Repair to clay tile barn foundation

Our 1930's barn located in SW Wisconsin has what I best describe as a glazed clay tile/block foundation walls. Hollow block and appears to be of a similar or same material they made/make drainage tile out of. Several of the blocks have holes in the exterior side, or are partially broken out. Wondering best way to repair the blocks? Fill with mortar? Use hydraulic/water proofing patch cement? Use vinyl patch cement? Back fill the holes with material such as foam?

Was thinking of a stiff mortar mix, back fill where I can with sheet foam insulation in the blocks to fill the cavity. Probably would need to patch several layers where large holes or block face is missing. Then thinking about putting on a coat of exterior grade water proofing paint.

Thoughts? Ideas? Above a waster of time?

Thanks

anything to stif back it
then stiff mortar however wet the block where broken first
primary goal is to keep water out
if complete block face is gone you really need to try to find some more block nd replace the complete block at a time
Ron

What you probably have is glazed tile, real popular in our area. I would guess I could find some for you. They vary in size as they were extruded, and cut with a wire. You can see sometimes where the block are bent down on the ends where the wire cut the hard clay dirt.

We make them at the (antique show)Plagman barn / NEIFAA near Garber Iowa. We however do not fire the block as we never get enough help. We don't even have a kiln and probably never will. The last few years we have been to short of help to make block.

We used to fix alot of buildings & silos, but not so much anymore. We always paint the tile surface with mason cement and water in a laytex paint consistancy. If you have a drywall testure gun, it will only take a couple of munites to spray it on all surfaces. This mortar paint gives you a real rich mix at contact point. Best I can guess is to throw the mud into the cavity with a laytex gloved hand, it will stay where put once you get on to it. Then you may want to stucko the whole busted surface inside and out.

Manure on these tile can make them very unpredictable if you ever tear it down. The tile silos will sometimes crumble once they start to fall like a tree.

If you choose to buy the premixed mortar mix, be sure to add mason powder to richen up the mix because you are buying mostly sand with a sprinkle of mason cement.

North East Iowa