Early Fremantle limestone house tuckpointed

At first I thought this was the poor mans tuckpoint. A created recess then pointed with paint which was the case without having to place the tuck.  It was quite hard to tell without jumping the fence.
The tuck appeared almost flush with the point which would make it hard to use a frenchman.

The stone is probably from the nearby having the soil colours of a less consistent floor of stone. They were more than likely lose stones buried in a field rather than from a floor.

I love the colours, the flaws and the  inconsistencies.

Note the mortar colour which appears very much original it may be unslaked burnt lime sand.

I love  stone, collected stone, hand built, like art no machines. 

I want to time travel back for a week in this Australian history; immerse myself in the time.

Fremantle limestone and tuckpoint

Pinjar biscuit Fremantle past - Stone mortar pointing

And here we have one of Fremantle's formal early pieces with its non-hydaulic pieces uncovered to show what I discussed earlier where darker stone is revealed and possibly the evidence for darker lime washes we saw in the vernacular of Fremantle.

Here we see two colours. Both construction mortar and a lighter facing mortar. First stone buildings may also have had conch lime in the facing mix to increase strength.

While we now have penetrating sealers which harden stone exterior and prevent stone losing its colour to mold, evidence is present of a hydraulic Portland bag over the top.

This stone would have been chosen darker, slightly softer for facing.

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Tuckpointing, a section view of tuckpointing

Here I found today a great section view of tuckpointing. Here it shows the stopping laid over the joint, the tuck or whiting that is laid over the top.

Some of the whiting may be set wide of the real mortar joint to keep the joints aligned called a blind joint.  Bricks, even modern vary at least 2mm unless they are refractory.

Fremantle mortar limestone pointing peach in colour

Today I visited Fremantle again to see further proof of the old mortar almost a peach in colour or of terracotta to tan in colour.  In dealing with different limestone over the years it varies in colour tremendously.  Moore river stone is very biscuit in colour. 

Even a photo Ill publish later shows one of the early historic buildings with the layers of paint pretending to be white wash removed.

It clearly shows the stone to be quite tan in nature and the pointing to of two distinct colours. The construction mortar is quite dark, The facing mortar is a lighter tan almost a peach colour as discussed before.

I would say this stone for its softer attributes which allow for the pillow face finish it was given.  Many of the deliveries we receive from some quarries these days is extremely hard.  The axe bounces of much of this especially when there is a high content of cap rock.

The scrap of this stone would have been slaked on site along with the soil colour made up the larger mortar component attributes in both cases. Unslaked burnt fines of the stone would forming sand would make part of the mortar giving it the colour.

I dare say some of the old washes would have been given this light brown colour from the darker stone colour, less calcified no doubt an higher in silica I believe.

Here is an old Fremantle stone wall I found that is of what I believe an original point protected by an outhouse for years  under the cover of tin in a row of terraces. 

The image of the luxury building will show darker mortar samples again right on the harbour of Fremantle.

True tuckpointing demonstration - the traditonal way - Brickwork

I think some people mistake re-pointing for tuckpointing when quite often they are doing a repointed "struck joint".

A struck joint is done with the edge of a trowel and can be weather struck to shed water easier.

Keywords: Bricklaying, Pointing, Cement, Tuck Pointing, Federation, Victorian, Australia

Eroded mortar in limestone rubble wall

Eroded mortar in limestone rubble wall, Id say this could be the result of hand mixed mortar in the wind.  Interesting anyhow.

Ribbon tuck point joint - Fremantle WA 2

A second angle on the ribbon joint tuckpoint in Fremantle

Ribbon tuck point joint - Fremantle WA

A ribbon joint to mock stone I think in Fremantle.
The stone lacks grain and I dont even recognise the stone.
An example of what is known in the vernacular as Dado or cement glass render. Almost a lost art to get it right. As an apprentice I was privileged to see it done.
 Some apprentices out of the Building Management Authority have taken this product to the next level creating colours etc.
In the past plasterers created faux marble, some so skilled it was hard to distinguish between the real item.

Semi Circular arch niche

A stone arch niche built into a hill side with spring water to face.  This niche is actually carved into the hillside in Liverpool where water seeps.