The mortar mix at that historic site in Charleston had me scratching my head

I was down in Charleston last month visiting family, and I stopped by that old brickwork on Broad Street (the one from the 1700s you know). The mortar was crumbling in a way I've never seen before - it was almost sandy, like it had turned to grit. I asked the guy doing repairs about it, and he said they use a specific lime mix that's way softer than modern stuff on purpose. Has anyone else run into old mortar that just feels totally different from what we use now?

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lisa6711mo ago

I mean, I once tried to patch a historic wall with modern mortar and it basically laughed at me before crumbling into dust, so that guy's probably onto something. The old stuff is way softer because it lets the bricks breathe and move without cracking, which modern hard mortar just doesn't do. Maybe it's just me but that sandy texture always makes me feel like I'm watching history slowly turn back into beach sand.