Barn Repair

[Iowa Dave]

We have and old (1900) dairy barn that has been converted into a garage. Last year we replaced the roof. Now I need to tackle the Foundation. There are several areas where I need to patch the concrete walls. Modern concrete is a different formula. How did the old timers mix concrete. It seems to be a "softer" formula. Thanks

 

[Bill in IL]

It was qicklime mortar in those days. It was limestone that was heated or cooked for several hours and then ground up and mixed with sand. Where to get it nowadays I have no idea but would like to do some of the same type work. Anybody have any idea?

 

[Anonymous-0]

Hydraulic cement? As I understand it,it expands slightly as it cures,rather than shrinking like common cement.For cracks,I believe theres also a concrete filler sold in tubes like caulking.

 

[jimont]

I believe that Bill has your answer. In this area, you can still find some of those old Lime Kilns, usually along a creek. You also have to remember that even when commercial portland cement became available, it was still "too darn expensive". Around here, it also meant a trip to the lake shore (Lake Erie) to get beach sand and then screen it for the mix. Another trick was to drop as many field stones as possible into foudations in order to save cement. Times change for sure.

 

[Maine Fordson]

Saw a brickmaking demo at Colonial Wiliamsburg in Virginia last year; they had a pile of seashells that were to be used for making lime mortar. Don't recall exactly how they do it, but this info should be available on-line.

One interesting thing about this old type of mortar: It's self-healing, i.e., if it cracks it will re-seal itself over time. Regular mortar won't, as we've all seen.

Good luck with your project; hope you find the recipe you need!

 

[Anonymous-0]

Antique mortar mix like referenced at:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~inpcrp/mortarmixes.html

and discussed at:
http://www.ihbc.org.uk/context_archive/53/Limemortar.htm
and
http://www.buildingdesign.co.uk/arch-3/bleaklow-industries/lime-mortar-products.htm

Gerald J.

 

[cadet trooper]

I suspect that if you take a nice drive to your nearest Amish community they can enlighten you and maybe even strike a deal to fix your foundation to original. We have a couple families close by that could do it but I'm in Ohio and you're in Iowa I assume. Good Luck, keep me posted on this because I'm an old barn freak and they are getting few and far between pictures would be nice. Tell me if you can, is it an English style or hip roof etc? I helped build a couple dairy barns in the late fifties and early sixties as a teenager and I hope I live long enough for someone to ask me how we did it, putting up sixty foot tall trusses by hand and standing seam tin, whew! No wonder I'm tired. CT

 

[NE IA Dave]

where R U located? Anywhere near NE IA?

 

[dan hill]

There are mixes made just for stucco work.find some one who does it.Surface bond motar has chopped fiberglas in it,it is nasty stuff to work with.Fast setting cements are expensive .

 

[Iowa Dave]

Thanks for the replies. I've printed out the articles and now I'll start checking on local supplies. I'm in Fort Dodge, Iowa and the barn is a small hip roof. Big enough to make a very nice 3 car garage with a lot of room at the back. Unfortunately, each previous owner has only done enough to satisfy their needs, so I have a long way to go to get it into shape to my sastisfaction