Matching lime mortar

[noclue88]

I have recently removed a concrete channel from the front of my house that was doing more damage than good. (didnt go anywhere)

I now need some repointing work done, party of which will be underground once the hole is filled back in...

Reading on these forums, i see it is best to repoint with lime (house built 1890's)

How do i go about matching the colour? and where is the best place to buy? A lot of people seem to recommend these guys? http://www.lime-mortars.co.uk/lime-mortar/hydraulic/NHL3.5

Untitled

• noclue88
• 23 Aug 2013
• 1

Untitled

• noclue88
• 23 Aug 2013
• 1

Untitled

• noclue88
• 23 Aug 2013
• 1

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[noclue88]

bump

 

[dann09]

1. You will have difficulty matching the old weathered mortar.

2. Lime mortar will not be as bright as cement mortar, and it will quickly weather.

3. Your lower course of brick is stepped out to provide a footing - there will be one or two further stepped out brick courses below.

4. DPC injection holes are evident above an original bitumen (?) DPC. A waste of time. The difficulty has been the ground level bridging the bitumen DPC, not a failed DPC.
Some chemical injections actually dissolve bitumen DPC's.

5. I presume that this is a solid wall with solid floor(s) inside?

6. If you are not going to reinstate the French drain, then, perhaps, grade the soil down to the now exposed footing level.
You must lower the soil wherever it bridges the DPC.

 

[Graeme1983]

How do i go about matching the colour? and where is the best place to buy? A lot of people seem to recommend these guys? http://www.lime-mortars.co.uk/lime-mortar/hydraulic/NHL3.5

This supplier comes up in most of the sources I read on lime, Ty Mawr in Wales. They do courses too if your close enough:

http://www.lime.org.uk/

 

[mattice]

The first supplier mentioned above matched my lime mortar, they were also able to recommend and supply a paint on dye to provide a more weathered look. I didn't need this the match was already good enough. The second supplier sent out some samples in return for a chunk of my mortar, I think the range may have been more limited hence going for the first but I think I'm going on one of their courses as I have a similar project!

 

[Graeme1983]

Id recomend this cheap little book as well.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lime-Buildi...d=1377626639&sr=8-1&keywords=lime+in+building

 

[noclue88]

1. You will have difficulty matching the old weathered mortar.

2. Lime mortar will not be as bright as cement mortar, and it will quickly weather.

3. Your lower course of brick is stepped out to provide a footing - there will be one or two further stepped out brick courses below.

4. DPC injection holes are evident above an original bitumen (?) DPC. A waste of time. The difficulty has been the ground level bridging the bitumen DPC, not a failed DPC.
Some chemical injections actually dissolve bitumen DPC's.

5. I presume that this is a solid wall with solid floor(s) inside?

6. If you are not going to reinstate the French drain, then, perhaps, grade the soil down to the now exposed footing level.
You must lower the soil wherever it bridges the DPC.

It's a slate dpc, solid wall and solid floors yes.

my plan was to lower the soil anyway, as you say it was above the dpc... (helpfull)

 

[noclue88]

The first supplier mentioned above matched my lime mortar, they were also able to recommend and supply a paint on dye to provide a more weathered look. I didn't need this the match was already good enough. The second supplier sent out some samples in return for a chunk of my mortar, I think the range may have been more limited hence going for the first but I think I'm going on one of their courses as I have a similar project!

so you used http://www.lime-mortars.co.uk ?

How did they match it? did you just send them off a chunk of mortar?

(http://www.lime-mortars.co.uk/lime-mortar/mortar-analysis-and-matching) £30 + vat?

 

[mattice]

Yes, but phoned them first, they told me to send a chunk (thumb sized) and I was pleased to find there was no charge despite the £30 referenced on the web. I received results by email 48 hours later with their recommended product - note that it unlikely you will find their recommended product else ware but I found them competitive overall.

You can pay for a full on analysis service (£100s) but I'm not sure what you would achieve.

 

[noclue88]

does it need to be mixed in a mixer?

 

[mattice]

No, mixed a bag by hand at the weekend and pointed the back of my house. Mote that putty is treated differently I haven't tried that yet...