Cut out any loose or damaged mortar and bricks from the brickwork. Rake out the old joints to a minimum depth of 10mm and wire brush away any loose dust. Mix sand and cement to match the color of the existing mortar. Fill the joints flush with the surface and choose a finish style for the pointing, such as bucket handle pointing using a tool or hosepipe, flush pointing by cutting off excess and troweling, weather struck pointing at an angle, or recessed pointing by raking out the mortar.

1. POINTING BRICKWORK
Firstly cut out all loose and damaged mortar. You may find that some of the faces of the bricks
have been damaged as a result of water getting into the joints. This can be remedied in our
replacing bricks project and the science of it understood in our freeze-thaw project. Cutting out is
best done with a plugging chisel or small bolster. Very loose stuff can simply be raked out with a
screwdriver or similar.
Rake out old joints to 10mm minimum Wire brush loose
dust etc.

2. Mixing sand and cement (see project on this) Place on hawk ready
for easiest way to repoint
Unless you are doing all of the walls anew, it will be necessary to match the mortar you are
using to the existing colour. See our project on matching sand and cement mortar.
Fill joints flush with surface, then choose finish of pointing

3. "Bucket handle pointing" can be done with metal pointing tool or with a short length of
chopped off hosepipe run through the joint.
"Flush pointing" Done by cutting off surplus and rubbing over with back of trowel.
"Weather struck pointing" Done by using pointing trowel at and angle.

4. "Recessed pointing" Done by raking our mortar with tool above