One of the best videos on re-pointing I have seen and it is really useful that you present this is 6 stages. However I am not sure why the wall was being re-pointed as it was already flush and obviously sound. I can only guess you are rescuing and old wall from inappropriate cement rich mortar - which is commendable, so if this the case well done. If any would-be pointers require reliable technical guidance on re-pointing, do take the trouble to read the Building Research Establishment publication “Good Repair Guide No 24” (Re-pointing external brickwork walls) as this provides authourative further information, including recommended mortar mixes, when does worn pointing affect structural integrity and the importance of using lime pointing on old solid walls.
What if the existing wall is already painted? I want to flash point my fireplace but it's already painted. So I am trying to find out whether and how to remove the existing paint to flash repoint it.
An awful lot of unnecessary repointing is done to undamaged joints with modern mortars that don't match in appearance or hardness. In fact most repointing.
How do you recommend cleaning the brick/face of the brick after bashing? I've repointed the front of my house with lime mortar, but there's some lime bloom and residue on the brick face that I'd like to clean without damaging the mortar.
That lime bloom will eventually disappear. I presume you replaced the cement pointing with lime and, if so, the salts trapped behind the impermeable cement will make there way through for a while. There are products on the market that deal specifically with efflorescence (bloom) however, every time you introduce water the evaporation process will draw the salts out until such time as they have dissipated. Hope this helps.
Given that there are so many types of masonry walls, getting the pointing right is not quite so simple as it might first appear. Generally speaking, joints should be raked out to at least twice their width, mortar pointing is a sacrificial material and should be weaker and more vapour permeable than the bricks, and the finished profile should ideally match the original design. Mortar should also be compatible with the original materials and this is critical in the case of older solid walls built with lime mortar where the use of cement rich mortars inhibit evaporative drying and are too hard for soft bricks.
@@jr90music76 If any would-be pointers require reliable technical guidance on repointing, do take the trouble to read the Building Research Establishment publication “Good Repair Guide No 24” (Repointing external brickwork walls) as this provides authourative further information, including recommended mortar mixes, when does worn pointing affect structural integrity and the importance of using lime pointing on old solid walls.
