to stand without a new building up against it and without cladding, it must be ‘treated so that it fits the rest of the building, 4. Cleaning off loose materials and chipping away of surplus brick mortar. '. Plaster, thin rendering or applying mortar with a trowel (see p.26) . Surface-treatment (sce p. 26-28), Existing exposed gables, which are to remain exposed, require insulation which should be executed as a, insulation internally in the apartments (see p.29) externally (see p. 30) 'S Tie-in brick = brickctie (fast binder) Sofft = underside ofblication 101 3 Renovating apartment buildings Directions IM Bth-Horsens, 97 Neighbour boundaries ~ the moisture degree of adjacent timber constructions ‘Often, the outer border of a gable wall will form the the moisture situation in attics and cellars ‘boundary to the neighbouring plot. ‘Any external insulation will, therefore, take-up some ‘of the neighbouring plot's space. This condition should be clarified with the local authorities before the choice is made between internal or external insulation, ‘Monitoring and maintenance of the outer wall’s condition ‘A major reason for many necessary and extensive renovation works is insufficient maintenance. The operation of the building According to the Building and Housing Agency’s Guidelines of 1990 about The Operation of Buildings, §3, the operation of the buildings is divided into: ~ the supply of utilities'* + refuse and cleaning maintenance ~ caretaking + security of the building. BPS-publication no. 117, “General Conditions” ‘contains a section on this subject. This publication names some of the examples of conditions regarding ‘outer wall which should be contained in a operational plan: Registering damage ‘The periodic routines for registering damage and the need for maintenance can be divided into: a. The caretaker’s daily looking afer, security and registering the need for repair and maintenance of + the formation of cracks /Mlaking and crumbling of brickwori/joints and plaster = alteration of the outer wall’s appearance, for example, saltpetre crystallisation, algae/mould and ddamp-stains. ~ blocked and leaky roof gutters and dovn-pipes. ~ forced ventilation = the formation of mould on inner wall surfaces b. Ayearly maintenance check by a maintenance expert of: = provisions against moisture = repair of fungal infestation + repaired cracks, ec ~ the outer wall’s moisture degree '° Utilities = supply of heat, electricity, water, sewer, atc. Life-cycles 8. Plain/plastered or rendered brickwork: approx. 60 years, b. Protrusions in the facade: approx, 25-40 years. ¢. Painted facades: approx. 10 years.Renovating apartment buildings © EMBth-torsens, 97 List of interesting literature on the subject In cases of listed buildings, or buildings worthy of preservation, reference is made to the following: a. “Information om bygningsbevaring” - Planstyrelsen’s latest edition, June 1990, 'b. “Byhuset” - Gyldendal 1980 “ Gode rid om vedligeholdelse og istandsettelse” Edited by Curt von Jessen, NielsHolger Larsen, Mette Pibler and Ulrich Schiming. This book deals with the repair and maintenance of older, traditionally erected buildings Special knowledge about historic and building, technical conditions in traditional multi-storey buildings are dealt with: . “Kobenhavnsk ctagebolighyggeri 1850-1990". “En byggetcknisk undersogelse” - SBI-Rapport 142- 1983, edited by Jesper Engelmark. b. “ABldre ctageejendomme” - “Byggeskik og, renoveing” - Building and Housing Agency, 1987. Edited by Skaarup & Jespersen, Architects and Urban Planners A/s, and others. Traditional construction forms and materials: a, “Husbygningslere”, Herholt, 1875. Goes through the constructions and directions for the treatment of surfaces. 'b. “Grundtrackkene i Murstens-Forbindelser”, G.V. Huth, 1885. ©. “Husbygningstere” (Norwegian), Andreas Bugge, 1918. Goes through, among others things, cornices, decor-bands, plinths, ec., and gives directions for the formation of cornices 4d.“ Husbygningsleere I-III", Kare Kristensen, 1928. Volume I deals with brickwork, volume IT with carpentry work and volume III with joinery work. ‘The books are richly illustrated, ©, “Husbygning”, D. Rasmussen, 1929, Looks at different constructions and is well illustrated £. “Murerbogen”, Knud Dyrberg, 1943. Deals with a short description of the execution of the work. 8, “Husbygningsteknik I-I”, Gerlev-Knudsen and h- Bonnesen, 1948, Volume I runs through the building materials and constructions and volume It Contains the illustrations of usable constructions. h, “Byggcbogen 1948” (revised on a regular basis) ‘Typical constructions for outer walls, storey partitions and roofs, etc. i, “Husbygningskonstruktionser”, Jens Mollerup, 1974. Gives precise information about building, ‘materials’ origin, qualities, marketing-forms and use, Directions 34 “Forbedering af klimaskeermens varmeisolering i cksisterende etageejendomme”, SBI-report 105, 1977. An account of technical solutions which are Useful in connection with updating insulation in existing apartment buildings. “Murerhndbogen”, Teglinformationen 1979. Contains information about the consumption of ‘materials, surface treatments, thin-layer materials and a proposals for methods of cleaning. “Mortel, Muring, Pudsning, SBI-anvisning 64, 1981. These directions describe the affects that brickwork is exposed to and gives directions about how to repair damage. There is also a run through the types of bricks and mortar and their production, control and the building site, “Pynt pi gesimsen”, Kristian Hvidt, 1983. The facades of Copenhagen apartment buildings, 1860- 1920. 1. “Opslagsbog for det murede byggeri”, Murerfagets Oplysningsriid, 1986. This deals with materials, constructions and work-methods and gives proposals for the repair of brickwork and plaster constructions, 9. MBK-"Malerfagligt Behandlings-Katalog” ““Overfladteknik” - Teknologisk Institut, Nov. 1980, MBK-"Malerfagligt Behandlings-Katalog” “Vedligehold". Overfladetcknik-Teknologisk Institut; Jan,, 1988. A number of loose pages which are organised and gathered in two folders with a clear table of contents ofall the ordinary paint ‘materials and methods of implementering ““Murerhindbog”, Kalk-og teglinformation, september, 1991. Contains, among other things, a summery of the brickwork industry's information pages with directions for a number of technical solutions. BYG-ERFA, information sheets showing data gathered from real-life projects and experience.