Stone Veneer Repair

Hi, a stone tile on the side wall by my front door concrete steps fell off after the Winter. What should I use to glue it back? I also have some cracks on the mortar joints near the fallen tile. What should I do about those?



I did a "dry fit" of the fallen tile today, I can see a big gap between the tile and the step. The gap is about 1 1/4" wide and 2" deep. See picture below.



I'm debating if I can use landscape adhesive to glue the tile back and fill the cracks with this:

Quikrete 10 oz. Mortar Repair Tube-862009 - The Home Depot

However, I don't think I can use the Mortar Repair in a tube for the 1 1/4" wide gap. Another option is to buy a bag of Type S Mortar but they are 80 lbs a bag and I only need a few pounds for the job. Any suggestion? Thanks!

 

Dont, that will just create a bigger mess when somebody has to repair it correctly in the future.

 

I'd use mortar to make the repair. Keeping a wet rag/sponge handy will aid in removing any excess mud before it dries.

 

I too would use a traditional Portland cement mortar (type N should work) as it can easily fill the large gap behind the stone and also fill in the 1" gap that will be visible. I would set the stone then finish off the 1" gap with a brush down texture to match the existing joints.

 

Well, I guess I will go muscle a big bag of Mortar back. What's about the cracks above the fallen tile? The cracks are about 1/8" wide. Should I use a cold chisel to make the cracks wider and use the same mortar to fill as well? Thanks!

 

I would. I think you can buy premixed bags of mortar in as little as 60 lb bags - a single bag isn't expensive.

 

I would wiggle and tap on the blocks above to see if they are secure. If they move I would remove them and the old mortar and re-set them. If they are loose and you just fill in the cracks the crack will likely reappear.

 

I finally finished the job on Sunday. It took me about 3 hours to stick the tile back in and repair about 20 cracks. One last question, I only used a few pound for mortar from the 60 pound bag. How long can a bag of mortar last once it's opened? Thanks again.

 

It depends on how much moisture it absorbs.

 

I'm Chicago area. Humidity isn't too bad here. Is there a way to tell if the mortar is no longer usable?

 

Not sure if there is a way short of the reduced bond it creates when it starts to go bad. It's easy to tell if the bag hardens but what often happens is the individual granules harden somewhat - it still works but not like it should. I usually mix the bag with some new [or add unmixed mortar] if it sets in the barn for an extended period.