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Warning: I mixed a small batch of mortar with a different brand of lime on a chimney repair in Denver
I was finishing a repoint job and ran out of my usual type S lime, so I grabbed a bag of a different brand from the supplier. The mix felt fine going on, but after two days the joints were still soft and crumbly, not setting right at all. I learned that even with the same spec, the particle size or purity between brands can really mess with the cure. Has anyone else had a mortar fail because of switching lime mid-job?
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the_jana7mo ago
Yeah that's a rough lesson to learn the hard way. I've had similar issues when the bag wasn't stored right and the lime got a little damp.
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wood.faith5mo ago
Wait, is it actually the lime or the bag itself reacting to moisture, @the_jana?
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matthew3947mo ago
Check if your storage container itself is sweating. Sometimes the condensation forms inside the bag or tub, not from the lime. Happened with my airtight container in a warm garage.
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milesk277mo ago
Honestly that's such a good point about the container itself. Tbh I lost a whole bag of mortar mix that way once, swore it was sealed tight. Turns out the plastic tub was just sitting in a sunny spot and sweating like crazy on the inside. Ngl it makes you check everything twice now, even the bags inside the bins. A real pain to deal with for sure.
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