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Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 10:48 am
by Wheelyjon
Built in the 1850s my garden is largely walled (Suffolk reds). I have found that a cement/lime/sand mix of 1:1:8 matches quite well, but is it strong enough? There are also many brick steps, I understand that you should not use lime underground, but is it ok to use it on steps that sit on the ground? Any suggestions for mix here.
Thanks
Wheelyjohn
Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 5:11 pm
by lutonlagerlout
that's weak for steps John
I would go for 3:1 :1 / 3 sand ,1 cement,and 1 lime
the lime being there purely for colour and workability
LLL
Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 6:30 pm
by sy76uk
I always use white cement instead of lime. I use the following for pointing-1 red sand, 1 yellow sand, 1 sharp, 1 white cement. Goes off rock hard and is a really nice colour.
Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 8:07 pm
by lutonlagerlout
where do i find red sand darn sarf then sy?
never seen it
LLL
Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 9:37 pm
by sy76uk
Red building sand Tony. Don't know if it's just a regional thing as the only sand I've used in your neck of the woods is sharp.
It's full of clay and very stodgey, Lovely stuff for pointing brickwork but if your looking for a lime type morter then I use the mix above just because it's a very strong and nice to work with mix that dries white but when it's damp has a very slight peachy colour.
Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 10:21 pm
by lutonlagerlout
I thought all sand was yellow/orange until I saw some pictures from oop north
LLL
Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 1:44 pm
by Wheelyjon
3:1:1. Would that not be too strong to use with soft red bricks,?
Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 4:38 pm
by lutonlagerlout
if the bricks are that soft they will be no good for steps?
LLL
Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 6:41 pm
by Wheelyjon
They've been there since the 1850s and yes, they are in places very worn and eroded, but this is a case of repair and preservation, not rebuilding with new bricks, hence my question, what mix to re-point old Suffolk reds
Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 8:42 pm
by lutonlagerlout
wheely
back in the day cement was super expensive ,so they used lime mortar which was quicklime mixed with sand and then buried for a year or two to cure before it was used
I have worked on houses older than yours and the way it worked was that when the lime was fired all the CO2 was burnt out of it
over the years the CO2 bonds back with it and effectively turns the lime mortar back into chalk/sand
sadly with acid rain,frost etc this becomes eroded
I have used parex historical lime mortar which contains no cement at all but that is above DPC
IMHO if you use it below DPC or in steps it will need to be fairly strong
if you use 8:1:1 it will look very bucolic but may not last that long
also if you want to keep it real use a coarser grade of sand that what is currently called building sand
I know there is a school of thought that says the mortar should be weaker than the bricks but you run the risk of the steps failing
LLL
Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 2:02 pm
by Tony McC
lutonlagerlout wrote:where do i find red sand darn sarf then sy?
I'll drop off a bag for you the next time I'm passing. Makes a lovely pointing mortar!
Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 9:06 pm
by KLS
lutonlagerlout wrote:where do i find red sand darn sarf then sy?
never seen it
LLL
IN B&Q Tony, thats a red type sand, I think from staffs way, When people want thats purple gravel thats about £80-90 a tonne we get it from B&Q as its there normal gravel so only 40 a tonne instead.
Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 8:48 pm
by Mikey_C
despite being a national company B&Q source sand (and I imagine other bulky items) locally, so the sand down south is yellow and the gravel your standard yellow brown etc. mix. That is of course right down south!!
Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 9:14 pm
by lutonlagerlout
we are the dirty south mikey
you are the deep south
I have had sand from b and q before and it looked like they found it on a beach somewhere
LLL