[PoleBarnsNY]

I did 50 square feet of natural stone today.

I used a paint brush dipped in water to strike the joints.

It turned out nice.

What do you use to strike the joints of natural stone?

Do you hit the stone and or mortar joints with a wire brush once the mortar is dry?

Should I seal the mortar with anything to protect it? It is outside.

 

[S.U.M]

Pics please.

 

[PoleBarnsNY]

Don't have any pictures sorry

 

[fjn]

I finish it with a mortar tamper. The only picture of such that I know of is in the book The Art Of The Stonemason by Ian Cramb.

 

[dom-mas]

Wood only. i pretty much always use wood to finish my joints. not trying to be rude but nothing in the world (well maybe sacks of money or threats of incredible violence to my family) could get me to finish my joints with a wet paint brush. Joints that are hit wet are bound to fail in a decade or less.

I will also use my slicker to tool the joints but the finishing is really done by beating the joints with a firm brush. Purists use a salmon brush, i just use anything with a stiff bristle, a nylon brush does a good job. The slicker goes at thumbprint hard, the brush a few minutes after.

For raised joints of course I have to use a wet finish with the steel tool

 

[cleveman]

A piece of wood lath.

 

[heavyc]

What Type of mortar was used? We use root or a hard wood tree stick scratch joint after grout bagging and slicking. Then stiff horse hair to put final touch.

 

[dom-mas]

Horse hair is good. No comment about the grout bag, I've commented enough about them

 

[heavyc]

Old school sorry but I gotta keep the labor busy doing something. Grout bag separates men from boys in reference to natural stone veneers. Drill hopper grout guns serve a purpose in certain situations.

 

[dom-mas]

Again, I've commented enough on grout bags

 

[superseal]

Loop handle wire brush, then horsehair final brush.

Now don't tell anybody I told ya :whistling

 

[superseal]

I use that little brush for most styles that I do in one way or another especially rake out or flush. For ribbons and ridges I use it on the outside perimeters.

 

[JBM]

Loop handle wire brush, nice one.

I have a project coming up where ill need to build a foundation that looks like an antique farmhouse. I might have to borrow that one!

 

[6stringmason]

I use hard wood dowels only. Then horse hair brush like some others have said.

 

[Ohteah]

Loop handle wire brush, then horsehair final brush.

Now don't tell anybody I told ya :whistling

Same exact set up, I always pick some up in random hardware stores in the welding section. Don't point as much as I use to, that little brush was my go to. Then horsehair brush.

 

[superseal]

Same exact set up, I always pick some up in random hardware stores in the welding section. Don't point as much as I use to, that little brush was my go to. Then horsehair brush.

Every time I come across them, I buy the whole rack

I got a whole bucket full of them still new in the package because I keep thinking their going to stop making them :laughing:

 

[Kniggit]

 

[stonecutter]

I will also use my slicker to tool the joints but the finishing is really done by beating the joints with a firm brush. Purists use a salmon brush, i just use anything with a stiff bristle, a nylon brush does a good job. The slicker goes at thumbprint hard, the brush a few minutes after.

That's how i do it too, except I use a tuck pointer to fill the joint.

 

[stonecutter]

Again, I've commented enough on grout bags

Aren't those for cakes?

 

[dom-mas]

That's how i do it too, except I use a tuck pointer to fill the joint.

A slicker and tuckpointer are the same thing aren't they?