Pointing advice please

[Workforce 1]

How do you point old victorian brickwork,where bricks have been layed with mortar joints which are 3 and 5mm wide.
I dont think you can get a grinder blade this thin but wouldnt want to damage bricks anyway.also what is the best way to point it as jointer or mortar gun would be a struggle.thanks in advance for any help

 

[cjard]

Diamond cutting wheel would be sub 3mm wide, and variable speed grinders exist, which may be easier to control / less likely to slip and make a big mess

http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-s...mm/92606#product_additional_details_container
Also search screwfix for "mortar rake"

As for putting it back in.. Someone else might have to advise on that one, I've not started my pointing yet

 

[^woody^]

A diamond blade and some care. Carborundum discs and mortar rakes are too thick.

A gun is no good either, so just the traditional way with a pointing trowel.

 

[Workforce 1]

Ive been advised bag jointing and sponging off would be the best way.does anyone have any experience doing this or is there any fault in doing it.it seems more logical than trowel as it would be forcing it into the joint whereas trowelling into a 3mm mortar joint would be painstaking and not as effective i would think ?

 

[stuart45]

What kind of bricks are they. eg Accringtons. Should be lime mortar, you may be able to rake out with an old hacksaw blade. Use a tuck pointing tool to repoint.

 

[Workforce 1]

Theyre a red engineering brick

 

[stuart45]

Hard engineering bricks are easier to clean.

 

[^woody^]

Ive been advised bag jointing and sponging off would be the best way

Told by a floor tiler no doubt.

That will look a right mess and yoy won't get the necessary weathering finish on the joint that you can only get by compression done with a trowel.

 

[Workforce 1]

It was by a bricky.i agree with u on the finish but its a 150 year old building and the joints are on average 3mm running to virtually butted together,there is mo way possible to trowel it in most places

 

[Workforce 1]

On another note,what would be the best way to remove spalled bricks to be replaced ?

 

[Workforce 1]

Told by a floor tiler no doubt.

That will look a right mess and yoy won't get the necessary weathering finish on the joint that you can only get by compression done with a trowel.

I dont want to sound unappreciative of the advice btw,ive done shed loads of pointing and it glorified grouting in my eyes aswell just its a new one on me aswell but the joints seriously are too small to trowel,grinding or raking out is going to be fun aswell

 

[^woody^]

was by a bricky

I doubt it. Someone masquerading as one.

It's not glorified grouting either. There is a specific function of pointing, and a pointing a 3mm joint is no different to pointing a 10mm one.

And it can be done without smudging mortar all over the place, at the detriment of the rest of the bricks. But just aesthetically either, you will be replacing more spalled bricks in the future with smudgers advice there.

 

[stuart45]

The best thing to use is a tuck pointing tool.

 

[Workforce 1]

Client has been to job and specified bag jointing it.thanks for opinions though,would have been great to be told in advance ha

 

[stuart45]

Make sure you get the right mortar mix, as it can be tricky using sand that been through a 4mm sieve on 3mm or less joints.