Ive employed a young bricklayer to repair/repoint our victorian (1890s?) garden wall which has some tumbling bricks (where the foxes climb over) and some vulnerable areas. Some bits have been previously patched with sand and cement. What should I do this time? I'm not sure if the bricklayer is experienced with lime mortar, or where to get it. Should I get him to go with a weak sand and cement mix, or find a pre-mixed lime mortar for delivery and trust him to lay it even without experience?Or cancel the job and get an experienced person, in the mean time the wall might deteriorate?
Advice appreciated
Thanks
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
I would find an experienced craftsman who is experienced with lime mortar.
Its a completely different material to cement and needs more skill and experience. You can purchase Singleton Birch NHL 3.5 from most builders merchants and it is a good lime for wall building and basic repointing work. The problem is that you need to understand it, you cant just 'knock a mix up' the same as cement!!
You can purchase ready mixed NHL 3.5 mixes from the internet but the lad wont be up to it as he needs to understand it. Any lime work needs aftercare, especially in summer and winter where it needs protection from the elements so it can carbonate (harden).
Basically...........find a skilled bricklayer/brick mason experienced with lime mortars!!!
using lime mortar is not for amateurs, lime mortar can be sourced on the internet it is N.H.L, [ natural hydraulic lime mortar ] NOT TO BE MISTAKEN WITH HYDRATED LIME WHICH CAN BE PURCHASED FROM MOST GOOD BUILDERS MERCHANTS, BUT WILL NOT DO THE JOB YOU REQUIRE, best to find someone who has experience in this type of material and how it works.
good luck Alex
