# Need Tips on Tuckpointing-Remortor



## HandyDave (Feb 16, 2010)

Some of the Mortor has fallen away from my fieldstone basement in my 100 year old home. I would like to try to "tuckpoint" and remortor (forgive me if this is not the proper term)

I have researched the net a bit and am wondering if the mortor i buy at the home improvement store will work, or do i need a special "lime" mortor?

If I do need special mortor where do I find such a product?

I am also wondering what the preperation procedure is-I understand I need to remove the old flaking morter from the crack and any loose sand, grit,dirt etc... Do I need to add a bonding agent?? Wet the stone before packing the mortor?:confused1:

The current temp in the basement is a constant 50 degrees, is this warm enough? Do I need to keep the mortor wet after packing it into the crevice?

Anything I should know, please share!

This is a great site!


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## HandyDave (Feb 16, 2010)

Anybody?


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## tpolk (Nov 7, 2009)

some pics would help if you can


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## Big Bob (Jul 27, 2007)

I'm not sure about best mortor for stone work..this might depend on the stone. Stone with heavy Lime content might require best practice prep and tuned mortor mix.

Your prep proceedures sound right on.. Get all the old mortor that wants to come out..
try for a minimum depth of 3/8" for tuck pointing ... deeper is better.
not to large an area at one time... you don't want things to fall down.

Get surface very clean, dry and free of dust.

I'm a bonding agent Fan. But, again this might depend on the nature of the stone.

Somewhere between damp and not to wet..helps with adhesion.. All depends on humidity, how fast you work... as the 
moist (brick/stone) drys it sucks the "sticky" deeper in the surface.

Have fun..and take pride that you did it yourself....always ask your wife or a friend to help... if something goes wrong you can blame them.:thumbsup:


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## Skuce (Nov 2, 2009)

NO Cement in the Mortar mix allowed! Period. Only Lime and Sand. Somewhere in the mix of 2-to-3 parts River or Sharp Sand (no Salt Beach Sand) to 1 part Hydrated Lime.

It will cause damage in very neat ways that are near-irrepairable if you use Cement. It will cause moisture to be forced out of the softer stones (ie: Limestone, Sandstones and fissures in Granite) where it will start taking them apart.
You want the mortar to breathe the moisture out, and be soften than the surrounding stones. If it has ANY cement in the mix it can no longer vent the moisture and you will have cracking and spalling begin in less than 5 years. It will also be too hard and begin crushing the stones slowly during seasonal expansion/contraction.

Minimum depth is 1" for re-pointing (tuck-pointing as actually a decorative style of pointing that the term is being mis-used in the USA and some of Canada)

Good book to get on Proper Historic Pointing and Lime mortar mixes:

The Old House Handbook: Marianne Suhr

Good "Old House" specific message forums:

http://www.oldhouseweb.com/forums/

http://historichomeworks.com/forum/index.php


Old houses are built totally different than modern houses. So they should be treated differently. Modern materials have no place in an old house....and the house usually rejects them quite quickly. It's pretty amazing to see.


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## stuart45 (Jun 20, 2009)

Skuce said:


> Minimum depth is 1" for re-pointing (tuck-pointing as actually a decorative style of pointing that the term is being mis-used in the USA and some of Canada)


My idea of tuck pointing is when the joints are filled with a brick coloured mortar and a thin line of lime putty superimposed over the top making a very thin joint, which is a very slow and expensive form of pointing.
What is this called in Canada?


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## Skuce (Nov 2, 2009)

^^^ That is real Tuck-pointing. And you are from the UK that makes sense! It's a way of making the bricks look like Rubbed bricks with that fine joint.

Tuck-pointing in the US is usually just a regular flush or slightly concave joint. I never learned that so I use the British terminology for things.


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