Shoring up stone wall.

[zoothorn]

Can someone advise. I have edges of stone wall forming the reveal of a doorway with old frame. I've removed some sort of thick concrete render around which was hollow. I think it was so thick here to maybe shore up the stone sides, due to there being big gaps around to frame. So essentially I need to replace it. I think. I'm concerned about structure currently.

 

As far as I can tell the attention needed here, is different to the adjacent wall faces where I'm pointing in small volumes. I can't see cramming in 2 trowels of lime mortar is right.. surely I need a stronger material. Foam was suggested to fill small voids, but now Ive removed all of this bad diy job layer I've created bigger voids exposing the inside of the wall, which seem precarious & urgent.

 

I've used concrete before, but liquid setting in a sided enclosure as normal etc. So forgive my naiivity.. but I cannot see how concrete can be used if it'll just fall out (so I cannot think how what I'm removing if it is some kind of fine concrete as it looks, was ever put in). Can anyone advise?

 

thanks zoothorn.

[PeterW]

It won’t fall sideways - it will be a rubble wall that is very strong so just make a strong mortar mix and push it in. 

[zoothorn]

1 hour ago, PeterW said:

It won’t fall sideways - it will be a rubble wall that is very strong so just make a strong mortar mix and push it in. 

 

Hi Peter. Ok as simple as that? so it's ok to apply an orange-size plug of mortar also as a sort of 'render' here too? (IE it will not be fine pointing-like lines, but fist sized wads smoothed out). ok if so, once Ive got my confidence with a mortar mix I can crack on then. Yes I do see rubble & lots of fine infill falling out, a pain as it'll prevent mortar adhesion I guess. And if I vacuuum It'll never end. Hmm.

 

I have an even naiiver Q re. my 4:1 mix if you can help. Ok my 25kg sand bags were outdoor stored & fairly moisture heavy. If I'm hand mixing on a board it takes ages: but will the cement/ sand shovel mixing be at risk of 'going off' alot more, because of mixing the dry cement into wettish sand plus the 10mins time I'm hand mixing it prior to adding water? I don't seem to have made a very strong 4:1 mix afaict, it breaks off easily & seems 'sandy' you see. I'm not sure if it wasn't 'off' to start off with.

 

thanks zH

[PeterW]

4:1 will take a few days to harden off completely but it will be rock solid. Just make sure it’s well mixed and also wet enough - don’t just rely on the moisture in the sand. 

[zoothorn]

8 minutes ago, PeterW said:

4:1 will take a few days to harden off completely but it will be rock solid. Just make sure it’s well mixed and also wet enough - don’t just rely on the moisture in the sand. 

 

I was wondering if I'd put in too much water tbh. I mixed, added water/ good consistancy/ add a squirt of fairy liquid (yes I know).. & consistancy then went 'wetter' somehow. 25minutes more adding more sand, more cement, mixing until exhausted.. but not getting less 'wet'. So I had to go for it. A beginners mix.

 

Now I realise I have frostproofer I could've used as a plasticiser, dimwit. Right so for 4 flat shovels of sand, 1 cement, how much frostproofer? eggcupful? teecupful?

 

thanks- zoot

[PeterW]

Cup full of frost proofer to a bucket of water. 
 

 

[zoothorn]

5 minutes ago, PeterW said:

Cup full of frost proofer to a bucket of water. 
 

 

 

Ok good thanks. Last thing is how deep is it best to go with the mix, before considering a 2nd layer? or can I just stuff my voids in one go, just making sure it doesn't sag out/ i think this is the reason for doing 2 passes-?

[jfb]

Use small bits of stone/brick to fill voids as well as mortar. Shove/throw some mortar in, push in some small bits of stone/rubble. Apply more mortar if needed and depending on the finish you are going for.

[zoothorn]

On 11/04/2021 at 15:24, jfb said:

Use small bits of stone/brick to fill voids as well as mortar. Shove/throw some mortar in, push in some small bits of stone/rubble. Apply more mortar if needed and depending on the finish you are going for.

 

Hi Jfb.. good advice, I was thinking of this myself. I'm recalling back 33 years to when I laboured/ we did a repoint job for some of this. so the weed hasnt destroyed all of my memory then.. which is nice.