Pointing Brickwork

[gjacques]

I have a house the needs a bit of pointing doing. Problem is that the mortar joints between the bricks is very small maybe only 4mm in some places making it hard to repoint and rake out. Are there any tools or mastics i could use to make this job easier or is is just a case a being very carefull when it comes to pointing up. I have seen a neighbours pointing that he had done and it's a right mess, staining all over the brickwork.

Any help would be great

 

[noseall]

this type of brickwork is a 'mare to re-point, even for an experienced brickie. it is certainly not something i would recommend a novice try and do.

 

[gjacques]

Well i am gonna give it a try, anyway if it does leave a mess i am red brick painting over it anyway.

 

[noseall]

Well i am gonna give it a try, anyway if it does leave a mess i am red brick painting over it anyway.

 

[breadknife]

Do one job to create another???, do the job right first.
If you've done repointing before then this explanation might make a bit of sense....

1, when you have the mortar on you're trowel ( bricklaying trowel) flattern in down , so much so that when you take it of with you're pointing trowel it creates a nice thin wedge of mortar, which will enable you do insert easily into the narrow bed joint, push in firmly and add more if needs be .
then when joint full hold trowel squarely against wall and make the top of the weather struck joint about the thickness of the trowel, rub back and forth useing edge of lower brick to work off excess mortar.

Remember to wet/saturate brick before repointing or all your hard work will be in vain.

It's as tedious tricky job , and probably why repointing costs are high, if I had to price I would price over the odds to make it worth my while else forget it..

Hope this helps.

 

[gjacques]

Thanks for the advice,

I started to add the mortar today, filled the gaps and brushed off the excess mortar on the bricks. The brick face was smooth so i used a slightly damp sponge to clean the brickwork then finished the mortar with the trowel. Looks very good and not a mortar stain in sight.

 

[breadknife]

yeah sponge is good idea... if you not well practiced, least your filling the joint up which is the main point (no pun intended)......keep at it.

 

[breadknife]

Oh forgot to add helps a lot if you use a semi dry mortar when repointing make it too wet then you increase diffculty and time taken......

 

[gjacques]

Cheers,

Hope to be sponge free before the end of the job, trying different techniques even tried a mortar gun (load of sh**t). So sticking with the good old trowel.

Thanks for all your comments.