In a message dated 1/18/02 12:33:58 PM US Eastern Standard Time, wspurlock@savinggraves.com writes: > Hi Jack, > > One of the questions that I have about the sleeve is that I also was > concerned about water retention, Bill, I have had a great concern for water retention since I saw my first stone repaired with Epoxy. I repaired one in a memorial I built, and the first Epoxy was about 3 inches above the base. I have considered waterproofing the top sections of a broken stone to Preserve it, but the "Experts" say water absorption from the ground cannot escape drawn by the sun, if I waterproof the Top. In my 40 odd years experience with various types of stone repairs, water wicking up from the Ground cannot pass the first Epoxy repair. So therefore if the break is near the bottom of the stone there is no need to worry about waterproofing above the break, because the water coming up from the ground from the base is stopped by the Epoxy. And if I waterproof from the Epoxy up, no water can penetrate the stone above the Epoxy, therefore there is nothing to evaporate out of the top of the stone because nothing can go above the Epoxied break, nor penetrate the Waterproofed area above the break. I believe after cleaning the top area well, and then applying waterproofing, The life of the stone will be Prolonged. In my opinion, waterproofing the Top above the Epoxy should give roughly 5-7 years of extended life with no weather damage. This is an opinion I have not heard before, but my experience in the Masonry Business for over 40 years tells me I am right. I know there will be disagreements, if so I would like to hear them, and have them explained to me. But I would like the basis for the disagreement. Discussion of preservation is healthy for our group. I welcome it. Sincerely, Jack E. Briles sr. jb502000@aol.com

Jack, Some very good points. The epoxy seems to be the only way to repair/restore a stone to as near original as possible. I have seen some repaired with Mastico epoxy where it was hard to tell where the break was. More like original condition, I would think. I would worry about the sides of the stones with the sleeve holding water or not being able to dry out, and it looks like an old broken stone with a new sleeve on it to hold it together, not necessarily repaired or restored. As for the epoxy stopping the water from wicking up from the ground, that may be a good thing. At least not much moisture can wick up into the stone, and what does can escape through the front, back & sides. The epoxy in the break may even stop the wicking process. As the sun heats the top part of the stone, the epoxy may prevent it from drawing moisture from the ground. (the wicking process) And I tend to agree with you about waterproofing the top of the stone, that it would do more good than harm. Ernie At 02:16 PM 01/18/2002 -0500, you wrote: >In a message dated 1/18/02 12:33:58 PM US Eastern Standard Time, >wspurlock@savinggraves.com writes: > > > > Hi Jack, > > > > One of the questions that I have about the sleeve is that I also was > > concerned about water retention, > >Bill, > I have had a great concern for water retention since I saw my first >stone repaired with Epoxy. I repaired one in a memorial I built, and the >first Epoxy was about 3 inches above the base. I have considered >waterproofing the top sections of a broken stone to Preserve it, but the >"Experts" say water absorption from the ground cannot escape drawn by the >sun, if I waterproof the Top. In my 40 odd years experience with various >types of stone repairs, water wicking up from the Ground cannot pass the >first Epoxy repair. So therefore if the break is near the bottom of the stone >there is no need to worry about waterproofing above the break, because the >water coming up from the ground from the base is stopped by the Epoxy. And if >I waterproof from the Epoxy up, no water can penetrate the stone above the >Epoxy, therefore there is nothing to evaporate out of the top of the stone >because nothing can go above the Epoxied break, nor penetrate the >Waterproofed area above the break. I believe after cleaning the top area >well, and then applying waterproofing, The life of the stone will be >Prolonged. In my opinion, waterproofing the Top above the Epoxy should give >roughly 5-7 years of extended life with no weather damage. This is an >opinion I have not heard before, but my experience in the Masonry Business >for over 40 years tells me I am right. I know there will be disagreements, >if so I would like to hear them, and have them explained to me. But I would >like the basis for the disagreement. Discussion of preservation is healthy >for our group. I welcome it. Sincerely, > >Jack E. Briles sr. >jb502000@aol.com > > >==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== >This list is for discussion of topics related to the Indiana Pioneer >Cemeteries Restoration Project only.