How to Repair Exterior Mortar or Parging

LESLIE: Heading over to Wisconsin to chat with Tyler about a foundation problem. Tell us what’s going on.

TYLER: I have an old farmhouse [1] and the foundation [2] walls are actually made of lime and stone and the interior part of the foundation is kind of peeling back and I was wondering what to do to fix that.

TOM: Say it again. It’s the foundation is peeling back?

TYLER: Well, you know how the mortar [3] on the outside – it’s all skin-coated like it was plastered?

TOM: Ah.

LESLIE: Mm-hmm.

TOM: OK. So the parge – that’s called the parging – so the parging …

TYLER: Parging. Correct.

TOM: … is coming off.

TYLER: Correct.

TOM: If it’s already starting to come apart …

TYLER: Yeah.

TOM: … it’s not going to get any better. I would try to get off as much of it as we can …

TYLER: Right.

TOM: … and then you’re going to re-stucco [4] it. And you’re probably going to use an epoxy mix, which is very, very adhesive and is going – it’s going to stick a lot better than what you’ve had before.

TYLER: Just not a regular type of s-border (ph)?

TOM: No, not a regular type of cement. There are definitely stucco [5] mixes that have additives that make them more adhesive and what’s happening to you is you’re probably – whoever did this probably used regular cement and it’s just not working.

TYLER: Well, the house is 100 years old.

TOM: Well, you can forgive them then. (Leslie and Tyler chuckle)

LESLIE: It did a good job up until this point.

TOM: Exactly.

TYLER: OK. Alright. Well, thank you for your time.

TOM: You’re welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.