Pointing of soft sandstone wall

[barrach]

Hi Gents,

Well, am totally new to this site - and honest enough to admit that I've the DIY knowledge and skills of a dead chimp!

I've a house of soft sandstone, dating from 1852. The front face of the house has badly worn away (a couple of the blocks near the lower windows have almost worn right through(!) - with major erosion of the mortar (?type). I imagine that I'll have to shutter the block/s with wood and fill with cement(?). As the sandstone's so soft, I worry about the fill getting a decent grip and of the cement mix to employ(?).

If I'm thinking down the right lines here(?), can anyone out there advise about:
1./PVA/mix to put onto receiving sandstone surface
2./Shuttering advice and materials
3./Fill mix (and if colour can be applied to the mix to aid visual blending)

If I'm entirely down the wrong lines would very much appreciate alternative info on what to do.

MANY thanks to anyone replying and apologies for my first post here being such a scrounge! Looks like an EXCELLENT site though (and hopefully, one day, I can contribute!)

Thanks

Barrach

P.S: My ancestors would be ashamed - they were mainly stone-masons!!

 

[nobody]

If you are working on an old house with soft stone your best solution is to use the materials which were used when the house was built and that means lime. Not concrete with a bit of lime throuwn in, but just lime and sand.

Lime mortars are flexible and breathable and much softer than modern concrete mortars. using concrete will accelerate damage to your stonework.

If stone is badly erroded you should get a stonemason to repair/replace. Putting concrete on is not a good idea.

have a look at http://www.spab.org.uk
http://www.lime.org.uk
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussion_forum.htm

 

[barrach]

If you are working on an old house with soft stone your best solution is to use the materials which were used when the house was built and that means lime. Not concrete with a bit of lime throuwn in, but just lime and sand.

Lime mortars are flexible and breathable and much softer than modern concrete mortars. using concrete will accelerate damage to your stonework.

If stone is badly erroded you should get a stonemason to repair/replace. Putting concrete on is not a good idea.

have a look at http://www.spab.org.uk
http://www.lime.org.uk
http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussion_forum.htm[/QUOTE]

Many thanks for the feedback. Very much appreciated. Will check out local stonemasons and get a costing. Many thanks also for the links - very useful

Barrach

 

[johnmac1958]

Hi, did you get an answer to the wall repair question

 

[Thermo]

hes probably forgotten by now