Brickwork

Repointing done properly

Mortar should always be softer and more permeable than the brick it joints. Old bricks pointed in hard cement shed water through their faces instead of the joints and spall in frost; the repair is to remove the cement carefully and repoint in an appropriate lime mix. Ask any contractor what mortar they propose and why – the answer separates specialists from general builders quickly.

Raking out is where damage happens. Joints should be cut back by hand or with small-diameter tools to a depth of roughly twice the joint width, without widening them or chipping the arrises; angle grinders in narrow joints are a warning sign.

Agree a sample panel before the main contract: mix, colour, joint finish and depth, viewed dry. Matching mortar is a matter of sands and aggregates as much as binder, and a metre-square sample settles arguments cheaply.

For replacement bricks, size and colour both matter; imperial-sized and handmade bricks are available from specialist suppliers listed under Brick Suppliers.