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Repointing Overview
There is one thing that all brick, stone or concrete buildings have in common and that is they all use mortar. Mortar is used to bind building blocks together as it fills and seals irregular gaps that appear between the blocks. Although it is commonly believed that mortar holds masonry together it is actually gravity that does this. Over long periods of time, British weather can age and wear down the mortar gradually making it more recessed. By renewing the mortar joint, repointing, builders are left with a simple task rather than rebuilding which will be more expensive and time consuming.
A Guide to Repointing
Although repointing can be straightforward and inexpensive due to cheap materials, it can be quite labour intensive therefore becoming more costly due to bricklayer’s labour costs and hourly rates. Even though it can be quite costly, repointing is a necessary procedure as it maintains the structure of a property and can be a preventative method to avoid costly damage in the future. If you are looking to repoint yourself then it is best to start from the top and work your way down the wall. The most time-consuming part of repointing is the preparation as it requires cleaning out the joints to a minimum depth of the mortar thickness and making sure that the joint is square and not concave.
Once the joints are cleaned you will need to soak it with water either with a hose or a spray to make it damp to ensure that the curing and dried mortar end up even. No single mortar mix can be used for every wall so choosing the appropriate mortar mix needs to be considered on an individual basis. Hiring a professional bricklayer can really help at this stage as they can advise on mortar choices, offer advice on the various styles of pointing and if you are looking for a professional finish, bricklayers can match up repointing to the existing pointing making it look as good as new!
Repointing- How much does it cost?
Generally, bricklayers will charge per square metre for repointing. This could be anywhere between £20 to £40 per m2 depending on the bricklayer, joint size, type of mortar, type of brickwork, height and ease of access. If any repointing is needed around windows and doors, then this is normally not included in the quoted price as these areas can take up to twice as long! Other costs can be incurred from scaffolding, if it is required, as repointing scaffolding is more expensive than roofing scaffold due to the more stages and levels that are needed.
