Had to pick between two mortar mixes for a chimney rebuild in St. Louis

The homeowner wanted a specific color match, so I had to choose between a standard Type N mix and a custom blend from a local supplier. I went with the custom blend, which cost about $15 more per bag, and it matched the old brick perfectly. The extra time mixing was worth it for the final look. Has anyone else had good luck with custom mortar for historic repairs?

3 comments

3 Comments

gavin_clark2mo agoMost Upvoted

Wait, are you SURE that was a lime putty mix for the chimney? Lime putty is pure slaked lime with NO sand in it, so you'd have to mix it with aggregate yourself. Most proper historic mortar repairs use a lime:sand mix, not straight putty, or the thing will just crack apart.

henrygrant4mo ago

Ever try that lime putty mix?

felix1554mo ago

You said lime putty mix, but it's usually just called lime putty. The mix part makes it sound like a new product. It's just slaked lime that's been sitting in water for a while. I used it on an old plaster repair and it worked great, but it takes forever to cure.