Quick weather question - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Just-In-Time · 11-17-2008, 11:39 PM

Hey guys, First of all, in case you cant tell by my question I am not a mason!! I would like to be tho, anyway, I have a client that needs about 10 square feet repointed. The joints were worn away due to the fact of years of water splashing up on them from the rain (they had no down spout and no end cap on the gutter). Anyway, I was going to repoint it for them tommorrow, I have done this once before and my only question is about the weather, It is supposed to be a high of 41 deg tomorrow and a low in the 30's overnight. Am I okay to do this job at this temp? And if so do I need to switch from a type N to a type S for less water retention or no?? Any other tips would be great. Thanks!

stacker · 11-17-2008, 11:44 PM

specs call for 40 and going up and 45 and going down.

Just-In-Time · 11-17-2008, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stacker

specs call for 40 and going up and 45 and going down.

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you are saying

CJKarl · 11-18-2008, 09:12 AM

Do it on a warm day. Cover with a couple layers of tarps. This time of year you'll be alright.

stacker · 11-18-2008, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just-In-Time

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you are saying

most jobs call for the temp to be 40 and going up.i call the day when it gets about 45 and going down.

concretemasonry · 11-18-2008, 04:26 PM

A very big factor (especially early in the cooling season) is the direction the wall faces and the protection from the wind.

The "40 and falling, etc." is a theoretical point. If the masonry is south facing this time of the year without a huge (but protective overhang) the air temperature is not that important if the masonry has absorbed a lot of heat from the sun and will hold it if covered after the work. - This is a very doable job.

If it is a north facing wall with wind that is a totally different.

With a small area to do, you should be able to protect it enough until the mortar has gotten below saturation and will not be killed by a freeze. The more protection, the better.

Find a nice day and do it as late as possible and keep your thermometer in the sun if you think you need to use one. Then cover and protect.

they are still just digging block basements around here (+15F this morning) and will be done with the job before the week-end.

CJKarl · 11-18-2008, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by concretemasonry

A very big factor (especially early in the cooling season) is the direction the wall faces and the protection from the wind.

The "40 and falling, etc." is a theoretical point. If the masonry is south facing this time of the year without a huge (but protective overhang) the air temperature is not that important if the masonry has absorbed a lot of heat from the sun and will hold it if covered after the work. - This is a very doable job.

If it is a north facing wall with wind that is a totally different.

With a small area to do, you should be able to protect it enough until the mortar has gotten below saturation and will not be killed by a freeze. The more protection, the better.

Find a nice day and do it as late as possible and keep your thermometer in the sun if you think you need to use one. Then cover and protect.

they are still just digging block basements around here (+15F this morning) and will be done with the job before the week-end.

15* !!! Dang that's cold, we're still just getting heavy frosts.

tkle · 11-18-2008, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJKarl

15* !!! Dang that's cold, we're still just getting heavy frosts.

...and I'm still picking tomatoes.

Just-In-Time · 11-19-2008, 12:08 AM

Okay, great thanks guys. I have a propane heater that I was thinking I could use. I will be working on a window that day as well and will be there most of the day, what I was figuring on doing is getting the masonry done early with the propane heater running nearby and just leaving it on until the end of the day so I wouldn't have to cover. Would this give the mortar enough time to set or will I still have to cover?

Michael Olding · 11-19-2008, 06:38 AM

Be careful with that propane heater... this isn't a new brick wall we are talking about here but a thin piece of mortar about 3/4" thick!

Concretemasonry is right... look how the wall is facing and what the weather was for 3 days prior. If the wall is dry them it will suck up the necessary water in the mortar to prevent frost action in the mortar pores. Also at this time of the year the ambient temperature of the earth and all material is still relatively high which has a dramatic effect.

I have TP all winter long since 1980 and I can tell you that on a quiet, sunny day in Jan. temp 20 I can bake, if the sun is facing just the right way or conversely, freeze at 38 with a north wind in the shadows with high humidity.

It is all about local condition. (job site not city)

By the way I always drop by jobs I did 20 - 30 yrs ago and recently stopped by one I did in 1982 with a 0 temp. Conditions were perfect on that job and the mortar is as good as the day I installed it. I haven't done that often but the point being it is all about the job conditions.

Now having said that I wouldn't recommend this technique to anyone but a professional or anyone who does not intimately understand the environment they are working in nor on any project that has specs. Follow the specs... that's what you bid.

But a small repair to fill in a day not problem.