Repointing brickwork
Raking out failed mortar and repointing walls, houses and chimneys with a mix and finish that suits the brick.
What repointing is and when it is needed
Repointing means raking out the worn mortar from the joints between bricks and filling them with fresh mortar. Brick matching and repointing are part of our bricklaying service. Mortar is meant to be the weaker part of a wall: it takes the weather and movement so the bricks do not have to. Over time it erodes, cracks or falls out, and once the joints are recessed water sits in them and gets into the wall.
Signs that repointing is due include mortar you can scrape out with a key, joints recessed well behind the brick face, cracks running through the joints, damp patches inside on an exposed wall, and plants growing from the brickwork. Chimneys and garden walls usually need it first, because they are exposed on every side.
How we repoint brickwork
Joints are raked out to a consistent depth by hand or with suitable tools, taking care not to damage the brick edges. The joints are brushed out and dampened, then filled in layers with a mortar matched to the wall. The finish, whether flush, bucket handle, weatherstruck or recessed, is chosen to match the existing work and shed water.
The mix matters as much as the workmanship. Older soft bricks need a softer mortar, often lime-based, so that moisture can escape through the joints rather than through the face of the brick. Hard cement mortar on soft brick traps water and causes the brick faces to spall. Matching the colour of the sand and mortar keeps repairs from standing out.
Chimney repointing
Chimney stacks take the worst of the weather and are often the first part of a house to need repointing. The work is done from a scaffold, and it is a good time to check the flaunching at the top of the stack, the pots and the flashing where the stack meets the roof. Our chimney repointing guide covers the job in more detail.
Older and listed buildings
Conservation areas cover parts of Harpenden, Wheathampstead, Redbourn and Dunstable. Repointing a building there in a matching mortar and finish is normally treated as a repair, but changing the appearance of a listed building can need consent, so check with the council first if the building is listed.
Questions people ask
- When should repointing be done?
- When the mortar is soft, cracked or recessed well behind the brick face, or when damp is getting in through the joints. Mild, dry weather is best, because frost and heavy rain spoil fresh mortar.
- What should be used for repointing?
- A mortar matched to the brick and the original pointing. Older soft bricks usually need a softer lime-based mix; modern hard bricks can take a cement-based mix.
- What tools are needed for repointing?
- Raking-out tools, a pointing trowel, a hawk, a jointing tool for the finish and a soft brush. The skill is in raking out cleanly and getting the mix and finish right.
- What affects repointing cost?
- The area of wall, the height and access (chimneys need scaffolding), how deep the joints need raking and the mortar type. We give a free estimate after a site visit.
- Is repointing roof tiles the same job?
- No. On a roof, repointing usually means renewing the mortar bedding on ridge or verge tiles. Our repointing work is on brick walls and chimney stacks.
Related: bricklaying · chimney repointing guide · brick repair and spalling · garden walls · repointing cost · lime mortar repointing.