What's the best masonry filler these days? For the sort of moulded stonework you get on Victorian buildings? To be painted over.
Did like the old exterior Pollyfilla which was really just a fine mortar mix. But know from experience lasted well. Modern version is so much lighter and more like any other GP filler. Of course it may be as good, but doesn't fill me with confidence.
Any tips much appreciated.
Depends a bit on what you are after. I find the tubs of blue circle ready mix mortar[1] quite handy for touch up jobs. Its a fine sand, and it contains some lime as a plasticiser. If you add a bit of SBR to the water, you can make quite a good workable mix that will bond well to existing masonry, as well as finish and shape well.
Failing that, what about the Tetrion style fillers - still about and they always used to be marketed for exterior jobs as well as inside.
[1] e.g.(pricey for any quantity, but handy to have on hand for small jobs).
Best in what way? Sand & lime is standard stuff.
NT
That would do fine if it is fine sand. Always thought those general purpose mortars would use rather coarser stuff. The old Polyfilla which was a mortar was just fine when I used it before.
Snag is I don't need a big quantity. And generally the smallish bags of sand I've seen are coarser than what I want.
There's always the option to sand/lime fill then finish it off with just lime. Mix a spoonful of putty, halve it 50/50 with water and paint it on, not too thick.
The upsides of lime are that it doesn't damage the stone in the long run as cement often does, and it has other uses & stores for years.
NT
Wickes Patch Repair mortar is fine for detail, and durable, if a bit pricey.
That said I've only ever used it brick and concrete rather than on stone.
The mix by volume is 4.5:1
Because I was only using very small amounts for a succession of jobs I converted this to weight which I found easier to handle.
where the ratio is 7.3:1
michael adams
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You can buy fine grade silver sand in eg garden centres in small amounts if you need a particular texture. I did this to get the right size rounded small pebbles for my mortar mix stiff brushing it when set to expose them and match the existing pointing (apart from being too light). Fresh lime mortar is a very bright white compared to the aged stuff in an area where smokey fuel is still permitted.
I was at a church building tour by a conservator last weekend and he pointed out the huge damage done to stonework by people using impervious cement based repointing on old joints instead of breathable lime mortar.
The cement stuff creates an impervious barrier to moisture moving in the wall and traps it against the lower part of every stone causing freeze thaw action to spall great chunks off above every line of repointing. It was astonishing just how much stone damage had occurred in less than a century on a building that in part dates back to the 1200's.
All interesting stuff.
When I bought this place some 40 odd years ago, there was some damage to the same sort of thing that needs repair now. It a sort of frieze that runs round the bay window and thingie above the front doors (it's a semi)
No newsgroups in those days so I devised by own repair method. I made a fibreglass mould of a good bit and used a fairly wet mix of the old exterior Polyfulla to make good with. And those repairs seem still ok - it's other bits which have now spalled.
I'd be quite happy to use a lime based stuff - provided I can buy it easily. Cost isn't really an issue as not much materials are needed.
But I'm not to worried about it lasting forever. If it lasts as well as my original repairs, it will see me out. ;-)
I think it was Jeff Howell who made a statement something along the lines of "Cement based pointing is has damaged more Victorian brickwork than the Luftwaffe"
Wickes stock builder's lime.
NT
I'd rather some ready mixed stuff where all you do is add water - rather than mess around trying to make it myself. Even if it does cost more.
I got a tub of lime putty which is already slaked and matured (and continues to mature sealed in the pot). I think 25L minimum size.
You take some out and mix with the right amount of sand and away you go. It is very alkaline but otherwise quite easy to work with.
+1, you used to have to hunt around a bit to find it but perhaps it is easier to find now.
This one isn't too expensive, including delivery, although it is only 16 kg.
What do you gain by spending so much?
NT
So much compared to what? I normally use about two parts sand to one of lime so this gives me 50 kg of filler. As long as you keep the lid clipped on properly part filled containers of putty last for ten years.
A bag of lime is a fraction the price, and makes far more than 16kg putty.
NT
Yes, but unless you are doing a heck of a lot of pointing all at once has a bad habit of going off before you have used more than a fraction of it. The lime putty keeps very well wet in its sealed pot.
My problem is I don't need very much and have nowhere to store big bags of lime and sand. So would also have the problem of disposing of any left over - I'd guess most of it.
Dry lime keeps for years in a polythene bag.
NT
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