Re: {RenovateDSM} Question about mortar
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Jason Grinstead
Aug 10, 2016, 4:33:06 PM8/10/16
to renov...@googlegroups.com
Steve:
This is going back a bit, but thanks for the links in the email below.
Very educational.
My place on 44th and Ingersoll has (in my opinion) a good lime component in the mortar.
Do you know who in Des Moines sells this stuff?
Tired of pointing that doesn't match up.
Jason
707-1910
--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 11/17/15, Steve Wilke-Shapiro <swilke...@gmail.com> wrote:
Subject: Re: {RenovateDSM} Question about mortar
To: "RenovateDSM" <renov...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2015, 2:14 PM
A few
comments on mortar... In general, historic masonry walls
were "designed" with the mortar as the weak
link. That is, the mortar is intended to deteriorate
before the brick, stone, or tile - the "softness"
of the mortar is MUCH more important to a longstanding
historic masonry wall than the PSI. A mortar that has too
much portland in relation to the "hardness" of the
brick or tile will tend to cause premature failure in the
actual masonry units (the why is a much deeper discussion),
which is much more difficult to repair than periodic
repointing of the mortar joints.
For a couple hundred dollars,
there are places that will analyze the chemical composition
and solids (sand) of a mortar sample. I have used Dave
Arbogast several times for this analysis (http://www.mortaranalysis.biz/).
You will receive back a report that your mason can use to
replicate the actual mortar.
My experience has been that higher
portland (harder) mixes are generally more contemporary -
there may have been some portland in your original mortar,
but not as high a mix as would be used in a new masonry wall
today. That said, there may be circumstances where it
would be okay to use a mortar with slightly higher portland
content in a foundation wall where it will not be subject to
freeze-thaw cycles.
The best source for information is
the National Park Service Preservation Brief 2 (http://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/2-repoint-mortar-joints.htm).
Steve
On Tue, Nov 17, 2015 at
12:55 PM, Kelli Lydon <kelli....@gmail.com>
wrote:
Re-posting a question received via email:
I have a 1909 Drake
neighborhood house that needs a little mortar
foundation repair in places. How does someone go about
determining the
PSI and correct mix of portland and lime? From my limited
research it
seems portland was being used during this time. Mortar is
soft and
easily scraped out in spots, (the spots where the clay tile
has sloughed
the paint that someone did everywhere, the places where the
paint is
holding up well the mortar is solid). I have clay tile
switched to
brick for the top 2 feet.
The three ratios I've
found
Sand, Lime,
Portland
6,1,1 - 750
psi9,2,1 - 350 psi3,1,1 - 75
psi
Is there anyone who
would have knowledge on this?
--
Kelli
Lydonabout.me/kelli.a.lydon
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renov...@googlegroups.com (subject to moderation)
* Read the group rules at http://groups.google.com/group/renovatedsm/web/group-rules
Visit the DSMRC online at http://RenovateDSM.org
BECOME MEMBER OF THE DES MOINES REHABBERS CLUB at http://ow.ly/LahEi
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This is going back a bit, but thanks for the links in the email below.
Very educational.
My place on 44th and Ingersoll has (in my opinion) a good lime component in the mortar.
Do you know who in Des Moines sells this stuff?
Tired of pointing that doesn't match up.
Jason
707-1910
--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 11/17/15, Steve Wilke-Shapiro <swilke...@gmail.com> wrote:
Subject: Re: {RenovateDSM} Question about mortar
To: "RenovateDSM" <renov...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2015, 2:14 PM
A few
comments on mortar... In general, historic masonry walls
were "designed" with the mortar as the weak
link. That is, the mortar is intended to deteriorate
before the brick, stone, or tile - the "softness"
of the mortar is MUCH more important to a longstanding
historic masonry wall than the PSI. A mortar that has too
much portland in relation to the "hardness" of the
brick or tile will tend to cause premature failure in the
actual masonry units (the why is a much deeper discussion),
which is much more difficult to repair than periodic
repointing of the mortar joints.
For a couple hundred dollars,
there are places that will analyze the chemical composition
and solids (sand) of a mortar sample. I have used Dave
Arbogast several times for this analysis (http://www.mortaranalysis.biz/).
You will receive back a report that your mason can use to
replicate the actual mortar.
My experience has been that higher
portland (harder) mixes are generally more contemporary -
there may have been some portland in your original mortar,
but not as high a mix as would be used in a new masonry wall
today. That said, there may be circumstances where it
would be okay to use a mortar with slightly higher portland
content in a foundation wall where it will not be subject to
freeze-thaw cycles.
The best source for information is
the National Park Service Preservation Brief 2 (http://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/2-repoint-mortar-joints.htm).
Steve
On Tue, Nov 17, 2015 at
12:55 PM, Kelli Lydon <kelli....@gmail.com>
wrote:
Re-posting a question received via email:
I have a 1909 Drake
neighborhood house that needs a little mortar
foundation repair in places. How does someone go about
determining the
PSI and correct mix of portland and lime? From my limited
research it
seems portland was being used during this time. Mortar is
soft and
easily scraped out in spots, (the spots where the clay tile
has sloughed
the paint that someone did everywhere, the places where the
paint is
holding up well the mortar is solid). I have clay tile
switched to
brick for the top 2 feet.
The three ratios I've
found
Sand, Lime,
Portland
6,1,1 - 750
psi9,2,1 - 350 psi3,1,1 - 75
psi
Is there anyone who
would have knowledge on this?
--
Kelli
Lydonabout.me/kelli.a.lydon
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to
"RenovateDSM" - the official e-mail discussion
group for the Des Moines Rehabbers Club.
* To post a message to the group, send the message to renov...@googlegroups.com
(subject to moderation)
* Read the group rules at http://groups.google.com/group/renovatedsm/web/group-rules
Visit the DSMRC online at http://RenovateDSM.org
BECOME MEMBER OF THE DES MOINES REHABBERS CLUB at http://ow.ly/LahEi
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the
Google Groups "RenovateDSM" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails
from it, send an email to renovatedsm...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to
"RenovateDSM" - the official e-mail discussion
group for the Des Moines Rehabbers Club.
* To post a message to the group, send the message to
renov...@googlegroups.com (subject to moderation)
* Read the group rules at http://groups.google.com/group/renovatedsm/web/group-rules
Visit the DSMRC online at http://RenovateDSM.org
BECOME MEMBER OF THE DES MOINES REHABBERS CLUB at http://ow.ly/LahEi
---
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