Cement question
Discussion
Noob question about cement...
Can I use this:
("Ordinary Portland Cement")
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detai...
to fill a smallish hole in an external wall?
Can I also use it to reset bricks on top of a low wall ie as mortar?
Do I just add water or do I need sand as well?
Thanks.
Can I use this:
("Ordinary Portland Cement")
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detai...
to fill a smallish hole in an external wall?
Can I also use it to reset bricks on top of a low wall ie as mortar?
Do I just add water or do I need sand as well?
Thanks.
Thanks for the replies.
What's the Fairy Liquid about? (And can I use something more masculine such as WD40?
)
Ricky_M said:
You can buy it pre-mixed in a bag, just add water.
Also a little drop of fairy liquid makes it easier to work with.
Can you show me which product on the B&Q website I need?Also a little drop of fairy liquid makes it easier to work with.
What's the Fairy Liquid about? (And can I use something more masculine such as WD40?
)Here you go
http://search.diy.com/search#w=mortar mix
And no, don't be a poof, use fairy liquid like everyone else. A good squirt works fine. Best if you wear a pink or lilac jumper and shorts when you're doing it. There do you feel better now?
http://search.diy.com/search#w=mortar mix
And no, don't be a poof, use fairy liquid like everyone else. A good squirt works fine. Best if you wear a pink or lilac jumper and shorts when you're doing it. There do you feel better now?
RemainAllHoof said:
Can you show me which product on the B&Q website I need?
What's the Fairy Liquid about? (And can I use something more masculine such as WD40? )
What's the Fairy Liquid about? (And can I use something more masculine such as WD40?
)
Fairy Liquid improves the flow. You can get bottles of Plasticiser but cost more and do much the same thing (although they do add a bit of strength)
Don't forget a sheet of old ply to do the mixing if you're doing it by hand.
Ready mix mortar from B&Q would be fine, just make sure you mix it throughly if you're doing it by hand.
I wouldn't bother with the Fairy Liquid. First thing they taught us in college was never to use it in a mix. Will make zero difference for your application anyway. You don't really need a brilliant mix for resetting a couple of bricks.
Might have to be careful of the colour of the mortar as well. Used the B&Q stuff before and it dried really light. Probably won't match the old mortar at all.
I wouldn't bother with the Fairy Liquid. First thing they taught us in college was never to use it in a mix. Will make zero difference for your application anyway. You don't really need a brilliant mix for resetting a couple of bricks.
Might have to be careful of the colour of the mortar as well. Used the B&Q stuff before and it dried really light. Probably won't match the old mortar at all.
Don't forget to leave it on your hands until you get nice burns 
.
That way you can try and sue someone else for your own gross stupidity. Search for the thread it's very long.
I have 3 bags of cement in the garage i'm scared to even look at them now as they have an irritant warning on them. Read it before you submit your claim to sue the manufacturer
. That way you can try and sue someone else for your own gross stupidity
. Search for the thread it's very long.I have 3 bags of cement in the garage i'm scared to even look at them now as they have an irritant warning on them. Read it before you submit your claim to sue the manufacturer
Slagathore said:
Ready mix mortar from B&Q would be fine, just make sure you mix it throughly if you're doing it by hand.
I wouldn't bother with the Fairy Liquid. First thing they taught us in college was never to use it in a mix. Will make zero difference for your application anyway. You don't really need a brilliant mix for resetting a couple of bricks.
Might have to be careful of the colour of the mortar as well. Used the B&Q stuff before and it dried really light. Probably won't match the old mortar at all.
Buy from any private builders merchant 1/2 the price or even less, and that goes for most building products. I wouldn't bother with the Fairy Liquid. First thing they taught us in college was never to use it in a mix. Will make zero difference for your application anyway. You don't really need a brilliant mix for resetting a couple of bricks.
Might have to be careful of the colour of the mortar as well. Used the B&Q stuff before and it dried really light. Probably won't match the old mortar at all.
Thanks for all the new replies.
It's a fairly new wall. Some bricks are loose for some reason.
Well-aware of that thread and the college student who dunked her hands in a bucket of cement when the teacher told her to put her hands in something non-corrosive. That said, I didn't know cement would burn - I usually leave this kind of thing to the pros but there are only a couple of bricks that need dealing with so thought I might as well do it myself.
It's a fairly new wall. Some bricks are loose for some reason.
speedyguy said:
Don't forget to leave it on your hands until you get nice burns .
That way you can try and sue someone else for your own gross stupidity. Search for the thread it's very long.
I have 3 bags of cement in the garage i'm scared to even look at them now as they have an irritant warning on them. Read it before you submit your claim to sue the manufacturer
. That way you can try and sue someone else for your own gross stupidity
. Search for the thread it's very long.I have 3 bags of cement in the garage i'm scared to even look at them now as they have an irritant warning on them. Read it before you submit your claim to sue the manufacturer
Well-aware of that thread and the college student who dunked her hands in a bucket of cement when the teacher told her to put her hands in something non-corrosive. That said, I didn't know cement would burn - I usually leave this kind of thing to the pros but there are only a couple of bricks that need dealing with so thought I might as well do it myself.trevvy said:
Buy from any private builders merchant 1/2 the price or even less, and that goes for most building products.
I would have done that, but the stuff was already bought and I was just using it. Local ones are always better, and my builder friend gets a decent discount, so would be even cheaper to get him to get the materials for us.RemainAllHoof said:
Well-aware of that thread and the college student who dunked her hands in a bucket of cement when the teacher told her to put her hands in something non-corrosive. That said, I didn't know cement would burn - Slagathore said:
Think that was plaster of Paris, the girl wanted to make a mold out of her hand and let it set whilst on her hands. Nasty stuff. School got fined for it as well.
I think the damage was more from the heat of the exothermic setting reaction, rather than alkaline burns, but anyway.....Arthur Jackson said:
Don't use sand and cement on soft red bricks though.
Because the mortar will be stronger than the brick?I have so many spalling bricks around the house, below dpc, I was thinking of using epoxy mortar and painting the whole lot below dpc. I have cut out the worst & replaced them but the rest are just the first 3 mm or so. Damn builder used facers below dpc level. Same one who only painted the facia boards up to the gutters/felt all those 50 years ago. Amazingly the timber is still ok there but not in places where it was painted!
Skyedriver said:
Because the mortar will be stronger than the brick?
I have so many spalling bricks around the house, below dpc, I was thinking of using epoxy mortar and painting the whole lot below dpc. I have cut out the worst & replaced them but the rest are just the first 3 mm or so. Damn builder used facers below dpc level. Same one who only painted the facia boards up to the gutters/felt all those 50 years ago. Amazingly the timber is still ok there but not in places where it was painted!
Sounds more like freeze/thaw damage?I have so many spalling bricks around the house, below dpc, I was thinking of using epoxy mortar and painting the whole lot below dpc. I have cut out the worst & replaced them but the rest are just the first 3 mm or so. Damn builder used facers below dpc level. Same one who only painted the facia boards up to the gutters/felt all those 50 years ago. Amazingly the timber is still ok there but not in places where it was painted!
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