QA

Question: How To Parge A Chimney

What do you use to parge a chimney?

Most parging mixtures are made from a blend of lime, Portland cement, water and masonry cement. To apply it, mortar is troweled onto the wall and spread over the surface in a thin layer. It can cover cracks and water damage, or even holes and voids.

Can you parge a brick chimney?

Parging chimney smoke shelves and flues requires special tools and professional training, but most homeowners can parge a chimney exterior as it travels through areas such as the basement or attic.

How much does it cost to parge a chimney?

The average cost to parge a chimney is between $1,000 and $2,000. Parging is done in the smoke chamber. The process involves applying mortar around the interior of the smoke chamber, giving the entire chamber a smooth, balanced surface to improve structural integrity.

Should I parge my chimney?

A smoke chamber should be parged during construction of a chimney because this is, of course, the most thorough and cost-effective time to do so. A smoke chamber can also be parged after construction, any time of year, although it is much more difficult and expensive to do so.

Why does parging fall off?

A sudden drop in temperature is bad news for a freshly applied coat of parging. Water soaks into the parging, then expands as it freezes, cracking the surface and breaking off chunks. If the ambient temperature is too cold -the Parging freezes.

What is the best parging mix?

For a quality parging mix its best to use a mix of about about 3 parts sand to at least 1 part portland cement. You can add 1/4 to 1/2 part lime powder to make it a little easier to spread or apply. This is mixed with enough water to get a nice consistency, not too runny.

Can mortar mix be used for parging?

A person shouldn’t substitute mortar for sand mix when preparing parging cement. Mortar may stick to the blocks or concrete structure after drying; however, over time it crumbles, falling off the structure. You will have to repeat the parging cement process again using the correct material.

Is parging necessary?

The importance of parging Parging is vital to any wall to protect its surface from external forces such as rain, wind, ice, and snow. This protection removes the potential risk of moisture seeping into a masonry wall, as this can expand when frozen and crack the installation.

How do you fix a leaning chimney?

A common and cheaper temporary fix that could have been done to hold the chimney in place is to fill the gap between the leaning chimney and main house structure with mortar or some type of caulking or expanding foam insulation. The chimney could also be fastened into place with metal straps.

Can a chimney fall down?

It is very common for bits to fall down a chimney. This is most common if you have a gas fire, an electric fire or don’t use your fireplace at all. Chimneys are often lined with what’s called ‘pargeting’.

How much does it cost to Parge a smoke chamber?

Cost to Parge Chimney Chimney parging coats the smoke chamber with mortar and costs $1,000 to $2,000. Parging smooths over the smoke chamber so that any residue that lies in uneven crevices doesn’t leak out or combust.

Where is the smoke chamber in a chimney?

The smoke chamber is the part of your chimney system that is located just above the damper and connects the firebox to the flue. It’s shaped like a reverse funnel and is designed to guide smoke from the fire up into the flue so that it can quickly and effectively exit the home.

What is a smoke chamber for chimneys?

The smoke chamber sits just above the firebox and damper. It serves as a gateway to the chimney flue. In traditional masonry fireplaces, the smoke chamber is angled on the sides and front and vertically flat at the back. This construction is intended to serve as an upside-down funnel.

Is parging difficult?

Cement parging is pretty easy to work with and may be available in a variety of colors. If you want a durable finish, a little higher end, then try acrylic coating. This mix of cement and liquid acrylic is also available in a wide variety of colors.

Can you remove parging?

Parging is simply a mortar-like mixture of cement, water and sand that is applied like plaster over concrete block surfaces. If you decide you don’t like the appearance of parge, or if it begins to fail, you can remove it using hand tools.

Is parging easy?

Mike Holmes answered, “parging can be DIY, as long as you do it right. Start by chipping away at the cracked/loose concrete with a concrete chisel. Then brush the area with a wire brush—that will get rid of any loose bits, dust and debris.

Can I use quikrete for parging?

QUIKRETE® Water Resistant Parging Mix (115525) is a Masonry coating and patching of concrete walls for cosmetic. Used For: Concrete & masonry walls.