Find what to do today, this weekend, or in December. If you stick to the 3:1 ratio method, you should be fine. When i check for the water depth with a string and weight, i hit water at 15'. Sand - A variety of sands are available throughout the country and should be chosen in terms of colour and texture to match original mortar and complement the stone. Looking at other articles, most suggest a 3-1 mix too strong and suggest 5-1, and the best mix is using lime. Use a screwdriver and hammer or a mortar rake for removing old mortar. The most important thing to consider when repointing an old chimney is that you don’t want a mortar that cures a lot harder than the old brick. MaxiPoint flexible pointing provides a Non-Cracking, fade resistant alternative to sand cement and oxide pointing work. Lime mortars for lime pointing are generally softer and more porous compared to mixes using cement therefore allowing moisture to evaporate from the joints more freely. Question #1 how do I determine the size screen point to use If I use a 2" casing pipe with a 3/4" wash pipe in the center I should be able to sample the sand at different depths and measure (micrometer) the granules from the up flow. If you can see any cracking or a sandy texture, then add more cement. Black mortar uses crushed ash rather than sand. The mortar is made of 7 parts sharp sand, 1 part lime and 1 part cement (no more! In … Then along came Resi-Dual from Resiply – perfect pointing every time. 3. Sand colours differ from region to region so some builders merchants will source their sand from a particular area so you will need to make sure its the same sand throughout the pointing job to achieve the same colour mortar. Roof cement is primarily used to hold roof tiles, hip tiles and ridge tiles securely in place, it also keeps out rainwater. (Although if you don't crack them, you can usually reuse ridge tiles.) Historical Background 2. If a jobs worth doing, it's worth doing well. You can match one heaped trowel worth of cement to three trowels worth of sand. I don't measure it, but put in say 1/3rd of a cupful into a bucket for example. Then, pour four buckets of sand into the mixer to produce standard patio mortar mix or three buckets for a patio pointing mix. Repointing brick or stone is not as simple as it sounds. If you're mixing in a cement mixer for a larger job, then the easiest way to add the water is to spray it in with a hose. Now I know how easy it can be i'll give it a try. Find prepared holiday dinners, uncooked meats, side dishes, appetizers, and more. So if you are talking to a masonry company about repointing your pre-1900’s brick or stone house, insist they use Lancaster Lime Works mortar. Sands can also be mixed together on occasion to get the best of both worlds. Houses built prior to the 1950's used site-mixed mortars rich in lime. But a trowel worth of sand or cement more per bucket here or there won't make a difference. Sand is the major component of a mortar mix and will vary depending upon where it is sourced, which can be on land or sea-dredged. hello, i want to use white mortar to repoint my walls of my house. The best of the resin-based slurry grouts are superb products, offering speedy and sound jointing with minimal effort. Best Dining in Sand Point, Alaska: See Tripadvisor traveler reviews of Sand Point restaurants and search by cuisine, price, location, and more. So if you're going to do it, then do it right! loose mortar or sand. The most commonly used mortar in pointing and repointing projects is Type N, O and K. Type N is 1 part Portland cement, 1 part lime and 6 parts sand. I have driven this down just over 20'. I mostly use red sand, because it's darker and doesn't stand out so much. Standard mix for wall pointing: 5 parts building sand, 1 part cement, add plasticiser to manufacturers instructions. Pointing is undertaken when the Slabs have been laid and given time to dry (normally 24-48 hours) and must be done in dry, frost free conditions, to allow the pointing mortar adequate time to dry and harden. The durability of the wall is highly influenced by the quality of the mortar joints and interior cell grout. The plasticiser is important to make the mortar easier to work with, and it also stops the mortar from cracking when it dries. You must remove the defective mortar from the area and clean the joint to prepare the area. Clean dust and debris from the area with a paintbrush. Its very difficult to clean up afterwards. Repointing the brick where mortar has fallen out, worn away, or is just too deep. Rake it out and do it properly! Good sand that is clean and dry will have a theoretical void ratio of 33%. Make sure that you keep your trowel clean. Question #2 is