Pointing Mortar and Repointing Mortar Services

At Brickpoint, our team has years of experience in pointing and repointing brickwork. We use specially created mortar for pointing or repointing brickwork. Pointing is the process of applying mortar joints in brickwork. It is very important to check the pointing in your property from time to time. This is because weathering and decay can cause voids in the joints between bricks, which if ignored, could lead to irreparable damage to the brickwork. To fill the voids in the joints between bricks, repointing is necessary. It is a process of renewing mortar joints in brickwork.

At Brickpoint, we understand the importance of mortar in pointing and repointing. If you’re using a wrong mortar mix, the results would not be long lasting. So, it is advisable to hire the services of a professional who can make the right mortar mix to guarantee the best results whilst pointing or repointing your brickwork.

We have the expertise in making both lime-based and cement-based mortar. In an ideal mortar mix that uses only sand and lime, the usual proportion is 3 parts of sand and 1 part of lime. If you are going for cement based mortar, the ideal mix is 6 parts of sand, 1 part of lime, and 1 part of cement. For the best results, we ensure that we use sharp sand with lime and soft sand with cement. The ingredients are mixed thoroughly to ensure that all the air is removed. Just the right amount of water is used. Too much water in the mortar increases natural shrinkage and would lead to cracking. We have the knowledge!

Pointing Mortar

Pointing brickwork requires special skills. Before applying the mortar, we wet the brickwork using a hosepipe or a plant sprayer. The mortar is applied to the perpendicular (vertical) joints first and then the horizontal joints. A pointing trowel is used to smoothen out the mortar as soon as it is applied to the joints. For giving that perfect appearance to your brick wall, we ensure that the excess mortar is cut off. We use the jointer to make straight, even bed joints. We make sure we finish the joints before the mortar gets too hard.    

Repointing Mortar

Repointing brickwork is not as simple as pointing. It requires more efforts as we sometimes need to scrape out the old pointing before renewing mortar joints. It is also essential that the mortar we use for repointing matches the original mortar used in the building with respect to colour, texture, permeability, compressive strength, and proper thermal expansion properties. We have the experience to ensure all this and more!

When repointing, if we find that the original pointing used just lime mortar, any loose mortar can be easily scraped out. Thereafter, we can use a similar type of mortar for re-pointing. However, if the brickwork has already been repointed with a cement-based mortar, it is best to use a lime based mortar to patch any failed areas. However, we insist on removal of pointing if the corners of the bricks are flaking due to the use of a cement mix that is too hard. Our professional team removes the mortar joints with great care to avoid damage to brickwork. In most cases, we stick to the best method for this- removal by hand. Otherwise, we make use of a 'scutch', a special spiked chisel for the job, but with great care. We ensure that we work towards the original mortar, pushing the mortar firmly in place.

When it comes to pointing and repointing brickwork using mortar, no one can beat us. We have the knowledge, we have the experience, and we have the skill!