Masonry Forum

Hello everyone. This will be my first time posting on this site, and i hope not the last lol. I was recently contacted to give an estimate, and possibly do a sidewalk repair and resurfacing job in the near future. The measurements are approximately 50x4. I've done quite a few resurfacing jobs in the past but they weren't this entailed. In the past the jobs I've done only required a lot of prepping and a minimal depth of filling in voids, gaps etc, on patios. I've always used quikrete... Read more

Hello everyone. This will be my first time posting on this site, and i hope not the last lol. I was recently contacted to give an estimate, and possibly do a sidewalk repair and resurfacing job in the near future. The measurements are approximately 50x4. I've done quite a few resurfacing jobs in the past but they weren't this entailed. In the past the jobs I've done only required a lot of prepping and a minimal depth of filling in voids, gaps etc, on patios. I've always used quikrete... Read more

Glad to join this site. From far outside of the US but madly passionate about its culture of craftsmanship, tradesmen, self reliance and self taught mastery, artisans, frontier warrior veterans/soldiers and formidable working class heroes. Just here to observe and appreciate. I have joined some woodworking forums too. I have been wanting to migrate to the Mountain West, pockets of SouthWest like Prescott and Northern New England and visit Southwest Virginia and Alaska.

Glad to join this site. From far outside of the US but madly passionate about its culture of craftsmanship, tradesmen, self reliance and self taught mastery, artisans, frontier warrior veterans/soldiers and formidable working class heroes. Just here to observe and appreciate. I have joined some woodworking forums too. I have been wanting to migrate to the Mountain West, pockets of SouthWest like Prescott and Northern New England and visit Southwest Virginia and Alaska.

Hello to all, Since this is a very sm job, all contractors have declined the wk. Therefore, I'm going to do this myself. Seeking your help to determine if my approach is correct. I've provided some pics for you. The first pic is where the stones sound hollow, then next ones are the broken stones and the later that butt up to the spa water line 6x6" stones. They are all the same color and texture. The lighting makes them look different. This is for the spa coping where 2 pieces have... Read more

As my intro says, I have some small masonry projects that need to be completed. One of them is a front walkway for my new porch. I have contractors insisting that going the dry pour approach will save time, labor and money. I've watched the prerequisite YT videos, read very comments and discussions and reddit (boy, that turned into a flame war), and am pondering my options. Having a truck show up is ridiculously expensive, renting a mixer is doable, and then there is the dry pour... Read more

I started adding a bit more hydrated lime to my mix when working with reclaimed common bricks. It makes the mud so much creamier and helps it stick to the head joints without falling off. I read that some people say the pre mixed bags are fine but I think the extra lime helps with water retention in the summer heat. I wonder if any of you buy the standard Type N or do you have a secret recipe for your mortar?

So yeah this sounds like a basic question but there's real variation in what people swear by. I've been using a 10-inch London pattern for most work and a margin trowel for touching up joints and getting into tight spots. The pointing trowel for repointing obviously. My latest addition is a good German-pattern brick trowel which I resisted for a long time but now prefer for laying courses in confined spaces. The brand war (Marshalltown vs. WHS vs. Ox) is real and not entirely without merit... Read more

This is one of those jobs that looks simple until you're doing it. The first mistake people make is using the wrong mortar, hard Portland-heavy mixes in older brick work can actually damage the brick over time because the mortar becomes harder than the brick and stress transfers to the units instead of the joint. For pre-1930s brick, use a softer lime-based mix but match the profile of the original joint as closely as you can... if it was a weathered joint, don't finish it as a tooled joint... Read more

Mortar’s not just gray anymore, have you noticed? The new designs are tinted joints and textured finishes are trending for decorative work. These adds visual depth and can make patterns pop. But long term... Matching color batches later on can be tough, and some pigments fade with UV exposure. So I think if they are interior work, it'll be easier but exterior work will be more difficult in the future.

The ratio matters but so does water content and most people add too much water chasing a workable mix. Over-wetted mortar shrinks more as it cures, weakens faster and stains the face of your work. The right consistency is thick enough to hold its shape on the trowel when you turn it upside down, it shouldn't slump off. Prebagged mortar is a good starting point for smaller jobs because the dry ratio is already set for you. For larger work, knowing your type matters,...Type S is your... Read more