there a collation between the gradual size and well point mesh size Thanks in advance KHB1 Robert C. Mack, FAIA, and John P. Speweik 1. How to Mix the Sand and Cement. Rain Defence (author) from UK on August 08, 2015: You're best to use red sand in my opinion. Concrete sand works very well, however, mason sand is sometimes used instead. I have many years of experience mixing and working with mortar and love to share my expertise to help others complete DIY projects at home. Black mortar uses crushed ash rather than sand. Applying the sand is the last step in making a paver patio, path or driveway. Looking at other articles, most suggest a 3-1 mix too strong and suggest 5-1, and the best mix is using lime. Randall Cornell on July 31, 2015: This sort of damage can take decades to occur but it is important to repair the pointing as necessary otherwise water will increasingly penetrate and damage the wall. I want just a plain grey mortar finish, best to use a yellow sand? So i have 5' of water. Best Seller in Sand. This is especially true if your house was built prior to the 1950's. The wetter you make it (up to a point) the stronger it will be but the more messy, a pointing gun allows a nice wet mix without creating havoc. Mix dry, then add the water. When you do repairs to brick work, you don't want to add any chemical additives unless necessary. Shop from the world's largest selection and best deals for Pointing Guns. The mortar is normally a mix of lime and sand, or from the 1920s cement and sand. Kiln Dried Paving Sand - Joint Filling Brushing in Sand Natural 22KG (1) 3.6 out of 5 stars 4. … The mix is then dark. Rain Defence (author) from UK on September 27, 2013: You'll be fine, just take your time and don't forget the gloves! It is used in nearly every part of the construction industry. to make it red how much oxide do I use? If using a barrow, you can fit two bags of sand and two-thirds of a bag of cement in there without overfilling. Each sand has been selected for specific applications and areas of use. First, you sweep off the tops of the pavers. Neither of these types of sand, however, is the best fit for filling in paver joints. Not fussed about the cost of the polymeric ones if they are better but seems to be conflicting reviews! After emptying it out, put some water and loose half bricks or pebbles in there, let it swill round, and empty it out again. I mostly use red sand, because it's darker and doesn't stand out so much. Type K mortar has the lowest compressive strength @ 75 PSI., The recipe: 1 part Portland, 3 parts lime, and 10 parts sand. Cement and sand, with the addition of plasticizer or lime (all mixed with water)makes a building or pointing mortar. I would remove all of the cement and start again,cement mortar in old buildings can cause damp and condensation problems so I’d strongly suggest going with a lime pointing with either 2 and a half sharp/ building sand and 1 lime then either finish in weather struck or a beaten finish If you have large gaps to fill, then put a layer of mortar in rough and leave it to dry for a few hours. Just don't forget the plasticiser! Make sure that you add the water slowly and let the mixer do the hard work. If you only need a small amount of mortar, then it can be alright to do it in a bucket. But now and again, you'll still need to add a touch more sand or cement. Pointing is the implementing of joints to a depth of 10 mm to 20 mm and filling it with better quality mortar in desired shape. Compared to polymeric sand, premium joint sand takes less absorption and drying time which makes the restoration process faster and more efficient. Masonry repair work can not only damage but destroy old homes, unless you are an informed consumer and know what to ask.You the homeowner are responsible for protecting your home. The mortar is normally a mix of lime and sand, or from the 1920s cement and sand. Preparation: Any existing defective pointing must be raked out to a depth usually equal to twice the width It is of utmost importance to test the sand for our lime putty for: Void Space/Particle Size/Shape/Distribution. Pointing is the finishing of mortar joints in brick or stone masonry construction. First Class Brickwork, it is perfect for load bearing walls as the minimum crushing strength of the bricks used is 105 Kg per sq The cement sand ratio for brick masonry is 1:3 to 1:6. Thanks a lot i have been dreading doing it but now not so much so. