I've been trying to figure out what the poles on this converted barn are set into. The best I can tell, it's actually hardened lime mortar. The pole setting could have been done anywhere from the 1970's to the early 1990's, I'm guessing. Has anyone seen this kind of thing before?
martin11,
May 11, 9:17am
Lime mortar is not really suitable are you sure it is . It will be fairly soft compared to concrete
bcohen,
May 11, 9:55am
That's just it. it's definitely not concrete, it's too soft. What would be the effect of lime mortar over time, with a tanalized pole?
budgel,
May 11, 11:05am
The high level of alkalinity probably helps preserve the wood as long as it stays dry.
zak410,
May 11, 12:15pm
Could be from the water of an over-watered concrete mix, sitting at the top ? lime-mix is used more as a plaster than for concreting poles as it needs air to set.
bcohen,
May 11, 1:25pm
Is there anything I could do to determine what it is?
One interesting thing about it is that some of the surface has a sort of burnt orange-ish look to it. The rest looks and feels like lime from the lime quarry.
martin11,
May 11, 1:51pm
Take a sample to Firth or other concrete place up your way .
lythande1,
May 11, 2:20pm
Mortar isn't soft at all. I covered a broken rubble brick path with it, couldn't afford to Do it properly.
It's hard as. It is however, brittle. If you smack it hard enough at the right angle it can shatter.
So there's your answer.
zak410,
May 11, 3:05pm
What type mortar did you use ?
pauldw,
May 11, 4:11pm
lythande1 needs to look up the difference between Portland cement and lime based mortars.
The pole may be just backfilled with a lean mix of cement and the dirt from the hole.
bcohen,
May 11, 4:47pm
Is that what they call "soil cement" ?
ebygum1,
May 11, 5:09pm
In the 70,s and 80,s we used to set the poles in plain, rammed builders mix, no concrete at all, when we were made to use concrete after this period, we used 10mpa, which is a very weak mix. Lime chips were used to make concrete but it was not a good idea as it became slippery and wore away when used on drives. That could be what you have, it was certainly used in the King Country.
bcohen,
May 11, 5:54pm
Very interesting. It could be that weak mix. I've just read that if I take some and put it into white vinegar, it will fizz if it's lime. I think I can assume it's a weak concrete mix if it doesn't fizz.
dastedly,
May 11, 7:55pm
What can happen if the holes are full of water before concrete is poured in to the holes .is the watery mix comes to top of hole . be 100mm of soft stuff at top. Dig down side of hole to check
roseyglow,
May 13, 7:27pm
a mixture of lime and cement was used in some cases as cement was scarce in the 60s and 70s
bcohen,
Nov 11, 8:56am
OK, fizz test is no good. Yes this fizzes in vinegar, but I tested a plain old concrete piece, and it does too. I looked it up, they both do. But since I can draw in this by scratching it with a nail, I conclude it's lime, or at least there's lots of lime in it.
The poles have been here for at the very least 23 years, possibly 30+ years and seem to be staying where they were put, with a slight bit of ground-line deterioration. Basically, behaving the same as if they were set in modern method with concrete.
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