Grand Mortar Quiz

[learner]

Many thanks for the assistance I received in an earlier post concerning damp in a property we are in the process of buying. I went up there today and took some pictures of the various types of mortar that have been used to point the walls. I am very confused. Is there any lime mortar here or is it all cement based? (which may partially explain the damp problems) Can you tell from just looking? I thought it would be helpful for me ( and a bit of a laugh for the forum) if you all had a go at identifying the different types. Here we go then, eyes down, starter for 10:

Number 1:

Number 2:

Number 3:

Number 4:

Number 5:

Number 6:

Number 7:

There is also damage to some stones. Is that cement around this one?

The walls in context:

First prize:

2 weeks in Yorkshire helping me to re-point a wall or 2 or 3 or 4.....
Enjoy!

Rob

 

[Nemesis]

Actually a bit of both in most, except No 4 which is totally awful cement ribbon pointing. 5 looks like two different cements. 7 could have some lime but again different cements I think.

The damage looks like cement and typical damage yes.


Have enough of my own to do thank you.

 

[chuckey]

your pics:-
1 = lime
2 &3 = lime & cement
4 & 5 = cement
6 = cement & lime
7 = cracked cement & lime
8 = yes
The sand is very obvious in your lime mortar

Get an old chisel or screwdriver, stab the area as hard as you can, with cement you will only scratch the surface or dislodge a few bits of dust, with lime you will damage it!
In general lime has a very white/silver look against any particles of the sand. Cement is greyish when the mixture is "rich"*, as the mixture gets weaker, the colour goes to that of the sand, so there is not any "whiteness" about it.
* with a rich cement mix the surface tends to have a polished look about it.
Frank

 

[Nemesis]

1 has both ...

 

[learner]

Brilliant, thanks very much...I know what I'm looking at now. I notice others have asked the same question so hopefully this will be helpful for other people too.

Rob

 

[NT]

Some of those have as many as 4 different pointings in one pic, so I dont see how you can expect clear answers. However I spotted lime in 6 and maybe 7.

NT