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Type K is 1 part cement, 4 parts lime and 15 parts sand. as required. Sand Point - Mo's Wine & Spirits. So unless you have a specific reason to use yellow sand to match what you may already have on there, I'd recommend red. Generally, NHL2 or air dried lime putty mortars are employed internally with either NHL2, 3.5 or lime putty with pozzolan additives tend to be used externally. It's also a good idea to use goggles when you're using a mixer, as it can be pretty painful if some does happen to splash into your eye. is it ok to use silver sand with the white cement as i believe that silver sands keeps the cement white. You don't want this! For bedding under the slabs use 5 parts sharp sand, 1 part soft sand and 1 cement. If you dont want to use a gun then a semidry mix well compacted and ironed in is the next best … For best results ude a 50:50 mix of fine and sharp sand, plus the cement … In this type, mortar is pressed hard in the raked joints and by finishing off flush with … Oregon State also recommends allowing everything to … In the first, he cuts back into the joint at least 3 inches. Proven on roofs for over 20 years. As a general rule, you should remove mortar from inside the pointing site at a depth that is at least the same thickness as the mortar joint. furniturez from Washington on August 08, 2012: Awesome stuff, I was looking around for something like this for a few weeks! As you point, you will need to repeatedly clean the trowel off on the side of the bucket or something similar to keep it clean and clear. Richard T. Kreh, author of 'Building with Masonry', gives his advice on choosing a mortar for repointing bricks. What’s more it’s easy to use, if you can sweep sand you can use Resi-Dual quickly and easily. What most roofers do is put the mortar line down, then use broken pieces of tile between the ridge tiles—mixed in with the mortar—to add some strength. Flush out any remaining particles with a garden hose equipped with a spray attachment. A more accurate definition is that it is the visible edge of the mortar-joint. You must remove the defective mortar from the area and clean the joint to prepare the area. For joints which are less than ½ an inch (13mm) you should use silver sand. Things to Do in Sandpoint, Idaho: See Tripadvisor's 10,147 traveler reviews and photos of Sandpoint tourist attractions. Patio slabs or exposed brickwork, you may need a stronger mix. Incorrect pointing causes irreparable damage to older buildings. Add sand at a 3:1 ratio. Flush Pointing. You want the mortar to stick to the trowel a bit, but not stick so completely that it slides off very slowly. For instance, if the original mortar analysis indicates additives, usually oyster shells or horsehair, you should add those into the pointing mortar. It should be hard, durable and free from contaminates such as soluble salts. And it can fly quite a distance, so be careful! Use a small pointed trowel for this to ensure a good bond. If sharp, the void structure will be even more efficient. If your soil is high in clay or contains many large rocks, a sand point well may not be the best choice for your home. Many thanks. This knowledge can be very useful for various DIY projects around the house, including roofing work like the bedding or pointing of ridge tiles, replacing bricks and pointing stone or brickwork. The oyster shells should be thoroughly washed and dried before crushing them. A general rule of thumb: If the building was built in the 20th or 21st centuries, the mortar is most likely made of Portland cement, comprising common lime, sand and water. If you put too much water in too quickly, it will start splashing out everywhere. If the building predates the 20th century, the portions of lime and sand are different, making it a different composition. It doesn't take long for you to feel the effects, so it's best to just wear protection for your hands from the onset. If you're mixing by hand, then you'll need either a bucket or a board, depending on how much mortar you need. Resi-Dual is taking the industry by storm for it’s ease of use, high quality and long lasting joint. If you are repointing a historical site, you may want to take a small piece and have it analysed. Hydrating the old mortar area helps reduce the occurrence of mortar shrinkage due to the bricks absorbing moisture from the new mortar. This helps to restore the brickwork structurally and aesthetically. Cement is extremely cheap by the way so even if you bought 2 in case you messed up the mix it would cost you peanuts. If you do this while the mix has just been freshly made, it's a lot easier to clean out than if you let it dry. Handy Man Know How: Pointing brickwork and chimneys, Mac Online: Repointing (tuckpointing) brick masonry. From making mortar for the laying of bricks and stone in the construction of houses and homes to the building of garden walls and pointing of paving slabs. However, if you're seeking an