Garden Wall - recementing bricks and repointing

[davejuk]

Hi

My garden wall has not been well maintained since it was built 100 years ago. On the most exposed parts of the wall, the mortar is almost completely gone. Surprisingly it is still solid so a friend and I spent a day repointing the deepest gaps. I'm not too worried about the finish as I will be putting trellace over it when I returf the lawn.

However in a couple of spots the top few layers of bricks are completely loose. I have removed those that just lift off and will be cementing them back in shortly.

My question is what should I do about the gap between the two skins?

I'm tempted to fill it with cement as I go but is this unnecessary? It will be quite a lot!

It looks like it has previously had all sorts of junk stuffed down there, either when it was built or when it was repaired previously. I guess this was a bodge job.

See attached pictures.

Advice appreciated. Thanks.

Untitled

• davejuk
• 29 Aug 2012
• 1

Untitled

• davejuk
• 29 Aug 2012
• 1

Untitled

• davejuk
• 29 Aug 2012
• 1

 

[EB1caneyeB]

I would re-build the two skins without filling the gap initially. When you've built it let the bricks set a little. Then i'd fill in afterwards. If you fill as you go then you may push the two skins apart (if you see what i mean).

I would think this wall was originally built using lime mortar. After x amount of years lime turns dry and dusty. Thats probably why you have so little mortar left in your wall.
Years ago i used to do a lot of rebuilding chimney stacks. Noramally take off top twelve courses and rebuild. And repoint the rest of the stack. I found it quite worrying how crumbly these stacks were. I literally just lifted off the bricks. Some of the stacks were huge too. Marvellous looking. With all sorts of features built into them. With what appeared to be 'dust' for mortar.

 

[r896neo]

No need to fill the cavity (assuming you are putting a coping of some sort or a closer course on top) but put a few wall ties in to hold them together and give it extra strength.