I noticed on of my chimneys needs tuck pointing. I plan on doing this when I drop in the liner, I will be renting a lift. while am up there I would like to put a coating on the crown, its not in bad shape but I would like to protect it some. I planned on removing the old mortar with an angle grinder. Can you guys make a recommendation on a good tuck pointing mortar, type of wheel in the grinder and a good coating for the crown. I would love to cover the crown with a stainless chase cover or a multi-flue cap but its not in my budget. Thanks
Tuck point chimney and coat crown
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The mortar type will depend upon how hard the brick or stone of your chimney is. You always want your mortar to be a little softer than the masonry units it is in. For modern brick type s mortar mixed to a ratio of 3 parts sand to 1 part type s cement works good usually. For older brick type n or type o should be used in varying ratios depending on how hard the brick is. And always use an acrylic modifier to aid with adhesion and workability. As far as the blade goes you want a 1/4" thick diamond blade. I use a stack blade which is 2 thin blades stacked to add up to 1/4".
When it comes to crown sealer if your crown is in good shape leave it alone. If it is cracked up or eroded pour a new one. Crown sealer is a temporary fix.
Ok thank you, I would assume they are modern bricks home is 30 years old. As far as the crown it appears to be in good shape so I will leave it alone. i was just wondering if there is anything to prolong its life.
ColdNorCal
Feeling the Heat
Redid the crown and some of the chimney joints last year. The joints were actually in decent shape. Some cracking and some spots missing. I hit the joints with a wire brush then used a mortar joint sealant caulk.
That caulk is a real pita when you go to actually fix the chimney. It gums up the diamond blades used to cut out the mortar. If it has been used on a chimney we are repointing the price goes up by a couple hundred
ColdNorCal
Feeling the Heat
Interesting. If the mortar behind the caulk is good, then no need to remove it. If the mortar is falling out like sand, then it does need to be replaced.
If the mortar behind the caulk is good why caulk it? I repoint lots of chimneys and I absolutely despise that stuff. It makes my job so much harder
ColdNorCal
Feeling the Heat
I have used it where their are random areas that the mortar has falen out. And for larger cracks. To use mortar would require removing good, soldid, mortar to create a large enough void, joint, for the mortar to bond and be thick enough to be stable. Im talking about patch work. For a rebuild or areas where bricks are lose, I'd use mortar.
If the mortar is falling out the rest would not be far behind - its all the same age.
It really does not take much time at all to clean out a joint with an angle grinder and fill it with mortar. Besides, calk can trap moisture which is not good for the mortar behind the calk especially if it freezes.
It really does not take much time at all to clean out a joint with an angle grinder and fill it with mortar. Besides, calk can trap moisture which is not good for the mortar behind the calk especially if it freezes.
I am going to use mortar and diamond wheel just the top couple of feet appear to be bad. I can see daylight in a few places. its a large chimney I don't plan on doing the whole thing. The crown is not cracked seems to be in good shape boat I may put some crown sealer or thin coat of mortar just to slow down the deterioration process.
ColdNorCal
Feeling the Heat
If thats the case, all the mortar would be falling out and the entire chimney would fail as its all the same age.
The caulk seals the mortar joints, preventing moisture. If thats not the case, then caulk should not be used around windows, door/window trim, bathroom tubs, sinks...
No problem that you prefer mortar. I do to depending on the situation.
Yes the caulk seals the joints preventing moisture from getting in. The problem is a masonry chimney is pourous and let's some moisture in. And it picks up moisture from inside the house as well. If you use caulk that moisture is then trapped and will slowly destroy the chimney. That may not be as big of an issue in California. But many of us have lots of freeze thaw cycles and it can cause big problems. It isn't a matter of preference it is a matter of using the right product for the right application.
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