inexpensive well installation option and your area's water table is within about 30 feet of the surface, a sand point well might be a good choice for you. A general rule of thumb: If the building was built in the 20th or 21st centuries, the mortar is most likely made of Portland cement, comprising common lime, sand and water. Depending on the age of the building, the mortar used to lay the stone or brick will either be made from lime, or more recently, cement. I am attempting to drive a sand point well at a property in northern Wisconsin that i recently purchased. Pointing of all kinds should be carried out on a dry day and when your patio itself is dry. I noticed some of my exterior walls require repointing. For older period homes, a lime-based should be used instead of cement. While there’s some flexibility in the amount of sand you use relative to the amount of mortar, a 3:1 ratio is generally best for brick walls. Where would we be without building sand. A two-step process to re-pointing stone walls . In order to repoint properly, you need to get as much of the old mortar out as possible. One of our sayings at Lancaster Lime Works is “Sand is not Sand is not Sand.” The mason’s sand at your local masonry supply company will vary from load to load. Resiply makes pointing pavings slabs as easy as 123. Replacing Bad Bricks Any bricks in the wall that are badly broken or deteriorated should be cut out and replaced prior to repointing. If it gets too sloppy, then add a bit more sand. We have reviews of the best places to see in Sandpoint. You can then go back and point it up with a bit more to finish. We would use a non-hydraulic, high-calcium, lime-sand mortar (contains no cement), which is not classified with ASTM specs, but would fall in the range of Type K in compressive strength. As the hardest wearing method, a sand and cement joint is generally considered the best way of pointing in on patios, particularly on Sandstone Paving, and quite often Slate. I’ve only made it once for curiosity’s sake only. Type K mortar is generally used only for interior or historical pointing of soft, hand-made brick. Soft sand is also known as building sand and contains fine grains of sand and is used for bricklaying, pointing and where thin layers of mortar are required. POINTING is the mortar between bricks. using the one cement and 3 sand formula for re capping rooftiles. Type K is 1 part cement, 4 parts lime and 15 parts sand. (It’s a sticky mess.) PointMaster Mortar Pointing Gun and grouting tool for masonry pointing, brickwork, ... Secondly, we add sharp sand and small stones into the mix, then re-mix, then reload the tool and continue pointing the same slabs, proving that small stones really won't block the nozzle. These main ingredients with more or less the same ratios are used in mortar today. Pointing mortar can be bought in various size bags from most DIY shops : Mix up a small amount of pointing mortar. Our lime putty is the best available. Sharp sand is more coarse than building/soft sand and is perfect for mixing with other sands to prevent cracking during the drying process. HI thanks for the very straght forward instruction ,on how to mix the right mix quantity, and good tips on actually doing the pointing job , just waiting for good weather now,cheers,mikey. If you are repointing a historical site, you may want to take a small piece and have it analysed. You want to keep mixing the mortar as you slowly add the water until you get the right consistency. You also need to check the mortar by smoothing it off in the bucket with the trowel. AMR Labs 817-366-8376 MortarLab@gmail.com . The most important thing to remember with a mixer is to not let the mortar dry in there. Premium joint sand is the best choice with it comes to refilling and restoring your missing paver joint sand. The only real downside up to now has been the cost, but as the market has developed, this has now settled at a level that makes this group of products reasonably competitive with the better cement-based proprietary brands. The sand colour will affect the finished mortar colour. The best sand to use for rendering is coarse sand, which can give a smooth finish appropriate for most vernacular buildings. If you use yellow sand the mix ends up pretty light in my opinion and isn't as appealing. Similarly, if you're repointing or rebedding ridge tiles, then it's normally worth taking off the old ones and cleaning off all the old mortar. 