Many older buildings have a stone foundation.
Up until the early 20th century, most foundations were made of stone and mortar. Eventually, cracks will appear in the foundation, and will need to be repaired. The cracks can be caused by water damage, the freeze-thaw cycle of changing seasons or a settling house. If the cracks are big, or the foundation has the appearance of almost coming apart, you'll need to hire a professional to come in and fix it. If the cracks are small, however, you can repair them yourself. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Chip away the area around the crack with a hammer and chisel, going a half-inch or a little bit deeper.
2. Clean all the dust and debris from the crack with a stiff brush or shop-vac.
3. Mix a fresh batch of mortar, following the instructions on the bag, until it has the consistency of peanut butter.
4. Pack the mortar tightly into the crack with a putty knife.
5. Let the mortar set until it is solid, but still soft enough that it's malleable (check the label on the bag to see the drying time).
6. Pack the mortar in deeper and smooth the surface, using a jointer, a tongue depressor or a flat piece of plastic.
7. Scrape off any excess mortar that gets onto the stones around the crack with a trowel.
Tags: crack with, around crack, around crack with, Pack mortar