skip to main content

The Old House Basements

Rubble Foundation Questions

last year

Our house (circa 1880) has a rubble foundation, mostly in solid condition though the summer plans were to repoint anything needing attention. Clearing our first corner (inside) we noticed dirt and some water seepage in a couple spots at the base of the foundation where the slab had been poured. We figure this may have been a dirt floor with a slab poured later at the level of the bottom of the foundation, but no matter, our question is what we should do with the gaps were the stones don't dip below slab level to fill these voids where there is nothing but dirt?

In our preliminary research (we're noobs here) we've discovered some discussions about hydraulic cement, mortar, and concrete. Does anyone have experience with this scenario and advice for us?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

Sigrid
last year
We have a stone foundation, with a basement floor that may or may not have been poured much later. We've had water seepage through the stones (not the mortar). The solution was to get the water away from the foundation. My (amateur) advice is:

1) Pay a lot of attention to when and where the water comes in. Go out and look on rainy days. We discovered our problem after crawling under cobwebby porch in a downpour --- a miserable task, but very informative. If you understand where the water is coming from, dealing with it is much easier.

2) Make sure you are keeping water away from your foundations. That all your gutters and downspouts are in working order and the water discharges far enough from the foundation.

You may find an easy and cheap solution to your problem.
worthy
last year
Here's the full treatment from one of the leading building scientists in North America.
Related Discussions
rubble foundation replacement?
Q
Comments (0)
I want to permantley fix my rubble foundation. My house sits on ledge and about a 24" crawlspace. What are the options? I was thinking about jacking the house, removing the lose rock foundation and pouring a new concrete wall. At the same time I could excavate dirt down to the ledge to make more room. The foundation would be pretty solid as it would be pinned to rock. Are there other solutions? I read some where about injecting epoxy or concerete or something into the joints. The foundation has held up over the past 100 years, but there is lots of water under there and it leaks air and is very cold in thwe winter. Makes the house hardto heat, and all the water pipes are under there.
...See More
Older Foundation Question
Q
Comments (3)
The type of stone maybe less critical to know than the type of orginal mortar. Older lime-based mortar is much softer than the Portland cement based product that's available now. They do NOT combine well. Find out which you've got, before starting, at use what matches. You may have to buy lime-based mortar online. Though in some very restoration-minded areas you can get it a real masonry suppliers (not Big Box). I can't tell which stone you have, it is likely to be local, and locals will be able to ID it accurately. It looks sandstoney to me, but what do I know? Foundations here (upstate NY) are field stone (schist, bluestone, with some quartzy round rubble rocks as they turned up). A few miles north of me waste slate blocks are popular. In my 19th c farmhouse foundation I have a decorative course of VT marble at the cornerstones. I live only a few milies from the VT quarry area. Unless a building is very high-end, foundations are almost always made from from pretty local stone. Unless you live in a naturally stone-free area. HTH L.
...See More
Dog crawls out of rubble
Q
Comments (10)
But didn't you notice when she just sort of pointed towards all of the pile and said the dog was "there" somewhere, skimming over it because it looked like she couldn't bear the thought? Seemed real to me. I was very glad for her and yes, highly irritated when she had to ask for help.
...See More
Foundation question, Is this normal foundation or repair?
Q
Comments (4)
It was a common practice to place, in block letters, on the garage slab, at the entry of the house from the garage, that, that was the condition of the slab. Included may have been "do not drill or cut", or words to that effect.
...See More
3onthetree
last year
It sounds like you are trying to fill some gaps (mortar joints) where there is no mortar. If any new mortar were to be combined with old mortar, then the type of mortar would need to be closer in it's lime content to be equivalent in moisture transmission qualities. If however you are removing dirt to fill in gaps, you can just use a hydraulic cement or 'N' type mortar. Concrete has larger aggregate and is not a good gap fill material.

You will still get water leakage, but maybe not free-flowing.

Related Stories

GREEN BUILDING Considering Concrete Floors? 3 Green-Minded Questions to Ask

By Melanie Loftus

Learn what’s in your concrete and about sustainability to make a healthy choice for your home and the earth

REMODELING GUIDES Considering a Fixer-Upper? 15 Questions to Ask First

By Sarah Phipps Design

Learn about the hidden costs and treasures of older homes to avoid budget surprises and accidentally tossing valuable features

VACATION HOMES Houzz Tour: A Peaceful Lake House Rises From the Rubble

By Mary Jo Bowling

Crashing trees left this Vermont home uninhabitable, but a redesign made it better than ever

LANDSCAPE DESIGN 10 Questions to Ask a Landscape Designer

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

Discover how to choose the best designer for your yard and avoid surprises down the line

TILE 6 Questions to Answer Before You Install Tile Flooring

Considering these things before tackling your floors can get you a better result

MOVING Hiring a Home Inspector? Ask These 10 Questions

By Christine Tusher

How to make sure the pro who performs your home inspection is properly qualified and insured, so you can protect your big investment

WORKING WITH PROS 12 Questions Your Interior Designer Should Ask You

By Mike Dietrich

The best decorators aren’t dictators — and they’re not mind readers either. To understand your tastes, they need this essential info

LANDSCAPE DESIGN 7 Questions to Ask Before Laying Stepping Stones

By Joanna Tovia

These broken-up pathways invite you to put a spring in your step — while adding functionality to the garden

Design Dilemmas: 5 Questions for Houzzers!

By Annie Thornton

Post Ideas for Landscaping for a Modern Home, Updating a Rental and More

KITCHEN DESIGN 7 Tricky Questions to Ask When Planning Your New Kitchen

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Addressing these details will ensure a smoother project with personalized style

Sponsored

Daniel Russo Home

13 Reviews

Premier Interior Design Team Transforming Spaces in Franklin County

More Discussions

1920 house: Before and After kitchen - long! Lots of pics!

27

front refresh ideas

4

What bracing is required for screen porch posts with a knee wall

1

Counter overhang variation - acceptable?

7

How can I mix three kinds of tile in my partial bathroom update?

18