Bricklaying or Repointing the Chimney (Pictures)

[g w]

Hello!

I'm taking care of an old cabin out in the woods and the chimney doesn't look very nice. What I'm wondering is if it needs to be rebuilt or if it's enough to just trowel new mortar into the joints?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Stefan N]

It must be taken down; you won't get any strength if you just press into the joints. It looks like they've tried once before with too strong a mortar. If you want to preserve the patina, you can use the same stones after cleaning them from the mortar.

 

[g w]

Thanks for the help! It will have to be rebuilt.

What's the best approach, I assume it's a good idea to build a small platform around the chimney to easily take down the stones, etc.?
Can a cheerful amateur manage to do a good and durable masonry job?

 

[Stefan N]

Remove a good amount of tiles around, then build a small platform to stand on and keep the materials on, as you mentioned. Even an amateur should be able to manage the small chimney; make sure to fill the joints properly and use a level to keep it plumb and level.

 

[g w]

Great, I'll probably do it in conjunction with re-roofing.

 

[SBH]

you don't need to take down the whole chimney. should not do more work than necessary.
(if you take down the whole thing, the channel can also get damaged)
you only need to do that if the stones are loose.

 

[g w]

Well, it would have been easier not to have to take down the chimney. Hmm.
Regardless of how you do it, is it mortar C that's required?

 

[SBH]

Yes, mortar c. a bit more lively than the other types. Plus, it's forgiving to remove if it dries in the wrong place.