Publisher’s version / Version de l'éditeur:
Technical Note (National Research Council of Canada. Division of Building Research), 1957-04-01
READ THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS WEBSITE.
https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/copyright
Vous avez des questions? Nous pouvons vous aider. Pour communiquer directement avec un auteur, consultez la première page de la revue dans laquelle son article a été publié afin de trouver ses coordonnées. Si vous n’arrivez pas à les repérer, communiquez avec nous à PublicationsArchive-ArchivesPublications@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.
Questions? Contact the NRC Publications Archive team at
PublicationsArchive-ArchivesPublications@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca. If you wish to email the authors directly, please see the first page of the publication for their contact information.
NRC Publications Archive
Archives des publications du CNRC
For the publisher’s version, please access the DOI link below./ Pour consulter la version de l’éditeur, utilisez le lien DOI ci-dessous.
https://doi.org/10.4224/20359152
Access and use of this website and the material on it are subject to the Terms and Conditions set forth at
Exterior Painting Proposed for the Mortimer Building, Nicholas Street, Ottawa
Gibbons, E. V.
https://publications-cnrc.canada.ca/fra/droits
L’accès à ce site Web et l’utilisation de son contenu sont assujettis aux conditions présentées dans le site LISEZ CES CONDITIONS ATTENTIVEMENT AVANT D’UTILISER CE SITE WEB.
NRC Publications Record / Notice d'Archives des publications de CNRC: https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/view/object/?id=e51c79a7-a6d8-403f-ac9d-7c83776e9e5e https://publications-cnrc.canada.ca/fra/voir/objet/?id=e51c79a7-a6d8-403f-ac9d-7c83776e9e5e
DIVISION OF BUILDING RESEARCH
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF CANADA
No.
224
NOTE
'f
ECIHI N II CAlL
."
NOT FOR PUBLICATION FOR INTERNAL USE
PREPARED BY E. V. G. CHECKED BY R. F. L. APPROVED BY R. F. L. PREPARED FOR Department of Publio Works ｾ April, 1957
SUBJECT Exterior Painting Proposed for the Mortimer
Building, Nicholas street , Ottawa
A vislt was made to the Mortimer Building at the request
of the Director following a telephone conversation with Dr.
E. A. Gardner, Chief Architeot, Building Oonstruotion Branoh
of .the Department of Publio Works oonoerning the exterior painting proposed in the renovation plans for this building.
A private arohiteot was engaged to prepare plans and specifioations
for the interior and exterior ohanges and a oontract Vias recently
awarded to oover the work. Visit to Building
The building is one of the responsibilities of Mr. Langley
of Dr. Gardner's staff and arrangements were made through him to
meet with Mr. Berry at the building on the ai'ternoon of January
9 to examine the outside walls
va
th Illessrs. Harris, Hi"tohie andGibbons of the Division of Building Research. Approximately one
hour was spent with Mr. Berry in examining the exterior waUs
and disoussing the changes planned for the building.
Use of Building
At present the m:ortimer Building is occupied by branches
of the ｄ･ｰ｡ｲｾｭ･ｮｴ of National Defence and the Department of
Public Printing and Stationery. These branohes are engaged in
the preparation and printing of publications of a restricted
nature. They are expected to vacate the building in the near
future. After renovations are completed i t will provide
accommo-dation for the Port of Ottawa CUstoms Warehouse. Description of Building
ｾＱ･ building is a five-storey red brick struoture
approximately 100 x 140 feet. The walls are of solid brick
construction. The north side of the building is abutted by a
three-storey red brick bUilding. The south side has a onQ-storey
receiving area attaohed to i t extending to an elevator shaft at the southwest corner.
2
-ｾＱＰ wall on the Nicholas Street side was built of a hard-pressed brick and, except for a ferl locations where rc- . pointing is needed, it appears ·to be in exc0110n-1; condition.
This 1'vall has an ovc::chnnc that providoD good pro'taction f':COill the
rain. , !l1],1.e other walls do not have this; they ure covered with
coping stones on the parapet.
The brick-nork of' the remaininf; \'valls is in much v::orse
condition. A Qtfferent type of clay brick was used ulld possibly a reddish sand-lime brick was used in the construction of tho
elevator shaft. Isolated repairs have been made to those walls; much repoin·l;ing is needed and a number of vlCatheJ::'cd bricles .should be replaced. There are also areas which have been paintecl by advertising companies.
Proposed Renovation Work
The building is to be fireproofed, windows are to be added, and existine wooden sash and frames are to be replaced by alulninum \vll'ldows. A c;ranite facade \olill coyer the first two storeys 0'£ the Nicholas Street side. The rCD"..ainder of the ex-terior is to be painted ｾＧ､ th a latex-base paint. Dr. Gardner
wants to establish that painting is necessary in the first instance since, if the building is painted now, it will require repainting periodically to maintain a good appearance. No air-conditioning equipment for the building is included in the renovation.
Anticipated Problems
Two expo ... urcs of the huildir..g, the south and VlestJ require
considerable repair to the masonry and both are easily seen from Laurier Avenue and the surrounding area. In view of the masonry repairs necessary, it is possible that the bUilding vdll have a patched-up appearanoe unless it is painted. How well the repaired areas will blend in with their surroundings cannot be lmovm until after the Viork is done, but there vdll probably be a noticeable
contrast between the old and new masonry for many years. The advertising signs on upper portions of the south wall may be difficult to remove vlithout blemishing the immediate area.
If the walls of the building are painted they will
require repainting periodically despite good weathering properties of' the particular coating. Cases have come to our eilten·lilon of spalled ｢ｺｾ｣ｫｳ on other buildings where oil-painted advertisement signs have been applied to the masonry. lliis is thought due to
the impervious coating of paint which prevented moisture from escaping. This i n tunl, may have led to ｦｲ･･ＺＢｾｩｮｧ of the brick v,rhila very wet.
It is known that the risk of damage by freezing increases vlith tl.le degree of' saturation at the time of :freezing. It is
3
-side of a wall, and if the exterior is relatively impermeable, moisture can build up behind the impermeable coating. Thera:fore, if coatings are used they should be pormeable to wate= vapour.
ｾＱ･ｲ･ are limited data only, on the permeability o:f
paints of various kinds on masonry. It is probable that in some cases impermeable coatings have been applied without serious oonsequences. Latex emulsion paints, made vdth either vin.rl
acetate ｯｾ acrylic resins, have been used extensively and with apparent success on masonry structures in recent years. The satisfactory per:formancc of ｯｩｬｾ｢｡ｳ･ paints :formulated for use on masonry has also been reported. Cement-base paints, while having the desirable breathing characteristics, require careful application and curing o:f the coating to make them resistant to weathering.
Recommendations
Mr. Berry's suggestion to have the masonry repairs ｾ､･
and the walls cleaned, be:fore deciding whether or not to paint is sound. This Division, if requested, will be pleased to assist
i n a re-examination at that time. We believe however, that despite
precautions in repainting, rebricldng of certain areas, and
thorough cleaning it will be most difficult to present an exterior
i n keeping with other features of the building. It is 'bel.leved
therefore, that the walls will require painting and, if this is done, a breathing type of coating 1s recommended.
To preserve the life of the paint coating and the masonry in general, it is also recommended that the parapets be examined carefully and adequate flasl1ing be installed. If the building is painted this will prevent moisture from entering the wall from the top and being trapped behind the paint surface.
