Lime Mortar Repointing

Lime mortar is the material used in traditional building, before the invention on Portland cement and the modern building industry. Buildings originally built with lime mortar should be repaired with lime mortar. Preservation Works Ltd. is a historically appropriate masonry restoration company that specializes in the repair of lime mortar buildings and is producing a series of video's to visually explain the way lime mortar repointing is done and why it should be done and why it costs a bit more to do the repair correctly the first time.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• lime mortar repointing
• lime mortar restoration
• tuckpointing
• brick repair
• www.preservationworks.us
• repoint
• Preservation Brief
• historic Easton
• how to repoint
• lime mortar

[terry4144]

if mortar is too wet (especially lime) you get more shrinkage cracks

[PreservationWorks]

Yes this is true but I have found that the worry is generally unjustified. "Slightly" wetter mortar is easier to work with and less physically demanding on the applicator. The wall in this video had no shrinkage cracking for example. A greater problem concerning cracks is allowing the mortar to dry out too quickly either because the wall was not sufficiently wet before installation or because it was not protected from sun and wind after installation.

[13R1CK4]

Nice video. Just wondering if you ever have trouble with the mortar cracking when it dries? Looks like it is way to wet. Also when architects specify pointing depth it is usually one and a half of joint width. The first wall in the looked as if it was a 5/8" wide joint cut to 3/8" depth.

[PreservationWorks]

Thanks for the compliment. I never had any cracking problems with "slightly" wet lime mortar. It is more important to have a damp substrata and to keep the mortar from drying out too quickly, this is the root of most cracking in my experience. The joints were 3/8" not 5/8" and were cut back 3/4 to 1" or a depth of at least twice the height as per historic restoration recommendations detailed in Preservation Brief 2- which is where most architects get their knowledge of historic restoration.

[mattyjenk]

2 parts aggregate one part lime 3.5 hydraulic lime would be the best mix for lime pointing (agregate can be concreting sand)

[jcdungabsanbar]

please tell me exactly what the ratio and proportion of your mortar is. thanks

[jcdungabsanbar]

please tell me exactly what the ratio and proportion of your mortar is. thanks

[MrQuijibo]

@13R1CK4 You can see 1/4" difference on this video? Thats 6mm in real money, sorry dude, i doubt your powers.

[pharoahsoulero]

spalling

[preservationworks524]

@MultiSpread Not sure what dpc's refer to but we do not use portland cement. In situations with damp rise, I try to change pitch of grade which can be cause of damp rise and I use an NHL 3.5 near the ground. I have heard that this is a place where water repellants with silanes/siloxanes might be good to keep water from penetrating bricks but I have no experience and these products make me nervous for possible long term damage

[MultiSpread]

Do you guys put in dpc 's in your brickwork 150mm above ground? Im from the uk and i was wondering if you guys did. Also do you get rising damp?

[heeswijks]

Look this video at HEESWIJKS its have skills