Lime mortar repointing over common earth mortar.

[@Freddie-Moses]

Been binge watching your videos - great educational content for Building Surveyors! Thanks

[@GentlemanH]

Thanks for another great video - I am refurbishing a few stone walls of my cottage in Limousin in central France. What would be the ideal ratio of NHL 3.5 to sieved earth; can I use builder's sand from the local builder's merchant? Thanks.

[@michaeljamesdesign]

I've never heard of anyone using NHL and earth. I'd recommend buying Nigel Copsey's book on traditional mortars as you'll find a bunch of information.

[@michaeljamesdesign]

www.amazon.co.uk/Hot-Mixed-Lime-Traditional-Mortars-ebook/dp/B07NHF221C

[@rehoboth_farm]

And all of this time I have been putting the lime in the coconut.

[@pennyfulton3418]

Aha ! I see ...That perfectly answers my question on the previous video ...fascinating .

[@daveburns8203]

Hi I have commented on another video of yours but just wanted a bit more advice if that is at all possible.........I have a 1900 built red brick house that has been repointed over the years cement......I have used hydraulic lime internally on fireplace but I was recommended to go for a hotlime or putty mortar........now I’ve watched this video it’s made me wonder if I should just go for a hydraulic lime......I’m presuming the same goes for the red brick that the nhl is still weak enough for the birck? Would say a nhl 2 he recommended as then this is at least a little weaker? Thank you any help would be greatly appreciated 👍👍👍 keep your the great work on the videos

[@lina-zz9kk]

Michael could i pick you brains please. I have just finished removing cement render off my victorian gable wall and have repointed the brickwork with NHL mortar. I will in the spring either lime wash the bricks or paint with a good silcate paint. Can i have your views on the 2 options. The brickwork was slightly chipped when i removed the render and my pointing was not professional so whilst i think the repointing was to a good depth and the removal of the render will achieve my objective of stopping the internal damp problem along the internal Gable wall the end result was that it does not look the best cosmetically so hence the thoughts about painting. Thank you

[@michaeljamesdesign]

Lime wash it.

[@lina-zz9kk]

@@michaeljamesdesign Thanks for that. I hear that lime washing needs redoing every few years and i am elderly now so not sure i would be up to doing it again. I think i have one paint job worth of energy left in me and if i went the silicate paint route would that be a disaster from the internal damp perspective? sorry to bother you

[@michaeljamesdesign]

@@lina-zz9kk Apply the lime wash hot and it'll last for years. Don't buy premixed cold. Search Nigel Copsey hot lime wash.

[@lina-zz9kk]

@@michaeljamesdesign ok thanks

[@lina-zz9kk]

@@michaeljamesdesign I looked at a quick video of mr copsey making hot lime wash and it looks interesting and as I had placed quite a big order with Mike Wye yesterday for silicate paint I have just rung them and they were happy to cancel that order. They are very nice people to deal with. I will look into the hot lime wash more it looks an interesting material.

[@pauldolton9118]

was that 1 lime to 2.5 sand? what sand did you use?

[@michaeljamesdesign]

Correct ratio. Sharp from the Kennet Valley and building sand from South Cerney.

[@carolwatkins9697]

You said it's a grade 2 listed building I've always been told its a criminal offence to use mechanical on a listed building the conservation office would of said hand pick only ??

[@michaeljamesdesign]

I can’t understand who would tell you that it’s a criminal offense to use power-tools and that hand picking is the only suitable method of mortar removal. I suppose there are any number of responses to your comment. I could say something like ‘I see they haven’t lost their sense of humour’. Or, ‘Really?’. Or ‘Oh!’, or ‘Amazing’. 'Dangerously ill informed' is another one. But I suppose 'How very remiss of them' is perhaps more apt.

