/ How do I know if our house need repointing?
/ What is repointing and why does it demand care?
/ Does my whole house need repointing?
/ What should mortar matching include?
/ Why is matching my mortar important?
/ Is it only houses that can be Repointed?
/ How Long Does It Take?
/ When Can You Start?
/ How Much?
/ Can I do it myself?
/ Should I have mortar analyzed before the wall is repointed or repaired?
/ What are the advantages of cleaning my masonry?
/ What has caused my masonry to become so soiled?
/ What methods are available to clean my masonry?
/ How is the tint applied?
/ Why have I not heard about this process before?
/ We have heard there is a way of changing the colour of the bricks. Will that be permanently?
/ To prevent water from penetrating my masonry wall, can I have a water repellent applied instead of repointing?
/ How often will my masonry need to be resealed?
/ My estate agent told me that if I want to sell the house I should give it a face lift. How much will that increase the value of my house?

How Do I know if our house needs repointing?

A masonry structure needs repointing when an examination of the mortar points out any signs of deterioration: cracks in the mortar, loose or missing mortar, weak or crumbly mortar, gaps between the mortar and the masonry, loose bricks, water leakage on the interior of the wall, or damp spots on the surface of the masonry. These are all warning signs that if ignored can result in further degeneration of the mortar, the masonry, and the overall health of a structure. If you have any or all of these, you should contact us to see if your property needs to be Repointed!

What is repointing and why does it demand care?

Repointing is the process of taking out and replacing the mortar (‘pointing’) from the face of masonry joint. Done properly, this helps exclude the weather and retard deterioration of the wall. Regrettably, repointing is commonly undertaken unnecessarily or unsatisfactorily. Unnecessary repointing, however carefully done, risks damage to the edges of bricks or stones, as well as the loss of valuble clues to a building’s construction and history. Unsatisfactory repointing can not only be visually disturbing, but harmful to the actual fabric it is intended to protect.

Does my whole house need repointing?

This very much depends upon the amount of deterioration that is already present. However, we will only repoint that which needs doing.  There is no need to repoint a whole house if only one a section of a wall is affected!  We will always advise our customers upon the most appropriate action that should be taken when we inspect your property.

What should mortar matching include?

Correctly matching mortar extends far beyond just matching color. The other things that can and should be matched are: Texture, Important physical properties, Hardness, Vapor permeability, and Tooling – the shape of the mortar joint.  It is important that repair mortar be matched so that it will be compatible with both the surrounding masonry units as well as the contiguous mortar. Formulating the mortar recipe to perform well in the environmental conditions it is exposed to is also critical. Determining these things should only be done by an experienced professional with a sound understanding of historic masonry materials science. Contact us for help.

Why is matching my mortar important?

If it is not, you run the risk of the new repair mortar contributing to the deterioration of the wall instead of protecting it and not being aesthetically pleasing because the color, texture or tooling doesn’t match the contiguous mortar.  

Is it only houses that can be Re-pointed?

No, not just your house!  Any brickwork that has mortar joints can be Repointed. That may be stone or brick garden walls, monuments, outbuildings chimneys etc. Any external (or internal) brick or stone with mortar joints can be Repointed. 

How Long Does It Take?

Obviously this is dependant upon the size and layout of the brickwork and the scale of wall (walls) that need to be repointed. Another factor is the weather! Due to the very nature of the work, we can not point in the heavy rain or freezing weather as this can spoil the mortar. We will advise to how long a job would take upon inspection of the property.

When Can You Start?

Our work diary is based on a 2-6 weeks schedule. However, we estimate that you would have to wait no longer than 6 weeks for works to commence.

How Much?

Now that is a hard one! The cost of the job is very much dependant upon size and complexity of the repointing that is required and how soon you want to be done.  We would quote for all works upon inspection of the property. Contact us and we will be happy to give you a free quotation.

Can I do it myself?

Poor repointing ruins many houses and can cause dampness. Pointing should always be done by a skilled specialist, and should respect the original pointing method. The mortar and joints should match the original and should in older houses always include lime. Flush pointing is usually best and 'weather struck' is almost always wrong.

Should I have mortar analyzed before the wall is re-pointed or repaired?

Not always. Considering the original mortar’s age and the environmental conditions it has been exposed to, if it has not performed well, there is no reason to replicate it. On the other hand, if the original mortar has performed well over time, there is no reason to change it, and therefore a professional mortar analysis is a good idea. However, the answers to the above statements are complex and should only be answered by an experienced professional with a sound understanding of historic masonry materials science. Contact us for help.

What are the advantages of cleaning my masonry?

The color of the original masonry and the architectural detailing of your building becomes more apparent following cleaning. If you are in need of your mortar being repointed or some of the masonry units being patched, cleaning exposes their true natural color so that matching the mortar and patching the surrounding masonry units becomes easier. If your masonry can benefit from an application of a penetrating and breathable water repellent, cleaning the masonry must be done prior to application of the product. And if your house looks good that will increase its value.

What has caused my masonry to become so soiled?

There are several things witch can result in your masonry to becoming so soiled : hard water deposits form on the masonry as a result of water from landscape sprinkling systems hitting the wall, graffiti, animal or plant life, smoke from a previous fire, metallic deposits, industrial pollution.

What methods are available to clean my masonry?

There are several methods. Each method has its specific application. The goal is to utilize the most effective method of achieving the desired level of cleaning without pitting, discoloring or otherwise damaging the masonry. Contact us for assistance on determining which cleaning method is best for your situation.

How is the tint applied?

The stain will penetrate the surface of the masonry, in a similar way to wood stain, and permanently blend in with existing materials.

Why have I not heard about tinting process before?

This process was devised in the mid twentieth century as an acceptable method of permanently colorings in to brickwork and masonry and offered as a service to brick manufacturers, contractors and house builders. The process has never been widely advertised to the general public. It is however, a method accepted by major industrial associations.

Some of the bricks of our house do not match in colour with others because our house has been extended and our estate agent has told us that this reduces the value of the property.

We have heard there is a way of changing the colour of the bricks. Will that be permanent?

The technique is called tinting and has been used with success over the years. Experience has shown that the tinting is a permanent modification of the colour and treatment and has no adverse effects on the durability or other performance attributes of the masonry. The process consists of applying a colourfast oxide based pigment in a potassium silicate medium, which gives a permanent tint to the surface of brick masonry. It can be used to tint brick or mortar joints.

To prevent water from penetrating my masonry wall, can I have a water repellent applied instead of re-pointing?

Applying a water repellent should never be a substitute for a quality repointing job. Quality water repellents will not bridge over cracks or voids in the masonry. Making sure there are no cracks or voids in either the masonry units or the mortar is essential.
Otherwise, the water repellent may repel water off the face of the masonry wall and direct it into the cracks or voids.

How often will my masonry need to be resealed?

Water repellent will usually last around 10 years. After the water repellent has been applied, it is best to test the masonry to determine how absorbent it has become every year.

My estate agent told me that if I want to sell the house I should give it a face lift. How much will that increase the value of my house?

There are several aspects that can contribute to a house value increase. One of them is to give your house a face lift. We can not forcast an exact increase as this depends on, what kind of restoration process will be applied, and the area in which your property is.