Mortar for stone coping.

[pdpantages]

Hello Forum,

I am looking to make some minor repairs to the mortar around my stone coping. Assorted cracks and a place where it has worn off and crumbled away a bit. The coping is a red standstone and the mortar is a tan colour (I think this may be called buff). I have included a pic of the mortar and stone.

I wanted to know if I need a special mortar for pools. Some of it will be in the area of the spa waterfall and will be continuously wet (when the pump is running). Or would I need any type of additive to add to the mortar when mixing?

I have seen references to "S3" type mortar, which I see at Home Depot web site; about $6 for 80lb of it.

 

[duraleigh]

You need grout....not mortar. Several good ones available. Home Depot's mid-grade is "latex fortified" and is fine for pools. The latex gives the grout just a tiny bit of flex to resist cracking.

Color matching will be difficult.

 

[blakeusa]

If your just trying to fill in those micro cracks duraleigh might be correct in looking to use a grout. You might try a DAL tile store (bring pics) as they are good tile/ grout stores.

I would believe the entire original joints may be Sand Mix concrete - and if you were filling an entire 1/2" + space that is what I would use and yes with a latex admix to help it stick to the old concrete. I just re-pointed a few coping stones on my pool due to frost/ freeze cracking with Sand Mix and additive. Mixed to consistance of cookie dough.. kinda crumbly and not wet mushy like regular concrete. Pack it in, smooth it out and wipe with a wet rag or sponge.

 

[pdpantages]

Thank you all for the replies. I have both conditions mentioned above; some small cracking and also a few places where the mortar has washed/worn out requiring a .5" worth of fill.

 

[PoolguyinCT]

Most bagged mortar products contain lime, in wet environment like bleeds & looks like efflorescence.

I would cook my own mud, 2 cement to 1 sand.

I presume the admix Blake is referencing is acryl 60 aka milk..