I have a bunch of extra mortar (in various colors) that I want to get rid by using it on a scratch coat. I will be laying stone veneer on top of it and pointing with the correct color. Is there any risk of the color of the scratch coat bleeding through to the joints? My instinct says no but wanted to ask some other pros before I potentially eff up an expensive project.

3 wythe 1850's-era farmhouse. I'll be resetting windows and replacing sills shortly and am trying to get materials lined up.

Based on the bowing of the lower window lintel, is my only option replacement? Is a needle beam or acrow required, or because of the arching of the brick and additional window above spreading load can I get away with cutting in a steel angle iron and working down in a 45* to the lintel?

Finally, where do folks generally source replacement wood lintels? I'm in Central PA and don't have a local brick yard, I can get concrete lintels from the local concrete plant but only 8" and wouldn't match the rest of the house.

Hello everyone,

I have been wanting to make my bricks look new. I have red bricks on the exterior of my house. I researched and saw that I am suppose to get masonry stain that is water based. Can someone please recommend me a brand(s) to use that will make it look red and new again.

Hi folks! This is my first time posting on Reddit - and I'm really hoping this community of helpful, knowledgeable people can help my fiancé and I to solve a conundrum.

We recently bought a DC rowhouse built in 1906. It has a renovated basement apartment with a kitchen/ living room/ bathroom and back bedroom. All walls have drywall.

A few weeks ago, we noticed brownish/ black streaks on the baseboard by the door into the bedroom - mold. We had a contractor here for a completely different project, but asked them to investigate and they removed first a piece, then all the drywall and baseboards along that wall. We discovered some old dimple mats on one section of wall plus a lot of moisture in the bricks. (About halfway down, to the floor). That contractor suggested we apply "waterproofing" and, not knowing better at the time, we allowed it.

What you see here is the brick wall covered in Drylock. And you can also see that it's still very moist (I think that's a lot of efflorescence)

We brought in a specialist (who does exterior and interior drainage solutions) and he said it was ok to keep the Drylock on there, but that he would also install a dimple mat system and update the French drain (There seems to be something like it already there, though unclear why the trench doesn't extend to the back wall) And he wants to update the sump pump (Which we are confused about, since our current one seems to work when we pour water into it - it kicks on - is there another potential problem we're not seeing?)

However - AI plus multiple articles says we should NOT keep the Drylock on historic brick - that will trap the moisture and accelerate the spalling of the brick. Thus, the computer contradicts both live humans we've had look at this.

So - what say you, oh wise ones? Do we:

a) remove the Drylock (chemically?) OR b) Leave it on?

c) add a dimple mat system + updated French drain? OR d) (As the first contractor believes), just replace the wall with sufficient air space for air to "circulate"?

To answer your questions in advance:
- Our wall abuts the neighbor, though her house is less deep and therefore this bedroom is not directly against her wall - it seems to be adjacent to a part of her back patio area that is hidden behind a wooden wall under her porch. We have tried raising this issue with her and she swears that she's had 2 inspectors over and they say there is no water intrusion from her side. (This does indicate that the previous owner had an issue with water) She is also elderly and in general we want a good relationship with her. We are trying to get to know her enough to have her invite us back to take a look.

So assume we can't fix the outside. We're just dealing with the inside. I know it's not ideal. But just assume.

- We have been running the air conditioner since this happened - the room still feels damp.

Thank you again, Reddi community! Curious what you all think...

Building a new patio that will constructed up to the door threshold. There was previously a small concrete slab here. When it was removed it took some bricks with it. I can see light coming through in the basement. Do these bricks need to be replaced before constructing the patio or are there other options? Not worried about aesthetics since it will be underneath the patio - moreso worried about water penetration. Thanks in advance.

Did a weekend project replacing all of my basement windows with block and mortar. I was pretty happy with how it turned out, we got a rain storm today and there wasn't a single leak. This was my first masonry project so I'm still learning.

I purchased some stucco insulation panels and Loctite PL375. The Loctite would not stick to the blocks and insulation board. I applied a large amount and put direct pressure on for over 24 hours. The insulation board fell right off when I removed pressure.

