Long Beach
California, USA
Extensive patching was necessary to address the failing terra cotta decorative facade of the Lafayette HOA high-rise. Conditions had reached a point where units were falling off the building. In general, free-standing and exposed terra cotta detailing tends to deteriorate faster than other facade elements. Glaze spalling occurs when trapped moisture moves to the surface, building up pressure behind the glaze, eventually pushing pieces off the face of the unit. This can pose a serious safety hazard for the public.
To repair the terra cotta, we patched it in place, hand sculpting the new terra cotta to match the original, and blend with the surrounding units. We then added a glaze to match the original. No custom casting was necessary.
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