Re: Re: Brick
Indeed it was, ctesiphon. Okay, the so it did get a bit messy when the Garda arrived, but we got the message across.
20/9/2009
No. 17 Kildare Street, a townhouse of c. 1750 date, located directly opposite the Department of Agriculture, has just been entirely repointed by ACOL Ltd.
Horrendously and destructively repointed in cement some time in the 20th century, the original tuck pointed exterior has been faithfully reinstated.
Quite a transformation.
This was one of the most challenging repointing projects of any building in Dublin, with a combination of cement pointing requiring removal, patches of Victorian machined brick to disguise, and an entire attic storey of more machine-made brick, possibly dating from the late 20th century, to try and make more palatable to the eye. Ideally this would have been removed and replaced with a matching handmade brick, but cost dictates everything.
The granite doorcase had also been painted over, probably for the past century, while Victorian plate glass had consumed the interesting array of sash windows.
The doorcase post-paint removal.
The brickwork had to be extensively colourwashed before pointing in order to achieve an even colour tone with the mismatched brick. Presumably it was because of this that the rather bright shade of red was chosen. At least it’s red though, rather than the more typical pink we’re used to seeing with less experienced contractors. The ribbons of putty are a beautiful shade of off-white. Very well chosen.
The windows of this house are of interest. The second floor level appears to retain its original chunky sashes of c. 1750 date – relatively rare in Dublin. Think Trinity’s West Front rolled back a century. The glazing bars were of course chopped out.
By contrast, the fashionable first floor level features slender sashes of c. 1790 date – an indication of just how fashionable Kildare Street had remained. Again the bars were whacked out by those swinging Victorians.
Sadly the attic storey windows are badly informed new replicas, using 1750s frame proportions with delicate 1830s horns tacked on for good measure. A shame. Also I think the case could have been made for reinstating chunky glazing bars on at least the upper two levels.
The ground floor window of c. 1830 (again, glazing bars removed) has just had new timber (wahey!) beading installed with robust looking draught brushes. I suspect all of these windows are going to be painted charcoal…
A deep black or charcoal door and this number could come together quite nicely.