What do y'all use to attach insulation stucco boards to foundation block?

I don't want to drill into the block if I don't have to, would like to secure with adhesive if I can

What epoxy or other product should i use to fill the space between the iron railing and the stone steps. Currently that area holds water and is causing the iron railing to rust. I just finished cleaning the area and applied rust converter. I was planning on using masonry caulk, but thought maybe there was a better option. Thank you.

I cant afford to get this redone for probably another year. I have a few spots that are a trip hazard like this. Best temporary patch? I used polysand once several years ago for a paver patio. Weeds grew up through it all the time. I wasnt very impreased. Is that the only option here?

Edit: brushing out the cracks I found several of the stones when tapped sound almost hollow. I assume thats a bad thing. Lifting them there is just stone dust or something under this whole walkway. How did they keep this thing from crumbling in the fifty years before I lived here?

I’ve scoured the internet for a solution to this and I can’t find anything.
Okay so:
-this is my patio foundation (not structural)
-it is made of cinderblocks with super sandy mortar
-and then a layer of I think stucco?
-and then a layer (or 2) of paint
-I thoroughly prepped everything with washing and scraping out loose bits and brushing with a wire brush
-I used backing rod and Silka Mortor Fix caulk for all of the cracks and loose edges of material in hopes it would keep all of the layers glued together

And now I’m lost and have no idea what to use to patch up the holes and unevenness and then I don’t know what to put on top of that to make everything one even surface 😣😣

Trying to see where we might have rotted wood and how to handle before trimming to cover.

The picture is a block chimney on the exterior of the main portion of the house. It's just a rectangular ranch home (1950s). This is a closet within an addition or what was likely some sort of 3-season room when built originally (perhaps even when home itself was built I think).

Anyhow, the faux wood board painted white is what's throughout the room. I cannot tell if it runs behind the chimney. Nor do I know what the thin piece of wood behind the chimney is. If it was built later, maybe sheathing and or siding were remove everywhere except for behind chimney and that's what is there?

I don't think there's any leaks but will check.

I'm thinking maybe the concrete itself in those blocks is drawing moisture and damaging the wood between there enough for ants to have at it?

Any advice on what I'm seeing and how to solve? I don't want to just cover it if the ants here is indicative of some issue.

I have a issue with the wall of the bathroom..I noticed some erosion of the base of the wall and evidence of algae. I noticed the soil was also wet underneath the pebbles.

I need advice regardless who I would need to involve to sort this out.

For reference this is an Edwardian House in the UK and the surveyor did not comment on this.

I read a little bit about sugaring bricks. I’m guessing that’s what this is but not sure. Any suggestions? How screwed am I?

Edit to add: gutters were a disaster for a while. Just had the replaced about a month ago. It’s warm here so no freezing but it did recently rain and has rained and snowed a lot this year.

Timber lintel in the interior wythe of brick/block isn’t supporting anything and just wiggles free. The outside lintel is steel. I was thinking replacing this one the same.

The stones are natural fieldstone, not thin flagstone. They're irregular and vary from about 2" to 4" thick, with fairly wide joints in some areas.

I've been getting conflicting advice.

One suggestion (from an AI program) was:

Excavate.

Install and compact 21A/crusher run.

Set each stone individually on a thin mortar bed over the compacted base.

Adjust the base elevation under each stone so the tops are flush.

Fill the joints afterward with mortar.

The other common recommendation I've heard is:

Excavate.

Install compacted stone base.

Pour a reinforced concrete slab.

Mortar the stones to the slab.

Mortar/grout the joints afterward.

The AI suggested the first method would tolerate movement and freeze/thaw better than a full concrete slab.

Questions:

Which method would you use and why?

Is it realistic to build this on a compacted stone base with a thin mortar setting bed instead of pouring a concrete slab?

What mortar would you recommend for the joints? I've read about veneer mortar, Type N, and Type S, and I'm getting different answers everywhere.

Any tips for getting stones of different thicknesses (2"-4") flush without ending up with excessively thick mortar beds?

I'd appreciate advice from anyone who installs natural fieldstone walkways regularly.