Chimney waterproofing that lets the brick breathe in Fontainebleau

A test area comes first

Product makers ask for a small test area on each surface before the whole chimney is treated. It shows how the masonry absorbs the product, whether the appearance changes and how much material the surface takes.

The test should include any earlier patches or repairs, because those can behave differently from the original brick. On a chimney in Fontainebleau, we apply the test with the same method we would use for the full job. If the result is not what you want, for example a darker look, we talk about it before going further.

Dealing with an earlier coating

A chimney may have been treated before, sometimes with a product nobody can name. An old coating can change how new treatment behaves, and some coatings stop a repellent from soaking in at all. It can also make the brick look different from patch to patch.

Tell us what you know about past treatments on your chimney in Fontainebleau, even roughly. The test area shows how the surface responds. If an old coating has to come off, that is a separate job with its own method and limits, and we discuss it before including it. The estimate is built on the surface as it actually is.

What the waterproofing estimate lists

A waterproofing estimate should show the full sequence, not just the coating. For a chimney in Fontainebleau, ours sets out the following, with each repair on its own line.

Anything that could change the plan, such as an old coating found during the test, is noted with how it would be handled. Upfront pricing covers the listed items, and changes come to you before they happen.

• Repairs to finish first, such as joints, brick or the top
• Cleaning and the drying time before treatment
• The product named, and the faces it covers
• Protection for glass, roofing and plants

Footing and cover on the roof during treatment

Treating a chimney usually means working from the roof around it. Tile and some other roofing can crack under careless footing, and overspray can mark the surface. The roof needs as much protection as the windows below.

We plan where we will stand and where equipment will rest, and we cover the roofing close to the faces being treated. If a tile is damaged during the work, we tell you and deal with it. The roof around the chimney is left as we found it.