Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1839-05-18
MISCELLANEOUS SELECTIONS.
From the CutiyatOr
Directions for making good Mortar.
SchenectadY, 18th, April, 1899.

From tne CuitfVatof
Directions for making good Mortar. |
Schenectady, 18th, April, 1889.
DEAR SIR-Untl the Society far promoting
Useful Knowledge, shall be in active operation, |
the Culiivator appears to be the proper vehicle.
Soon after the great fire in the city OF New
York, in December, 1885, noticed an inquiry in
the Commercial Advertiser, "whether the art of
making good mortar had been lost" rs in the
modern built brick buildings, The mortar did nor
connect and adhere 10 the bricks" ! wrote, and
stated the former and modern method of making
and using mortar, and it published IN that
paper.
AS inquiries on this subject frequent, and
as 1t 10 painful to the Impositions Praciised
on those who employ builders, without knowing
how to guard against deception, | will give the
opinion have formed, by long Observatory and
some practice in erecting buildings.
Formerly, hard burnt bricks only, were used
for building houses. The bricks were put into
a tub OF water. kept on the scatfold Tor the pur-
nose; and when saturated with water, they were
handed by tho Iaborers to the mason, who laid
them in to the wall. Walls made in this manner,
when taken down, crowbar and hammer must
he used with force, to separate the mortar from
tho bricks.
It was noticed by persons who were presen! at
the great fire above quoted, that some OF the new
brick stores then lately built Exchange Street,
when partly burnt, fell down; and the adjoining
buildings, to which the ERE had not extended, Tell
after them.
few veor. apo the six story brick store Of
Mossrs Phelps &, Peck, tho corner OF Glib
and Fulton streets in New-York, fell down, and
crushed several persons-an awful sight and cal
anity. | was in tho city, and passed by the
store about one hour before the fall IT was OBJ
served, that the bricks separated from the mortar,
rs clean they had not been lad IN the mortar,
and the mortar was fine, like dry sand.
Modern brick walls, chiefly made, not OF
hard burnt, or WIN; are called weather bricks,
but what are called salmon, or half burnt, or
imperfectly burnt bricks. These bricks are bro't
dry and in some instances, parns from the kiln,
and laid Immediately in the wall. The moment
such brirks are laid tho mortar, they absorb
all tho water from the mortar, as quick as n
flash, leaving the mortar merely damp. The NOR
tar when dry, will be soft, and the wall may be
taken down with the hands, there is no cohesion
in the mortar. Ii the bricks saturated with
water, before they laid in the wall, even
such bricks of inferior quality, will make a toera
BILE wall, though not so strong as of hard burnt
bricks
This is tho mode Of erecting buildings all over
the country, because little labor and expense
is saved, by not weiting the bricks. Too much
mortar is often used
Those for whom buildings are erected, par.
ticularly in the city Of New-York, in general, are
as ignorant children, o: what constitutes the
difference between good and poor walls. Placing
perfect confidence 'nasons, carpenters, builders
AS thew do in lawyers and other proftssiona
men, they get il for little less money, and very
little less too; and in some cases, II falls down be-
fore it is finished and off the hands of the builders
when tho walls only Of the thickness of the
width of the bricks, they frequently arc, par
ticularly when against another building. to hold
them up.
Another fault is. in making mortar of loan or
Quicksand, Common in some places,) instead OF
clean and coarse sand
One part of anick stone lime, and Eve parts
OF rloan coarse sand, will make good mortar for
brick stone walls
The masons object to much sand and tile lime
because the mortar will be short and crumb y
when used, particularly the overhead ceiling
but when made and put on, it will be twice as
IN as ifotherwise made The loan and more
lime, make mortar much moro easy for the mason
for plasiering ceilings. The quantity of lime wan
tod, is merely to fill nterstces, and make Ct the
sand solid body, for strength.
When masons want n winters Job, they vii
tell you that tho mortar will freeze dry, aud be
good as when laid in summer. Such masons j
honest, nre not philosophers, nor will philosopher:
believe and employ them.
In the March number Of the Cultivator, it il
asked by subscriber, "What is the best mel hos
known among our builders and mechanics. o
protecting northeast brick walls, and generally
ofkeeping stone and brick walls dry" Hard burn
bricks, called clinkers will not absorb water. |
north east walls are made of such, covered
with boards, water cannot penetrate them. Blu
few persons understand the difference in the quail
ty of bricks. Street pavements made of clinke
bricks, will last an age and be dry, except while
it rams.
Stone walls are liable to be wet, by condensins
moisture from the air, when tho atmosphere chan
ges suddenly to q warmer temperature.
Respectfully, DAVID TOMLINSO.:.
From the Cutvasor.