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I have never done stone work before and I am getting confused by what product I need.

I am looking to repair a stone that has come out in my walkway. I've watched a few videos on YouTube and the process seems straightforward, but they never really share what products they're using.

I'm really confused between mortar, thinset, cement some are type n and some are type s. Any guidance would be appreciated.

Attached are the pictures of the walkway and the stone has come loose.

I realize it won't match perfectly what is there. Other stones have already been patched before. That doesn't bother me.

Walkway

Loose stone

Cheery
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Sam Plus Plus
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2 Answers2

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The differences in mortar types is about their compressive strength and hardness. When laying bricks, if the mortar is harder than the bricks, the bricks will start spalling. Mortar is made softer by adding lime. Because you are repairing flagstone, this won't matter.

Thinset is just a fancy name for mortar with additives that make it spread thin and hold tiles better, and is mostly used to install tiles on flat, even surfaces.

Cement is an ingredient in mortar.

In your application, any type of mortar will work. Most people just buy a small bag of pre-mixed mortar mix. If you want to mix your own, make Type N.

More important than the mortar type is that you clean the area well, remove any crumbling old cement, and wet the area (ie no dry dust) before applying the mortar. Then use a wet sponge to clean off any excess after the flagstone is installed.

DIY projects with cement mixes are very satisfying and get addictive :)

Cheery
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Most new mortars will also dry to a very light gray color, almost white. (similar to the area you had patched). Over time, this will fade, but depending on how much sun/water/dirt you get on it, and whether you power wash, it can take a few years. If that bothers you, you can buy colorant to add to the mortar mix. It's best to test a small amount first (you can do this just by mixing up a very small batch on a board and let it dry overnight). A little bit of colorant goes a long way, and everything always dries lighter than when you see if during the wet mix stage. For a medium gray color I use about two level teaspoons in the a gallon pail size of mortar mix.

bill333
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