Mike - This is bringing back so many memories of my father. He was a union Master Plasterer in Northern Indiana. He started his career back in 1957. I remember him mixing plaster in the same way you talk about mixing mortar. I remember his Ford pickup truck with the windowed cover over the bed, the same as I've seen in your videos. I remember helping him load that bed with buckets and trowels and wooden levels and bags of sand and lime and gypsum when I was probably 8 or 9. I remember him waking up at 4:30 and getting his breakfast ready and heading out by 5:00 for jobs that were an hour and half away. I found your videos because I was looking at fixing some masonry around my home. I found something else: memories and a recognition of true tradecraft. Thank you Mike.
Hi Mike: Thank you so much for passing on your knowledge of cement from you many years of experience. Bravo for guys like you that take the time to pass along such useful knowledge. You're a champ. Thanks again. Jim Williams
Every mason has a different opinion, I got to say I always use portland, because I never have a problem, I also think it is the weight of the retaining wall that keeps it in place more than the cement. I don,t thing you are doing wrong cause s mortar holds up a lot better than plain mortar, and a shovel of portland can't hurt.. and I sure don,t want to tell some one what to do. my videos are just my opinions being passed on as something to be considered... thanks for the comment. mike
Your videos are the best. I have learned so much about concrete by watching your videos. Your Dad passed his knowledge onto you about how to do this and now you are teaching thousands of people to do this via the internet. Pretty neat!!
I can't tell anyone what to use. but I ususally on a outside wall use two buckets of sand to one bucket of S mortar. then if it will be exposed to any weather I will add a shovel of portland. now if it is on a patio where the rain hits it everyday I will use only portland. sometimes its a good idea to let some days go by so the base coat has time to shrink, my opinion thanks mike
Mike your the best . I did cement work around the house before. I had no idea what I was doing until I found you on TH-cam. thank you very very much for teaching me things i will use the rest of my life. there is also some kind of cement work I find to do now because of you . thank you.
Mike Haduck. The winters aren't nearly as harsh here in Oklahoma. I'm learning how to lay stone and the professionals are helping me. Love your videos.
Interesting. I worked on resurfacing and adding some grade to a little sidewalk project and tried everything until I read an article that mentioned 2 sand and 1 portland and I have used it for projects all summer and it works great. It's nice to hear a confirmation on it. Thanks Mike for your expertise and willingness to share it.
, I wouldn't do anything on anybodys house that I wouldn,t do on mine. Of course it is always my opinion and my ways of doing things, seems to work for me. and I try to tell folks to always ask other pros. I appreciate the comment. thanks mike
Veteran realtime experienced knowledge . no better teacher than the real old timers. Reminds me of summers carpenters apprentice 1985 Bklyn Shops ARtie ( Italian) and Ray(Irish) two of the best tradesmen. similar to this old house. Thanks Mike Haduck _ please continue to share your vast knowledge .
Don't forget it takes cement weeks to finally cure, and every mason uses different mixes especially from different states, I get my masonry sand sometimes from the concrete company or quarrys, all depends on what I am doing, good luck, mike
Mike, I know Concrete work is brutal work. I enjoy watching someone that definitely know his trade. You make it look simple, but I know it is not. Thank, Mike
Down in South Carolina. I think I've watched every video you've done twice. I wanted to thank you as you've made me a more informed owner. I know I can't do these jobs myself, but you've given me the confidence to make sure I get the RIGHT people to do the job and that's what I needed. I hoped to do the work myself, but seeing skilled laborers vs myself, it's better to pay a skilled worker the first time. Thanks Mike, I owe you a beer or 12.
my best answer is - every mason I every worked with used a different mix and every region and state and country is the same way. many masons still add lime ,nothing wrong with that. but you can go to lowes or home depot and buy a ready mix for mortar or Portland , which is fine, I use them for certain jobs. hope it helped, thanks mike
Mike, I just wanted to take some time and thank you for the videos you have posted. I had some cracks in my basement steps and stumbled upon your channel looking into ways to patch em up. I'm a younger guy mid 20s but relate to your old school methodology as it reminds me much of the way my grandfather who was a big influence on me during my teens worked on diesel equipment well into his 90s, the nothing to fancy get the job done kinda approach. Anyways after watching all you had to offer twice (including the banjo stuff) i came away with the courage to not only try and patch up my stairs I ended up busting up and rebuilding a old small garden retainer wall on the side of my house. Got quite a bit of smack talk from the neighbors during the process n probably took me 5xs the amount time to complete compared to paying someone to do it but in the end cost me bout 150 bucks for the tools and portland/sand and got compliments from all of them, my father in law thought my my stairs were brand new at first. I had my 8yr old watching n he even got into once you started painting the chickens. Anyone asks him he'll tell you want it stick gotta get it wet first. I'm in the tropics of WNY where we get the mildest of winter weather from our northern neighbors across Great puddles of Erie and Ontario so well see how it looks in April. Thanks again man.
thanks Jack, hearing these kind of comments make me feel I am on the right track, and its true lots of folks do not have the guts to try it themselves, I should be the one giving you the credit, thanks mike
Yup, this is one of the videos that saved me on my first attempt at fixing stairs. I’ve watched it 4 times. My garage is now filled with small wooden molds, bags of aggregate and Portland cement. My wife got annoyed that I snuck out at 1am to check on the 1’ by 2’ “slab” I poured.
Mike thanks for the education. Very helpful for a not very skilled (but wants to have a go DIYer). I liked how as soon as you started the lawnmower started up. I assume you asked them to stop please and then as soon as you re-commenced over came the aircraft.
brick work and block work is a whole different thing, if you wet the brick it gets sloppy and cleaning is a big issue, same with block work, remember that cement is a binder and not a glue, if you want to do the glue effect then you wet it. things like stucco and patch up. you have to work in the trade for a while to understand it. every mason in every state or country does it different. my opinion, thanks mike
love it . I work for E.G Conti for 6 months and I was the pit man. I learned that they had a special way of mixing which gave them a special looking mortar.
I'm a Janitor / Sextant... for a Boston Church with a 5' Stone Wall and a series of steps up to sanctuary entrance. The stone wall has a bit of loose mortar. The side walls for the stairs are also cracking like crazy. When I first started working on the wall - I used premixed cement with some small stones built in. Well - long story short - that was wrong cement - tough to tuck into the cracks and between stones. Now I'm using Portland and sand. 2:1 ratio. I'm getting better at this. Tremendous thanks to Mike Haddock. I feel like I'm a Mike Haddock - Apprentice.
You answer my question I am installing a standing shower & when you explain that Portland cement they use it in high way & swimming pools , I am going for the portal cement, because experience is knowledge, thanks a million!
Hey Mike, I’m from Kansas, we bought a small house, but the east basement wall leaks water really badly when it rains. Built in 1908 and has the old (red brick) walls with a slight bow in it. The house has no guttering and a sidewalk by it, which is terrible. I’m putting up guttering and putting in a new sidewalk, but this time the cement will go up to the house and about 4 feet out, should end the water problem. Then I want to put about a 1/4 inch of Portland on the brick walls to seal them, inside. What mix do you recommend? I was going to mix 2-Sand and 1-Portland? Thanks, Jim
Hi Jim, That is what I use, and I have not had a problem, others say different, but I do have videos out and how i repair an old stone foundation, They may help thanks Mike
It all depends. Old school is just Portland in a paint but there are some resurface products at lowes and homedepot tha work well, depending. on what you want. test it on an old block to make sure. thanks mike
I learned a lot about cement and sand. It's good to know I can just go with Portland's on most projects. I don't have any projects yet but it's something to think about
Guess what I’m trying to ask is: for sidewalk painting your way: better to use portland with sand/bonding adhesive or Quickrete stucco that has white sand & put bonding adhesive in it to get more consistent color vs possible darker spots when using portland painted on with a brush? Thank you for your knowledge and patience
I would get a couple old bricks and practice first, If you get a hose and wire brush the cement that is on the brick will clean up the next day, check out my how to do a stone patio on the cleaning part, good luck my opinion, mike
I would say type S is Ok, and getting a bag of pre-mix from home depot would work if your going to fix it yourself, (type S basically has Portland in it) I would get a few old bricks and practice on something else if you were a beginner.before you do it on your steps. that is my opinion, check out "how I repair brick steps (mike Haduck)" video, thanks mike
Thanks for another excellent video Mike. I'm just about to restore a 1920 fieldstone porch pillar because the mortar has decomposed so I will use Portland instead of the S-type mortar like I had planned on using
Hi Mike - Thanks for the great content... I just turned 60 and pretty handy overall and would appreciate your advice on filling in a 1" hole that leads to some tunnel erosion in my Florida Gunite Pool with a pearl gem finish. This was due to a very tiny hole at first that was found by a leak detection company that opened to 1" upon applying a temporary patch. My intention would be to use 3/4" clear tubing and a funnel to push the right kind of cement/concrete into the void with low pressure from a compressor instead of just patching the surface. Which type of bagged mix would you recommend for this repair? Your suggestions and thoughts are welcome. Thanks and Best Always....
