That old lime mortar mix I tried on a 1920s house in Richmond just crumbled apart

Tried going traditional on a repoint job last month. Mixed it up myself based on some old timer's notes I found online. Looked good going in, but after two freeze thaw cycles it's basically dust. Found out the sand I used was too fine, didn't have enough aggregate to hold it together. Had to chip it all out and redo with a type N blend. Anyone else run into trouble trying to match old mortar specs for historic work?

3 comments

3 Comments

grace_knight7016d ago

No kidding. You went off old timer notes from the internet?

drew69016d ago

You really think a couple freeze thaws are enough to wreck a lime mortar job? Sounds more like the mix was off. You sure you waited long enough for it to cure?

vera_murphy16d ago

Old timer notes from the internet. What could go wrong, right? At least you got a free lesson in masonry physics before round two.