Repair stone wall cap

[BrianS]

One of the stone caps on my patio sitting wall has a chunk broken off. I'm not optimistic that a replacement will match very well as the stone has been there for some time.

Anyone have suggestions for repairing this? The chunk fits back in very well. I don't care about the appearance of the crack on top. Is there an epoxy or adhesive that will hold this? There isn't much wall supporting it underneath so it needs to be a strong bond. I've also considered drilling a couple dowels to help.

 

[cgrutt]

Epoxy or even construction adhesive should work on that. Can you get a clamp on it to let adhesive set? I remember repairing a red brick with white Elmer's glue on my parents fireplace that cracked like that when I was a kid. It was barely noticeable and held together for many years before house was sold. Probably still glued together.

 

[BrianS]

Yes, clamping is no problem. I thought of using the PL Premium Landscape adhesive but i've not had good luck with that lasting on other outdoor stone blocks.

 

[Shiftless]

I also had that PL Premium landscape adhesive fail.

In your case, I would try clear 2 part epoxy and make sure to clamp the pieces until the epoxy has cured.

 

[cgrutt]

I would think any 5 min epoxy would work fine but they do sell epoxies made specifically for stone repairs. Laticrete and Bonstone are two brands. I've used Sika two part epoxy that comes in a 10 oz cartridge and mixes with a special tip for adhering rebar in stone or concrete it is extremely strong and sets fast. Not sure if it's intended to be used for stone repairs though. Google the Bonstone they probably have something that is close in color to your caps.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Epoxy or even construction adhesive should work on that. Can you get a clamp on it to let adhesive set? I remember repairing a red brick with white Elmer's glue on my parents fireplace that cracked like that when I was a kid. It was barely noticeable and held together for many years before house was sold. Probably still glued together.

LOL. This makes me think of two 12-13 year old boys doing dumb **** (like most of us did) and knew we weren't supposed to do in the house when the parents were gone.. . . like bouncing Nerf balls off the running ceiling fan. Break a brick on the fireplace and only have Elmer's to put it back together before they got home and never they never know it.




I was going to suggest a Sika product.

 

[cgrutt]

Bonstone Extreme looks like $56 per tube on Amazon.

 

[cgrutt]

LOL. This makes me think of two 12-13 year old boys doing dumb **** (like most of us did) and knew we weren't supposed to do in the house when the parents were gone.. . . like bouncing Nerf balls off the running ceiling fan. Break a brick on the fireplace and only have Elmer's to put it back together before they got home and never they never know it.




I was going to suggest a Sika product.

My mom dropped something on it and I fixed it for her before dad got home LOL. This was 1970s Elmer's was as good as it got.

 

[BrianS]

LOL. This makes me think of two 12-13 year old boys doing dumb **** (like most of us did) and knew we weren't supposed to do in the house when the parents were gone.. . . like bouncing Nerf balls off the running ceiling fan. Break a brick on the fireplace and only have Elmer's to put it back together before they got home and never they never know it.




I was going to suggest a Sika product.

Ok, this is pretty funny. This got broken by my 13 yr old son trying to split a piece of wood for kindling when I wasn't watching...

 

[BillK]

Is it stone or is it some type of concrete ? Looks like concrete to me and i would be more inclined to take the entire piece out and pour a new one. You might even be able to fool around with some different stains and get it to look pretty close.

 

[BrianS]

Definitely stone, no aggregate and has chiseled edges.

 

[Shiftless]

Definitely stone, no aggregate and has chiseled edges.

I wouldn’t be so sure of that. It looks just like the broken off pieces of paver “stones” that the guys left behind when a paver specialist company installed our new patio.
Notice that the uniform color on the surface doesn’t match the interior of the chunk.

 

[LopezBart]

I think fixing this is likely not to work long term esp. in a freezing climate.... but needs must.

You could use Simpson At-3G hybrid adhesive; it's light gray in color and designed for use in cool weather. You can use dowels (clamp pieces together and drill 7/16 hole with SDS drill; use 3/8 rebar pins). Holes need to be brushed.
I've used this and SET3-G; the latter is easier (longer curing time) but is teal in color. The repair will be obvious; you should use the adhesive on the joint as well to keep (freezing) water out.

 

[PCustoms]

Yes, clamping is no problem. I thought of using the PL Premium Landscape adhesive but i've not had good luck with that lasting on other outdoor stone blocks.

I've posted this somewhere before, my mother has a dry stack garden bed. One day when I was there I was fixing the stones and trying to get the corner to stack nice, so I went to break one of them along an obvious crack with a hammer.

Could.Not.Smash

As I'm walking back with a 10lb sledge, she mentions "oh I think I glued that one with poly subfloor adhesive".

Ymmv

 

[T444e]

Definitely stone, no aggregate and has chiseled edges.

That looks like a concrete cap block to me. The main wall blocks are concrete as well. I would be surprised if it was a stone cap row. I'd try a quality concrete block adhesive. The side edges were saw cut and the face edges were snapped. I haven't done a lot of block retaining walls, probalby a dozen or so, but those caps look like all the ones I have used on block retaining walls.

 

[BrianS]

Reached out to the guy who put the patio in and the caps are Indiana limestone.

Currently leaning toward trying the Simpson AT-3G adhesive and drill some dowels for support.

 

[Shiftless]

Here is a page from the Home Depot website showing a product very similar to your wall caps. They call it Indiana Limestone but as you see in the description, it is actually made from cast concrete.

More than a bit misleading, huh?

 

[PCustoms]

Here is a page from the Home Depot website showing a product very similar to your wall caps. They call it Indiana Limestone but as you see in the description, it is actually made from cast concrete.

More than a bit misleading, huh?

Reminds me of made from Real Sugar™

 

[cgrutt]

Here is a page from the Home Depot website showing a product very similar to your wall caps. They call it Indiana Limestone but as you see in the description, it is actually made from cast concrete.

More than a bit misleading, huh?

I don't know what OP has the cracked open part looks like it "might" be cast concrete but variation along top sure looks like natural stone to me. I do know that "Indiana Limestone" is a real, natural stone. The Home Depot product appears to be a manufactured product intended to resemble natural Indiana Limestone much the same way as you'll find LVT flooring called "Country Pine" and the like.

 

[cgrutt]

I don't have any experience with the Simpson or Bonstone products but the Simpson is an acrylic adhesive whereas Bonstone is a structural epoxy. Suggest reading the manufacturer's TDS on each product before deciding. The Simpson is made specifically for securing rebar or threaded rod in concrete. The Bonstone has much wider applications including structural bonding of natural stone. It also cures below freezing.