Brick repointing is a great way to keep your brick walls looking great throughout the year.
Brick repointing is a great way to keep your brick walls looking great throughout the year. The repointing process protects the bricks themselves, as well as the mortar used to hold them together.
Why is Brick Repointing Necessary?
As your brick masonry ages, the mortar will become loose and start to decay during wet periods of bad weather. If this isn’t taken care of in a reasonable amount of time, water can actually start to penetrate the brick itself and lead to major damage and repairs. While brick repointing can be an intense and demanding task, it is often necessary to ensure the structural integrity of your wall or home.
How is Brick Repointing Done?
Typically, the repointing process will start at the very top of a wall and then gradually stretch across the entire surface. Typically, only 3-4 courses will be repointed during each pass on the wall. By working from the top down, you make sure that any debris or dust can be cleaned off as you work, leaving clean new mortar at the top.
The Brick Repointing Process
First, mortar is removed from the brickwork with a lump hammer and a bolster chisel. If you have a large area of mortar to remove, you can use a hand grinder with a diamond-tipped disc. Remove the mortar so that about ¾ of an inch is gone. Remove any debris from the surface with a brush, making sure that you don’t damage the brick itself as you work.
Next, damp down the seams of the brick and mortar with a paint brush or simple spray bottle full of water. Use new mortar that is stiff enough to “slice” and push it into the brick seam with a trowel. If the mortar is too wet, it will end up all over the brick face itself. Once the mortar begins to set, point the seam with your trowel to finish the brick repointing process.
Brick Repointing from Del Prete Masonry
If you are ready to upgrade your home with beautiful brick repointing, Del Prete Masonry has the experience and expertise to get the job done right for the right price. To explore our residential and commercial services and set up a consultation, please give us a call at 410-683-0650 or contact us online. We currently serve Baltimore City and County, Harford County, Carroll County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County. To see examples of our work and get more updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.
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