The difference a proper mud mix makes on a chimney rebuild

We redid a 1920s chimney in St. Louis last month, and the owner had a cheap, sandy mix from a big box store. After one rain, the mortar was already crumbling. We tore it out, used a Type N mix with the right lime ratio, and it's been solid through three storms now. What's your go-to mix for old brickwork?

2 comments

2 Comments

holly7138d ago

That bit about the sandy mix from the big box store is so real. My neighbor tried to patch his walkway with one of those bags last fall. It looked okay for a week, then the first freeze came and it just turned back into a pile of sand and dust. He ended up having to get the proper stuff with the lime, like you said. It's still holding up now. Makes you wonder why they even sell the cheap stuff.

lewis.troy8d ago

Honestly @holly713, sometimes that cheap stuff is fine. If you just need a quick, temporary fix for a season, why spend the extra money? Not every patch job needs to last a decade.