Mating new mortar to old brick requires careful thought, a bit of chemistry, and practiced skills.
- Author:
- Alex Santantonio
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While brick has the potential to last 100 years or more, the average lifespan of a well-made mortar joint is about 25 years. The mortar is “sacrificial,” intended to need care.
That was certainly the case with the mortar joints in the basem*nt of the sp1885 row house I share with my wife and restoration partner, Wendy. The brick walls were covered in failing “waterproof” paint, portions of exposed mortar were crumbling, and some rows of brick had become distinctly uneven.
While pointing methods vary, using the right mortar is about the most important thing you can do when it comes to caring for historic masonry. That’s because historic bricks are inherently soft. The mortar that cushions one brick from another needs to be softer and more permeable than the brick itself. Otherwise, the brick won’t be able to slowly flex during the normal freeze/thaw and expansion and contraction cycles of the seasons.