Foundations in the Peabody area are built with different masonry materials. Early period homes from the late 1600's, 1700's, 1800's and early 1900's all used masonry for foundations.
Masonry foundations consist of brick, stone and block all individual units of masonry bonded with mortars to form foundation walls. Early first period homes in the 1700's were constructed with native field stone and available rubble stone. Peabody homes in the late 1700's and early 1800's started using brick and granite above grade for decorative elegance and building accuracy. These homes sat on stone foundations. The late 1800's and early 1900's shows the advent of concrete blocks being used to construct walls and foundations. Blocks first came in a solid form without a hollow core which were expensive and not a popular choice with the availability of natural stone and local brick manufacturing on the rise.
Masonry foundations built in Peabody from first period construction to early 1900's all used lime mortar for a bonding agent. The lime was mixed with washed sand and on rare occasions lime, sand and clay. Lime mortar used in the late 1800's had different amounts of Portland cement for strength and bonding. Foundations built with lime after years of ground water and the freeze and thaw cycle creates moisture in foundation walls causing the calcium and other bonding agents to leave the lime and dry out leaving the tell tale sandy walls. Soft, sandy, flakey, cracking and voids are all signs of mortar failure and require repairs and maintenance.
Mortar that dries out and becomes soft and sandy is beyond just a cleaning problem. The mortar loses its masonry bond to stone or brick causing the foundation base to shift, settle, bow, have voids and holes causing leaks and other unwelcome intrusions. The majority of early foundations had lime coatings on the inside to help with bonding, waterproofing and a finished look. This coating is vital to the preservation of the foundation, air quality and masonry itself.