Hi Mike, I have found your videos to be extremely helpful! My father was a huge fix-it guy but hadn't been able to do much around the house the last few years. He passed away in January. I'm staying with my mother this summer to help her with some things. The two biggest items needing attention is the concrete (steps and driveway) and house painting. I just finished the porch, feeling much more more confident after watching your videos about 25 times. The corner was broken off and the front deeply pitted. I used mortar to repair (also a badly deteriorated corner foundation of the house) and later topped the whole set of steps with Portland. I just finished it yesterday and it looks great! My mother is thrilled. :) Here is my question. You mention in this video that straight Portland will crack. In other videos, you "paint" with Portland (and some bonding glue) for a nice finish, but there is no sand. That's what I did on the steps. I'm in Wisconsin - severe fluctuations in temperature with an occasional -20 to -30 in the winter and today (June 21) is supposed to be 96 degrees with lots of humidity. My next plan of order is fixing the cracks and pot holes in the drive with Cement All and then going over the top with Portland. Do you recommend using sand in this mix? And one last question... sorry this is so long. You mentioned that you sometimes mix Portland in with the Cement All. If I were to do this on the surface, what sort of ratio would you recommend? Thank you so much for your help!
Hi, I wouldn't mix the Portland in with rapid set, I do that in very rare cases, and painting with portland is a old school thing that dosent effect the shrinking very much. But patches without sand Is where it really shrinks, if all that makes sense, it's an experience thing, thanks Mike
@@MikeHaduck That does make sense, thank you. I'm patching with Cement-All. Since the driveway is so badly damaged, it's getting pretty expensive. My reason for wanting to mix the Portland with the Cement All is because I need to try to level the driveway more on my top layer. With a straight Portland and sand mix, I think it will crack where it ends up a little thicker in that process. Also, I'm hoping the Cement-All will speed up the curing process. I'm a complete amateur for sure but trying to do my best to make the driveway safer for Mom to walk on in the winter. Naturally, I'd prefer that my efforts resulted in something that looks good in the end also. Any further suggestions or comments that might be helpful?
Hello! I refer to you as an excellent source of information regarding the different uses of either mortar or cement The situation : I'm building a smoking room that includes a compartment (oven) that generates smoke placed outside the space where the food is smoked (the smoker). A clay pipe connects the two devices in which the smoke travels from one to the other. This configuration makes it possible to avoid excessive heat diffusion on the foodstuffs. So, I'm building a '' pavement '' floor on the floor itself and then spreading the '' refractory '' bricks on this pavement. The whole will be sheltered by bricks (formation of the oven). The questions: FOR THIS PAVÉ • Is it better to use MORTAR to make this pavement and then install the firebricks by sticking them to the mortar OR • use CONCRETE and adhere the refractory tiles with mortar. Keep in mind that freeze and thaw movements are common in Quebec. Thank you for your information . Yves Dufresne
I think this answers my question about whether I can add Cement-All to Type S mortar mix in doing a chimney crown. Type S mortar mix by itself seems to be excessively brittle when it dries.
Hi Sierra, I have a whole playlist on "chimney repair" I never added cement all to s mortar for a crown, that's a whole diffrent matter, I mostly used 1 part portland to 2 parts sand, I might have repaied a top with cement all for a real-estate deal to go through but what I would really do to make one last is cover the cap with metal, my opinion, Mike
@@MikeHaduck Thanks Mike, it amazes me how you can have 184k subscribers and respond to comments the way you do! I'm going to back off on adding Cement-All to the mortar mix because I think it's going to cause it to set too quickly anyway. I'll experiment with adding more Portland and if that doesn't work, go with straight 1 part Portland and 2 parts sand. Maybe the lime is causing the brittleness.
Good video. I never understood why the ready mix mortars never seemed to work for me. After they set, I could scratch the material away with my fingernail. I experimented trying to make a block of ready mix mortar, and it would just crush into sand. So I purchased portland cement and sand, and will do the 1 to 2 mix like you do. I have brick stairs to repair and also a flagstone patio. I am not looking for perfection with the patio, I just don't want the weeds growing through the joints.
Hi Mike. I just bought a home in Florida that I plan to renovate. I have extensive interrior renovation experience, and with this renovation I plan to tackle some of the exterior jobs myself. One of them is mortaring over a glass block window that's no longer in use. My guess is that the opening in the exterior cement wall was made for an air conditioner when the home was built in 1948, and then later filled in with glass block when the central heating and air was added. Now with newer hurricaine proof windows in the house, the glass block windows have already been covered up on the inside. The glass block is set back (not flush) with the exterior surface of the wall, so I was simply planning to mortar over the glass block. Good or bad idea? Your videos have been extremely helpful with tools and technique. Thanks! I watched this one to see which cement to use, and you left me hangin' when you said "In Florida it's a whole different story." What do you recommend I use and how should I mix it? I'd appreciate your advice (or advice from any of Mike's followers). Thanks again!
Thanks for the explanation Mike, this is very helpful (especially as I'm also in PA, so your region-specific tips apply for me). Your teaching style really makes the prospect of masonry work less intimidating.
I like mixing my own mortar cause I can buy sand better matches whatever was put in originally We can buy brick sand or cement sand Also we can get Missouri River sand or Kansas river sand ks sand has issues and gives alkaline silica reaction in cement. I mostly work on historic buildings My main gig is cement terrazzo repair but after watching your video I'm starting to do more stone and cement repair I'm going start making precast terrazzo steps and cement caps this spring Love your videos
Hi Mike, I have large cobblestones edging my driveway, originally the contractor put mortar between each one. Now 7 years later all the mortar is falling out between the stones. I would like to put it back, should I wet it before and what mix to use ? Thanks....Jim..... Love all the videos. You are your own man !!!
Hi Jim, usually when they put cobblestone and lay it in concrete like curbs it all stays together, but if they are laid in sand they move and the mortar falls out, I don't wet it in that case but the idea is not to make a mess of it, thanks Mike
Mike - I have watched most of your videos. I have a question. I live in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) on Whidbey Island. I will be building a fieldstone wall next spring. Our weather here is different than much of the PNW. During the winter, we get 1-2 weeks with temps below freezing and the rest of the time it is 35-40 at night and 40-45 during the day. What type of mortar should I be using for the stone wall?
I could never say for sure unless I seen it. but doing a job like that I would approach it like you would do body work on a car. I make sure the surface is clean and no loose debris. then wet it good and use 2 sand to 1 Portland and keep going over it till you get the desired effect. practice first on a old block. good luck mike
Hi mike, every video you’ve posted has been very informative and you inspire me to become a better mason with every job. I notice your mixing 2 parts sand into almost everything other than rapid set. You’ve even added sand to type s mortar mix,(which has some sand already in it) in the video where you repair steps. I was curious to know what adding the extra sand does to the mix. And why you do it. YOUR feedback (not a “cement scientist’s”) would be much appreciated.
Hi Franco, very hard to explain, every job is different, I did a series years ago called , masonry tips for beginners, I explain all the different types of cement, maybe you seen me adding sand to straight mortar, thanks, mike
Thanks for the great videos. I'm researching because I'm planning on doing a little flagstone work by my pool after a plumbing company wanted $700 to do about a 4x4 area after fixing a leak underneath.
oh, ok. Thanks. I am going to repair brick steps, I think it is a small enough job that I can do it myself. I'm not worried to much about it being perfect, just want it back together again. Also there are a lot of areas that need re-pointing. In one youtube video, the person added a little dish washing soap to the mix. He said it acted as a plastisizer. Ever hear of that? I won't be adding it to my mix though.
OK Mike, You have been super helpful but still want your advise on which one to use. I am laying down a 5x5 hearth for my wood stove to set on and please correct me if you would do it differently. I was going to lay a sheet of tar paper directly to the wood floor and then screw down the durorock or cement board on top of the tar paper and then screw the wire mesh to the cement board and then apply the stones. Again please let me know if you would go another route. I am also doing a vertical wall 5' wide and 8' tall behind the stove and was going to do the same thing minus the tar paper. Would you use the Portland type 1 or the Mortar type s to apply the stones on the floor as well as the vertical wall. You mentioned that the Portland is stronger so I thought it would be better for the 8' tall vertical wall since there is going to be a lot of weight with natural rock.This video is a thumbs up. Thanks again Mike. Wished I could work with you for a few weeks would learn a lot I am sure.
Hi Greg, best way for me to answer that is , do what you think best, I have had no problems the way I did it on my videos, it’s imposible To say unless I was there to see it, do a little testing and you should be fine, I hope it helps, thanks, mike
Just need to know what type of cement you would use on the vertical wall as well as the hearth pad. I am not holding you to any liability just need to go buy it and get started. Just want to do it the way a experienced mason would do it. Thanks again
Hi Greg, my rule of thumb is if it is up and down.( block ,brick, stone, stucco) I usually use S mortar, if I feel it is too week I might add a little more Portland , if it is laying flat I use portland, other masons might disagree, but it always worked for me, thanks, mike
Thanks Mike, You did mention in your video that type S mortar is weaker and that Portland is stronger. That is why I thought for a real and natural rock up and down wall that is 5' wide and 8' tall with the weight, the Portland would be better. So in this case would you still use the type S Mortar.
