Star bolt installation adds visible exterior hardware to your rowhome facade — the star-shaped or geometric cast iron or steel plate that gives these systems their name. In Philadelphia, star bolt plates are common on pre-1950 brick rowhomes and are generally accepted as a historically appropriate repair method.
Many homeowners and buyers in South Philly, Fishtown, Kensington, and other neighborhoods consider visible star plates a normal feature of older brick buildings — not a defect.
The plates are typically 4 to 8 inches in diameter and finished in black or galvanized steel. NK Construction installs plates in locations determined by the structural assessment and can discuss placement to minimize visual impact where the structural plan allows. The surrounding masonry repair after installation is done to match the existing mortar color and joint profile as closely as possible.