Deteriorating mortar is a common problem in decades-old
brickwork. We suppose you could wire brush the joints to remove
the loose mortar and apply a masonry sealer in hopes of stopping
the deterioration, but we don't think this would be a long-term
solution.
Rather, we suggest that you re-point the joints. This is the
standard practice to repair worn out joints and can easily be
accomplished by a do-it-yourselfer, even if he or she has limited
skills.
To re-point the joints it is first necessary to remove the existing
loose mortar. We like to use a narrow paint scraper - either a
pointed one or one just as wide as the joint - but this is a case of
whatever works best for you.
Remove at least 1/2 inch of the mortar from each joint. You may
have to dig deeper if the mortar is particularly loose. This is a
messy job so use drop cloths to cover the surrounding area.
Once the old mortar is removed, mix a small batch of mortar in a 1-
or 2-gallon bucket. Mix small batches to ensure that the mortar
does not dry before you can use it. The mortar should be mixed to
the consistency of toothpaste. If it is too thin you won't be able to
pack it into the joints or if it's too thick it's hard to work with.
Fill a spray bottle with water and wet the joint prior to applying the
new mortar. With a small mason's trowel, fill the joints with the new
mortar. Let it set up a bit, then tool it with a pointing tool. Pointing
tools are metal and can either be round or rectangular. They are
used to form the finished joints. Mortar, trowels and pointing tools
are available at brickyards, home centers and hardware stores.
Clean off any excess mortar you may have gotten on the bricks.
We've found it best to use water sparingly for this part of the
cleanup because using too much water may ruin the new joints you
just created. You can use a bristle brush and use strokes that are
perpendicular to each mortar joint.
Once the mortar has completely dried - a few hours or the next day
is fine - clean off any excess film you may have gotten on the brick
with a weak solution of muriatic acid. When doing this, make sure
to take all the recommended safety precautions, including wearing
rubber gloves and eye protection.
This may sound a bit complicated but it's really not. Applying the
mortar to the joints can be a little frustrating at first, but the
learning curve is not very steep and your brick joints will look like
new fairly quickly.
brickwork. We suppose you could wire brush the joints to remove
the loose mortar and apply a masonry sealer in hopes of stopping
the deterioration, but we don't think this would be a long-term
solution.
Rather, we suggest that you re-point the joints. This is the
standard practice to repair worn out joints and can easily be
accomplished by a do-it-yourselfer, even if he or she has limited
skills.
To re-point the joints it is first necessary to remove the existing
loose mortar. We like to use a narrow paint scraper - either a
pointed one or one just as wide as the joint - but this is a case of
whatever works best for you.
Remove at least 1/2 inch of the mortar from each joint. You may
have to dig deeper if the mortar is particularly loose. This is a
messy job so use drop cloths to cover the surrounding area.
Once the old mortar is removed, mix a small batch of mortar in a 1-
or 2-gallon bucket. Mix small batches to ensure that the mortar
does not dry before you can use it. The mortar should be mixed to
the consistency of toothpaste. If it is too thin you won't be able to
pack it into the joints or if it's too thick it's hard to work with.
Fill a spray bottle with water and wet the joint prior to applying the
new mortar. With a small mason's trowel, fill the joints with the new
mortar. Let it set up a bit, then tool it with a pointing tool. Pointing
tools are metal and can either be round or rectangular. They are
used to form the finished joints. Mortar, trowels and pointing tools
are available at brickyards, home centers and hardware stores.
Clean off any excess mortar you may have gotten on the bricks.
We've found it best to use water sparingly for this part of the
cleanup because using too much water may ruin the new joints you
just created. You can use a bristle brush and use strokes that are
perpendicular to each mortar joint.
Once the mortar has completely dried - a few hours or the next day
is fine - clean off any excess film you may have gotten on the brick
with a weak solution of muriatic acid. When doing this, make sure
to take all the recommended safety precautions, including wearing
rubber gloves and eye protection.
This may sound a bit complicated but it's really not. Applying the
mortar to the joints can be a little frustrating at first, but the
learning curve is not very steep and your brick joints will look like
new fairly quickly.
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Greg Liebig, CIAQT
Certified Home Inspector
B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Certified Home Inspector
B.S. Mechanical Engineering
| Updated: 1/21/08 |
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We hope you've found this article helpful! If you have any questions or comments,
please fill out our Contact Us Form or give us a call at (920) 451-4646. We would be
happy to serve you!
please fill out our Contact Us Form or give us a call at (920) 451-4646. We would be
happy to serve you!