Just realized how much I miss lime mortar after a job in a 1910 row house

Had to choose between repointing with modern type N or mixing up a batch of lime putty like they used to do. I went with the lime after the owner found a receipt from 1927 for the original work, figured it matched the old soft brick better. It took twice as long and cost me an extra $80 in materials but the mortar dried way softer and the joints look exactly like the originals. Any of you guys ever switch back to lime on old work and regret it?

3 comments

3 Comments

olivia39820d ago

Mixed it twice in the last year. First time I forgot to soak the bricks first. Sucked all the water out of the mortar in twenty seconds. Had to chip it all out and start over. Real dumb move on my part.

martinez.kim19d ago

Honestly that's just life though, you always learn the hard way after messing up the first time.

torres.grant19d ago

Does the extra labor even hurt your bottom line if you're billing hourly? Soft mortar might be slower to mix but it saves headaches later when the brick starts spalling from modern hard stuff. I bet the owner was happier too since the work actually matched the house's history.