Masons of the Hearth - chimney repair

[Squisher]

Ive got a chimney that's a little rough around the edges. I'd be interested to hear some opinions on whether its repairable or should be rebuilt. It appears to have at least three different sizes of bricks making it up. The cap is cracked and it looks like some previous attempt at repair is flaking off. Any thoughts welcome.

 

[webby3650]

It looks like it's time for a rebuild. During the process, build a cricket on the up hill side of the chimney. This diverts water around it rather than dead ending into the bricks.

 

[bholler]

Yeah I agree there is not much there to repair.

 

[Squisher]

Thanks. That's what my gut was telling me but I wanted to ask here. The roof is getting done this year so adding a cricket will be done too.

 

[Squisher]

I believe I'm going to tackle this myself. Obviously I can't get started until we're done burning.

I'm sure when I get rolling I'll be back with questions.

I know it's not highly recommended but physically I'm really good at lifting/carrying things. Been a life long joke actually as I'm 'the guy' people call to help move things. I've done most all sorts of renovating/building/repairing. But my masonry work is limited to tiling of which I've done a lot, floors/walls/stairs which I've had great success with because I'm a stickler for detail.

The icing on the cake is I'm doing the roof myself as well.

I'm not cheap honest, but I am a farmer. Lol.

 

[heavy hammer]

Take some pics if just tearing out then replacing the same its not very difficult. Just be careful of the flues. If they are bad they are easy to replace to. I was a mason for over ten years did a lot of jobs like these. Instead of mortar for the cap, using concrete will make it stronger and last longer. Good luck.

 

[Squisher]

Thanks for that. Both flues have the original terracotta liners and the one to the basement stove has a SSteel liner down it as well.

I expect to learn a lot along the way and for it to take about ten times longer than necessary. My only hope is that I don't have to do it three times to get it right which is sometimes the case with my projects.

 

[bholler]

Thanks for that. Both flues have the original terracotta liners and the one to the basement stove has a SSteel liner down it as well.

I expect to learn a lot along the way and for it to take about ten times longer than necessary. My only hope is that I don't have to do it three times to get it right which is sometimes the case with my projects.

It is not complicated just make sure you use the right mortar mix for the brick you choose and use an acrylic additive like acryl it makes the mortar work much nicer and makes it stick better. Then just take your time and don't get to stressed if you get a little out of level or plumb. Just keep it as close as you can and it will look fine from the ground. It takes allot of experience to keep everything running perfect but as long as you are pretty close it wont hurt anything. I have seen lots of beginners take an hour to lay one course because they wanted every brick and joint absolutely perfect and that is not realistic as a beginner.

 

[brickie]

Get some lime and mason sand and practice on the ground.
Seriously, don't "learn" on the roof! You can reuse the practice mortar
until you become confident.

 

[bholler]

Get some lime and mason sand and practice on the ground.
Seriously, don't "learn" on the roof! You can reuse the practice mortar
until you become confident.

Good idea i don't know why i didn't think of that. That is how I started as a kid.

 

[Squisher]

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to try and stop by my local building supply store either today and tomorrow to start to see what products are available locally.

These bricks appear to me to be of a few different sizes. I've measured 7 3/4"x 3 3/4". 8"x 3 3/4". And 8 1/4"x 4". Is that amount of variance normal? In measuring and looking I've not determined rhyme nor reason as to why and where the differing sized bricks have been laid. They appear to be randomly slightly different throughout?

 

[brickie]

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to try and stop by my local building supply store either today and tomorrow to start to see what products are available locally.

These bricks appear to me to be of a few different sizes. I've measured 7 3/4"x 3 3/4". 8"x 3 3/4". And 8 1/4"x 4". Is that amount of variance normal? In measuring and looking I've not determined rhyme nor reason as to why and where the differing sized bricks have been laid. They appear to be randomly slightly different throughout?

