Author Topic: How do I make good this wall?  (Read 5330 times)

Mrs Pingu

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How do I make good this wall?
« on: 04 March, 2020, 05:25:42 pm »
Now to some of you this will seem obvious but I am not versed in the magic arts of cement vs concrete vs whatever so please feel to explain in words of 1 syllable.
How do I fix/make good this corner of our wash house please?

2020-03-04_05-04-14 by The Pingus, on Flickr

i.e. what stuff do I need to slap in/on it and do I need to cram it in the gap between the bricks?
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #1 on: 04 March, 2020, 05:49:45 pm »
Mortar for the gaps between the bricks. When we had a builder redo the pointing they ground some out before putting new on.
Given that there's greenery in the cracks I'd explore how much else was loose too.
My experience of DIY bricklaying is that i used rather more mortar than a professional would have.

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Gattopardo

  • Lord of the sith
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Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #2 on: 04 March, 2020, 06:32:02 pm »
This is the bit, I over do things.

I would wait until warm weather, to dry out the wall.  Before this I would pressure wash the wall. This would be to clean the moss and help loosen any areas.   Then hack out as much loose render and then the loose mortar to get back to clean mortar.  I would use a mortar rake on an angle grinder.  Then spray the area with a moss or greener killer.

Then I would wait for the dry.  Then use a mortar gun to inject the mortar in to the gaps in the brick.  Give that a bit to dry and set and harden and then re render the gaps in the render.

Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #3 on: 05 March, 2020, 12:28:05 am »
I wouldn't bother waiting for it to dry out, cement will take better to a damp surface.

As above, prise out all the loose stuff with an old screwdriver (or better still a thin masonry chisel)  and then repoint with may be a 4:1* soft sand / cement. (add a drop of washing up liquid to the mix, it will make it more workable)

*those bricks look quite soft so may be a weaker mix ?

By the looks of the wall you won't make it look any worse, and you may give it another decade before a proper job needs done.

Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #4 on: 05 March, 2020, 07:04:39 am »
Yup. Wet is better. Rake out junk and start again with a 6:1 mix. Plug chisel and mortar pick useful. For such a small area an SDS might do more damage. You can also chock the bricks up with slithers of slate slipped in between the mortar.

Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #5 on: 05 March, 2020, 11:46:28 am »
I have a mortar gun available for free if anyone could use it. (bought thinking it would make pointing easier, ended up using a float and a trowel, as ever)

Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #6 on: 05 March, 2020, 05:14:57 pm »
Anther vote for float+ trowel instead of mortar gun; even easier to get the mortar well into deep joints is a float + a bamboo chopstick, then finish off with the trowel.

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #7 on: 14 March, 2020, 10:32:19 pm »
Finger trowel + plasterers hawk + mortar + beer (I like lime mortar as you know, but you have cement mortar)

(mortar = 1 part cement:5 parts sand + a bit of water)


Put the mortar on the hawk then stuff it in the hole with the finger trowel................................. then drink beer.

It really is that simple.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #8 on: 14 March, 2020, 10:45:09 pm »
Hello Maud, long time no see :)
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #9 on: 14 March, 2020, 10:48:01 pm »
Hello Mrs P.

I've been busy doing art / historic building type stuff.

How's things?


Mrs Pingu

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Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #10 on: 14 March, 2020, 10:52:04 pm »
Ah you know, bits are falling off the flat, the usual  :facepalm:   ;D
Hope you're enjoying your course?
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #11 on: 15 March, 2020, 08:53:04 am »
I am enjoying it very much indeed, it's very interesting and a bit like traveling through time researching old methods and materials and making beautiful things from 1500.

It's given me a greater appreciation of art and architecture and I've even been getting interested in iconography, which is like a trip down a rabbit hole for me.

As for your wall, it really is very easy to patch it up with a bit of mortar. If you don't have the tools, you could put your marigolds on and just use your hands to stuff the mortar in the gaps and then smooth it over with a bit of cardboard.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #12 on: 15 March, 2020, 10:44:32 am »
Yeah I'm sure I can manage that wee bit of mortar. It's this that's worrying me:
2020-03-15_10-38-07 by The Pingus, on Flickr

Glad you're enjoying your course  :thumbsup:
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #13 on: 15 March, 2020, 11:37:29 am »
Hmmm, that kind of reinforced concrete stuff isn't really my bag and I can understand why you're concerned.


LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #14 on: 15 March, 2020, 11:47:05 am »
That is a real problem and something I know a fair bit about, albeit on a larger scale.

A major repair (rather than a bodge) is almost certainly needed and, unless done properly, the repair can worsen corrosion adjacent to the repair. The repair needs to remove concrete behind the rusting bars (able to wrap your fingers around the bars) and along the bar for centimetres past where it is rusting. If a lot of steel has been lost, then you need to augment the remaining steel and properly anchor/ lap it. EN 1504 is the main standard you (or your repairer) should be compliant with.

I’ll edit with a useful link later today
https://nzl.sika.com/dms/getdocument.get/83d2f949-4f97-35d0-8222-1ce6805815b8/sika-concrete-repair-&-protection-to-en-1504-brochure-nz-0614.pdf is way more comprehensive than is needed for most folk but is very good information. I suspect you may have a concrete carbonation problem allowing reinforcement corrosion. You probably need a concrete mortar or microconcrete repair to EN 1504-3 but may not need reinforcement augmentation. Figure on removing/ replacing at least 125% of the visibly cracked concrete.

We’ve only seen one photo, so ‘all care, no responsibility’. A proper site inspection might reveal that something else is going on or that the problem is significantly larger or smaller than the guess above.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Mrs Pingu

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Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #15 on: 15 March, 2020, 01:19:47 pm »
Thanks. I was wondering if it might be cheaper to rip all that out and replace it with a steel 'balcony' if you will.
Main problem I can see with that is both our downstairs neighbours have their bedroom windows directly under that bit on either side and I imagine it could be a trifle noisy when it's pissing with rain.

Having trouble just getting people to come and look at it. It doesn't seem to be most builder's bag. Had a visit from this lot https://www.richardsonandstarling.co.uk/structural-repairs/ last week. Expecting them to be ££££...
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

andytheflyer

  • Andytheex-flyer.....
Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #16 on: 15 March, 2020, 01:36:34 pm »
I'd take it down and replace with a galvanised structural steel construction, with a tanalised timber decking.  That way you can replace the decking should you ever need to.  My neighbours have something similar.

Fairly straightforward job for a structural steel company.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #17 on: 15 March, 2020, 01:47:50 pm »
I'd take it down and replace with a galvanised structural steel construction, with a tanalised timber decking.  That way you can replace the decking should you ever need to.  My neighbours have something similar.

Fairly straightforward job for a structural steel company.

Any chance of a picture?
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #18 on: 15 March, 2020, 02:33:36 pm »
I'm a fan of minimal maintenance materials like GRP and GRP structural sections would probably work fine for such a small area. Not all of it has to look industrial. https://www.steponsafety.co.uk/categories/decking-cladding
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #19 on: 15 March, 2020, 04:01:33 pm »
I'd take it down and replace with a galvanised structural steel construction, with a tanalised timber decking.  That way you can replace the decking should you ever need to.  My neighbours have something similar.

Fairly straightforward job for a structural steel company.

Any chance of a picture?

No idea on the steel but I would make sure that you either have little steel bits in the wood or go for the non slip plastic decking.  For anything with daily use in Aberdeen i would want something definitely non slip.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #20 on: 15 March, 2020, 04:07:49 pm »
Me too. There are tiles on there at the moment which are a death trap...
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #21 on: 15 March, 2020, 04:10:09 pm »
Is there likely to be any drawbacks structurally with GRP decking?
Bear in mind this is the only entrance to mine & my neighbours flats so it needs to be able to withstand heavy stuff being moved in & out on occasion (e.g. I have a Miele washing washine).
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #22 on: 15 March, 2020, 04:11:39 pm »
And timber dekking at height is potential death.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #23 on: 15 March, 2020, 05:55:04 pm »
Standard pedestrian loading is 3kN/m2 = 300kg/m2. How heavy is your washing machine?
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Mrs Pingu

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Re: How do I make good this wall?
« Reply #24 on: 15 March, 2020, 10:18:29 pm »
93kg (am surprised, I thought Mieles were tons)
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.