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About Dan Donavin
(Top Expert on this page)

Expertise
I can answer structural and aesthetic questions about natural and manufactured stone. Whether its out existing, future or current work. I can answer a few questions about brick and block work mostly about mortar issues. I can also answer questions about concrete regular and decorative. I cannot answer many structural questions about brick or block laying but I will try to steer you in the right direction if I cannot answer.

Experience
I am the owner and main installer of a stone and finished works company I started five years ago. We install and repair all types of stone inside and out. We also do brick and concrete repair as well as tuck pointing.

Organizations
Gorgeous Stone Stucco Tile Corp. Concrete Network

Education/Credentials
College of Du Page Concrete Institute

   

You are here:  Experts > Industry > Construction Industry > Masonry/Brick Laying

SubjectDate AskedExpert

Brick Veneer on Fireplace10/9/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I noticed that the veneer brick on our fireplace inside wall (inboard of fireplace/chimney brick) ...
  A: Yes and Yes. Brick veneer should sit on a footer/foundation the same as the brick fireplace and ...
Leftover bricks10/6/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: hope you can help. My contractor is finished w/ my job he is paid in full, there are 3 pallets of ...
  A: Well if he charged you for them then they are yours definitely. You may be able to check your ...
cultured veener stone10/4/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I have a cultured stone chimney that was installed on a plywood chase on my roof some twenty years ...
  A: You can try cleaning it thoroughly then applying sanded grout like for tile. Use in a small section ...
Manufactured Stone Chimney Veneer Weight9/30/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: 20' tall "stick-built" chimney in the interior of the house. I'm planning to cover the entire ...
  A: It does need to be supported for stone. Tell the builder to have it engineered the same way they ...
concrete floor9/30/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I am going to pour a garage floor I have several roolls of chain link fence do you think that would ...
  A: The way it is put together will stretch and compress and not reinforce correctly to prevent ...
help needed9/29/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I'm about to start work on an existing stone wall thats been built using un square rubble stone.in ...
  A: The first step is a foundation or footer to build on. If there is a solid base, you can just begin ...
help needed9/28/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I'm about to start work on an existing stone wall thats been built using un square rubble stone.in ...
  A: This is a major project with a few different stages to it. I will be happy to help you through step ...
Masonry9/27/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: We are building a new garage. The cement floor has been poured and the blocks are being laid. How ...
  A: There should be a cure time on the mix for the mortar to tell you when it will be strong enough to ...
Leaves in New Concrete9/26/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: We just had a new concrete patio laid. We have a large tree with very small leaves that landed on ...
  A: They should have laid plastic over the concrete during curing to prevent that from happening. For ...
crack in concrete porch9/26/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: We have a crack in our new front concrete porch. My husband is planning to apply a thin coat of ...
  A: I would say a repair mortar or crack repair/floor lever compound. Ardex Am 100 would be the best but ...
scratch coat9/20/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: We laid the scratch coat and let it set for 24 hours. It turned light in color but is very crumbly. ...
  A: Did you use a stucco scratch coat or regular mortar for the scratch coat? Try taking a stiff brush ...
glass block windows9/18/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I have been getting efflorescence residue from my glass block windows for eight years. The dust ...
  A: You can use a grout/mortar sealer on it and it may get rid of the residue. I would carefully tape ...
Concrete Staining9/16/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I have a finished basement that tends to get significant seepage during heavy rains. I'm tired of ...
  A: Yes you can but find one that dries fast and it needs to stay dry long enough to cure. Try to ...
manufactured stone9/16/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I want to install manufactured ledgestone to an exterior cinder block wall. The wall was ...
  A: There are citrus-based adhesive removers that may take the paint off for you. You need to use a ...
Concrete Staining9/15/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I have a finished basement that tends to get significant seepage during heavy rains. I'm tired of ...
  A: You can try to pull the carpet up by hand or use a floor scraper. Tool rental places have these for ...
Installation of Manufactured Stone9/11/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: When installing manufactured stone, how long should the scratch coat set before setting the stone?
  A: Normally, you should wait at least 24 hours to let it set up. Depending on conditions, it may set up ...
Mortar Joint on Stone Wall9/10/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I have a 70 year old house with exterior walls that are brick above stone. The stone is irregular in ...
  A: I know what you are taking about and most of that will be done with the grout bag and cleaning it up ...
Mortar Joint on Stone Wall9/10/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I have a 70 year old house with exterior walls that are brick above stone. The stone is irregular in ...
  A: The tools I use for tucking and joints are a tuckpointing trowel, a brick tuck tool, and a grout ...