[@TheJosepi87]

Hi mike, i am currently having to rebuild the entire lower section of a fire place which was built out of clay and straw. The building is around 400 years old and of course the bricks very soft. The bricks have perished for the most part, but have sourced a newly made traditional wood fired replacement as was original. I was considering rebuilding with a mix of 5 parts sand to 2 parts NHL 3.5 Saint Astia. But having second thoughts/concerns after watching your videos and reading Nigels Copseys Book that this mix is far too hard. Now i am considering either adding a portion of hydrated lime in the mix as i have heard this greatly diminishes the strength but ups the lime content which i hope also raises the porosity.... or Using using 5 parts sand to 2 parts NHL 2 Saint Astia. I realise a like for like approach would be to rebuild out of clay and straw but the lowest portions of the fireplace at ground level were pretty much rubble so i would say there is an argument for it struggling structurally with the load (or damp) which i am hoping justifies the use of a lime mortar. Sorry about the essay, but i am battling with finding the correct balance of strength and flexibility/porosity and hoping you could give me anything in the way of nudging me in the right direction. really appreciate any feedback and hope you keep doing these great videos.👍

[@michaeljamesdesign]

Hey Joseph. If you’re going to use St Astier then use NHL 2 and mix it 1:4. But only use NHL if it’s damp. Alternatively use putty. Sufficiently dry brickwork will allow for a 1:3 putty mix. Putty doesn’t have the ongoing strength gains that all NHLs have. It also has no need for continued hydration. Hope this helps.

[@johnmulvey5121]

would those houses have been rendered or plasters originally?

[@michaeljamesdesign]

Probably lime washed.

[@johnmulvey5121]

@@michaeljamesdesign Thanks

[@litotes7778]

Isn't 3.5 a little hard on this? Wouldn't a nhl 2 be better? I do notice that now (2022) you have gone more toward hotlime.

[@michaeljamesdesign]

This had a lot of NHL2 in it. St Astier.

[@reconciliation8491]

Thank you for this video. More people must see this and learn the benefits of using traditional materials that stood the test of time. What is the exact ingredient in common modern cement that that prevents the wicking?

[@michaeljamesdesign]

It's not about a particular ingredient. It's about capillary discontinuity.

[@reconciliation8491]

What is the cause of capillary discontinuity?

[@reconciliation8491]

Is there a congealing factor?

[@michaeljamesdesign]

@@reconciliation8491 What a couple of interesting questions! I have some questions for you. Why do you think you need to know and of what benefit will the information be - to you? There's plenty of information out there on the internet. Rather than me simply giving you the answers, why don't you see if you can find out for yourself? You'll learn more and better if you do a bit of research and learn independently. Let me know how it goes.

[@metallitech]

I disagree a bit. The original pointing was hot mix (always). No need to use anything else. Putty has so much water that the end result seems flimsy; it shrinks. But you are not using cement so relatively speaking this is splitting hairs.

[@michaeljamesdesign]

Your comments suggest little to no experience of working with either NHL or putty. All mortars are made with water. Adding too much of it causes problems. Putty doesn't have to be wet. If the moisture content is too high then just dry it out in the sun. Sand usually has a higher moisture content during the long winter months so it's best not to mix putty mortar throughout this season. You need to learn a bit more. It's all on my website. Let me know how you get on.

[@limepointing2858]

As its a listed building did you ask for permission before you started

[@michaeljamesdesign]

No I never do.

[@limepointing2858]

I'm from the Midlands if we touch any listed buildings without permission we can be fined thousands We have to hand pick as well Which takes a long time Conservation officers are like the gestapo over here

[@michaeljamesdesign]

@@limepointing2858 Permission has to be granted to owners in Oxfordshire too but the question was whether I had to ask for permission.

[@btripin247]

I'm curious if the original "pencil line" finish served a purpose or was just decorative? great content btw!

[@michaeljamesdesign]

Have a guess.

[@btripin247]

@@michaeljamesdesign I would guess decorative, although I'm not a fan of the look

[@deribrown]

Well said mate👍👍👍👍

[@peterjameswalmsley9185]

Its nice that you take your dog to work but hope he doesn't chase your customers cats haha

[@listener-md]

Excellent!

[@SinfeinersCubanDevilera]

Chalky down lime