Repoint a brick wall is not an easy process especially if you have never done this before and it’s your first time. Pointing a brick wall takes time and you must follow these simple tips to getting it right without it looking like a mess.
First off you must have the right tools! You will need a trowel or a pointing tool, which you can pick up at your local DIY merchant. But, for your wall to take shape you must have a clean SOFT BRUSH.
You will also need a few bags of builders and sand and a bag of cement, for best results you should mix the pug yourself! The ready mixtures are ok but you get a better mix if you do this process yourself.
Preparing The Wall For Pointing
Clean any loose cement before you start and getting the brick wall ready for pointing will give you longer with your cement mix. once you have cleaned your wall, removed any loose cement and apply any acid mix to clean any old cement of debris.
Using an acid mix will also rejuvenate your brick face making it look more presentable and less aged.
- Clean any loose cement
- Apply your brick face cleaning solution
- use a hard bristled brush BEFORE pointing
Mixing your Sand & Cement
Once you have purchased your builders sand and cement you will need to mix it. For pointing cement you must mix 3 sand to 1 part cement. So, for every 3 scoops/shovels of sand add one shovel/scoop of cement.
Dry mixing these ingredients before adding water will save time and less mess. You can mix in a bucket or a plastic or wooden mixing tray (board).
Do not mix too much because it will dry out before you get to use it all! So you will be looking at 3 sand and one cement to start (shovels).
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- Make sure your cement mix is dry and NOT too wet
- 3 shovel of sand to 1 shovel of cement
- Dry mix before adding water for less mess
- Add a squirt of washing-up liquid or plasticiser
Pointing your Brick Wall
Once you have your mixture ready grab your trowel and pointing tool. The trick to pointing is never getting it on the face of the brick because it stains and grips like glue once set.
- Scrape some mixture on your trowel
- Hold it level with the joint and push it in as you go
- Once you have filled a length continue down the wall
- Use a 4″ length of a hosepipe for a concave joint, just gently run along the joints. There are many other joints but this is the easiest for beginners and DIYers
- Before the cement starts to set grab your SOFT brush and gently rub the wall, this is the most important part and will bring your pointing to a close