The Sprunk House, built in the classic unreinforced masonry style common to Seattle’s historic properties, faced a critical structural threat. Over the course of a decade, moisture had penetrated the facade, reaching the steel angle irons (lintels) that support the brickwork above the windows.

This exposure triggered “oxide jacking”—a process where rusting steel expands up to seven times its original thickness. This expansion exerted immense upward pressure on the masonry, causing the roof structure to buckle and threatening the building’s stability. The property required an immediate, heavy-duty intervention to correct a superficial repair made years prior and to ensure the building’s safety for the future.