Bricks, Masonry, Asphalt and Concrete - Stone Masonry
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07-17-01, 03:58 PM
We have a stone hearth for a woodstove. It is recessed into the floor so the edges will be almost level with he wooden floor we are installing. The stones are fine but the concrete around the stones is crumbling and coming loose. How do we "redo" this? thanks.
2000
07-19-01, 08:43 AM
Chisel or grind the old away, clean and then re-grout. A heat resistant grout or mortar (non-epoxy type) would be a better choice for under and around the wood stove.
Mortar can be made more heat resistant by adding a small amount of fireclay. A highly heat resistant mortar can be made with the special cement "high alumina cement" and masonry sand in the proportions 1 cement to 3 sand.
Mortar can be made more heat resistant by adding a small amount of fireclay. A highly heat resistant mortar can be made with the special cement "high alumina cement" and masonry sand in the proportions 1 cement to 3 sand.
07-19-01, 11:50 AM
Thanks so much for the useful info. Do I need to chisel out every bit of mortar between the rocks? Can I buy the heat resistant mortar from a Home Depot type store? thanks again.
2000
07-19-01, 04:59 PM
Admittedly chiseling all of the grout away isn't a pleasant prospect, but the real question should be:"how many times are you willing to redo this?" It's true that more expeditious means of removal exist but they involve tools that you probably don't have, and they create a lot of dust.
A cape chisel for cutting a groove next to the stones and a standard cold chisel that fits between the stones for removing the waste might make your job a little easier.
Except for sacked ready mix mortar and fireclay I doubt that the Home Depot stocks a suitable heat resistant mortar or grout. They might stock a heat resistant mortar to repair a fireplace firebox but the same is not suitable for your purpose.
Sacked ready mix mortar and fireclay are available almost everywhere. High alumina cement is used in refractory work and in special concrete mixes. Sources may include (depending on where you live): a masonry yard that stocks high alumina brick (refractory brick), a masonry contractor that specializes in relining chimney flues with concrete, a concrete batch plant, a building supply that caters to the industrial market, a ceramics supply that stocks kiln materials and castables, under Refractories in the telephone book.
Heat resistant mortar or 'grout' isn't a request. But using one is a good idea if you understand that mortars, grouts, and cement and sand mixtures made with ordinary portland cement, or white and buff portland for tile grouts, do not withstand repeated heating well; thus they disintegrate.
A cape chisel for cutting a groove next to the stones and a standard cold chisel that fits between the stones for removing the waste might make your job a little easier.
Except for sacked ready mix mortar and fireclay I doubt that the Home Depot stocks a suitable heat resistant mortar or grout. They might stock a heat resistant mortar to repair a fireplace firebox but the same is not suitable for your purpose.
Sacked ready mix mortar and fireclay are available almost everywhere. High alumina cement is used in refractory work and in special concrete mixes. Sources may include (depending on where you live): a masonry yard that stocks high alumina brick (refractory brick), a masonry contractor that specializes in relining chimney flues with concrete, a concrete batch plant, a building supply that caters to the industrial market, a ceramics supply that stocks kiln materials and castables, under Refractories in the telephone book.
Heat resistant mortar or 'grout' isn't a request. But using one is a good idea if you understand that mortars, grouts, and cement and sand mixtures made with ordinary portland cement, or white and buff portland for tile grouts, do not withstand repeated heating well; thus they disintegrate.