# -first post- 1850's home basement stone point question... Best Mortar?



## The Newport Guy (Nov 24, 2010)

Nice site all....have a question...
I have done many basements, but this home is built in Newport RI (near the coast) and looks like (and what I have heard from others in this area) that the mortar used for the foundation (granite stones) was a mix with "beach sand".... Its 100+ yrs old and powdering away and needs to be fixed.... I won't be able to dig out every bit of old mortar existing but will do my best to scrape and chip away loose areas and so forth...

My question is, anyone have any mortar/cement recommendations or mixes to use to best repoint this basement. The issue I am concerned about is the new product I use bonding well to the left over old existing (beach sand mix) I am not able to fully remove when I prep... 2K ft basement so its a LOT of space...

Really want to do this job the right away....thanks all for the help, advice and ideas...

thanks... my first post!


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

*.......*








house flipper....ah...:shifty:


B.


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## The Newport Guy (Nov 24, 2010)

*This one is no flip....*

This is actually my personal home, we close on Monday, 1850s home and needs a TON of work... but have done a lot of projects in the past and yes turned some homes in the hay day... way way back in the day it seems

Any help with the Mortar question would be great... 

Used the search feature and saw some great data. Note; my job is interior so although governed by Historic guidelines in my area does not need to be pretty as the area can't be seen. So do not care as much about color of the mortar etc

Thanks in advance all...


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

You can use type-M mortar...


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## The Newport Guy (Nov 24, 2010)

*thank you*

Thanks for the note/recomendation.... 



greg24k said:


> You can use type-M mortar...


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## AJAX (Sep 12, 2009)

If your worried about bonding, couldn't ya use a bonding agent? Then regular mortar mix?

Last year about this time I framed some walls in a basement of a house that old. 1880 it was build. I love that stone foundation look. So, HO hires a guy (his painter) to come in with a rotary hammer and chisel out the mortar between the stone cuz he likes the look of how the stone sticks out! You should have seen some of the holes in his foundation! I told the guy to stop and he was destroying his foundation. He says, "I had a friend who is a mason over and he said it was ok, we're fine". I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Some people, I tell ya...

Sorry for rant. Back to regular programming.


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## aptpupil (Jun 12, 2010)

what i've heard in the past is getting a sample and sending them off to be analyzed. i don't know that this is all that important in your situation, though, because you're dealing with stone instead of brick. the problem i've heard with old brick and new mortar is that the new mortar is stronger and will crack the brick over time, especially in cold climates.
i think greg is right on this one.


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## Brickie (Jun 15, 2006)

I highly recommend that you read this before you do anything:

http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief02.htm


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

Search the forum for "lime mortar" and "tuckpointing", or just buy some mortar mix and destroy your foundation.


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## bricksolutions (Nov 26, 2010)

*mortar question*

If the mortar doesn't have to match then type s masonry will be the best thing to use. Remember that for it to hold well you have to get the old mortar back about an inch. A 4 1/2" grinder with a cheap diamond blade will do the job. to cut down on dust you will need someone to hold a wet vac hose near the area while you cut.


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## bytor (Jan 23, 2010)

I'm sorry, I have to disagree.... As TS Scar said, using a modern mortar is a sure way to destroy your foundation.
If your foundation is over 100 years old, it was built with lime mortar and should be repaired with the same.


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## lukachuki (Feb 11, 2005)

bricksolutions said:


> If the mortar doesn't have to match then type s masonry will be the best thing to use.


recipe for disaster


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## The Newport Guy (Nov 24, 2010)

*thanks all*

all the data was a big help, much appreciated...


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