POINTING SPECIALISTS

Repointing is the process of taking out and replacing mortar from the face of the masonry joint, if this is done correctly it can prevent damp if it is done incorrectly, it will not only look unsatisfactory but also harm the masonry of which it is in intended to protect.

Not only is it important that the process of repointing is done correctly but also the materials that are used are also correct If the building or structure in question was built before 1920 you can almost guarantee it was built with lime mortar and even then, most buildings were still being constructed from lime mortar right up to the end of the 1940s.

The importance of using lime mortar to restore and repair any building constructed from lime is essential, If a cementitious mortar is used then not only does your contracted builder display complete ignorance regarding masonry restoration, the whole process is a complete waste of both your time and money, proving vastly expensive in time to come.

To explain this in simple terms, lime mortar is designed to hold the brick and stone apart forming a cushion between each separate building material, this allows for any movement within the structure and therefore giving the building a longer life. Cement, however, is designed to stick each unit firmly together. All it can do is fracture and crack, creating an opening for damp. All buildings will move, even if only slightly, so when a building is restored correctly, both the building and the re-pointing will move in harmony with each other.