A low brick wing of the school in Lynn in 2019, one dark band running the length of the buff brick wall
Case File 073

Darkening Light Brick in a Lynn School Soldier Band

A dark band of brick on this school ran too light in places. The company that made the brick paid to have the light units darkened. It was photographed again eighteen years later and certified then.

Case No. 073
Structure School
Location Lynn, Indiana
Stained October 2001
Re-photographed July 2019
Elapsed 18 years, Gold level

2001

  1. The upper wall of the school in 2001 with two dark soldier bands running across it and an aluminium ladder standing against the buff brick below During, 2001 View this photo larger
  2. An applicator on a ladder working along the dark band at the corner of the school in 2001, with ladders, timber and a site bin on the tarmac below During, 2001 View this photo larger

What was wrong

Nothing had failed and nothing was dirty. Too many of the units inside the dark soldier bands had come out light, so the band did not read as a band. The file puts it in twelve words: the band of brick had too many light brick in the range.

It was hired by the brick manufacturer, not the school and not the mason.

What was done

Mineral stain, brushed on by hand, unit by unit. Only the light brick inside the band were darkened; the buff field brick above and below was left as laid. The phrase in the file is tightened up the wide range in the dark brown soldier bands.

2019, eighteen years on

  1. A low brick wing of the school in 2019 with a tall gymnasium block behind it, one dark band running the length of the buff brick wall and the Brickman certified stamp in the corner of the frame 2019 View this photo larger
  2. A stretch of the school wall in 2019 with the dark soldier band across the top, dark headers scattered through the buff brick and a concrete walk along its base 2019 View this photo larger
  3. One bay of the school wall in 2019 between two expansion joints, the dark band above and the buff field brick running down to the walk 2019 View this photo larger
  4. Close view of the dark band in 2019, its upright units reading as one dark brown range against the buff and cream brick above and below 18 Years After View this photo larger

What eighteen years prove

Same wall, same bands, and a range that is still tight. On the certification scale that is Gold, which covers fifteen years and over. As of 2026 the work is twenty-five years old, and the 2019 certification is the most recent record on it.

The signed file

Every certified job gets the same form, signed on the day someone goes back to the building. This is the one for case 073, transcribed beside the scan so it can be read on a phone and by a search engine.

Scan of the case study form for case 073, filled in and signed View the signed form full size
Project name
School in Lynn, IN (2001)
Level
Gold. The scale runs Bronze at seven to nine years, Silver at ten and over, Gold at fifteen and over, Platinum at twenty and over.
Hired by
The brick manufacturer
Reason for project
Complaint or problem
Issue
"The band of brick had too many light brick in the range."
What was corrected
"MCI darkened all of the light brick in the band."
Storyline
"MCI tightened up the wide range in the dark brown soldier bands by darkening the light brick. Looks great today! This project was a total success. We will make a return trip later to take pictures in better lighting."
Authorized
Donald A. Foster, signed, dated 07/20/2019
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