Hi Greg, I went Over three story’s high with half mortar half Portland, never had a problem, just make sure the foundation is good enough and that the stone is tied into whatever is holding it, I hope it helps. , mike
Greetings Mike - Thanks for your quick reply. I also have another similar repair to do with my driveway aprons due to rain washout. The question is which bagged mix (since there are so many at HD) would you recommend that could be mixed with water thin enough to flow / be pushed through the 3/4" clear tubing all the way into the voids under the driveway using low pressure from a compressor that would be "best" for this job. Respectfully - Anthony.
Hi Anthony, I never used any bags or pressure my whole career, if it cracked once it will crack again, check out my videos on concrete repair. Thanks Mike
@@MikeHaduck While I appreciate your quick responses - it's clear to me you may not be the right person to answer questions, since no where in my post do I mention "cracked" and the "bags" are what the concrete mix comes in as shown in your videos. As to the "pressure" that was my creative idea to help push the material further into the void to be filled - much like a poly injection under pressure to fill voids/spaces under slab. My 2nd. post was a very simple question to fill voids under concrete that got washed out by rain, of which I'm sure you are familiar? Do you want to try and think outside the box and provide a better answer this time or just give up? Always Respectfully (Have A Great Weekend) 😀
@dmrspec4750 hi dar, with respect, first, I can't give advice unless I was there to see it, 2nd most of these new products I never use because it's overkill and the results i seen don't come out the same as if I did it the old school way, I show the techniques I used over my 50 years of experience and that's it, if my techniques are not adequate then there is no way I can help, but I appreciate it, Mike
Curious what you think about the lime mortar mixes used in older pre-1930s homes. Getting a lot of feedback from the historical crowd saying bricks can be damaged with portland mortar, even type S. On the one hand it seems unlikely but who knows. Few masonry contractors even consider it, unless Limeworks catches their attention. I spoke to an architect yesterday and he said they sometimes do compression testing on the brickwork to see what mix to use. What's your opinion Mike?
Hi Paul, I did video, called brickwork old school vrs new school, I think I said it all there, lots of stuff they don't do with the new school, I guess it all depends on how much weather hits it, I almost never use it in my area, or I will be back doing it over years later, thanks mike
Thank you for the lesson. I am a retired American living in the Philippines. I am building a house here. I do not know anything about the Philippine cement here. the masons here are very sloppy, and there work is very poor at best. nothing is plumped here. So I'm going to do the work. any advise? Again thanks............... It's very hot and humid and very rainy here.
+BoB Barney whatever they use is probably it. Pennsylvania has different weather. So to be truthful I would see what they use and follow suit. I hope it helps thanks mike
Hey Mike, Thanks for your video's , why did you say that you don't use a sprayer on brick or block. still have a wet it , right, Do you mean you use a hose. Just a homeowner, trying to fix some stuff, You're the best!
I could never say unless I seen it. but of course I add gravel to the portland mix for certain things. cement use is somewhat of an art. and everything must be taken into factor such as temperature, if it is in the sun or shade. time of year, ask the local guys in your area what they use. and all cement cracks. ususally I find the more rich cements cracks faster than a weeker mix. but then it falls apart faster,,,like I said everthing matters. thanks mike
Mike, If you were going to install flagstone as a hearth under a wood stove over a tongue and groove hardwood floor would you use a 1/2" sheet of cement board under the flagstone or simply lay down some plastic or tar paper right on the wood floor and put the Portland right on to the plastic or tar paper. I will be building a 5'x5' 2x4 frame to hold the Portland
Hi Greg, too much liability to answer questions around wood stoves, I did some videos on how I lay stone patios, I would ask the local inspector on that, thanks, mike
Mike, Not holding you to any liability just not wanting to have to redo a job that was not done right. Just looking for functionality and the flagstone's staying in place. Please let me know.
Hi Greg , the only one I did was “ how I install a stone patio ( Part 4 of 4), Inside foyer, And that is what I did fir that situation, every job is different, I hope it helps, thanks, Mike
Hi Mr. Haduck. I’m a big fan and need some advice. I have a home in Southern Utah and we have had a wet winter there is a white powdery substance in my bricks and the edges of my concret patio. It looks like it is causing an edge to deteriorate a bit. Is there anything I can do to stop it or repair the edge so it won’t get worse. House is 5 years old. Thank you very much. Randy Payne
Great video. I'm going to resurface my concrete entryway steps. I have some minor spawling that I'm going to patch before I resurface. After I strip the old paint off and clean it, what type of cement/mix would you use I use to resurface it?
The large bonsai pots from 200+ years ago, (from southeast asia,) the ones that weigh in at about 1500+ lbs. What is your best guess on what was used ?...(cement, limestone, mortar ? (They say they cannot be moved)- (may fall apart) (Thank you in advance.)
Type s mortar is basically a parging coat and stronger than type n which is more of an above ground bricking mortar. Portland on the other hand is not a masonry. Portland is a high strength concrete. High strength concrete is a different breed and should be used for things that are meant to last a long time. In ground pools use a lot of high strength products. Portland at high strength, basically a grout, white portland, marble and various sands. Why do in ground pools last so long? Mix. High strength mixes like 2 to 1 sand to cement are used for not only strength but as well stickiness without or with additives. Concrete sprayed repair to ceilings and stone foundations is of the same format. If you want it to stick you need a clean surface, watering the surface is the first piece for bonding as Mike demonstrates, but a greasy mix is very important as well. Mike is doing repairs to broken things, it is generally cost effective to repair rather then replace a whole wall. It is faster and it needs to last because of the costs involved. Weather factors while using the materials is a completely different set of factors not even focused on or even explained. Do not assume that because you can now mix some material together that your going to get a professional job doing it yourself. Do not assume that Mike is neglecting to follow standard building practices of outlined types of cement based products. Those products are for building things the first time and using them for repair can be successful at times and can also cause the contractor nightmares of returning to a job. Everything is not clear cut and experience is number 1.
Mike, Thanks for all your efforts here. I have watched 2 hours of your videos and have learned a lot. However, it seems as though you like Portland with the 1 part Portland and 2 parts sand more then mason mix type S mortar. At least for most of your jobs. I am building a corner stone wall with a hearth floor for a woodstove. I am going to put a 1" spacer on the wall and 1" top and bottom so air can flow top to bottom. I will be using concrete board with wire mesh. From what I can gather from your vids is..... and correct me if I am wrong. You prefer mason mix type S pre mixed mortar for vertical stones like the wall and for the floor laying flat you prefer 2 parts sand and 1 part Portland. It will be a lot of work to not get it right. Thanks a million.
Hi Greg, I a lot of cases that would be correct, I do like S mortar for up and down and anything laying flat portland and sand, In my area that is what works for me, a lot of masons do not agree but I am the one who gets the call backs if it falls apart, of course every situation is a bit different so I always try and show what I used on every video, I would ask the locals, especially the local mason supply companies in your area, wood stoves are a dangerous thing so I would do a lot of investigating, expecially if the masonry is attached to a wood wall, I hope it helps, mike
Mike, Just to make it clear you have said that you like type S mortar for up and down and anything flat. So do you buy the Mason mix type S mortar pre mixed in the quikrete yellow and green bag or do you buy separate bags of sand and Portland and mix 2 to 1 ratio for a hearth and floor for a woodstove.
I have to repair some bricks around a window opening and have to add some additional bricks to the sill. How can I make sure the color of the mortar to match closely from old mortar to new mortar? Sorry if you addressed it in this video or one of your other videos. TH-cam has been acting up. Thanks for all of your videos to date!
Anthony Aaron funny you should ask because I am going thru the same thing right now. I am going back Monday and using small artist brushes to paint the joints with a close cement. the owner wasn't happy, but it is a small job so I can fix it in a hour. cement never matches because of the drying time so you got to play with the cement to make it work, I will sure to film it. won't have it ready for a while but artist brushes and a little time will fix it. thanks mike
mike thanks for all of the great tips. I always wondered how the molecular structure of cement worked. based on viewing many of your videos I'm going to do the block work on my shop addition.
+Dickie Brown I hope it works out, depending on the job for block I usually use S mortar, every area and mason does it different, I would ask the locals what they use first. hope it helps, thanks mike
Hi Mike, thanks for teaching us about blockwork and concrete and such. I am moving to Panama ( Central America ) I was wondering how to calculate how many bags of portland and sand I would need to build a 30 x 30 building? I would eventually like to skim coat the whole thing but was wondering if you could show us the formula to calculate how much I would need to lay the block and how many rows of blocks I can set in one day? Thanks Mike!
I can't calculate what you would use because every situation and building is different, rods, pilasters, footers, windows, door openings etc, etc, everything matters, is is a hard call, but I will think about it when I do my future videos ,, thanks mike
Mike I really appreciate all your years of experience. I am installing a natural rock wall behind a wood stove here in Missouri and wanted to know what type of mix Portland or mortar type s would you use to attach the stones. I am screwing 1" metal tubes to the wall studs and then screwing cement board to the tubes and then mounting a mesh wire to the cement board. I will then use the Portland or type s mortar with the 2 to 1 mix you recommend.
Hi Greg, I have a series out “ how I lay stone veneer” where I show what I use in each case, inside if I am understanding correctly I used S mortar and had no problem, they also make special cements for the stick on stone, I never had a problem with, outside in my area I usually use or add Portland, I hope it helps thanks, Mike
So I am not using stick on stone, just real stone that I have collected from creek beds over time. So if you were doing this behind a wood stove inside a home would you use mortar type s only or mix a little Portland maybe 20% into it.
