Efflorescence explained – Who’s at risk and how to prevent it Efflorescence is a chalky white-ish salt deposit left of the exposed face of masonry, concrete, and cementitious building assemblies. The following picture shows a painted brick screen wall with significant efflorescence. When a masonry… Read More »Efflorescence Guide | What Is It? | IDS-DMV
Discover the intricate craftsmanship behind egg and dart molding Egg and Dart is a architectural pattern common in the Washington DC historic neighborhoods such as Georgetown, Capitol Hill, and Dupont Circle. The pattern uses an oval and an interspersed vertical arrow between each circle. This… Read More »Egg and Dart: A Classic Architectural Detail | IDS-DMV
Explore the secrets of electrogalvanization and zinc for maximum impact The barnstar in the photo below is secured to the building’exterior brick facade using a threaded rod, washer, and a 3/4″ nut. This hardware holds the star in tension to resist the lateral defection of… Read More »Electrogalvanization and Zinc: What You Need to Know | IDS-DMV
Exploring the craftsmanship behind English bond brickwork The English brick bond is extremely common in the United states. Here in Washington DC it is not the very most common of all brick bonds, but it is still ubiquitous and found throughout the historic areas of… Read More »English Bond Brickwork | IDS-DMV
Truncated dome paving traffic texturing – Where safety meets innovation Truncated dome paving traffic texturing is used as a tactile indicator. The dome shape on the floor or ground paving adds resistance to prevent slipping and also is set approximately 1/4 inch above the adjacent… Read More »Enhance Safety with Truncated Dome Paving Traffic Texturing
Escutcheons: The architectural details you didn’t know you needed – IDS-DMV’s expertise unveiled An architectural eschutcheon is basically just a trim ring that covers the perimeter edge of a pipe, bar, or tube where the pipe or ither item penetrates through or mounts to a… Read More »Escutcheon: Architectural Details by IDS-DMV
How to install expansion joints in concrete like a pro Expansion joints in concrete and masonry flatwork are similar to building movement joints but smaller in scale and simpler to build. The picture below shows a 1″ wide expansion joint in an upside down T… Read More »Expansion joints in concrete and masonry flatwork
Asphalt paving wisdom- Insights from IDS-DMV’s seasoned professionals Asphalt is similar to concrete, and both materials are largely comprised of aggregate, sand, and a cohesive binder. In the case of concrete, the binder is cement. By comparison though, in the case of asphalt, the binder… Read More »Expert Asphalt Paving | Installation & Maintenance – IDS-DMV
Waterproofing is a roll, trowel, brush, or spray applied impermeable membrane. Waterproofing applications are normally a part of a collection of parts and applications which only work together to create a waterproofing system.
In historic times, buildings were sheathed with natural wood on top of wood frames, as opposed to the plywood and OSB sheathing common today.