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My uncle said we should stop using lime mortar on old chimneys

He's been laying brick in Charleston for 40 years and swears modern cement mix is fine for any repair. I've always been taught to match the original material, especially on historic work. What's your take on using modern mixes for old brick?
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pat_park
pat_park5d ago
Hold on, is it really that big of a deal? I see old brickwork patched with modern cement all the time and it's still standing. People act like the bricks will turn to dust overnight. Your uncle has four decades of experience, so maybe the purists are just too worried. If it was truly that bad, we'd see way more failed chimneys around town.
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murray.grace
Doesn't cement crack the old bricks because it's too hard?
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