White vinegar?

 

I would start with the same way I remove mortar stains from stones.

Scrub brush and acid, I suppose you could use surekleen 600 since its lime and all.

but im a hack.

 

JBM....you aren't a hack! You're one of the best masons on CT. Your advice is greatly appreciated :thumbsup:

 

....I was going to say, acid and pressure wash,

 

I'll throw in my .02.....

I'd go with a gel stripper first because it's easiest on the material under the lime wash. I'm always a bit cautious using acid based cleaners because they do not discriminate between the stain and the bed mortar or stone.

 

Just a regular paint gel?? I might just go with acid and a splash of water. Stirred not shakin. Just don't want to zap lime base behind wall. I don't want to scrub.

 

Sorry, I was thinking lime paint.

 

I would be careful using a powerwasher on old stuff.

 

Why do they want it off. I would reapply it.

 

Thats a historical coating the has protected the browstone for centuries.

 

No no use like a coffee cup of acid and 4 gallons! Not just a splash of water, then work up from there depending on results

 

They want to expose two sides of corner stones and the front be exposed. The side walls are going to be painted with lime paint.

 

I love that rubble look!

 

Guess it's time to be a kitchen bi### and scrub. There's a recipe out there that uses animal fat and other things they used to use before Portland guess homeowner gonna pay to see corners I'm out of time.

 

Your doing fantastic with those raised joints btw.

 

Yeah for sure those are some nice looking joints!

 

I like it.

I always mix my acid about a glug or 2 per gallon of water. Then I drop a piece of old mortar in it. I look for fizzing but not violent fizzing

 

Thank you been there for a bout a month. A lot of the stones are stone on stone no joint.

 

What are you doing for the stones in contact...opening the joint with a diamond wheel? I was wondering what your pointing mix is too.

 

Going over top getting in tight joint s best I can. I guess they were in a hurry the British were coming !!

 

White Portland lime white bar 2 to 1

 

I would have to touch it to say for sure, but if there is no paint involved, I would say to use something that is made specifically to remove calcium carbonate, then retuck with a straight lime mortar. It may be worth the money to have an anyalysis done on the existing mortar to see if it is gauged and with what.

There is no cheap way to do this, any way you look at it, and if you do manage to do it cheap, you will probably cause more damage than you fix.

 

I went with a 2 to 1 Portland based cement on the front of house and a lime based mortar on sides that were repaired. To clean white wash I needed to use muratic acid. So I discussed it with a stone mason contractor in area who s reputable 30 plus years. He said go with 2 to 1 he's never had a call back. As far as the lime wash I'm at a lost on getting it off some parts especially sandstone. So I'll just chip it with a chisel power wash then acid wash. It's lime wash 15 layers

 

You could also try a wire brush on a grinder or drill. did that When i was a labe on some limestone and it turned out well. This limestone was hard though, if the sandstone is softish I'd try it somewhere hidden first

If you do make sure to wear gloves long sleeves and eye protection...those wires fly out and will stick in your skin

 

Gonna try a local clay to try n get lime wash off

 

Clay and plastic to slow down drying pull plastic then scrape