What is Repointing?
It is suggested to remove the damaged pieces of a masonry wall or chimney and replace them with appropriate materials when the masonry wall or chimney develops defective joints that enable moisture entrance. This keeps the wall or chimney in good condition. The term “repointing” refers to this type of repair.
Joint repair, despite the fact that it blends in with the rest of the brickwork, is regarded more of a utility repair because its primary purpose is to reinforce the wall and prevent water from penetrating it. “Re-pointing” is the most popular method of brickwork restoration, and it is a suitable alternative provided that the damage has not progressed to the point where the bricks have started to crumble or become loose.
The Process of Chimney Repointing
The first step is to remove the broken old mortar joint, which should be done to a depth of one inch and should not exceed one third of the entire depth of the brick. This will ensure that there is sufficient brick surface for our new mortar to bond to, preventing the chimney bricks from becoming dislodged in the process.
Demo Tools:
-Drilling Hammer
-Chisels of Various Temperatures
-2′ paintbrush
-Eye protection glasses
-Gloves
-a protective tarp for the roof
For this phase of the demolition process, you should make use of a drilling or engineer’s hammer as well as chisels of several sizes. By regulating the size of the chisel and the angle at which it is held, you may prevent doing any damage to the face of the brick. To get loose pieces closer to the surface, rather than hammering directly into the chimney, tap in the direction of the joint. This will make the surface clean enough for the new joint to attach to, which will bring the structure back to the level of strength it had before.
The third step is to brush away any dust and debris that may still be present that may interfere with the placement of the pointing mortar.
The fourth step is to moisten the open joint using a paintbrush that has been dipped in water. This will add water to the surfaces that are surrounding us and reduce the amount of water that will be “stolen” from our mortar mix by the ancient brickwork. Give this moisture some time to soak in before continuing, since having too much water in the joint can cause the fresh mortar to adhere less securely.
STEP 5: Using a Pointing Trowel and a Hawk, trowel tiny quantities of mortar mix into the gap, using just enough pressure to get rid of any air holes. Repeat the process with additional layers (or “Lifts”) until the joint is just barely stuffed to capacity.
Tools for Pointing:
-A little container for mixing.
-Mortar Board
-Trowel with a Point
-The Hawk or the Float?
-Brick Layer or Jointer
STEP 6: Once the joint is “green” (hard, but still may be dented with a thumb), dress the mortar using a Brick Jointer (also referred to as a “Spoon”) to the form and depth of surrounding masonry joints. This should be done as soon as the junction has reached the desired consistency. If you take your time, use the right equipment, and use the right materials, you may be able to prevent more damage to your chimney and delay the need for future repairs for decades.
It all starts with the mortar mix when it comes to making good pointing joints.
Mortar is made by combining water, sand, and cement in equal parts. However, the look of our repair as well as its durability will be impacted by the variety and quantity of each component. Masonry cement comes in a few different varieties, the most popular of which are Type N and Type S. Both types are utilized on chimneys and each has a unique set of benefits and drawbacks.
If you have any concern or inquiries but is not sure you can call Local chimney Sweep Cleaning to help you. We also offer professional Chimney Cleaning Maxwell and repairing.