Bricks, Masonry, Asphalt and Concrete - stone foundation repointing & water question
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havab
06-13-05, 05:28 PM
hi,
i have 2 questions regarding my stone foundation.
1. on the exterior of the house there are some pretty wide cracks (maybe 1/2") between some of the stones. are these signs of other issues, or normal issues with stone foundations that can simply be repointed with mortar?
2. i have a small retaining wall running along the foundation (about 2' from the foundation, running along it for about 20'). i was hoping to plant some flowers or shrubs, but i'm worried about introducing moisture directly to that area near the foundation. i see near where the dirt line meets the foundation some large gaps in the foundation. should i clear out the dirt, fill gaps with concrete, then put the dirt back and plant? should i plant at all?
thanks in advance!
i have 2 questions regarding my stone foundation.
1. on the exterior of the house there are some pretty wide cracks (maybe 1/2") between some of the stones. are these signs of other issues, or normal issues with stone foundations that can simply be repointed with mortar?
2. i have a small retaining wall running along the foundation (about 2' from the foundation, running along it for about 20'). i was hoping to plant some flowers or shrubs, but i'm worried about introducing moisture directly to that area near the foundation. i see near where the dirt line meets the foundation some large gaps in the foundation. should i clear out the dirt, fill gaps with concrete, then put the dirt back and plant? should i plant at all?
thanks in advance!
chfite
06-13-05, 09:55 PM
If the cracks are in the mortar, they are most likely the result of settling and can be repointed.
If your foundation wall is a curtain wall, that is, not structural, piling dirt against it may be a bad idea. In any event, piling dirt against the wall may well cause problems with moisture. Ramping some soil against the wall, say a couple of inches, to improve drainage would be beneficial because the intruding water is not good otherwise. If you plant near the wall, keep the plants from touching the wall to avoid transpiration of moisture from the plants to the wall.
Hope this helps.
If your foundation wall is a curtain wall, that is, not structural, piling dirt against it may be a bad idea. In any event, piling dirt against the wall may well cause problems with moisture. Ramping some soil against the wall, say a couple of inches, to improve drainage would be beneficial because the intruding water is not good otherwise. If you plant near the wall, keep the plants from touching the wall to avoid transpiration of moisture from the plants to the wall.
Hope this helps.