Garden Wall - brickwork

[billm]

I have a young lad rebuilding a garden wall. He said he was a brickie but to me it looks like he has done a training course and is new at the job. Fair enough, everyone has to start somewhere and learn their trade. At the end of the day its a garden wall so as long as its reasonable I'm happy with that.

My question is about pointing. He looks to have started off pointing flush with the brickwork and now changed to pointing that is not flush, recessed to the bricks.

As we live by the seaside, salt air, wind etc, what would be the best type of pointing for the wall .. or isn't there a difference and its just cosmetic ?

 

[stuart45]

Recessed joints are not the best to use in exposed areas. He would be better to use a bucket handle finish.
It would also be a good idea to protect the top with a engineering brick on edge. Tile creasing oversail also helps protect the wall.

 

[billm]

Thanks, he's got another 5 or so courses to lay yet and the top course were headers so I'm assuming he'll put them back too.

By bucket handle do you mean point it flush and then go along with a rounded piece of wood to shape it in slightly ?

What is tile creasing oversail ?

 

[stuart45]

A metal tool is better as it draws cement to the surface and makes a more waterproof seal. Wood gives a different finish. Your wall looks like it was done will wood.
Tile creasing is a couple of courses of tiles under the B.O.E.

 

[noseall]

Looks like you've given him some lovely bricks to lay there!

Bless.

 

[^woody^]

Its a garden wall, the bricks look soft and olde worlde, so I would not be bothered too much about the pointing

The mortar does look a bit red which could be a weak mix, but if the joints are hard, not too sandy and don't come out when scraped with your nail, then it should be OK

Obviously he got bored with half round joints though