Mortar mix for pointing and grinding depth

[Adam78]

I have 1930-40 house with what I've been told is accrington brick. The mortar looks like a black ash mix which appears to be poorly pointed with some red dyed mortar which has blown out in multiple places.

The full house need repointing and I wanted to ask what would be the best mortar mix for this type of house and to what depth should the existing mortar be grinded out to before repointing. Do they also need to widen the gaps between each brick as some traders that I've had in have quoted as they say the joints are very tight - don't really want them to damage the brickwork.

Need some advice on the correct process for repointing as it would be helpful before i get some more trades out for quotes and to avoid hiring rogues like this person who did the existing pointing.

 

[^woody^]

20mm minimum ground out, max 25mm.

The joints are not widened. Don't entertain quotes from anyone who says they do.

That brickwork will require above average skill and experience to do well.

 

[DiyNutJob]

The mortar line does look tight.

 

[^woody^]

And?

 

[DiyNutJob]

And, it will be expensive to dig it out with a tooth pick. How much does the OP want to spend?

 

[^woody^]

And, it will be expensive to dig it out with a tooth pick. How much does the OP want to spend?

It's irrelevant.

If the work needs doing, it needs doing. And the choice is paying someone good enough to do it properly or paying a chancer to fuuck it up, but at least it will be cheap.

 

[DiyNutJob]

If the work needs doing, it needs doing. And the choice is paying someone good enough to do it properly or paying a chancer to fuuck it up, but at least it will be cheap.

So, someone experienced enough to know the bricks will be touched is a chancer? I don't think it can be done without touching the bricks. Touching the bricks is same as widening.

 

[Charlie George]

You need someone experienced in Accrington brick, some beds/joints can be as little as 3 to 4mm and raking out too deep can cause problems with fully filling the voids, 15mm would be the max i would go which is at least 3 times the bed size, the recommended min depth is 2 times the bed depth, and use lime mortar or mastic to repoint.

 

[stuart45]

You need a fine sand if using mortar. A lot of people like trowel mastic. I prefer lime mortar myself.

 

[^woody^]

So, someone experienced enough to know the bricks will be touched is a chancer? I don't think it can be done without touching the bricks. Touching the bricks is same as widening.

It's the difference between using say, a 3mm disc and a 10mm disc. Pointing, not rocket salad.

 

[DiyNutJob]

It's the difference between using say, a 3mm disc and a 10mm disc. Pointing, not rocket salad.

A 5mm disc on a 10mm joint means no widening even with some errors. Can't do that with narrow joints. There is no margin for error. Hence the responsible builder warned of widening. Although he could reduce errors by slowing down. Hence I was asking how much the OP is willing to pay. Longer the job, lesser the error and more expensive.

 

[noseall]

Horrific bricks horrendous joints. I'd run a mile.

 

[Notch7]

I would take Charlie George’s advice: get a specialist.

those thin joints are just asking to be smeared badly, you need somebody with experience who knows what mortar to use and the skills to do it

I hope you have deep pockets

Here is a specialist in line pointing

Streetrenovations lime pointing specialist

Building Restoration Service in Oswaldtwistle

www.streetrenovations.com

 

[stuart45]

I've done repointing on walls built with a similar type of brick and tight joints. Raked it all out with hand tools, and repointed using tuck irons. The proper ones, not the finger type. With a fine sand and lime you get contrasting joints which look good when done. Using red trowel mastic is easier as it covers it all up, but doesn't look as good.

 

[Notch7]

Would lime putty be better than lime mortar?