Alright, Question For You Masons

dirt diggler

im doing some stonework on a project of mine


question:

it's pretty freakin cold this week... Highs of 20 and lows around 0-10



In the past, whenever temps have gotten below 40, or the nightly lows were expected to, I'd take poly sheeting and cover whatever it was I was working on


these (highs in 20/30s and lows 0-10) are the coldest I've faced when having to work with stone/mortar


is my simple poly sheeting covering practice going to be effective still???


I know about getting insulation blankets and making a tent w/ a heater --- but long story short, it would not be practical on this particular situation


I'd love to get it done - but should I put it off ... see what next week is like

or continue and use the poly sheeting cover???

thanks in advance

lukachuki

We kinda had a mini thread about this last week. You might want to check that thread out. I am building a long 5' wall and the temperatures here are dropping off at night as well. For the last week I have successfully covered my work with poly and hooked a couple of hundred feet of line lights with 110w bulbs to provide extra heat under the poly. So far it's worked out real well. There are other ideas in the other thread as well.

Hope you figure it out.

laybrick

I,m at 0 to 10 degrees here, and with tarps + torpedo I figure I'm pushing it by turning it off when I leave. I'd say wait till it got a little warmer or get some heat on it.

dirt diggler

thanks yall

i will look for that thread

lukachuki

http://www.contractortalk.com/f48/need-some-tips-you-northerners-central-americans-17184/

dirt diggler

good thread ...

it's not so much the 30s that bother me (cover or no cover)

it's dipping down to 5 degrees between 4 am - 7 am


i'm leary of any heaters sitting out there when im not around (that'd worry me more than water in the mortar freezing)

1over2

I have used cheap electric blankets on the stone then covered with black poly in Northern NH during the winter.

CJKarl

When it's that cold I build a tent. How are you going to keep the mort from freezing while you work?