If you have a brick home then you’ll benefit from good levels of insulation and minimal maintenance. However, your house walls will be exposed to the elements at all times. This can lead to the bricks fading in color and, over time, the cement between the joints starting to disappear.
In fact, the cement will shrink as well as being slowly eroded by wind and rain. As your house gets older it will start to look tired. But, disappearing cement is more serious than just the cosmetic look of your home. It will open up gaps in your walls, lowering the insulation of your home. In addition, the gaps will let pests in and will allow the weather in. This potentially causes an array of other issues.
Fortunately, you can repair the mortar joints. The process is known as re-pointing and it is a slow, tedious process. You may find it more beneficial to get a local brick re-pointing specialist to do the work for you.
Even if you get a specialist, it’s useful to know how mortar joints are repaired:
Prepare The Joints
You can only mix a certain amount of cement and use it before it starts to set. That means it’s important to target a small section of your wall at a time. Pick your section and use a grout saw or chisel to remove the old mortar.
You want to create a gap approximately three-quarters of an inch deep. It’s best to use manual tools as power tools are likely to damage the brick.
Make sure you do the horizontal and vertical lines of your bricks, ideally aim for three or four horizontal lines at a time.
Cleaning
You now need to wash the wall to dislodge any loose bits and ensure you have a good surface for the new mortar to adhere to.
This stage is very simple as you can use a hosepipe. It’s best not to use a pressure washer as you’ll potentially damage the remaining mortar.
Mix The Mortar
A standard mortar mix is fine. You can purchase pre-mixed mortar and follow the instructions to get the perfect mortar. The advantage of using a dry mix is that it’s easier to maintain color consistency.
Once your mix is ready you’ll want to spray the area of the wall you’re repairing with a mister. This is important. If the wall is dry then it will absorb moisture, causing the mortar to dry too quickly and crumble.
Keep your spray handy and mist the wall regularly as you push the new mortar into the gaps between the bricks. Make sure you push the mortar right into the brick. It’s best to use a brick trowel and bed joint to push the mortar in and then smooth the finish.
Finishing
Once the mortar is in you’ll want to leave it for 30-60 minutes then gently brush it to remove any crumbs. You can also sponge the bricks to remove any mortar on them. Cover the area for the next three days to allow it to dry slowly. It will look perfect!
