Reviving Captivating Cast Iron Facades through Professionalism
In an age of mass production and modern materials, the repair and restoration of these historic cast iron treasures require specialized knowledge and techniques. Cast iron facades are renowned for their intricate designs and skilled craftsmanship.
Accompanying cast iron, we find its counterpart, wrought iron, known for its malleability and decorative potential. Wrought iron’s versatility allowed artisans to craft intricate designs that added both functionality and aesthetics to various structures. From ornate railings to elegant window frames, wrought iron has graced historical buildings of New York City, embodying the exquisite craftsmanship of a bygone era.
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MGR Restoration Offer A Complete Service for Cast Iron Restoration:
- De-rusting the cast iron facades chemically and mechanically depending upon the architectural details. Often facades are contaminated with old lead containing paints which need careful abatement.
- Metal filled epoxies are often used to fill the imperfections on the façade before priming for the finish coats of paint.
- Welding of Cast Iron is our major strength when it comes to cast iron restoration. Our AWS licensed welders are experts on all types of welding techniques. We own a large furnace for preheating large pieces of cast iron before welding. This reduces the probably of cracking and burns off the contaminants helping a smoother weld.
- Elastomeric coatings like Elastometal® provide great protection against environmental contaminants, UV rays and water. These coatings are good for bridging the gaps when used with a fabric reinforcement embedded in the coating.
- Epoxy Coatings like Tnemec® provide not only the protection from rain and other environmental insults but are also quite scratch resistant. Epoxy coatings are mostly two part finish coats with a similar primer used as base coating.
- Cast iron cornice restoration. Cast iron cornices are not only elegantly decorative but are part of roof support structure. There is a more detailed steel structure present inside cornices which may require repair to bring the cornice back to its original shape and alignment.
- Cast iron window frames repair and restoration.
- Cast Iron Columns may be only decorative or weigh bearing. With time these show cracks around the base and the capitals. We have means and knowledge to disassemble,restore and reinstall the columns along with all temporary and permanent engineered shoring as required.
- In addition, we offer complete restoration of cast and wrought iron accessories including Balustrade, Spiral Staircases, Fire Escapes, Cast Iron Historic Lamp Posts, Roof Rails and Weathervanes etc.
- At MGR Restoration, we partner with well equipped local and out of state foundries which can Replicate the Iron Castings regardless of the project’s complexity.
Why Do You Need Experts Like MGR Restoration for Your Cast Iron Project?
Cast iron structures have been standing for decades and sometime for centuries.
Restoring and preserving the historic cast iron features needs thoughtful planning and careful material handling. The reason you need to hire a professional like MGR is some unique challenges faced when dealing with historic structures:
Finding hidden damages behind decorative surfaces is quite common. Being a full-service company, MGR can repair a wide range of materials and support structures of building. We have resolved complicated situations like settled building foundations to deteriorated masonry behind cast facades.
Material matching is another challenge due to the changing market dynamics. Our connections with other steel businesses across the country help us to arrange the hard- to-find materials efficiently and cost effectively.
Many cast iron buildings must follow the regulations enforced by landmark preservation committee (LPC) in addition to DOB. These bodies require approval of not only the design but the choice of materials, the repair methods used and even the colors of materials. MGR understands the importance of adhering to official work requirements and is familiar with city regulations. This saves the building owners a lot of time, money, and headaches.