Problem With Hearth Smells - I believe its the mortar I used

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WestDeerPirate

New Member
Jun 21, 2011
7
Gibsonia, PA
Hello,

I finished up my hearth about a month ago and now I have some concerns that I used the wrong type of mortar. The mortar, now dried. smells like chemicals. It gets worse and smells like burnt plastic or something else pretty harsh once the stove has been burning for a while. The smell is pretty strong upstairs as the heat rises. It's not the furnace cement I applied to the inside of my pot-belly stove.

I just used a 50 lb bag of gray Type S or Type N mortar, I believe it is called, from Lowe's. It seemed to have some additives in it that dried my hands out really badly when i worked without gloves. I'm at work so I don't have the exact type handy. I broke off a piece of the mortar and put it to my nose. It's definitely seems to be the culprit.

Any ideas what is causing the smell? Is there a specific mortar I am to be using for the hearth?
 
Hmm, type N is what I have used but S would be fine. Either would be ok for this job really.

How hot is the pot belly stove getting this tile? What's underneath the tile and mortar?

pen
 
Sounds like there is something melting behind the tile/mortar and that is leaching into the mortar.
 
Had the same thing happen with a slate tile surround I installed. It was the grout I think. Smelled for a few months every time the stove fired up and then no more.
 
Did you use any glue or adheisive by chance ?
md
 
Its not additives that dried your hands - its the limestone in the mortar. Lime is a strong base andjust like acids it is extremely irritating to the skin while wet. You should always wear gloves working with mortar. Always.

I dont know about the smell however...
 
I used a outdoor concrete adhesive to hold the stone to the Durock. I believe that it is the Loctite Landscape adhesive for outdoor block. Do you think that the smell of the adhesive is leaching through the mortar?

What type of mortar did you use?
 
So you put mortar under your durock, then landscape adhesive, then tile on top of that?

Or do you mean there is stone behind the stove and tile underneath, and you used adhesive on the stone behind?

Sorry, but I don't quite follow.

Regardless, if you have an adhesive in an area that's going to get hot I think you're set up for more problems then a smell.

pen
 
WestDeerPirate said:
I used a outdoor concrete adhesive to hold the stone to the Durock. I believe that it is the Loctite Landscape adhesive for outdoor block. Do you think that the smell of the adhesive is leaching through the mortar?

What type of mortar did you use?
Click to expand...

It smells like the adhesive is melting. Mortar will only offgas for so long and then will become neutral.
 
Beginning with the existing wall I have steel studs and durock sheet. The durock sheet is about 3" off of the existing wall. Then I used a small amount of adhesive to hold the rocks in place. These are about 2" thick stone for indoor fireplaces. I then mortared between the stones. The base is the same.

When it gets hot you can smell something chemical. But after using the stove a few times i can smell the same thing anywhere I put my nose close to the stone I don't know if outgassing occurred and leaching through the mortar causing that to stink or what.
 
WestDeerPirate said:
I used a outdoor concrete adhesive to hold the stone to the Durock. I believe that it is the Loctite Landscape adhesive for outdoor block. Do you think that the smell of the adhesive is leaching through the mortar?

What type of mortar did you use?
Click to expand...

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/tds/PL_CA_LNDSCP_tds.pdf

If you used this you may get some smells if it gets near or above 150 degrees it could stink based on what I read in that PDF it says it is based with Synthetic rubber and resins which could explain the odors and too much heat could cause it to break down..

Ray
 
As a landscaper who does alott of retaining walls that requires the use of that adhiesive I would say that is where your smell is comming from. It really isnt designed for that type of application I dont think. You may have been better of going with a quick set mortar to set your stones. If you have a good masonry supply place in your area it would be a good idea to check with them. But then that would mean redoing all your hard work to this point but!!! I am just guessin here but I think what your smelling is the breakdown of a petrolium based product and the fumes it gives off. At the very least the product will fail and your hard work will be layin on the floor behind the stove and worst case the fumes could be a health hazard to you and your family. Just thinkin out loud and not tryin to scare ya here.
 
Butcher said:
As a landscaper who does alott of retaining walls that requires the use of that adhiesive I would say that is where your smell is comming from. It really isnt designed for that type of application I dont think. You may have been better of going with a quick set mortar to set your stones. If you have a good masonry supply place in your area it would be a good idea to check with them. But then that would mean redoing all your hard work to this point but!!! I am just guessin here but I think what your smelling is the breakdown of a petrolium based product and the fumes it gives off. At the very least the product will fail and your hard work will be layin on the floor behind the stove and worst case the fumes could be a health hazard to you and your family. Just thinkin out loud and not tryin to scare ya here.
Click to expand...
Halving worked for a plastering company I would say Butcher is spot on with his assessment. Mortar would have been the correct product to apply your stones.There should have been a scratch coat over lath then butter and stick your stones.Come back with a grout bag and fill the joints.
 
Did you use any glue or adheisive by chance ?
md


WestDeerPirate said:
Beginning with the existing wall I have steel studs and durock sheet. The durock sheet is about 3" off of the existing wall. Then I used a small amount of adhesive to hold the rocks in place. These are about 2" thick stone for indoor fireplaces. I then mortared between the stones. The base is the same.

When it gets hot you can smell something chemical. But after using the stove a few times i can smell the same thing anywhere I put my nose close to the stone I don't know if outgassing occurred and leaching through the mortar causing that to stink or what.
Click to expand...


Just my guess is the glue should stop smelling just don't know how long it will take and how much you used to tac it. Think of it like curing the paint on the stove. Again how long it takes and how toxic is the smell is the question...For me it would last a week and I'm changing it, can't take those smells.
md
 
Sounds to me like those stones will be falling off the wall in time.
I used mortar for my cultured stone, lots of it. And it ain't smelling or going no where.
 
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