Hi Greg, I think plain SMortar is fine behind a wood stove, some would disagree, but that is what I always used and never had a problem, I hope it helps thanks, mike
Mike im thinking about using a 2" layer of rapid set mortar mixed with fibers to overlay some settled pavers in my backyard. What do you think of this type of installation? Would you tackle a project like that? I'm a big fan.
Hi Elias, I could never give advice over the internet but I did do a video called, (Paver repair, How I fix sunken pavers. Mike Haduck) and (How I lay pavers on gravel). maybe that will help. I always try to re-do things before I try a patch. thanks hope it helps, mike
Thank you so much for your informative videos Mike Haduck! I love those repairing concrete steps videos. They are a great help for what I want to undertake to repair my mom's steps. You instruct like a real pro who has been doing it "for thousands of years!" lol. Best of luck and thanks again for your generosity and insight!
In a lot of your videos you blend Portland together with S mortar- and then mix THAT with your sand. My question is- for purposes of practicing - if I were to mix bagged premade Sand Mix with bagged premade S-Mortar--- Would that be suitable for practicing and have similar characteristics to the mix you make from scratch? Just to be clear- the sand mix and S-mortar I'm talking about are the bags that only call for water- from either of the 2 big companies.
Mike I don't know why there are lines thru my sentences above. I must have made a mistake. I didn't mean for those sentences to be "crossed out". thanks
I have mixed both and added portland, sand s mortar etc. in my opinion cement is cement, but It all depends on what you are using it for, when where and why, I know for sure you might have trouble matching the colors, Like I said though everything depends , it it is underground I usually don't care, I hope it helps thanks mike
Mike, been subscribed for years and not a concrete guy, just a homeowner. Question - do you have any slurry coat for swimming pool resurfacing? There’s a company that has a roll on then trowel to finish material made to go over existing in ground plaster pools (with proper surface prep, of course.) I was wondering if you’ve ever run into this type of material and your thoughts on it. Thanks for all the great informative videos.
Mike I used premixed s mortar and it is very weak. Crumbles in my hand seems very sandy maybe not enough cement. I didn't see plain s mortar at lowes. I will mix my own next time. When I buy sand is it just brown play sand ? Thanks very much for your help can't wait for my next project !
Hi Mike - thought I'd throw this out there. I watch this British mason Stu Crompton and he recently did a video on building a brick corner. The mortar looked really smooth and I asked him what he was using..he replied lime and sand, no cement. After looking around I learned that lime mortar is a very old way to do it...especially when strength is not really needed. Do you have any thoughts on lime mortar?
Hi Mike, I have talked to Stu and he knows what works in Britain, I would like to do a video with him one day, my area lime doesn’t hold up because of our deep frost, but a lot of masons especially in the southern states still use it, around here it is hard to find, I would say it is a regional thing, thanks mike
@@MikeHaduck Thanks for the reply. I know you have mentioned many times that you have to use what works in your area. It would be great to see you and stu do a video...he looks like a very accomplished mason. thanks again
Hello again Mike, you sure are one hard working guy. My question is, can I use your 1 portion of portland with 2 parts play sand technique to resurface previously cemented cinder block wall a couple of years ago ? I am now seeing the line on the second course of block.
Hello Mr. Mike , I would love your advice. I'm using a large & medium size stainless steal bowls as a mold to make small fire pits. The first fire pit I used a mix mortar it turn out ok, nice. I tried to sand a few high spots I don't thinks there's any such thing as Sanding a little with mortar if you start you can't stop. I would like to know what you would use . Im not putting the fire directly into the pot I have the small cans used for tiki torch in the bottom with wire that fits perfectly across the top then glass that's used for fire I'm told that's all I can be used to put over the wire. I want it to be covered completely the wire works well . I was told I have to use a special glass any other will burst when it's hot or regular stones may burst & turn black. Also can you use a stain that's used on concrete or pots it seals soon as it dries. It is DecoArt Stain. I sure don't want to blow up my fire pits. Thank you I appreciate your time. Lorrie
Mike would certainly know better than me but I have rendered a pizza oven in the past which was subject to extreme heat and I used a 3-1 sharp sand to portland cement with fibre glass chopped strand mixed in and it has held up well 1 year on after numerous firings. I think for your fire pit I would put some gravel in as well. What do you think Mike?
Hlo..so glad i stumbled acroos your videos...im learning so much...thankyou. i have to repoint brickwork in a semi desert area in South Africa should i use cement or mortar please?
Awesome video, Mike. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I am repairing the joints on a Flagstone exterior patio that was laid on cement, some joints had lifted off. I have chiseled out as much as I could of the previous joints in between the stones, which appeared to be a mixture of cement because it was very hard. Do you see any problem in using the 2 parts masonry sand and 1 part Portland Type I-II in Tampa, Florida, we don't get as many hard cold days as in Pennsylvania, but in Florida, the averages temperatures range between 52F in the winter to 90F in the summer versus 26F in the winter to 87F in Pennsylvania. My rationale for using the same 2 to 1 mix you recommend using in Pennsylvania for Florida is because the summer average temperatures in Pennsylvania and Florida are about the same, and if the 2 to 1 mix works for Pennsylvania (26F in the winter) why would it not work for Florida(52F in the winter)? Any guidance would be much appreciated.
I think in florida a little more sand would be OK 3 sand to 1 Portland would be fine, then that way It will not shrink as much,, my opinon but give it a test and wait a few days to see how it turns out, then continue on, check out my video How I install a stone patio (part 2) Mike haduck , and that should give you some ideas, thanks mike
Mike, I need to re-mortar the blue stone caps on my outside patio here in Connecticut. One of my contractor friends suggested using a modified thin set. He said it would hold up better than traditional cement. What do you think?
Ando I have heard of guys using it. I couldn't say unless I was there to see it but the locals all have their own ways that work. So I can not say yes or no. but I don't doubt it. the locals know best. hope it helps. thanks mike
Mike - This is bringing back so many memories of my father. He was a union Master Plasterer in Northern Indiana. He started his career back in 1957. I remember him mixing plaster in the same way you talk about mixing mortar. I remember his Ford pickup truck with the windowed cover over the bed, the same as I've seen in your videos. I remember helping him load that bed with buckets and trowels and wooden levels and bags of sand and lime and gypsum when I was probably 8 or 9. I remember him waking up at 4:30 and getting his breakfast ready and heading out by 5:00 for jobs that were an hour and half away.
I found your videos because I was looking at fixing some masonry around my home. I found something else: memories and a recognition of true tradecraft. Thank you Mike.
Thanks Chris, I actually get a lot of comments like these, it's a good thing to remember, pass it on, thanks Mike
Hi Mike:
Thank you so much for passing on your knowledge of cement from you many years of experience. Bravo for guys like you that take the time to pass along such useful knowledge. You're a champ.
Thanks again.
Jim Williams
Perfectly said.
اللهم صل على محمد وال محمد
Every mason has a different opinion, I got to say I always use portland, because I never have a problem, I also think it is the weight of the retaining wall that keeps it in place more than the cement. I don,t thing you are doing wrong cause s mortar holds up a lot better than plain mortar, and a shovel of portland can't hurt.. and I sure don,t want to tell some one what to do. my videos are just my opinions being passed on as something to be considered... thanks for the comment. mike
Wow. I'm really enjoying these older videos popping up! Thanks, Mike!
Thanks Linda, Mike
You are my absolute go-to guy for any masonry instruction. You are easy and educational!
Thanks cld,Mike
Your videos are the best. I have learned so much about concrete by watching your videos. Your Dad passed his knowledge onto you about how to do this and now you are teaching thousands of people to do this via the internet. Pretty neat!!
thanks, I appreciate it and am still working on it. mike
I can't tell anyone what to use. but I ususally on a outside wall use two buckets of sand to one bucket of S mortar. then if it will be exposed to any weather I will add a shovel of portland. now if it is on a patio where the rain hits it everyday I will use only portland. sometimes its a good idea to let some days go by so the base coat has time to shrink, my opinion thanks mike
Mike your the best . I did cement work around the house before. I had no idea what I was doing until I found you on TH-cam. thank you very very much for teaching me things i will use the rest of my life. there is also some kind of cement work I find to do now because of you . thank you.
Thanks Smokey, I appreciate it, Mike
Very helpful for the DIYer. Thank you for not getting into too much detail. You're a great teacher.
Thanks Larry, I appreciate it, Mike
Your videos are incredibly helpful. Helped me out multiple times. Thanks, Mike.
Thanks Gypsy, Mike
Mike Haduck. The winters aren't nearly as harsh here in Oklahoma. I'm learning how to lay stone and the professionals are helping me. Love your videos.
Jessy Churchwell thanks Jessy, I appreciate it. mike
Interesting. I worked on resurfacing and adding some grade to a little sidewalk project and tried everything until I read an article that mentioned 2 sand and 1 portland and I have used it for projects all summer and it works great. It's nice to hear a confirmation on it. Thanks Mike for your expertise and willingness to share it.
