The re-pointing of the exterior brick is now happening alongside all the rest.
All of the old mortar seems to have been removed, and the pain staking process of re-applying the mortar is in progress. One by one, each course of brick is getting a fresh coat of mortar. There is approximately two to four inches of mortar that has been removed from around most of the brick from the top of the tower down to the roof line, and this all has to be replaced.
In some cases, broken bricks have been replaced, but by the time the job is complete, all the walls will be fresh and new. Careful attention is being paid to the colour matching of the mortar as well, so that from near and far onlookers will see a uniform consistency in the work from top to bottom.
Also still to be decided are the details concerning the louvers that will find their way to the openings at the top of the towers. The design has been submitted, including sloped louvers to keep any rain and water away from the inside of the towers, and bird wire attached to the inside of each of 16 louvers (there are eight window openings in each of the two towers), to keep our feathered friends from roosting in places where we don't want them to leave remnants.
If all goes well, we are now being told that the exterior scaffolding (and all other evidence of the work now being done) will be removed by the end of October. Then we will proceed with the connection of the bell which has been silent for so long. We will probably also have to complete the installation of the louvers at or around that time, so the job isn't quite complete yet. Some attention will also be required in the near future, especially toward the state of the rose window and the two other windows which are located in the south face of the church.
From below, the state of the rose window appears to be just fine, but an areal view shows that the lower section of the casing which is holding it in place is in need of some help. It appears that the wood is damaged and quite possibly also rotting as a result of water damage. We are currently considering temporary solutions to this challenge, even as we make plans for future restoration of this part of the church as well.
All of the old mortar seems to have been removed, and the pain staking process of re-applying the mortar is in progress. One by one, each course of brick is getting a fresh coat of mortar. There is approximately two to four inches of mortar that has been removed from around most of the brick from the top of the tower down to the roof line, and this all has to be replaced.
In some cases, broken bricks have been replaced, but by the time the job is complete, all the walls will be fresh and new. Careful attention is being paid to the colour matching of the mortar as well, so that from near and far onlookers will see a uniform consistency in the work from top to bottom.
Also still to be decided are the details concerning the louvers that will find their way to the openings at the top of the towers. The design has been submitted, including sloped louvers to keep any rain and water away from the inside of the towers, and bird wire attached to the inside of each of 16 louvers (there are eight window openings in each of the two towers), to keep our feathered friends from roosting in places where we don't want them to leave remnants.
If all goes well, we are now being told that the exterior scaffolding (and all other evidence of the work now being done) will be removed by the end of October. Then we will proceed with the connection of the bell which has been silent for so long. We will probably also have to complete the installation of the louvers at or around that time, so the job isn't quite complete yet. Some attention will also be required in the near future, especially toward the state of the rose window and the two other windows which are located in the south face of the church.
From below, the state of the rose window appears to be just fine, but an areal view shows that the lower section of the casing which is holding it in place is in need of some help. It appears that the wood is damaged and quite possibly also rotting as a result of water damage. We are currently considering temporary solutions to this challenge, even as we make plans for future restoration of this part of the church as well.
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