brick stone /exterior application/ ashlar style9/9/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: When installing solid brick stone to the exterior of the house, is there any need for the scratch ...
  A: If you are installing a brick face to a house, you use ties and a 1/2" air gap between the brick and ...
POLYMERIC SAND AS GROUT FOR STONE PATIO9/7/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: Last week I had a stone patio installed in my backyard. The contractor laid the English cobble ...
  A: I do not know about polymeric sand eating away stone. I do know that there wis a chemical reaction ...
mortar versus caulking on brick repair9/6/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I have a very experienced mason that wants to repair the mortar joints on my brick stairs by using ...
  A: It is the easy way out. When a brick joint fails, a mason needs to remove all of it and replace it. ...
Cinder Block Chimneys9/5/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: We are a roofing company and had recently torn down and reshingled a home with an old cinder block ...
  A: Water can wick through cinder block and mortar. You can have them seal it and see what happens but I ...
bricklaying course9/5/2008Bill
  Q: I'm starting a bricklaying course on monday 8th September at stoke on Trent college in burslem i ...
  A: Danny, First and foremost is that not all if, any attending the course will have building ...
block brick construction9/4/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: We need a reference to an excellent mason and mold person to assess our damages and discuss ...
  A: Where are you located? Servicemagic.com prescreens contractors and should be able to help you find ...
marble mosaic9/3/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I am tearing out the old 6" quarry tile on my 1953 hearth and replacing it with highly polished ...
  A: If the brick is rough, you can use thinset or a repair mortar like Ardex AM100. If it is smooth, you ...
cultured stone9/3/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: Can cultured stone be applied directly over sheet rock? There is so much conflicting information on ...
  A: I like Georgia Pacific's tile backer. It is blue on one side and is the easiest backer I have ever ...
cultured stone9/2/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: Can cultured stone be applied directly over sheet rock? There is so much conflicting information on ...
  A: I never would install directly over sheet rock. The easiest way is to screw a hardibacker like ...
installing manufactured stone to exterior wall9/1/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I purchased my manufactured stone and type N mortar mix from a local brick company. Without reading ...
  A: Try tugging on the stones after a few days and see how well they stay. Sand is mostly to add ...
concrete walks8/24/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: The concrete walkway between the curb and the front of our church (downtown) is about 60 feet by 24 ...
  A: I know that Quikrete and Ardex both make products to do what you want you can check their sites to ...
Clay paver problem8/24/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I have a clay paver walkway. I just put in polymeric sand for the joints. Unfortunately the clay ...
  A: There is Miracle Cleaners and Sealers work good. You need to check the specs to get the one that ...
faux stone repair8/23/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: one of my stones fell off, in order to repair it, should I break of the mortar on the wire mess that ...
  A: I would break off or grind off the mortar on the stone but you can leave the mortar on the wire ...
speed block8/23/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I live in kansas and I am trying to find a source that carries a speed block. My question to you is ...
  A: You may try Midwest block and brick. You can use quikrete fast wall or another surface bond cement ...
brick home with chimney8/22/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I purchased a home that has some sort of a leak on the wall where ceiling and wall meet directly ...
  A: You can try a few different sealers or a paint like drylock over the entire brick of the chimney. If ...
porch slab pitch8/21/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: Our porch slab is not allowing rainwater to drain away from the house; the water congregates into a ...
  A: I can see that there are low spots because the water standing in puddles. The other way to tell is ...
cement porch repair8/21/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: My front stoop has three corners that have broken off. I would like to repair these what is the best ...
  A: I have never adhered concrete pieces to concrete. For what the epoxy would cost and the trouble of ...
Window brick in.8/21/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: I'm in the middle of a remodel and need to brick in a window. I am trying to make the window brick ...
  A: Use a grout bag. They look like big pastry bags sold by brick and stone tools. You will have to ...
cement porch repair8/20/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: My front stoop has three corners that have broken off. I would like to repair these what is the best ...
  A: It depends on how big of a repair you are doing. You can clean the area very well then apply a ...
Crack line in a new home8/19/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: We are currently building a new home. It is being rocked in a TexasMix stone. The masonry workers ...
  A: I have not done that one my stone work in new construction. I have had cheap and poorly manufactured ...
pavers8/18/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: Do I have to coat the pavers used on top of my front entrance steps? How do I remove the dust that ...
  A: If they are natural stone, you do not have to coat them. I would ask the place you bought the ...
pavers8/18/2008Dan Donavin
  Q: Do I have to coat the pavers used on top of my front entrance steps? How do I remove the dust that ...
  A: Pavers can be used anywhere you want a hard solid surface and can but a solid base under. Pavers ...

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