Thanks Dallas, mike
, I wouldn't do anything on anybodys house that I wouldn,t do on mine. Of course it is always my opinion and my ways of doing things, seems to work for me. and I try to tell folks to always ask other pros. I appreciate the comment. thanks mike
Veteran realtime experienced knowledge . no better teacher than the real old timers. Reminds me of summers carpenters apprentice 1985 Bklyn Shops ARtie ( Italian) and Ray(Irish) two of the best tradesmen. similar to this old house. Thanks Mike Haduck _ please continue to share your vast knowledge .
Thanks Wynton, I appreciate it, mike
Don't forget it takes cement weeks to finally cure, and every mason uses different mixes especially from different states, I get my masonry sand sometimes from the concrete company or quarrys, all depends on what I am doing, good luck, mike
Mike, I know Concrete work is brutal work. I enjoy watching someone that definitely know his trade. You make it look simple, but I know it is not.
Thank, Mike
Thank you, I appreciate it. mike
Down in South Carolina. I think I've watched every video you've done twice. I wanted to thank you as you've made me a more informed owner. I know I can't do these jobs myself, but you've given me the confidence to make sure I get the RIGHT people to do the job and that's what I needed. I hoped to do the work myself, but seeing skilled laborers vs myself, it's better to pay a skilled worker the first time. Thanks Mike, I owe you a beer or 12.
Thanks HBC, I appreciate it. the south has same different techniques that is not required as up here because of the weather, but I appreciate it. mike
my best answer is - every mason I every worked with used a different mix and every region and state and country is the same way. many masons still add lime ,nothing wrong with that. but you can go to lowes or home depot and buy a ready mix for mortar or Portland , which is fine, I use them for certain jobs. hope it helped, thanks mike
Mike, I just wanted to take some time and thank you for the videos you have posted. I had some cracks in my basement steps and stumbled upon your channel looking into ways to patch em up. I'm a younger guy mid 20s but relate to your old school methodology as it reminds me much of the way my grandfather who was a big influence on me during my teens worked on diesel equipment well into his 90s, the nothing to fancy get the job done kinda approach. Anyways after watching all you had to offer twice (including the banjo stuff) i came away with the courage to not only try and patch up my stairs I ended up busting up and rebuilding a old small garden retainer wall on the side of my house. Got quite a bit of smack talk from the neighbors during the process n probably took me 5xs the amount time to complete compared to paying someone to do it but in the end cost me bout 150 bucks for the tools and portland/sand and got compliments from all of them, my father in law thought my my stairs were brand new at first. I had my 8yr old watching n he even got into once you started painting the chickens. Anyone asks him he'll tell you want it stick gotta get it wet first. I'm in the tropics of WNY where we get the mildest of winter weather from our northern neighbors across Great puddles of Erie and Ontario so well see how it looks in April. Thanks again man.
thanks Jack, hearing these kind of comments make me feel I am on the right track, and its true lots of folks do not have the guts to try it themselves, I should be the one giving you the credit, thanks mike
Yup, this is one of the videos that saved me on my first attempt at fixing stairs. I’ve watched it 4 times. My garage is now filled with small wooden molds, bags of aggregate and Portland cement. My wife got annoyed that I snuck out at 1am to check on the 1’ by 2’ “slab” I poured.
Thanks Jonathan, I bet it comes out great, mike
Mike Haduck Masonry
I was just watching your bird bath video when I got your reply. Your the best Mike, thank you!
Mike thanks for the education. Very helpful for a not very skilled (but wants to have a go DIYer). I liked how as soon as you started the lawnmower started up. I assume you asked them to stop please and then as soon as you re-commenced over came the aircraft.
Very true bill, lol, mike
brick work and block work is a whole different thing, if you wet the brick it gets sloppy and cleaning is a big issue, same with block work, remember that cement is a binder and not a glue, if you want to do the glue effect then you wet it. things like stucco and patch up. you have to work in the trade for a while to understand it. every mason in every state or country does it different. my opinion, thanks mike
love it . I work for E.G Conti for 6 months and I was the pit man. I learned that they had a special way of mixing which gave them a special looking mortar.
thanks ty, I appreciate it. mike
I'm a Janitor / Sextant... for a Boston Church with a 5' Stone Wall and a series of steps up to sanctuary entrance. The stone wall has a bit of loose mortar. The side walls for the stairs are also cracking like crazy. When I first started working on the wall - I used premixed cement with some small stones built in. Well - long story short - that was wrong cement - tough to tuck into the cracks and between stones. Now I'm using Portland and sand. 2:1 ratio. I'm getting better at this. Tremendous thanks to Mike Haddock. I feel like I'm a Mike Haddock - Apprentice.
Thanks Fester, I appreciate it, mike
Mike truly thank you for your time and the education you provide. I can't wait to get the shirt I ordered a few weeks back I'll wear it with pride.
Thanks, I appreciate it, Mike
@@MikeHaduck shirt came in. Showed it to my dad he got a kick out of it. Thanks again
Thanks, Mike
You answer my question I am installing a standing shower & when you explain that Portland cement they use it in high way & swimming pools , I am going for the portal cement, because experience is knowledge, thanks a million!
Thanks Hector, Mike
Great video! You did a great job breaking down what types of cements there are and what they are good for! Masonry is definitely an art thank you.
Thanks El, Mike
on ready mix cements I just add the water and use it that way. hope it helps
Out of all the videos I've watched, your the only one that tills me how much sand to mix with Portland...thanks!
Hi Jim, every area of the country is different and depends on what you’re doing, but for the most part that’s what I use, thanks Mike
Hey Mike, I’m from Kansas, we bought a small house, but the east basement wall leaks water really badly when it rains. Built in 1908 and has the old (red brick) walls with a slight bow in it. The house has no guttering and a sidewalk by it, which is terrible. I’m putting up guttering and putting in a new sidewalk, but this time the cement will go up to the house and about 4 feet out, should end the water problem.
Then I want to put about a 1/4 inch of Portland on the brick walls to seal them, inside. What mix do you recommend? I was going to mix 2-Sand and 1-Portland? Thanks, Jim
Hi Jim, That is what I use, and I have not had a problem, others say different, but I do have videos out and how i repair an old stone foundation, They may help thanks Mike
It all depends. Old school is just Portland in a paint but there are some resurface products at lowes and homedepot tha work well, depending. on what you want. test it on an old block to make sure. thanks mike
Thanks for you for the videos Mike, I'm young I really value this work, thank you for your videos.
Thanks Joel, mike
I learned a lot about cement and sand. It's good to know I can just go with Portland's on most projects. I don't have any projects yet but it's something to think about
Hi Laura, I usually show what I used in each of my projects, thanks. Mike
Your videos are the best on the youtubes. Im watching them all before beginning a set of projects!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge Mr Mike .
Thanks, Mike
Guess what I’m trying to ask is: for sidewalk painting your way: better to use portland with sand/bonding adhesive or Quickrete stucco that has white sand & put bonding adhesive in it to get more consistent color vs possible darker spots when using portland painted on with a brush? Thank you for your knowledge and patience
Hi Brenda, I don't use stucco mix for resurfacing, that is mostly for up and down work like stucco houses, thanks Mike
I would get a couple old bricks and practice first, If you get a hose and wire brush the cement that is on the brick will clean up the next day, check out my how to do a stone patio on the cleaning part, good luck my opinion, mike
I would say type S is Ok, and getting a bag of pre-mix from home depot would work if your going to fix it yourself, (type S basically has Portland in it) I would get a few old bricks and practice on something else if you were a beginner.before you do it on your steps. that is my opinion, check out "how I repair brick steps (mike Haduck)" video, thanks mike
Hi Mike, I'm trying to repoint my basement stone foundation what do you suggest using type S mortar or portland cement.
I need your help.
"YOU ARE THE MAN" thank you for your videos; their are still folks out here that are self reliant.
Thanks Thrasher, I appreciate that, mike
Thanks for another excellent video Mike. I'm just about to restore a 1920 fieldstone porch pillar because the mortar has decomposed so I will use Portland instead of the S-type mortar like I had planned on using
Hi Mike - Thanks for the great content... I just turned 60 and pretty handy overall and would appreciate your advice on filling in a 1" hole that leads to some tunnel erosion in my Florida Gunite Pool with a pearl gem finish. This was due to a very tiny hole at first that was found by a leak detection company that opened to 1" upon applying a temporary patch. My intention would be to use 3/4" clear tubing and a funnel to push the right kind of cement/concrete into the void with low pressure from a compressor instead of just patching the surface. Which type of bagged mix would you recommend for this repair? Your suggestions and thoughts are welcome. Thanks and Best Always....
Hi dmr,, pools are a whole diffrent thing, I would talk with the guys who do it everyday, you don't want leaks, thanks Mike
Hi Mike,
I have found your videos to be extremely helpful! My father was a huge fix-it guy but hadn't been able to do much around the house the last few years. He passed away in January. I'm staying with my mother this summer to help her with some things. The two biggest items needing attention is the concrete (steps and driveway) and house painting.
I just finished the porch, feeling much more more confident after watching your videos about 25 times. The corner was broken off and the front deeply pitted. I used mortar to repair (also a badly deteriorated corner foundation of the house) and later topped the whole set of steps with Portland. I just finished it yesterday and it looks great! My mother is thrilled. :)
Here is my question. You mention in this video that straight Portland will crack. In other videos, you "paint" with Portland (and some bonding glue) for a nice finish, but there is no sand. That's what I did on the steps. I'm in Wisconsin - severe fluctuations in temperature with an occasional -20 to -30 in the winter and today (June 21) is supposed to be 96 degrees with lots of humidity. My next plan of order is fixing the cracks and pot holes in the drive with Cement All and then going over the top with Portland. Do you recommend using sand in this mix?
