Q. I am installing flagstone and some paving brick on top of a concrete patio. A book I read suggests mixing sand, cement and hydrated lime in different proportions to make the mortar mix. What is ...

You may not know this, but I received a bachelor of science degree in geology many moons ago. I was fascinated by the topic, and it helped me build houses and buildings that would not fail.

Lime-based mortars are flexible and pervious, allowing for shifts in older foundations and structures and facilitating the movement of moisture in and out walls. This malleability is paramount to ...

Question: It appears I wasted some money five years ago. I had my brick building repointed with new mortar, and it has deteriorated quickly. Do you have any idea what caused it to happen? The building ...

Q: My 10-year-old house developed some cosmetic cracks in the mortar. I got some bids to have tuck-pointing work done and nearly gagged. I'm wondering about using a special caulk I found that's made ...

Q: I'm about to undertake a complex project. I have an older brick home that's more than 100 years old. There are places where the mortar needs attention. The bigger issue is a room addition we have ...

Q. I need to repair the mortar joints on my older brick home that was built in the late 1800s. I’ve seen some horrible workmanship where the mortar doesn’t match at all, and I want to avoid this. How ...

Question: My ten-year-old house developed some cosmetic cracks in the mortar. I got some bids to have tuck-pointing work done and nearly gagged when I looked at the cost. I’m wondering about using a ...