# parge a brick foundation



## NYCB (Sep 20, 2010)

Every time I do old brick, just out of habit I tapcon lath to the whole thing.

It's extra work but helps give you a consistent, and both mechanically and chemically bonded scratch coat.

Tearing off enough old parge over soft clay brick has made me leary of just parging it directly.


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## chapstick (Dec 28, 2011)

What do you think about shooting the lathe to the foundation with a 22 caliber hilti gun ? The reason I ask is that i have fastened a few tapcons here and there for random things on the inside and 3 out of 4 times they spin out.


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

Are you tapconning into the brick or the joint? A lime joint may not have the strength to hold a tapcon but the brick should. 

My opinion is that diamond lath isn't necessary or desirable. It's putting a hole into the brick below grade. The rich lime parging should be able to stick really well without the diamond lath. Like I say, just my opinion


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## chapstick (Dec 28, 2011)

Sounds good to me. 

I have been trying to go right into the brick. Its strange, when i drill some of them they almost seem like they are hollow.

It goes normal for a bit and then right through with no pressure. I have found that if I go with the drill bit for the 3/16 tapcons the larger diameter tapcons hold ok. but even those spin out sometimes.


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

Shoot the stuff on with a ET&F gun and 3/4" pins


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## chapstick (Dec 28, 2011)

is that a framing gun ?


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

chapstick said:


> is that a framing gun ?


No it shoots pins into concrete and light gauge steel.


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

http://www.etf-fastening.com/TOOLS/Model210.asp


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## chapstick (Dec 28, 2011)

never saw one of those before. good to know for future reference.


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## Diamond D. (Nov 12, 2009)

Dirtywhiteboy said:


> Shoot the stuff on with a ET&F gun and 3/4" pins


It's what I use.
I couldn't imagine using tap-cons. Too labor intensive. 

Alternatives;
1" fluted masonry nails. For stucco and harder materials.
1" Electro galvanized stub nails. For block, mortar joints & softer materials.
Roofing nails or gun for wood.

And yes, the Hilti when needed. But, for 100 nails @ around 10$+ and 100 shells @ the same your talking 20some $ per 100.

A box of 3/4 T nails is around 35$ for 2000 add in a couple gal.of gas and even with the failed nails your still ahead of the game. 
Not to mention the time factor. :thumbup:

Go for it,
D.


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

*mortar*

STUART45 I believe you raised valid points regarding the current ideas that lime mortars should contain no opc. Besides the adverse effect on the breatheability of the mortar i read it negates the limes ability to work as the principle binder in the mortar. Having said ,that if the mortar contains less then 50% opc (1-2 9 mix) you are asking for trouble. In other words do not attempt to use a gauged mortar. I feel it may be correct to extrapolate that the autogenious healing property we have been lead to believe exists in ALL mortars containing lime may be a myth. Therefore the advantages of lime in mortars containging opc may solely be plasticity,water retention and longer board life. If you hope to get the autogenious property of lime in your mortar,leave the cement out ,regardless of how minute the volume of it may be.


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## NYCB (Sep 20, 2010)

Hiliti gun into old brick equals explosive bricks, at least in my experience. I went down that road last year trying to save myself a little time and it backfired on me. I went back to tapcons.

The hiliti still kicks butt for concrete based material though.


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

fjn said:


> STUART45 I believe you raised valid points regarding the current ideas that lime mortars should contain no opc. Besides the adverse effect on the breatheability of the mortar i read it negates the limes ability to work as the principle binder in the mortar. Having said ,that if the mortar contains less then 50% opc (1-2 9 mix) you are asking for trouble. In other words do not attempt to use a gauged mortar. I feel it may be correct to extrapolate that the autogenious healing property we have been lead to believe exists in ALL mortars containing lime may be a myth. Therefore the advantages of lime in mortars containging opc may solely be plasticity,water retention and longer board life. If you hope to get the autogenious property of lime in your mortar,leave the cement out ,regardless of how minute the volume of it may be.


In this case the main advantage of lime that I can see isn't the autogeneous healing, but the softness and the breathability. And the advantage of the OPC is to have some initial set. The material doesn't have to be pure lime, just softer and as breatheable as the masonry units. Also you need to go hardest to softest starting in the centre of the wall.


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## Michael Olding (Aug 5, 2008)

Acrylics and modern bonding agents are tremendous products FOR THE RIGHT APPLICATION not usually historic preservation. 

The beauty of a lime pargeting is the inherent qualities of lime... it swells when it gets wet and does a great job of damp-proofing a historic material.


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