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Restoration & Refurbishment

Repointing a Terraced House built in 1891 (Lime Or Cement)

Anonymous user 09/03/2024 - 2.31 PM

Hello I really really need some advice here I'm getting differing opinions that is stopping work on the repointing of my terraced house. The house was built in 1891 and according to my research cement didn't really become available until after the 1900's so I'm assuming that my house was originally pointed with Lime Mortar. Couple of things about the wall 1. It's a cavity wall as I can see a second layer of bricks on the inside 2. The bricks seem quite old, but look normal sized and have bits in them like small stones or something but yet they're still redish. 3. The mortar I'm taking out can be really solid in places and in others it's like a whiteish powder where it's completely failed. 4. A few bricks have been destroyed the face of them has completely blown. 5. It has 4 air vents in the brick work Now where I'm confused is that my friend and a builder that my family knows are both telling me that it's fine to use a cement mix to do the repointing as the air vents will allow for the wall to breath etc. But all the websites I've read on the internet are telling me that the mortar needs to be softer than the masonry (brick work) that it's supporting. And that cement doesn't allow the wall to breathe which causes dampness and if there's movement it can crack and cause the brick to blow because the moisture can't be released out of the brick through the mortar etc. Now I really don't know who to believe ppl that the builder also said that lime is like steel and it's very hard to work with. I can understand the hard to work with bit but everything I've read about lime says it's softer than cement as it allows movement and allows the wall to breath etc. Please help before I go insane from trying to find the best way I don't want to damage my wall by putting the wrong stuff in. Roger

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6 Answers

ADR Property Maintenance

Rating: 5 out of 5

Boston

Without looking at the wall it is not possible to say if it has a cavity or not, solid brick means it has a double skin of brick, if it has like half face bricks through out the face of the wall then their is no cavity it is a solid brick building, built with lime mortar, plastered internally with lime plaster, these materials all allow your walls to breathe preventing dampness. Your description of the stuff your removing sounds very much like lime mortar, their is basically three things you should not do with an old house, paint the external walls with a modern paint ,render the external walls with a modern render ,or re point the external walls with modern cement, all these things are non breathable and keep any water ingress in the building creating internal dampness. Lime is not like steel it is a softer material than Portland cement the builder is telling porkies, their is no cement or additives in N.H.L , it takes a lot longer to go of than cement, it is a lot more expensive than Portland cement, but getting someone who understand and can use it properly may be your biggest issue. good luck Alex

Answered11 June 2015

R.Hughes Building and Conservation Ltd

Rating: 5 out of 5

Wellingborough

Hi. Cavity walls were introduced by the Victorians but they were still built with a lime mortar. It does sound like your house was built using a lime mortar with how you describe it. Cement was in use but was probably about as strong as a modern day nhl 5! It certainly was nowhere near as brittle and impermeable as modern day cement which is in fact completely incompatible with your house. You need to rake out and repoint using an nhl 3.5 or nhl 5 dependant on location and how exposed the brickwork is. It should all be done by hand too, no grinders or disc cutters to rake out!! Also make sure that whoever does it is raking out 2.5 times the height of the joint and is wetting the wall up to ensure the new mortar keys to the existing. This time of year lime mortar can dry out too quickly so it needs to be looked after. Basically you need to find a craftsman skilled in the use of lime mortar. I hope this has helped you decide on how to progress. Rick

Answered15 June 2015

CMT Contractor Roofing & Building

Rating: 4.8 out of 5

Ellon

Roger, Either would suffice, yes traditionally it would have been built with lime, so that's why I suggest lime. It is harder to work with hence why no one wants to use it! It has so many benefits over cement too, give a stonemason a call as there much more competent and experienced using like mortar, Calum @ CMT Contractor

Answered10 June 2015

Anonymous user

Doesn't matter if it is cavity or not. Older bricks are softer than there newer counterparts. Lime mortar is softer than normal cement. If new cement is used you would most likely to find the faces of the bricks will blow but leave the cement joint in place. The air bricks are most likely below floor level as the age of the house is most likely to be a timber floor above soil.

Answered15 June 2015

Anonymous user

Lime mortar lets the dwelling "breathe" so it lets moisture in and lets it out again. Its by far the best method of building still to this day, tried and tested ! Too expensive for new builds these days, sadly ! If you have stonework that needs repointed always use lime mortar and get sufficient aftercare. Modern day cement (OPC) is too strong for most stone types so when its sets it can burst the face of the stonework. NEVER use OPC on soft stonework ALWAYS a lime mortar. Hope this helps 👍🏻

Answered25 September 2020

Bruno

Rating: 5 out of 5

Penge, London

Hi For this kind of house the best option is to use Hidraulic Lime 3.5NHL to Repointing. The Reckout has to be donne by hand. After the Lime mortar is pointed we need to give time to dry properly, in same cases covered with hessian sheet if the temperature comes above -4° Never use Portland Cement and never paint the external walls, otherwise a lot of problems comes in future with inside dampness. Hope I help you Thanks Bruno

Answered7 October 2022