Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [masonry]

286 questions
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5 answers

What bit should I use to drill a two inch hole in a solid concrete wall?

I am planning to install a 1.5-inch conduit through a poured concrete wall. I am planning on drilling a two-inch hole to accommodate the size of the conduit body. I have been searching up and down, but I don't know what drill bit to use. Bi-metal?…
Henrik Techguy
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How do I tell if my house is brick or brick veneer?

I live in a brick house, and am interested in understanding whether it is brick or brick veneer, as a way to understand what kind of risks it (and we) may face during an earthquake. I hear that brick veneer is essentially a wood frame house with a…
John
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Masonry bits dulling after 3-4 holes

I'm using an 18v makita hammer drill with a 3/16" Bosch blue granite turbo concrete bit to drill 2" deep holes into concrete-filled cinder blocks. With a fresh bit, it takes about 15 seconds to drill a hole. By the 4th hole, it slows to a crawl and…
Tyler M
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Can I build a concrete block wall over floor tile?

I am enclosing a tiled porch on concrete slab with a 3' short wall of concrete block, with windows above. Should concrete blocks be laid over a tile floor?
Larry
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How to drill a hole in brick with precision?

I have bought old cabinets which I would like to hang on a brick wall. I have marked the spots on the wall, but I find it very difficult to drill precisely, because the drill bit follows a path of least resistance. What are the techniques and tools…
alecail
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How many holes can a masonry drill bit make?

Please excuse my ignorance, I'm fairly new to DIY. I keep reading how masonry drill bits wear down quickly. As I'm preparing for a day of serious hammer drilling dozens of holes into concrete walls at a remote location, I'm wondering how many drill…
Rob de Jonge
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How to properly seal/cover an unused chimney?

We recently replaced an ancient chimney-vented boiler with a direct-vented one. This boiler was the only thing using our chimney. The chimney is brick and sits in the center of our 120-year-old house. On top, it has an old, rusted rain cap (now…
Shimon Rura
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Is mortar waterproof?

I was advised by a professional that mortar is waterproof, however sources online are telling me that it's not. So is mortar waterproof or not? Does waterproofness vary by mortar classification (e.g. M1, M2, M3 etc.)?
AlfaZulu
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How to repair a broken patio corner?

I've got a limestone patio. The builder apparently didn't support one corner very well and somebody stepped hard on it and a triangle about 1/2 square foot in size broke off. I imagine putting some sort of concrete underneath it but I'm not sure…
Grumdrig
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2 answers

How can baseboards be attached to a plaster-on-masonry wall?

The walls on the sides and back of my fireplace are plaster on masonry. How can I attach baseboards to these walls? I tried bonding with HMA but eventually that just peels the paint off.
ArgentoSapiens
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How do I fill cracks between stone steps and mortar?

I have a set of stone steps out front, built into a rubble-stone retaining wall on both sides. The steps are mortared into place with concrete. Over time a crack (~1/4" wide) has developed between the stones and the mortar. Obviously I don't want…
Alex Feinman
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Is there an adhesive I can use with anchors to keep them from pulling out?

I am mounting shelves using plastic anchors in masonry. I once saw a contractor use an adhesive on the anchors to prevent them from pulling out. I realize that by design this should not be necessary. But, if one wanted a little better strength to…
Paul P
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Can I install windows into a concrete rough opening without wood buck?

I recently cut two holes in my foundation and installed new windows. I lined my hole with 2x8 PT wood bucks that I attached to the masonry with Tapcon screws. Then I attached my window nailing flange to the wood buck. All seemed to work fine. Now I…
tbc
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Re-Pointing Fieldstone Foundation

I purchased my 110 year old colonial house 6 months ago. It has a field stone foundation that looks completely original (with a few small repairs). The house is located in North Eastern Massachusetts and is exposed to the worst of the elements…
Dave Dillon
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Shore up stone foundation cap at house sill

I need to shore up the crown of a quarry/limestone foundation where the foundation meets the sill. This sill runs parallel to the floor joists and most of the damage is located between two windows. I was going about a repointing project and started…
alrightgame
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