Bricks are one of the most important and primary building materials that are a must for any structural building. They not only provide the strength and stability to the building structure but also give it a distinguished look if used solo and kept uncovered. Simple brick structures are one of the all time classic trends in architecture. They add an aesthetic value to the artifact and allows you to try various looks for the particular building. But the only drawback of brick walls is that the mortar between bricks comes off when it is exposed to external weather changes, including heavy rains, snow, or heat. And hence brick pointing is important to maintain the brick structure strong and neat.
What is Brick Pointing?
When I heard the word brick pointing for the first time about three years back, I thought it is some complex construction process. But I was wrong. Brick pointing is nothing but replacing the mortar or cement between the bricks. Generally, mortar from the old brick structures comes off after some years making the structure weak. Apart from weakening the structure, it also gives it a rough and unrepresentable look. Imagine, you have a nice brick fireplace in the highly furnished living room but the rough bricks are worn off with all the mortar coming off the bricks. This can ruin the entire look of your house. Be it big or small, rough and unrepresentable brick structures does not look good and hence need to be repaired. At such moments, brick pointing is what comes to your rescue that transforms the rough brick construction to an elegant brick artifact. By the way, I still don't know why this process of replacing the brick mortar is called brick pointing. If you have any idea then share your knowledge with Buzzle by posting your comments in the comment box provided below.
Process of Brick Pointing
Now you know what is brick pointing and might have realized that there are so many brick walls and structures that you want to repair. Well, in that case, you must read the article further and get down with your home improvement project all by yourself. Because, hiring a professional can cost you a lot and hence to keep the brick pointing cost to the minimum it is better to do it on your own, especially if the brick wall construction is smaller. Given below are some of the simple steps that would assist you in the process of brick pointing:
Before you start with brick pointing, you will need following tools:
- Mortar
- Water
- Pointing trowel
- Hammer
- Chisel
- Waterproof gloves
- Mask
- Safety glasses
- Broom
- Bucket
- First, get ready with all the safety glasses, gloves, and mask. Do not forget to wear any of them as they are important for your safety.
- Now take a closer look at the wall and check from which areas the mortar has come off. Decide if you want replace the mortar between all the bricks or only from those which are highly damaged.
- Once you decide that, remove the old mortar or cement from the bricks using hammer and chisel. Do it carefully without breaking or causing any damage to the surrounding bricks.
- Now, clean the structure by dusting it with a broom properly so that small pieces of dry mortar are removed. The bricks are now ready to get the new mortar.
- Start preparing the cement for filling. Mix water and mortar in a bucket as much as you need. Keep the consistency moderate so that you can place it between the bricks properly.
- You can fill the gaps using mortar bags or you can do it manually by using a pointing trowel. Give a proper shape to the mortar on the joints so that it looks neat.
- Once all the gaps are replaced with new mortar, let the wall dry thoroughly. After this, your brick structure will be shining again!
