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Older house: Lime mortar?

  • 01-07-2012 8:43am
    #1
    wildefalcon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 936 ✭✭✭


    Good morning!

    I need to re-point the footings of the house, it's early 1900's sandstone construction.

    How can I tell definitely whether it's concrete or lime mortar? The mortar is very grey, but very crumbly.


    Or would it be smarter/safer to just point it up in lime?

    Thanks all!
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    BryanF
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 10,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭BryanF


    ask brendankelly hes around here somewhere

    when you say footings, I presume the internal fl is above this?


  • #3
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,223 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    wildefalcon wrote: »
    Good morning!

    I need to re-point the footings of the house, it's early 1900's sandstone construction.

    How can I tell definitely whether it's concrete or lime mortar? The mortar is very grey, but very crumbly.


    Or would it be smarter/safer to just point it up in lime?

    Thanks all!
    Yes it is lime mortar, and yes the new pointing should most definitely be a lime mortar.
    Pointing with sand & cement in a case like this causes all sorts of serious problems, later.


  • #4
    wildefalcon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 936 ✭✭✭wildefalcon


    Yes, I was aware of the concrete being too strong for the older property/flexibility and breath-ability issues and all.

    Oh, and yes, the internal floor level is above the footings, and there are air bricks.

    Right, better get a bucket of lime putty and leave it to mature for the job.

    Thank you.


  • #5
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,223 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    Much better to get a bag or two of hydraulic lime mortar (NHL 2.5) from one of the suppliers below.
    Mix it at around 3 parts sand to one part mortar, add water until it's the consistency of melting cheese, and away you go.

    It's wonderful stuff to work with.

    See here
    &
    here


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