'Catch-up' pointing is best undertaken as soon as possible after the paving has been laid, and should be done on a fine day, when there is no chance of rain or frost. It is a brick house made in the 1920's. (It's a lot easier to mix it while it's dry.). This type of sand holds even when the mix is a little richer in lime than a standard pointing … Properties of Mortar 5. Then hose it out. After some advice on pointing, I'm about to lay approx 27m2 of Indian sandstone and have been debating with myself the pros and cons of traditional pointing versus the polymeric brush in types. And if it's too wet, then it will slide out. Using a stronger mortar may damage weak areas around the part that is repaired if the stronger mortar puts stress or extra load on surrounding areas, especially during times of thermal expansion and contraction. Testing will determine the petrographic or chemical composition to indicate which mortar it is. Download the PDF Masonry—brick, stone, terra-cotta, and concrete bloc… For wet pointing dont use fine sand. Sands used for mortar mixes will be graded finer than those used for concrete mixes. I'm about to re-point parts of the rear of our house. This will make the whole process easier. For instance, if the original mortar analysis indicates additives, usually oyster shells or horsehair, you should add those into the pointing mortar. Once you put the water in, it becomes more difficult to mix. Rather than buy a bag of sand and a bag of cement, for small jobs, I find it much easier to buy a ready mixed mortar mix. You still want to use the plasticiser, and you will still need the trowel to check the consistency after you've mixed everything together. Premium joint sand is the best choice with it comes to refilling and restoring your missing paver joint sand. A colouring is sometimes added. Rain Defence (author) from UK on August 08, 2015: You're best to use red sand in my opinion. correct sands for texture and colour. use withe cement 3 part sand one cement no to wet mix all by hand or mashine and put very little water brush in with brush push down with piece of ... best mix for re-pointing. Use the proportions indicated by the analysis. A colouring is sometimes added. Used In Conjunction With. If you use yellow sand the mix ends up pretty light in my opinion and isn't as appealing. Rain Defence (author) from UK on December 21, 2012: It's true! You can use either a brush or sometimes a hammer and bolster (a mortar chisel), depending on how stiff the old mortar is. Use metallic oxides instead of chemicals. Don't fill the bucket more than just over halfway, however, or it will make it too difficult to mix it all up correctly. Roof cement is primarily used to hold roof tiles, hip tiles and ridge tiles securely in place, it also keeps out rainwater. If you don't have enough cement, then the mortar will crumble when it dries. Search our inventory to find the best sand point at the best prices. The mortar mix you see in those bags is probably not going to match your existing mortar in color and strength. Execution of the Work 11. Excess fines in sand result in poor workability and are often corrected by an excess amount of water, resulting in poor durability. cheers. Sands are mostly responsible for the void structure of lime mortars and, therefore, for its vapour permeability, so vital for the performance against accumulation of condensation. Shop with confidence on eBay! Sand will give the mortar a gritty consistency and help it have stronger cohesion. If you do it this way, then it makes mixing it up easier, as it's already getting mixed up as you put it in the bucket or board. Ian's approach involves two separate steps - tamp pointing and then finish pointing. This article will provide you with tips and tricks for how to best mix up mortar for all sorts of uses, including for repointing bricks and ridge tiles. 1 part soft sand, 2 parts sharp sand, 1 cement, half part lime is optional. On older properties, the pointing will actually be a harder mortar than the bonding mortar, so once this is dislodged, the softer bonding mortar will become exposed and wear away quite quickly. Reserve your holiday meal today and pick-up at your local Metropolitan Market. Resiply makes pointing pavings slabs as … POINTING is the mortar between bricks. This is a guide on how to mix sand and cement to make mortar. Don't go over the top with the old stuff, though. Identifying the Problem Before Repointing 3. Just add water as directed. Finding an Appropriate Mortar Match 4. Mixing Mortar for Brick Pointing. As a general rule, when mixing mortar for pointing brickwork, your cement to sand ratio for the pointing mortar mix should be 1 part mortar mix to between 2.25-3 … Visually Examining the Mortar and the Masonry Units 12. Then repeat with more cement and more sand as you fill the bucket. Ideally, you should use the same proportion of sand and cement for all of the pointing you're doing so that it will all dry the same colour.