And one last question... sorry this is so long. You mentioned that you sometimes mix Portland in with the Cement All. If I were to do this on the surface, what sort of ratio would you recommend?
Thank you so much for your help!
Hi, I wouldn't mix the Portland in with rapid set, I do that in very rare cases, and painting with portland is a old school thing that dosent effect the shrinking very much. But patches without sand Is where it really shrinks, if all that makes sense, it's an experience thing, thanks Mike
@@MikeHaduck That does make sense, thank you. I'm patching with Cement-All. Since the driveway is so badly damaged, it's getting pretty expensive. My reason for wanting to mix the Portland with the Cement All is because I need to try to level the driveway more on my top layer. With a straight Portland and sand mix, I think it will crack where it ends up a little thicker in that process. Also, I'm hoping the Cement-All will speed up the curing process.
I'm a complete amateur for sure but trying to do my best to make the driveway safer for Mom to walk on in the winter. Naturally, I'd prefer that my efforts resulted in something that looks good in the end also. Any further suggestions or comments that might be helpful?
Here from your Lime or Portland video. Love your work. Thank you for the cement lesson!
Thanks, Mike
Hello!
I refer to you as an excellent source of information regarding the different uses of either mortar or cement
The situation :
I'm building a smoking room that includes a compartment (oven) that generates smoke placed outside the space where the food is smoked (the smoker).
A clay pipe connects the two devices in which the smoke travels from one to the other. This configuration makes it possible to avoid excessive heat diffusion on the foodstuffs.
So, I'm building a '' pavement '' floor on the floor itself and then spreading the '' refractory '' bricks on this pavement. The whole will be sheltered by bricks (formation of the oven).
The questions: FOR THIS PAVÉ
• Is it better to use MORTAR to make this pavement and then install the firebricks by sticking them to the mortar
OR
• use CONCRETE and adhere the refractory tiles with mortar.
Keep in mind that freeze and thaw movements are common in Quebec.
Thank you for your information .
Yves Dufresne
Hi Yves, I. Cannot really answer that , a lot going on with it, I would see what the codes require, but thanks for asking, thanks Mike
Mike, thanks for the fundamentals.
Thanks Luis, Mike
I think this answers my question about whether I can add Cement-All to Type S mortar mix in doing a chimney crown. Type S mortar mix by itself seems to be excessively brittle when it dries.
Hi Sierra, I have a whole playlist on "chimney repair" I never added cement all to s mortar for a crown, that's a whole diffrent matter, I mostly used 1 part portland to 2 parts sand, I might have repaied a top with cement all for a real-estate deal to go through but what I would really do to make one last is cover the cap with metal, my opinion, Mike
@@MikeHaduck Thanks Mike, it amazes me how you can have 184k subscribers and respond to comments the way you do! I'm going to back off on adding Cement-All to the mortar mix because I think it's going to cause it to set too quickly anyway. I'll experiment with adding more Portland and if that doesn't work, go with straight 1 part Portland and 2 parts sand. Maybe the lime is causing the brittleness.
@@sierragreen I am sure it will work out, thanks Mike
Good video. I never understood why the ready mix mortars never seemed to work for me. After they set, I could scratch the material away with my fingernail. I experimented trying to make a block of ready mix mortar, and it would just crush into sand. So I purchased portland cement and sand, and will do the 1 to 2 mix like you do. I have brick stairs to repair and also a flagstone patio. I am not looking for perfection with the patio, I just don't want the weeds growing through the joints.
Hi Mike. I just bought a home in Florida that I plan to renovate. I have extensive interrior renovation experience, and with this renovation I plan to tackle some of the exterior jobs myself. One of them is mortaring over a glass block window that's no longer in use. My guess is that the opening in the exterior cement wall was made for an air conditioner when the home was built in 1948, and then later filled in with glass block when the central heating and air was added. Now with newer hurricaine proof windows in the house, the glass block windows have already been covered up on the inside. The glass block is set back (not flush) with the exterior surface of the wall, so I was simply planning to mortar over the glass block. Good or bad idea? Your videos have been extremely helpful with tools and technique. Thanks! I watched this one to see which cement to use, and you left me hangin' when you said "In Florida it's a whole different story." What do you recommend I use and how should I mix it? I'd appreciate your advice (or advice from any of Mike's followers). Thanks again!
Hi Alex, florida is a different story and I can not say for sure, in that case I would ask the locals, I hope it helps thanks mike
Ok. Thanks Mike. Look forward to watching more of you videos. Good luck to you.
Thanks for the explanation Mike, this is very helpful (especially as I'm also in PA, so your region-specific tips apply for me). Your teaching style really makes the prospect of masonry work less intimidating.
thanks, glad it helps, mike
thanks on the comment, it its my opinion of course but it works form me, mike
I like mixing my own mortar cause I can buy sand better matches whatever was put in originally We can buy brick sand or cement sand Also we can get Missouri River sand or Kansas river sand ks sand has issues and gives alkaline silica reaction in cement. I mostly work on historic buildings My main gig is cement terrazzo repair but after watching your video I'm starting to do more stone and cement repair I'm going start making precast terrazzo steps and cement caps this spring Love your videos
Thanks John, I appreciate the comment, and wish you well, keep going, mike
Hi Mike, I have large cobblestones edging my driveway, originally the contractor put mortar between each one. Now 7 years later all the mortar is falling out between the stones. I would like to put it back, should I wet it before and what mix to use ? Thanks....Jim..... Love all the videos. You are your own man !!!
Hi Jim, usually when they put cobblestone and lay it in concrete like curbs it all stays together, but if they are laid in sand they move and the mortar falls out, I don't wet it in that case but the idea is not to make a mess of it, thanks Mike
@@MikeHaduck thanks mike, you are the real deal... watch you all the time , what I like is you dont screw people over jobs
Thanks for the video! Very informative and easy to understand.
thanks, I hope it helps. mike
Mike - I have watched most of your videos. I have a question. I live in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) on Whidbey Island. I will be building a fieldstone wall next spring. Our weather here is different than much of the PNW. During the winter, we get 1-2 weeks with temps below freezing and the rest of the time it is 35-40 at night and 40-45 during the day. What type of mortar should I be using for the stone wall?
Hi Gordon, "check out my videos "retaining walls" Mike haduck, I show what I use in each circumstance, thanks Mike
Great video and great visuals. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Ray, mike
I could never say for sure unless I seen it. but doing a job like that I would approach it like you would do body work on a car. I make sure the surface is clean and no loose debris. then wet it good and use 2 sand to 1 Portland and keep going over it till you get the desired effect. practice first on a old block. good luck mike
Hi mike, every video you’ve posted has been very informative and you inspire me to become a better mason with every job.
I notice your mixing 2 parts sand into almost everything other than rapid set. You’ve even added sand to type s mortar mix,(which has some sand already in it) in the video where you repair steps. I was curious to know what adding the extra sand does to the mix. And why you do it. YOUR feedback (not a “cement scientist’s”) would be much appreciated.
Hi Franco, very hard to explain, every job is different, I did a series years ago called , masonry tips for beginners, I explain all the different types of cement, maybe you seen me adding sand to straight mortar, thanks, mike
Thank you so much, God bless you and your family , Portland I will use for my swimming pool.
Thanks slick, I have a whole playlist on " concrete patches" Mike haduck,
Thank you so much! These videos have helped me do so many jobs around my house.
I am having fun making the videos. thanks mike
Thanks for the great videos. I'm researching because I'm planning on doing a little flagstone work by my pool after a plumbing company wanted $700 to do about a 4x4 area after fixing a leak underneath.
I hope it helps. lots of stuff on youtube to give you good ideas. thanks mike
oh, ok. Thanks. I am going to repair brick steps, I think it is a small enough job that I can do it myself. I'm not worried to much about it being perfect, just want it back together again. Also there are a lot of areas that need re-pointing. In one youtube video, the person added a little dish washing soap to the mix. He said it acted as a plastisizer. Ever hear of that? I won't be adding it to my mix though.
OK Mike, You have been super helpful but still want your advise on which one to use. I am laying down a 5x5 hearth for my wood stove to set on and please correct me if you would do it differently. I was going to lay a sheet of tar paper directly to the wood floor and then screw down the durorock or cement board on top of the tar paper and then screw the wire mesh to the cement board and then apply the stones. Again please let me know if you would go another route. I am also doing a vertical wall 5' wide and 8' tall behind the stove and was going to do the same thing minus the tar paper. Would you use the Portland type 1 or the Mortar type s to apply the stones on the floor as well as the vertical wall. You mentioned that the Portland is stronger so I thought it would be better for the 8' tall vertical wall since there is going to be a lot of weight with natural rock.This video is a thumbs up. Thanks again Mike. Wished I could work with you for a few weeks would learn a lot I am sure.
