If your home is your castle, then the bricks are your moat, bringing you protection and peace of mind. But what happens when the bricks around your castle start to crumble and collapse? You’ll need to apply some brick repointing services!
This is when you will need to replace old, broken bricks and repoint the mortar so that your home is safe and sound. If you don’t feel comfortable with the process, you can always hire a professional brick repointing company to take care of the job for you.
What is Brick Repointing?
Brick repointing is a time-consuming and labour-intensive process but is a great way to extend the life of a brick or limestone building. It can save you money in the long run and can also enhance the beauty of an old structure.
The service involves chipping away the old mortar and replacing it with new mortar. Furthermore, you may need to match, remove and replace any damaged brickwork.
Frequently, bricks can begin to lean or tilt. This is usually due to old mortar shrinking over time. The mortar may also crumble over time, and this will need to be replaced with fresh mortar to prevent further damage.
Brickwork often becomes damaged in areas that are close to the coast, or where the land can move due to construction or other means. In addition, third party factors like vehicles or trees can also cause similar damage.
What Steps Are Involved?
If you’re considering repointing the bricks yourself, here are some basic steps involved in the process –
1. Brick Matching
Before you get started, you’ll want to check whether any bricks are damaged and should be replaced. If so, it’s important to locate some replacement bricks which are a close match to the existing damaged bricks you are going to remove.
2. Removing the Mortar Joints
The first step is to remove all of the old mortar joints. This will require a hammer and chisel. You will need to use the chisel to loosen the mortar and then use the hammer to chip away the old mortar joints.
When chipping away at the mortar, it is important that you use caution so that you don’t further damage your bricks. Also, make sure you use eye protection during this process, as small pieces of mortar may become airborne.
3. Make Your Mortar Mix
After removing the old mortar, you will need to make a mortar mix. The mortar mix will be necessary for adding new mortar to the spaces between your bricks.
As you chip away at the old mortar, you will have a better idea of how much material you will need to use. The mix should contain a ratio of one part cement, one part sand, and three parts fine sand. Before using the mix, it should be thoroughly mixed with water to create a “paste.”
4. Start Repointing
Before you begin repointing, you must wet the bricks. You can do this by spraying them with a hose or using a wet sponge. Make sure that you fill the joints three-quarters of the way full. Use your trowel to scrape off any excess mortar that you may have added.
5. Allow to Dry
Allow the mortar to dry for at least 24 hours. You can then repoint the joints that were not filled. Repeat this process until you have replaced all of the joints with fresh mortar.
DIY Brick Repointing or Hire a Professional?
In most cases, people prefer to hire an experienced and reputable professional when requiring brick repointing services. This offers peace of mind that the job will be done correctly with long-lasting results. In addition, an experienced professional should be able to match just about any style and colour of brick, saving you considerable time trying to locate a suitable replacement.
When looking for a brick repointing company in your area, make sure they are experienced, fully insured and boast a solid reputation.
Brick Repointing Services
Halls Construction is the most trusted brick repointing company in Perth. Offering quality work at a reasonable price, Halls strive to make the experience stress-free. They also boast an extensive network of brick suppliers, allowing them to match just about any brick available on the market.
