How we rake out and refill a joint
Preparation determines how long the work lasts.
Our teams:
- rake out the perished mortar to a depth of at least twice the joint width, so the new mortar has something to key into,
- rake by hand where the brick is soft or the joints are fine, to avoid widening the joint or chipping the arrises,
- brush and dampen the joint so the brick does not draw the water out of the fresh mortar too quickly,
- fill in layers rather than in one pass on deep joints,
- finish the joint to the correct profile and leave the wall brushed down.
Matching the joint profile
The profile — the shape of the finished joint — affects both appearance and weather performance. Weather-struck joints shed water off the wall. Bucket-handle joints are compressed and durable. Flush joints suit heritage work. Recessed joints look sharp on modern brick but hold water and are rarely appropriate on an exposed elevation.
We match the existing profile unless there is a good reason to change it, and we tell you if the existing profile is part of the problem.
Weather windows and working conditions
New mortar needs the right conditions to cure. We do not point in frost, and we protect fresh work in cold weather. In hot, dry or windy conditions we dampen and protect the joints so the mortar does not dry before it cures.
This is one of the reasons a repointing programme benefits from being planned rather than run as an emergency.
Targeted pointing without a full scaffold
Failed pointing is rarely spread evenly. It concentrates on exposed elevations, parapets and areas around rainwater goods. Wrapping an entire building in scaffolding to repoint one elevation is disproportionate.
Rope access lets our teams work the affected areas directly. It is a cost-effective alternative to scaffolding on targeted work, with minimal disruption to residents and no scaffold on the pavement for weeks.
If the survey shows the brick itself is damaged as well as the joints, that is brick repair and repointing — we will tell you which you need.
Request a pointing survey from RAIL
Contact RAIL for a free site survey and a fixed-price quote for your pointing or re-pointing project.