Hi Greg, best way for me to answer that is , do what you think best, I have had no problems the way I did it on my videos, it’s imposible To say unless I was there to see it, do a little testing and you should be fine, I hope it helps, thanks, mike
Just need to know what type of cement you would use on the vertical wall as well as the hearth pad. I am not holding you to any liability just need to go buy it and get started. Just want to do it the way a experienced mason would do it. Thanks again
Hi Greg, my rule of thumb is if it is up and down.( block ,brick, stone, stucco) I usually use S mortar, if I feel it is too week I might add a little more Portland , if it is laying flat I use portland, other masons might disagree, but it always worked for me, thanks, mike
Thanks Mike, You did mention in your video that type S mortar is weaker and that Portland is stronger. That is why I thought for a real and natural rock up and down wall that is 5' wide and 8' tall with the weight, the Portland would be better. So in this case would you still use the type S Mortar.
Hi Greg, I went Over three story’s high with half mortar half Portland, never had a problem, just make sure the foundation is good enough and that the stone is tied into whatever is holding it, I hope it helps. , mike
Greetings Mike - Thanks for your quick reply. I also have another similar repair to do with my driveway aprons due to rain washout. The question is which bagged mix (since there are so many at HD) would you recommend that could be mixed with water thin enough to flow / be pushed through the 3/4" clear tubing all the way into the voids under the driveway using low pressure from a compressor that would be "best" for this job. Respectfully - Anthony.
Hi Anthony, I never used any bags or pressure my whole career, if it cracked once it will crack again, check out my videos on concrete repair. Thanks Mike
@@MikeHaduck While I appreciate your quick responses - it's clear to me you may not be the right person to answer questions, since no where in my post do I mention "cracked" and the "bags" are what the concrete mix comes in as shown in your videos. As to the "pressure" that was my creative idea to help push the material further into the void to be filled - much like a poly injection under pressure to fill voids/spaces under slab. My 2nd. post was a very simple question to fill voids under concrete that got washed out by rain, of which I'm sure you are familiar? Do you want to try and think outside the box and provide a better answer this time or just give up? Always Respectfully (Have A Great Weekend) 😀
@dmrspec4750 hi dar, with respect, first, I can't give advice unless I was there to see it, 2nd most of these new products I never use because it's overkill and the results i seen don't come out the same as if I did it the old school way, I show the techniques I used over my 50 years of experience and that's it, if my techniques are not adequate then there is no way I can help, but I appreciate it, Mike
@@MikeHaduck LOL
Thank you so much for teaching these funadamentals. Appreciate it.
thanks, I appreciate it. mike
Curious what you think about the lime mortar mixes used in older pre-1930s homes. Getting a lot of feedback from the historical crowd saying bricks can be damaged with portland mortar, even type S. On the one hand it seems unlikely but who knows. Few masonry contractors even consider it, unless Limeworks catches their attention. I spoke to an architect yesterday and he said they sometimes do compression testing on the brickwork to see what mix to use. What's your opinion Mike?
Hi Paul, I did video, called brickwork old school vrs new school, I think I said it all there, lots of stuff they don't do with the new school, I guess it all depends on how much weather hits it, I almost never use it in my area, or I will be back doing it over years later, thanks mike
Thank you for the lesson. I am a retired American living in the Philippines. I am building a house here. I do not know anything about the Philippine cement here. the masons here are very sloppy, and there work is very poor at best. nothing is plumped here. So I'm going to do the work. any advise? Again thanks............... It's very hot and humid and very rainy here.
+BoB Barney whatever they use is probably it. Pennsylvania has different weather. So to be truthful I would see what they use and follow suit. I hope it helps thanks mike
Hey Mike, Thanks for your video's , why did you say that you don't use a sprayer on brick or block. still have a wet it , right, Do you mean you use a hose. Just a homeowner, trying to fix some stuff, You're the best!
Hi karen, watch my video "should I wet it first, I thank that will help, thanks mike
Nice vid! I love the old school knowledge seems to always be the best!
Thanks Dave, mike
I appreciate that. I have fun making them. thanks mike
I could never say unless I seen it. but of course I add gravel to the portland mix for certain things. cement use is somewhat of an art. and everything must be taken into factor such as temperature, if it is in the sun or shade. time of year, ask the local guys in your area what they use. and all cement cracks. ususally I find the more rich cements cracks faster than a weeker mix. but then it falls apart faster,,,like I said everthing matters. thanks mike
Hey Mike. What's the difference between mortar and stucco. And when do you use them? Thanks
Mike, If you were going to install flagstone as a hearth under a wood stove over a tongue and groove hardwood floor would you use a 1/2" sheet of cement board under the flagstone or simply lay down some plastic or tar paper right on the wood floor and put the Portland right on to the plastic or tar paper. I will be building a 5'x5' 2x4 frame to hold the Portland
Hi Greg, too much liability to answer questions around wood stoves, I did some videos on how I lay stone patios, I would ask the local inspector on that, thanks, mike
Mike, Not holding you to any liability just not wanting to have to redo a job that was not done right. Just looking for functionality and the flagstone's staying in place. Please let me know.
Hi Greg , the only one I did was “ how I install a stone patio ( Part 4 of 4), Inside foyer, And that is what I did fir that situation, every job is different, I hope it helps, thanks, Mike
Hi Mr. Haduck. I’m a big fan and need some advice. I have a home in Southern Utah and we have had a wet winter there is a white powdery substance in my bricks and the edges of my concret patio. It looks like it is causing an edge to deteriorate a bit. Is there anything I can do to stop it or repair the edge so it won’t get worse. House is 5 years old.
Thank you very much.
Randy Payne
Hi Randy, I have a video out called " efflorescence , what is it" Mike haduck. That might help thanks Mike
Great video. I'm going to resurface my concrete entryway steps. I have some minor spawling that I'm going to patch before I resurface. After I strip the old paint off and clean it, what type of cement/mix would you use I use to resurface it?
The large bonsai pots from 200+ years ago, (from southeast asia,) the ones that weigh in at about 1500+ lbs. What is your best guess on what was used ?...(cement, limestone, mortar ?
(They say they cannot be moved)- (may fall apart)
(Thank you in advance.)
Hi TH-camjunkie, I am not familiar with that so really can’t comment on it, but I appreciate it, Mike
Great video to learn about this. I have always been wondering about the differences about mortar and cement.
Whats the ration for making mortar?
Cemet:Lime:Sand?
I see that some people dont use lime? Is this wrong?
Thanx!
Your videos are great!
Excellent advice from Harduck
Thanks Joe, mike
Type s mortar is basically a parging coat and stronger than type n which
is more of an above ground bricking mortar. Portland on the other hand
is not a masonry. Portland is a high strength concrete. High strength
concrete is a different breed and should be used for things that are
meant to last a long time. In ground pools use a lot of high strength
products. Portland at high strength, basically a grout, white portland,
marble and various sands. Why do in ground pools last so long? Mix. High
strength mixes like 2 to 1 sand to cement are used for not only
strength but as well stickiness without or with additives. Concrete
sprayed repair to ceilings and stone foundations is of the same format.
If you want it to stick you need a clean surface, watering the surface
is the first piece for bonding as Mike demonstrates, but a greasy mix is
very important as well. Mike is doing repairs to broken things, it is
generally cost effective to repair rather then replace a whole wall. It
is faster and it needs to last because of the costs involved. Weather
factors while using the materials is a completely different set of
factors not even focused on or even explained. Do not assume that
because you can now mix some material together that your going to get a
professional job doing it yourself. Do not assume that Mike is
neglecting to follow standard building practices of outlined types of
cement based products. Those products are for building things the first
time and using them for repair can be successful at times and can also
cause the contractor nightmares of returning to a job. Everything is not
clear cut and experience is number 1.
Mike, Thanks for all your efforts here. I have watched 2 hours of your videos and have learned a lot. However, it seems as though you like Portland with the 1 part Portland and 2 parts sand more then mason mix type S mortar. At least for most of your jobs. I am building a corner stone wall with a hearth floor for a woodstove. I am going to put a 1" spacer on the wall and 1" top and bottom so air can flow top to bottom. I will be using concrete board with wire mesh. From what I can gather from your vids is..... and correct me if I am wrong. You prefer mason mix type S pre mixed mortar for vertical stones like the wall and for the floor laying flat you prefer 2 parts sand and 1 part Portland. It will be a lot of work to not get it right. Thanks a million.
Hi Greg, I a lot of cases that would be correct, I do like S mortar for up and down and anything laying flat portland and sand, In my area that is what works for me, a lot of masons do not agree but I am the one who gets the call backs if it falls apart, of course every situation is a bit different so I always try and show what I used on every video, I would ask the locals, especially the local mason supply companies in your area, wood stoves are a dangerous thing so I would do a lot of investigating, expecially if the masonry is attached to a wood wall, I hope it helps, mike
Mike, Just to make it clear you have said that you like type S mortar for up and down and anything flat. So do you buy the Mason mix type S mortar pre mixed in the quikrete yellow and green bag or do you buy separate bags of sand and Portland and mix 2 to 1 ratio for a hearth and floor for a woodstove.
I have to repair some bricks around a window opening and have to add some additional bricks to the sill. How can I make sure the color of the mortar to match closely from old mortar to new mortar? Sorry if you addressed it in this video or one of your other videos. TH-cam has been acting up. Thanks for all of your videos to date!
