Lime Mortor

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Permalink Reply by Martin on December 30, 2010 at 4:18am

I just order premixed lime based mortar. It has worked great for me so far, and the place offers many "stock" colors. Trying to find hydrated lime type S is next to impossible in my area (near Dayton OH). Here is a link to the site if interested:

http://www.palimeworks.com/lwus/default.asp?page=ecologic.html

 

It is kind of nice that you just mix and go..instead of trying to figure out the formula and components for mortar. Hope that gives you some ideas.

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Permalink Reply by Randall Marder on December 30, 2010 at 11:11am

if you have sanded soft brick, it is important that the mortar mix you use is soft enough not to damage your bricks.

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Permalink Reply by Martin on December 31, 2010 at 11:22am

Randall is totally right on that one!

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Permalink Reply by Dennis M. Crookshanks on January 2, 2011 at 2:15pm

US Heritage might be able to help. Or google John Speiwak.

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Permalink Reply by Richard Himmel on July 17, 2011 at 3:41pm

I hope I'm not too late to reply to this.  The formula below was used extensively in the East Row Historic District in Newport, KY while I lived there.  Tuck pointing the brick on an old house is tedious work and being careful to make the mortar the proper hardness will ensure your brick will last.  If the mortar is too hard the face of the brick will spall.  Good luck.

Mortor Recipe for Historic Masonry Repair

 

4 C white, non-staining Portland Cement

1X5 Gal bucket hydrated lime

2x5 Gal buckets sand

Water

 

A proportion of 1 part lime to 2 parts sand is useful as a starting point.  No more than 20% of the total volume of the lime and cement combined should be Portland cement.  Any greater amount of cement increases the hardness of the repointing mortar to a potentially damaging level.

Color matching should be accomplished by using buff colored sand and tinting powder

 

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