Repointing a crumbly single skin brick wall

[Sef1928172]

Hi All

I would be grateful for some advice on re-pointing a garden wall shared with our rear neighbor.

It is a single skin brick wall that sits on top of a stone wall. I am only worried about the brick portion, which has very crumbling mortar. There are several spots where it has completly crumbled away and you can peek right through.(Pics attached)

I am considering re-pointing (in lime), and have done some research on the methods or raking out the old mortar to twice the depth of the join, etc. My questions are:

• Given the state of the mortar, (being almost dust), is it sufficient to rake out to twice the depth of the joint and then fill in on my side? I am concerned that there will not be enough to actually hold up the bricks after raking out. Would it instead be necessary to dismantle the wall and re-build?
• If raking out is the way to go,what is the best approach. Start from the bottom and work up? Or the reverse? Should I rake our the entire wall first (approx 3m long but .5 m high), and then re-point. Or complete smaller sections?
• If I only do my side, will this make the wall unstable, as the neighbor is not too bothered about it?
• If rebuilding the wall, does anyone have ideas of the rough cost? Would we be able to re-use the bricks?

Many thanks for any advice on tackling this.

 

[KenGMac]

Sef1928172, good evening.

Your wall is in a lot better condition than some I have seen and at present redeemable, not quite ready fro demolish and re-build.

Suggest you rake and re-point in small areas, use lime if that is what is there now, as an side lime is slower to use than cement mortar, just knock up small quantities at any one time.

If it were me? I would rake and fill any "large voids" first

If you think about it? re-pointing one side will make the wall some [approximately] 50% better than it is now?

Carefully rake out all loose material, ensure that the residual dust is removed, damp the area you are about to point, do not "flood it" with water.

One of these "type" of things will assist greatly.

https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Brick-Joint-Trowel/p/500539

Prefer a timber handle. easier to hold, if you can find one?

Plus one of these type of things

https://www.screwfix.com/p/polyurethane-hawk-13-x-13/37540

Ken

 

[Sef1928172]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for your advice. I will tackle this in small segments and see how it goes.

Would you recommend premixed lime mortar, or mixing up my own. I don't have a mixer, so would have to do that by hand in a bucket.

I am thinking of something like this:
https://www.limebase.co.uk/lime-putty

Thanks again for your advice.