Circa 1795 house
in Aldie, Virginia

Here's what we did:

We got most of the mortar off the old 1795 bricks.

The first floor addition was probably added between 1850 and 1880. The square nails were hand made. After 1880, nails were square and machine made. Note the lath was cut with a circular saw. The width of the lath strips varied. Usually, after 1880 the with of the strips was more uniform, an advantage of power saw mills.

Note the long nails bent over. Diamond mesh metal lath was nailed over the old wood lath. Using long nails bent over was frequently done. The heads are too small for the diamonds. Also, bending over the nail left the lath a little loose so mortar would penetrate better.

Another view of the hand made nails and the rough cut lath. Before 1850, most lath was hand split.

Top floor addition was added between 1930 and 1960. The lath was diamond mesh expanded metal lath. Cement stucco shows the stucco was done after 1930. Portland cement was used almost exclusively after 1930. Before, most stucco was lime and sand.

The sheathing boards were one by 12's. By the late 1950's, everything was plywood. Note the vertical wood furring. The furring allowed mortar to get behind the lath.

Of course, we covered the wall with tar paper and self furring lath.

We knocked off the stucco that was loose or came off easily. The rest was chipped up for a bonding coat.

A lot of the old lime mortar had washed off from between the bricks. We put new flashing over the windows.

Brown coat is rodded off.

Finish coat is white portland and screened masonry sand. This is what the stucco looked like before it was painted.

We tore off the stucco on the side. The front was chipped.

Finished stucco. Lime was made years ago in Aldie on Lime Kiln Road. There were also lime kilns on Snickersville Turnpike. The candy bar was named after Snickersville.

Of course, we did the chimneys.

The small house in front was an apothecary.

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