Re-pointing brickwork - the colour of my mortar

[diyfiesta]

Hello,

I've been re-pointing my garden wall with some ready mix mortar, the type that's in a bucket and you just add water.

The mortar itself seems really good, and has strengthened the wall no end. It seems to suck itself in nicely which has left the 'curve' I made a little more concave than I wanted but that's another story.

My question is that the mortar has dried to a very light gray colour and nothing like the surrounding (really old mortar), is this something that will darken over time or should I look for a different type of mortar before doing the rest of the wall.

The wall itself is very old and subject to loads of road wear (its right next to a busy road), the bricks are a dark colour and not the 'red' house brick type and the original mortar is really old and flakey.

Whilst I'm here, how would you suggest replacing the odd brick on top course? I could knock them out and turn it over? I was worried about finding similar bricks to replace it.

Cheers for any tips

 

[JerryM]

getting mortar to match up is not easy. i don't bother to even try as i believe the majority of the population would just walk by without noticing even though its pretty obvious to both u and me.

if you are dedicated then a dye can be bought from builders merchants and a bit of trial and error should get you close ish.

in terms of getting replacement bricks - another nightmare. the imperial and metric sizes are quite different. you can make the mortar joint bigger but it's not brill. i would turn over if you can and put coping stones along the top to give rain protection (£5 ea and i think sort of 500 lg and about 50£ for a garden wall but well worth money in terms of looks and protection to the bricks)

 

[diyfiesta]

Thanks for the tips, you mention coping stones, the brikes in question had been put on their side so it looks kind of decrative... is that any better protection or is there still an argument for coping stones (they may, ahem, "cope" with the weather better!).

 

[^woody^]

You wont get the mortar to match - different time and sand and mix play a part

Once its all done tone it down by washing it with dirty water (topsoil or soot in a bucket over night. Brush this in and when its dry it will be dirty and less new.

If the "brick on edge" has some eroded bricks then turning them over wont do much good - the front and back will still be worn and chipped and the new "top" stained and possibly just a bad.

Get some more or less similar, or chop some existing ones out from elsewhere (back of the wall?), replace the defective bricks, and put the new ones in one place - at the end or where they wont be seen.

Or renew all the brick on edge and fit a tile crease if the new ones are not as wide

 

[totoisacat]

If you use white cement and not grey portland you obtain white mortar and then you can dye this. I suggest that you use with dye and test on small piece perhaps. If no dye is added it is white-what i have used recently to match a wall. Builders merchants should have dyes. White cement a bit more expensive but looks great!

 

[JerryM]

you mention coping stones, the bricks in question had been put on their side so it looks kind of decorative... is that any better protection or is there still an argument for coping stones

would leave the bricks on their side as it sounds quite a bit of work and probably unnecessary to replace with coping.

the coping sits like a top hat over the wall and creates a drip edge which helps protect the wall. they won't give a decorative look though.

 

[^woody^]

There is only one probelm with concrete copings, and that is that they look craap. Clay coping bricks may be OK, but completely alter the look of the wall.