Anthony Aaron funny you should ask because I am going thru the same thing right now. I am going back Monday and using small artist brushes to paint the joints with a close cement. the owner wasn't happy, but it is a small job so I can fix it in a hour. cement never matches because of the drying time so you got to play with the cement to make it work, I will sure to film it. won't have it ready for a while but artist brushes and a little time will fix it. thanks mike
great lesson..i was told if its a horizontal like walkway or patio always use portland...if its veritcal like chimney block etc....mortar is fine.
That’s my rule of thumb, Thanks mike
Mike- Once again, thanks so much for another fantastic video containing outstanding unbiased information. JJN ALBANY, NY.
+james nagle thanks, I appreciate it. I know other folks have other opinions, thanks mike
mike thanks for all of the great tips. I always wondered how the molecular structure of cement worked. based on viewing many of your videos I'm going to do the block work on my shop addition.
+Dickie Brown I hope it works out, depending on the job for block I usually use S mortar, every area and mason does it different, I would ask the locals what they use first. hope it helps, thanks mike
Hi Mike, thanks for teaching us about blockwork and concrete and such. I am moving to Panama ( Central America ) I was wondering how to calculate how many bags of portland and sand I would need to build a 30 x 30 building? I would eventually like to skim coat the whole thing but was wondering if you could show us the formula to calculate how much I would need to lay the block and how many rows of blocks I can set in one day? Thanks Mike!
I can't calculate what you would use because every situation and building is different, rods, pilasters, footers, windows, door openings etc, etc, everything matters, is is a hard call, but I will think about it when I do my future videos ,, thanks mike
Mike I really appreciate all your years of experience. I am installing a natural rock wall behind a wood stove here in Missouri and wanted to know what type of mix Portland or mortar type s would you use to attach the stones. I am screwing 1" metal tubes to the wall studs and then screwing cement board to the tubes and then mounting a mesh wire to the cement board. I will then use the Portland or type s mortar with the 2 to 1 mix you recommend.
Hi Greg, I have a series out “ how I lay stone veneer” where I show what I use in each case, inside if I am understanding correctly I used S mortar and had no problem, they also make special cements for the stick on stone, I never had a problem with, outside in my area I usually use or add Portland, I hope it helps thanks, Mike
So I am not using stick on stone, just real stone that I have collected from creek beds over time. So if you were doing this behind a wood stove inside a home would you use mortar type s only or mix a little Portland maybe 20% into it.
Hi Greg, I think plain SMortar is fine behind a wood stove, some would disagree, but that is what I always used and never had a problem, I hope it helps thanks, mike
Mike im thinking about using a 2" layer of rapid set mortar mixed with fibers to overlay some settled pavers in my backyard. What do you think of this type of installation? Would you tackle a project like that? I'm a big fan.
Hi Elias, I could never give advice over the internet but I did do a video called, (Paver repair, How I fix sunken pavers. Mike Haduck) and (How I lay pavers on gravel). maybe that will help. I always try to re-do things before I try a patch. thanks hope it helps, mike
Thank you so much for your informative videos Mike Haduck! I love those repairing concrete steps videos. They are a great help for what I want to undertake to repair my mom's steps. You instruct like a real pro who has been doing it "for thousands of years!" lol. Best of luck and thanks again for your generosity and insight!
+Pristine S. I just passing along what I learned from the old timers, thanks, I appreciate it. Mike
In a lot of your videos you blend Portland together with S mortar- and then mix THAT with your sand. My question is- for purposes of practicing - if I were to mix bagged premade Sand Mix with bagged premade S-Mortar--- Would that be suitable for practicing and have similar characteristics to the mix you make from scratch? Just to be clear- the sand mix and S-mortar I'm talking about are the bags that only call for water- from either of the 2 big companies.
Mike I don't know why there are lines thru my sentences above. I must have made a mistake. I didn't mean for those sentences to be "crossed out". thanks
I have mixed both and added portland, sand s mortar etc. in my opinion cement is cement, but It all depends on what you are using it for, when where and why, I know for sure you might have trouble matching the colors, Like I said though everything depends , it it is underground I usually don't care, I hope it helps thanks mike
thanks, my opinion of course, mike
Mike, been subscribed for years and not a concrete guy, just a homeowner. Question - do you have any slurry coat for swimming pool resurfacing? There’s a company that has a roll on then trowel to finish material made to go over existing in ground plaster pools (with proper surface prep, of course.) I was wondering if you’ve ever run into this type of material and your thoughts on it. Thanks for all the great informative videos.
Hi Mick, I can't say that's a whole different thing , thanks Mike
Very informative!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
thanks, I hope it helps, mike
Great content. Thanks for sharing your lifetime of experience.
Thanks, mike
Mike I used premixed s mortar and it is very weak. Crumbles in my hand seems very sandy maybe not enough cement. I didn't see plain s mortar at lowes. I will mix my own next time. When I buy sand is it just brown play sand ? Thanks very much for your help can't wait for my next project !
Hi Mike - thought I'd throw this out there. I watch this British mason Stu Crompton and he recently did a video on building a brick corner. The mortar looked really smooth and I asked him what he was using..he replied lime and sand, no cement. After looking around I learned that lime mortar is a very old way to do it...especially when strength is not really needed. Do you have any thoughts on lime mortar?
Hi Mike, I have talked to Stu and he knows what works in Britain, I would like to do a video with him one day, my area lime doesn’t hold up because of our deep frost, but a lot of masons especially in the southern states still use it, around here it is hard to find, I would say it is a regional thing, thanks mike
@@MikeHaduck Thanks for the reply. I know you have mentioned many times that you have to use what works in your area. It would be great to see you and stu do a video...he looks like a very accomplished mason. thanks again
Hello again Mike, you sure are one hard working guy. My question is, can I use your 1 portion of portland with 2 parts play sand technique to resurface previously cemented cinder block wall a couple of years ago ? I am now seeing the line on the second course of block.
Hi Frank, once you start seeing the lines they rarely go away, I don't know exactly what you are doing, mike
@@MikeHaduck Hi Mike,Just resurfacing a knee high retaning wall.
@@MikeHaduck Mike,I should have specified that I'm using topnbond wih a slurry first.
thank you so much for sharing your knowledge in the trade Mike. Some of the most informative videos on here
thank you I appreciate the comment. mike
Hello Mr. Mike , I would love your advice. I'm using a large & medium size stainless steal bowls as a mold to make small fire pits. The first fire pit I used a mix mortar it turn out ok, nice. I tried to sand a few high spots I don't thinks there's any such thing as Sanding a little with mortar if you start you can't stop. I would like to know what you would use . Im not putting the fire directly into the pot I have the small cans used for tiki torch in the bottom with wire that fits perfectly across the top then glass that's used for fire I'm told that's all I can be used to put over the wire. I want it to be covered completely the wire works well . I was told I have to use a special glass any other will burst when it's hot or regular stones may burst & turn black. Also can you use a stain that's used on concrete or pots it seals soon as it dries. It is DecoArt Stain. I sure don't want to blow up my fire pits. Thank you I appreciate your time. Lorrie
Mike would certainly know better than me but I have rendered a pizza oven in the past which was subject to extreme heat and I used a 3-1 sharp sand to portland cement with fibre glass chopped strand mixed in and it has held up well 1 year on after numerous firings. I think for your fire pit I would put some gravel in as well. What do you think Mike?
Hlo..so glad i stumbled acroos your videos...im learning so much...thankyou. i have to repoint brickwork in a semi desert area in South Africa should i use cement or mortar please?
Hi Raylene, I have a playlist called, " repointing brick work" Mike haduck, that should help, thanks Mike
Awesome video, Mike. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I am repairing the joints on a Flagstone exterior patio that was laid on cement, some joints had lifted off. I have chiseled out as much as I could of the previous joints in between the stones, which appeared to be a mixture of cement because it was very hard. Do you see any problem in using the 2 parts masonry sand and 1 part Portland Type I-II in Tampa, Florida, we don't get as many hard cold days as in Pennsylvania, but in Florida, the averages temperatures range between 52F in the winter to 90F in the summer versus 26F in the winter to 87F in Pennsylvania. My rationale for using the same 2 to 1 mix you recommend using in Pennsylvania for Florida is because the summer average temperatures in Pennsylvania and Florida are about the same, and if the 2 to 1 mix works for Pennsylvania (26F in the winter) why would it not work for Florida(52F in the winter)? Any guidance would be much appreciated.
I think in florida a little more sand would be OK 3 sand to 1 Portland would be fine, then that way It will not shrink as much,, my opinon but give it a test and wait a few days to see how it turns out, then continue on, check out my video How I install a stone patio (part 2) Mike haduck , and that should give you some ideas, thanks mike
Thank you Mike. You are amazing mason!!
if at all it is God givin, thanks mike
Mike, I need to re-mortar the blue stone caps on my outside patio here in Connecticut. One of my contractor friends suggested using a modified thin set. He said it would hold up better than traditional cement. What do you think?
Ando I have heard of guys using it. I couldn't say unless I was there to see it but the locals all have their own ways that work. So I can not say yes or no. but I don't doubt it. the locals know best. hope it helps. thanks mike
Mike i'm from the UK i am going to lay slabs,do i use sharp sand and cement or play sand and cement?fantastic vid thanks for your tips