Table of Contents
Can I use lime mortar on sandstone?
It is common knowledge that lime mortars can be deleterious to sandstone, but little work has been done to identify how damaging they are or how different types of lime or pozzolanic additives might allow mortars to be designed for optimum compatibility with various types of sandstone.
What type of mortar do you use for sandstone?
Lime mortar is ideal for this purpose and in the case of a mass wall it is essential. Anything that prevents the joints from breathing leads to the characteristic powdering and breakdown of local sandstone.
Why is lime mortar not used?
Lime mortar does not adhere as strongly to masonry as Portland cement. This is an advantage with softer types of masonry, where use of cement in many cases eventually results in cement pulling away some masonry material when it reaches the end of its life.
What Pointing do you use for sandstone?
cement
As the hardest wearing method, a sand and cement joint is often considered the best way of pointing in on patios, especially on Sandstone Paving, and quite often Slate.
Does mortar stick to Sandstone?
Cement and Mortar Sandstone pavers and patio tiles are usually bonded with a cement mixture. Concrete mortar is also applied to areas where sandstone is bonded to metal mesh or uneven surfaces.
What is the difference between Type N and Type S mortar?
Type N mortar is a general-purpose mortar that provides good workability and serviceability. It is commonly used in interior walls, above-grade exterior walls under normal loading conditions, and in veneers. Type S mortar is used in structural load-bearing applications and for exterior applications at or below grade.
Can you use cement on sandstone?
Use a trowel to fill the joints with a mortar mix of four parts sand to one part cement. The mix should be of a “wet” workable consistency. Compress mortar mix into the joints with pointing tool. Leave your Sandstone Paving to set for at least 24 hours before walking on it – allow longer in wet weather.
What is the difference between lime mortar and cement mortar?
Lime hardens much more slowly than cement-containing mortars, making it much more workable. Lime is also less brittle and less prone to cracking, and any cracked areas can absorb carbon dioxide and mend over time. Cement hardens very quickly, but may be too strong for some applications, e.g., working with old bricks.
When should you use lime mortar?
The use of a lime mortar for pointing in general masonry allows you to use a material that is both porous and softer compared with mortars that feature cement. This allows the moisture to evaporate from the joints more effectively which reduces the level of moisture in the fabric of the building.
Does lime mortar ever Harden?
Lime mortar does not require water to grow crystals, cure and get hard like cement based mortars. Limes get hard by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Mix the mortar for 5 minutes, allow to rest for three minutes and re-mix for another three minutes.
What’s the best lime mortar mix to use when stone walling?
The key is that its a 6-1-1 mix. A mortar mix should never be stronger than the product it is bonding and stone tends to be quite soft compared to brick and block which is laid with a 5 and 1 mix normally. The lime adds some flexibility.
What kind of mortar do you use at stonemasons?
Much skill and experience is required in the mixing and application of lime mortars. All our lime mortars are bespoke, being mixed on site with specific sands and pozzolans. Lime mortar is increasingly being used in new build stoneworks.
Can you use sand and cement for stonewalling?
When taking on a project like stonewalling for instanse ,You can use a lime mortar mix ,if you want ,or if specified by ur architect , but you, [can use sand and cement] ,as long as you use a weaker mix, say a 6 and 1 ,[ 6 sand and 1 cement],so if there is any movement ,the movement will occure along the morter joints ,and not the brick or
Why does lime mortar look unsightly on red sandstone?
Was it explained that if a red coloured lime mortar is used to point red sandstone or brick, when the mortar is expelling moisture vapour and drying out, traces of white salts may appear on the red mortar, making the pointing look unsightly?