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Walked past a 1960s brick wall I helped repoint 5 years ago
I was on a job over on Elm Street last Wednesday and took a detour past that old church we worked on back in 2019. The mortar we used was a custom lime mix I blended myself after reading an old handbook. I figured it would last maybe 10 years tops given the weather around here. To my surprise, not a single crack or crumble showed. The joints still looked tight and the bricks barely had any staining. That mix held up better than the portland cement stuff I see fail after 3 seasons. What's your go to mix for older brick that you swear by?
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val_taylor2mo ago
Yeah I hear you on the lime putty. I used to be a portland cement guy all the way, thought it was stronger and easier to work with. But after seeing that job I did hold up so well, I started experimenting with lime based mixes. That 3:1 sand ratio you mentioned @joseph_west59 is pretty close to what I ended up using on that church wall, and honestly it changed my whole outlook. The brick just breathes better and the mortar seems to flex with the temperature changes instead of cracking. I still use portland for newer stuff but for anything pre 1960 I'm all lime now.
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