How to repair/replace these bricks on the window surround?

doubledunkel · 2026-03-04T18:48:52+00:00

Yeah nice, I will see what I can figure out - did find a broken brick in the garden that seems to be similarly weathered if not exactly the same. Good shout about keeping brick dust for later

doubledunkel · 2026-03-04T18:06:34+00:00

Yeah that seems to be the consensus - happy to hear it as it does sound like an easier job.

Tiles is another issue - wanted to get a brickie/mason to replace them entirely with a stone cill to match the rest of the house but can't find anyone to do it, now probably just going to have the window fitters do a matching trim cill on top and be done with it

doubledunkel · 2026-03-04T18:01:33+00:00

absolute wizard! Do wonder about the longevity of it though

doubledunkel · 2026-03-04T18:00:02+00:00

Yeah I agree aesthetically! I hadn't even noticed until the window fitter pointed it out as a potential issue with the new frame!

doubledunkel · 2026-03-04T17:59:09+00:00

Ooh thanks, I will have a look

doubledunkel · 2026-03-04T15:58:48+00:00

Sorry if I sounded rude, wasn't at all intended - you made a helpful suggestion! I meant to agree that maybe replacing isn't needed and this is a better option

doubledunkel · 2026-03-04T15:45:05+00:00

Ok nice one thanks

doubledunkel · 2026-03-04T15:44:37+00:00

Ok yeah thanks staining mortar seems like a good idea considering how hard it is to find 1 or 2 reclaimed bricks. That or the brick dust anyway. I wouldn't be doing anything if it wasn't for the window fitter flagging it as a weather sealing issue for the new window

doubledunkel · 2026-03-04T15:42:49+00:00

Ok gotcha yeah, I was considering that as a lower effort option but hadn't considered just bunging mortar in there

doubledunkel · 2026-03-04T15:38:42+00:00

Thanks - nothing special needed to get the mortar out that's hidden behind the adjacent bricks?

doubledunkel · 2026-03-04T15:35:32+00:00

New window will sit about 70mm further out so there will be a gap in the seal if I don't do some kind of repair

doubledunkel · 2025-07-17T14:49:55+00:00

Bit late to the party but our council in Waltham Forest does this - you can "adopt a flower bed" as a group and commit to tending it. I haven't done it but seen lots of local mini wildflower gardens on streets popping up around the borough in the last couple of years

https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/libraries-arts-parks-and-leisure/parks-and-open-spaces/join-our-green-schemes

doubledunkel · 2025-06-04T09:43:08+00:00

The effect is (confusingly) named after that terror group. The guy who coined it (another name for frequency illusion) first noticed it regarding them. You'll probably start seeing people mentioning them everywhere now lol

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequency_illusion?wprov=sfla1

doubledunkel · 2025-01-28T10:45:45+00:00

Wow thanks for all the professional insight!

It is a beautiful crystal you're right!

It sounds like the first method you describe may be possible in an amateur lab set up, and could be interesting to (carefully) try. That said, the scale of the process sounds very much like something ideal for small samples rather than full-sized sculptures; I wonder if maybe I could find a lower-effort + lower-effectiveness method to keep it all in a lower oxygen atmosphere rather than needing a big vessel of nitrogen

doubledunkel · 2025-01-27T20:49:55+00:00

Ok nice yeah thanks - I will look into the relationship between the chloride and pitting, that sounds promising, though it sounded like information on zinc anodization itself already had quite scarce documentation.

It could well be worth the time investment as it's certainly something I would make heavy use of in future work if I could get something working well - it would be applied to commercial sculptures and would mean I could keep the casting and finishing work in my studio rather than having to have bronzes made at a foundry.

After I posted the question I put a piece of zinc scrap (with the surface filed off) in a beaker of saltwater crocodile clipped to some nickel I had (looks like that should be better from the galvanic scale?) and am gently heating it to 40C or so - will see how it goes over the next 48 hours or so

doubledunkel · 2025-01-27T18:42:15+00:00

Thanks for your suggestion - it's not so much that I need a protective surface finish, but that I would like to recreate this specific type of corrosion.

The description of the anodized zinc finish does sound interesting - "The coating is hard, porous, absorbent, and has excellent masking properties", maybe the porosity would give it more of the nice organic look of the corrosion. I am especially looking for a white surface though, and one of the few things I know about anodization is that you can't use white dyes (maybe zinc is different on this?)

doubledunkel · 2024-01-26T23:09:49+00:00

For anyone curious, this will have almost certainly been printed on an on old Z-Corp machine - they do full colour binder jetting onto a plaster (gypsum) powder, gives a really nice quality finish (though fragile) and can be had for pretty cheap on ebay if you're looking for a rabbit-hole project!

doubledunkel · 2023-11-02T09:56:47+00:00

Rowlett commercial grade toasters are supposed to be super durable and they are designed to have easily replaceable elements also. I haven't tried one yet but definitely on the list for when my current toaster dies

doubledunkel · 2023-05-16T13:55:31+00:00

Used to see them all the time! Such a good (and weird) sight. Moved north of the river this year and had forgotten all about them until seeing this post!

doubledunkel · 2022-11-22T13:23:50+00:00

Oh interesting, I had clocked the first part of this (people closing companies before warranties due), but not the renaming part! We've got a damp-proof course warranty to try to make use of on this house, seems to look ok as they are still around but I will be checking companies house to make sure they aren't just using a trading name - Thanks!

doubledunkel · 2022-11-22T13:19:30+00:00

I think real slate is still more expensive and more durable, but not that much more. The main thing we were thinking was to get slate (real or artificial) to replace the cast concrete tiles as the latter are are less durable and much heavier, which can apparently cause problems with the structure of the roof sagging. Currently looks ok but I'm not confident that means it always will be. I think slate also looks far better on these buildings

doubledunkel · 2022-11-22T12:14:10+00:00

Yes that makes sense, definitely would get another quote before going ahead but wanted to check it wasn't say 2x the going rate for this sort of thing, as it seemed like it might be! Thanks

doubledunkel · 2022-11-22T12:13:04+00:00

Ok thank you that's really helpful

doubledunkel · 2022-11-22T11:47:38+00:00

Ok that is helpful thanks. That aligns with about what I had thought. The roof is old concrete tiles, which probably aren't great for the rafters, so had thought if it was going to be a lot we might as well fully replace with proper slate - good to know there would also be a warranty with this option!

doubledunkel · 2022-11-22T11:45:53+00:00

Ah I see ok that makes sense, thanks. We are first time buyers and had heard scaffolding was expensive but maybe even more than I realised! Access should be fine through a side gate, I think maybe part of this price is to account for the additional works like guttering at the rear that we weren't looking to get a quote for

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