Lime or Cement Mortar? in Ballarat

For old brickwork laid in lime mortar, the Heritage Council of Victoria's technical code (June 2020) says modern Portland cement-based mortars are the wrong choice: because of their high strength and relative impermeability, they are incompatible with lime mortars and with many of the masonry materials used in older buildings.

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What lime or cement mortar in Ballarat actually involves

A hard grey joint standing proud of a worn, soft brick is what that incompatibility can look like on a wall. The code does not describe the look; it states the incompatibility. What it asks of a repointing job is spelled out in a second code, Repointing with lime mortars (June 2020): previous repointing undertaken with hard cement mortars instead of a lime mortar, or with incorrect profiles, shall not be matched.

What to ask

Ask what the new mortar will be, what it is based on and why it suits your bricks. This site states no mix and no lime class; the code's own tables decide that for the person doing the work.

Two small mortar samples of different colours and textures on a brick — lime or cement mortar, Ballarat. Illustrative example.

An earlier cement repair on the wall

If a wall was repointed before in hard cement mortar, the code says that repair is not the model for the new work. Say so when you describe the wall; the provider will want to look at the earlier joints before quoting. The page on when joints need repointing covers the signs to look for.

Ask the provider to put the mortar and the reason for it in the quote, so two quotes can be compared on what goes in the joint.

A hard grey mortar joint standing proud of a worn soft brick — lime or cement mortar, Ballarat. Illustrative example.

Heritage repointing costs and rules check