When was the last time you inspected your property’s brickwork and mortar? When built by experienced brickwork contractors, houses, extensions and retaining walls have the strength and resilience to last for decades, if not centuries. However, the bricks have a much longer lifespan than the mortar that joins them. As such, wherever your old or new build Guildford property has brickwork, you will likely need to repoint the mortar eventually.
Our brickwork and masonry contractors carry out repointing alongside many other services, including dry stone walling and structural alterations.
Below, however, we focus solely on repointing. What is it? And why is it so important? As client-focused brickwork contractors serving Surrey and the surrounding areas, we provide all the answers.
In short, repointing is the process our brickwork and masonry contractors perform when renewing your pointing. The pointing itself is the external part of your mortar joints. As a result, this doesn’t apply to our dry stone walling service, as we build those walls in Guildford and the neighbouring areas without mortar. However, they do require their own specialist maintenance.
As masonry and brickwork contractors, we specialise in:
The mortar involved in such projects can account for up to 15% of the total surface area.
It’s easy to see, then, just how important mortar is to the stability and performance of your structure. Of course, the condition of the pointing will also affect the exterior appearance of homes, buildings and other features. This is why brickwork freshly built or repointed by our masonry contractors looks far more appealing than that in a rundown state.
Because pointing faces out into the elements, it bears the brunt of constant weathering. Over time, it will eventually degrade. Missing or damaged mortar leads to leaks. In turn, this can cause issues like damp, rot and mould. With retaining walls, this can weaken the structure’s strength. These natural structural alterations can impair the wall’s ability to retain the material behind it. Again, this applies less to dry stone walling.
Like all reputable brickwork contractors, our Guildford-based team creates a mortar softer than the bricks they join. If the mortar were harder than the bricks, it would be the latter that took the impact of weathering. This would result in them eroding and failing faster instead.
It’s much more disruptive and costly to replace retaining walls and other brickwork than it is to carry out repointing. When performed by experienced masonry contractors like Parker Brickwork & Building Ltd, the results of repointing can last for several decades.
Can you already see open joints encircling your mortar bed? If yes, it’s time to schedule your own repointing service. Our masonry and brickwork contractors cover all locations in and around Guildford. Please don’t hesitate to call us and book an initial consultation.
In addition to repointing, our masonry contractors complete dry stone wall repairs, retaining wall repairs, and new constructions. Whatever structural alterations you require, we ensure the integrity of your building by completing the necessary structural calculations.
