The Importance of Pointing!
Pointing is basically the ‘finish’ between the bricks or stonework of your property, and the term used when repairing those mortar joints. Effective repointing must prevent water from penetrating the property while letting the wall breath and drain. Furthermore, it must be flexible enough to allow for small changes in the structure of the building, such as thermal responses and settlement.
What are the problems of damaged pointing?
During the lifetime of your property, the mortar in between your bricks or stone will erode. This will result in water creeping in through your brickwork and can lead to penetrating damp issues. When this water soaks through, small particles of brick start to dissolve. And when the cold weather sets in, that water inside the brick can freeze. Once this happens, you’ll notice issues such as cracked, broken or shattered bricks
Most Common Types of Pointing!
WEATHER-STRUCK & CUT POINTING
WEATHER-STRUCK & CUT POINTING, mortar sloping outwards from the underside of one brick to the face of the one underneath so that water does not lie on the top surface of any brick.
RECESSED POINTING
RECESSED POINTING is a type of pointing generally not suitable for buildings in exposed situations because it does not readily shed water.
It is advisable to use only bricks with excellent frost resistance should be used with recessed joints, or internal brickwork
It Gives a good appearance.
FLUSH JOINT POINTING
FLUSH POINTING, the mortar filled and pressed into a mortar joint. After that, it is finished off flush with the edges of the bricks or stones, to give a smooth appearance. Then the final finish is given by trimming the edges neatly with a trowel and straight edge.
BUCKET HANDLE POINTING
BUCKET HADLE POINTING, is the most common style of pointing is sometimes referred to as concave pointing in which the cement is installed much as it is in the case of flush pointing but a rounded tool is then used to give a concave finish.
How much does repointing brick walls cost?
The cost of Repointing Brickwork depends on the size of your wall, the type of pointing required and the number of walls to be completed affects the cost of repointing brick walls.
As a general guide, the repointing price per m2 is around £50 – £70 including clean up.
| Typical Repointing Costs | Unit | Price range - low | Price range - high | Average London cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickwork (including clean up) | Per m2 | £60 | £90 | £70 |
| Cost to add raking out | Per m2 | £30 | £60 | £45 |
| Scaffolding hire | Per m2 | £30 | £45 | £38 |
| Repoint Chimney Stack | Item | £800 | £1,100 | £1,000 |
| Scaffolding for Chimney Stack | Item | £800 | £1,200 | £1,100 |
| Brick Replacement | Item | £10 | £16 | £12.50 |