Pro tip: Had a whole brick course shift on me last Thursday on a chimney job

I was repointing an old chimney in Springfield and the new mortar just didn't grab right on the south face. The whole top course slid about a quarter inch out of line before it set. I had to pull it all down, clean the bricks again, and remix with a bit less water. Has anyone else had that happen with a sudden temperature drop? It got cold fast that afternoon.

3 comments

3 Comments

rodriguez.diana11d ago

Could the old mortar have been a different type that repels the new mix? I mean, sometimes they used stuff with way more lime back then, and modern cement just sits on top. Idk, maybe it's just me but that's messed up more jobs for me than the weather has.

ryan1837h ago

Yeah, @rodriguez.diana, I read that exact thing in an old trade magazine once.

sageross11d ago

Yeah, I heard old lime mortar needs to breathe and new cement can trap moisture!