They are "reused" soft brick that I would not use outside.
I would replace with a sw, severe weather brick, with a concave or weathered joint.
An FBX brick has much less size size variants, than an FBS.
(broken link removed to http://www.homercgodfrey.com/HCG/Brick_Types_and_Specifications.html)

 

[heavy hammer]

The reason they are different sizes is because they are called used brick. They used them on a lot of old buildings. Do you have these brick on your house? The reason is if you can build your chimney out of another kind of brick look at Belden brick they are a very hard brick last forever, look beautiful. Find something that will look great and stand the test of time. Remember a hard brick which is something that will not instantly suck the water out of the mortar, needed to be layed with stiffer mortar. To make the mortar stronger use silica sand instead of just regular mason sand. It costs more but for your little job it's worth it. To get the brick layed straight grab a very true 2 by4 and use that with your level when leveling instead of trying to slide you four foot level back and forth to line them up. As said above take your time no one is perfect have a mason ruler so you get the measurements for your dimensions lay a course around straighten with your level and 2x4 repeat till at the top. The key to laying brick is having the correct mortar, to wet brick slide everywhere. To stiff then you are beating them into place. You will be fine it's not rocket science trust me, see if you could get a buddy to help second set of hands comes in handy.

 

[Simonkenton]

I wouldn't rebuild it. I only saw about a dozen brick that are bad. Just saw them out and replace.
Most of that chimney looks just fine, bricks are good and mortar is too.

 

[bholler]

I wouldn't rebuild it. I only saw about a dozen brick that are bad. Just saw them out and replace.
Most of that chimney looks just fine, bricks are good and mortar is too.

With that many brick going bad there are going to be more failing soon. The reason is probably the deep cut mortar joints. Which would need to be cut back and repointed. So by the time you removed all of the bad brick took off the crown cut back the mortar repointed and poured a new crown on it you would have almost as much work in it as if you had rebuilt it and then you are bound to have more brick to replace in a few years. And you would still have the over sized head joints which are a weak spot. Yes it could be fixed but I don't see that it is worth it.

 

[Simonkenton]

That chimney has been there for a while. I will bet that all the brick that are going to fail, have already failed.
These are probably antique brick. In the old days, some of the brick got fired properly, some of them were not fired right. They look good but are fragile.
In the winter, the bricks get wet in the rain, the next day it freezes, and chunks of the brick spall off.

 

[bholler]

I will bet that all the brick that are going to fail,

I seriously doubt that I see it all the time we replace a few brick and come back in a few years and there are just as many bad as there where before. When we do that we tell the customer we can not guarantee more bricks will not fail because more often than not they will. Water has been getting into those brick for a long time and you may not be able to see it yet but I am sure there are more that are compromised.

 

[heavy hammer]

Rebuild it once and be done with it, or piece it together and keep adding band aids to it over the coming years. I agree with a holler just do the whole thing and be done with it plus you said your doing the roof. I know I wouldn't want to get up on my new roof to fix my chimney that I pieced back just a couple years ago.

 

[Squisher]

I do appreciate the input/thought that it could be repaired. But honestly I'm quite sold now on rebuilding it. I think it's going to be a fun little project and am quite looking forward to it.

I've been caught up these last couple of days doing firewood, ironically enough. So haven't been able to research anything up yet. My plan is to find out from my local concrete/masonry place what I'm looking at for dollars/cents on this and hopefully score some materials so I can do some practice on the ground.

 

[Squisher]

Heavy hammer you had asked if I had other brickwork in my house and I don't. I have a open fireplace/hearth on the main floor but it has rock work and no exposed bricks so i don't have to try and match.

 

[Woody Stover]

I am a farmer. Lol.

OK, then you are qualified to fix anything!

 

[brickie]

If you have a large mason contractor nearby, you might want to see if you can buy some leftover
brick from them. It's a small chimney, you may be able to get a high quality brick and even a
custom mortar as well. Take a picture of the flashing before tear down and remember that
cricket!
https://=image+of+a+chimney+cricket&iax=1&ia=images

 

[heavy hammer]

Since you don't have to match any other brick I would look into something very durable and tough. Belden makes some of the best brick I have ever used very hard and they look very nice. Along with silica sand in the mortar it will be bullet proof. I have seen structures built over fifty years ago with these two materials together and they look as good as the day they were built. They may cost more but you only talking a couple hundred brick and a few bags of mortar for a job like yours. Build it right and it will last your lifetime.

 

[Squisher]

Thanks for the advice. My plan is to spend s bunch of time on the roof this spring in hopes I may never have to deal with the roof again. Rebuild the chimney, and metal for the re-roof.

I have a large masonry supply building centre in my local town and at least now with a few scribbled notes from this thread I shouldn't look like a complete horses ass when I get to town.

 

[Squisher]

OK, then you are qualified to fix anything!

Heh I am that guy who always has a piece of baler twine in my pocket. Lol.