This is really not my thing. I don't generally enjoy this work, and don't have a lot of construction type experience, but I can follow instruction and get things done.
My barn has a fieldstone foundation and some parts of it has lost a fair bit of mortar. One part, behind the barn hill, has a few large stones, or a small section that looks like it wants to break off and looks just like the one in this video . To complicate things the barn hill has sunk a few inches over the last 20 or so years and I wonder if it's putting pressure on the foundation wall.
Either way, it needs to be fixed, I just have a few questions. I've done some internet research, and I could go to the lumber store and ask but I know there's some excellent knowledge and experience here.
What mortar should I use?
What, generally speaking, is the working temp I can get away with? It's not freezing here, but close, and it's a few degrees warmer inside. Should I wait till spring?
Any tips on application or any other things that might help?
Thanks
The This Old House video is fair, i would change a couple things. Use type S masonry premix but add a shovel of raw portland to the premix bag, mix to that consistency and use rubber gloves to pick it up and pack it in tight. If you wont have a 24 hour period above freezing i would wait till spring.
Thank you. I've looked into it a bit more, learned a little bit about the different types of mortar and I'm not as hesitant to take the job on as I initially was. As bad as that one little spot looks, it's apparently not out of the ordinary, and the rest looks really simple.
I am not a mason but have done a fair share of pointing fieldstone and brick over the years. At first I was apprehensive about doing it as I felt there was some magic to doing it and having it look good. Turns out, like anything else, it's just a days worth of practice and using your head and all is well. As stated above, a bag of Type Snfrom a local "big box store" will work just fine, but I add a bit of bonding agent to the mix. On my fieldstone veneer/brick, I use a product from the local masonary supply that has is called "veneer polymer modified" which already has the bonding agent in the mix. I use this to attach the stone to the wall and then the Type S to point it all as the color is the grey that I want. Your mix consistency will be determined by how it flows out of the bag.
The next thing is to pick up a mortar bag as it makes the job WAY LESS MESSY than just trying to do it by hand. I get the disposable bags from the masonary supply for 0.50¢ each and prefer them to the box store ones for small tip work. For large stones, the big bag works great for putting on lots of material quickly. Be sure to use rubber gloves when playing with the mortar or you will end up with some nasty burns on your fingers. It's not fun!
jgrewe
HalfDork
12/30/21 12:03 p.m.
In reply to lotusseven7 (Forum Supporter) :
I see your frosting bag and I raise you this Cox gun.
https://www.amazon.com/COX-41006-1-Quart-Capacity-Rotating/dp/B001FOSTPI
I bought one of these for some project years ago and I've ended up using it to grout tile jobs and even plaster work on drywall. The drywall trick is to shoot a bead of plaster into the corners and drag your corner trowel to spread it.It makes to worst part of the job almost fun.
