Brickwork & repointing.

Bad pointing lets water into the wall and rots everything behind it. We rake out the failed mortar, match new pointing to the original (lime for older buildings, cement for post-war) and finish with the right joint profile - weather-struck, flush or recessed.

When to call us

If any of these sound familiar, it's worth a call. A free survey will tell you what's actually needed - and whether it's a repair or something bigger.

• Mortar falling out from between bricks or stone
• Pointing that’s gone soft or crumbly
• Damp on the inside of an external wall
• Visible cracks running through the pointing line
• Modern cement pointing on pre-1919 brickwork (traps moisture)
• Chimney, gable or parapet showing failed joints

How we approach brickwork & repointing.

Bad pointing lets water into the wall, and water in the wall rots everything behind it - timbers, insulation, plaster. We rake out failed mortar to 25mm depth minimum, match the new mortar to the original (lime for older buildings, cement for post-war), and finish with the correct joint profile. The three common profiles are weather-struck, flush and recessed - we’ll recommend the right one for your building.

For pre-1919 brickwork, lime mortar is the only correct answer. Cement is too hard - it forces moisture out through the face of the brick instead of through the joints, and slowly destroys the bricks. We carry NHL 2, NHL 3.5 and hydraulic lime on the van and use whichever suits the wall’s age and exposure.

What's included

• Full repoint in lime or cement
• Chimney, gable and parapet work
• Weather-struck, flush and recessed joint profiles
• Lime mortar for pre-1919 buildings
• Colour-matched mortar on heritage work
• Full scaffold access included

What we use

• NHL 2, NHL 3.5 and NHL 5 hydraulic lime mortars
• Sand-and-cement mortars, plasticised
• Matched-colour sand from local quarries
• Weather-struck, flush and recessed jointing tools
• Protective sheeting and dust suppression on site
• Proper access scaffold (not ladder work)

How long it takes

A standard chimney stack repoint takes one to two days. A gable end or full elevation repoint runs three to seven days depending on size. Heritage work with lime mortar needs dry weather and longer curing times - we plan around forecast.

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