Is there an "easy" way to repoint a wall?

[teslacoils]

Getting the old mortar out = easy. But getting the new in is a complete pain in the pisser. Is there a fancy tool like a cake icer to fill the gaps in, or is it just a crew of labourers for a week and get it done job?

 

[Lincsman]

there is indeed;

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[Netherfield]

I've used one of these, needs a good amount of plasticiser in the mix or it won't go through the nozzle , to do these

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[teslacoils]

But in essence, this is the kiddie for me and the Mrs to keep busy over those long summer evenings

Pump it in, tidy it up.

Be fine with a lime mortar?

 

[SilliamWhale]

Better to pay someone who knows what they are doing and they will be 3 times as quick as you

 

[SilliamWhale]

But in essence, this is the kiddie for me and the Mrs to keep busy over those long summer evenings

Pump it in, tidy it up.

Be fine with a lime mortar?

You will chuck it away within a day

 

[teslacoils]

Even better!

 

[teslacoils]

Better to pay someone who knows what they are doing and they will be 3 times as quick as you

You'd think so. I'm sure the novelty will wear off after the first day anyway.

 

[Lincsman]

Let it go off and "polish" the joints with a hessian sack, called bagging I am told.

 

[DrWazzock]

I put builders lime in it to help it stick but dries whiter. Small trowel, shove it well in, then scrape excess off onto your mortar board. To shape it press in with a half round handle off an old type bucket or finger end. Mortar should have consistency of a cow pat. Do not wet the masonary/bricks. Yes rub it with hessian bag when it’s dried off a bit. I just use my hands which are like sand paper anyway. Keep knocking the mortar up as you go or it loses plasticity and stickiness.

 

[Ukjay]

I put builders lime in it to help it stick but dries whiter. Small trowel, shove it well in, then scrape excess off onto your mortar board. To shape it press in with a half round handle off an old type bucket or finger end. Mortar should have consistency of a cow pat. Do not wet the masonary/bricks. Yes rub it with hessian bag when it’s dried off a bit. I just use my hands which are like sand paper anyway. Keep knocking the mortar up as you go or it loses plasticity and stickiness.

Surely that depends if you use traditional limes for mortar and not hydraulic lime in a cement based mix, as old traditional lime mortars are being advised you need to dampen the joints as it dries it out and then affects the bond?

 

[farmerm]

Does it need to be aesthetically pretty or just functional.... I wouldnt let myself near a wall that I have to spend the next 20 years looking at but have other farm walls on which having a clean brick finish is much less of a concern than their falling down would be.

 

[teslacoils]

Does it need to be aesthetically pretty or just functional.... I wouldnt let myself near a wall that I have to spend the next 20 years looking at but have other farm walls on which having a clean brick finish is much less of a concern than their falling down would be.

Pretty.

 

[teslacoils]

Two walls, 20*20 ft each. One 60*20. One 80*14. So a fair run.

 

[Netherfield]

Pretty.

Put plenty brick acid on your shopping list as well then

 

[Exfarmer]

I did all my patio 9 quite a big one) with a mortar gun and it was a god send. have done some in a brick wall too. You need to get the mix right, too little water and you will never get it through, too much and it runs away from you.
plenty of plasticiser.
I think I used 2 parts sand 1 part cement
if you want a lighter joint use white cement
Get a small mortar mixer to go on an electric drill and don't mix two much at a time.
needs to be nice creamy consistency
Fill your joint and get a jointing tool to run over it as soon as it is ready
With an absorbent brick this will be 2-3 minutes on a hot day can be a couple of hours or more on a cold damp day if they are engineering.
Start with small batches out of obvious view for a start and you will soon get the hang of it
The best jointing tools come in different sizes you may find you need a couple if the joints vary as in a patio
It can be done with a piece of water pipe, but I found the proper tool easier

 

[Doing it for the kids]

It’s a very boring job, Over 300m2 to do here.

i think we will sand blast the lot off to clean it up then pointing with trowel in the traditional way.

as others have said, if it needs to look pretty I’d consider getting professionals to do it!

 

[Goweresque]

Let it go off and "polish" the joints with a hessian sack, called bagging I am told.

This. I've had a professional stonemason rebuilding and repointing stone walls on and off here for the last 5 or 6 years (he's a bit of an itinerant, lives in a van, does 3-4 weeks work then you don't see him for for 6 months, but very good at his trade). He slaps it all in roughly, lets it set to a certain point then rubs all the joints down to a smooth finish with a wire brush. Saves hours of faffing around trying to get each joint perfect with wet mortar. Same principle applies to brick pointing, the tools and timing might differ a bit though.

 

[Netherfield]

If you do end up doing it yourself, get plenty sand and cement from the same batch, I did some flags at the Mother in Laws, ran out of sand so went to get some more, all from Wickes but this was a new pallet, once it all dried it had two distinctly different colours.

 

[bobk]

Even better!

Pile of sh!t , pointing is easy when you know how .