Repointing DIY?

Robby1988

Got some repointing to do on a 16m2 area on the back of my house. It’s an old random stone wall, cement pointing not in great nick I want to take out and replace with a lime mortar.

My father in law is an experienced and good DIYr and I’m fairly good, do you think we are wise to take this on ourselves? Pain in the !!! trying to find guys who will work with lime & those that do charge a premium so we will save a good whack going DIY. I guess it’s just the fact it’s random stone that’s worrying me, wouldn’t want it to look like a dogs dinner.

tacpot12

16m2 is quite a large area, so while the savings will be large, the impact on you both will also be substantial. As the work is at the back of the house, its appearance is a little less important; you should start high up, and work down the wall so that you technique will have improved by the time you reach areas that are easier to inspect.

Doozergirl

There's a bricklayer that lives down the road from us. I was horrified when I saw the repointing on his house a couple of years back and couldn't understand how he could possibly get work.

His wife got fed up of waiting for him to do it and so she did it herself :rotfl:

stuart45

Take your time. Make sure it's properly raked out, joints cleaned out and well wetted down.
What type of stone is it?
Lime mortar is quite easy to work with if it's knocked up properly.

TELLIT01

I would prepare the joints on a smallish area at a comfortable working height and practice on that section first. If you do make a mess first time round, clean the joints and to it again until you are happy with it. Don't try to rush the job.

stillEuropean

It's easy to do and well worth it. There's plenty of information on using lime and the proportions to mix it up with on the Period Property website. The important thing is to prevent it from drying out too quickly and to choose a time of year when you can get the whole thing done in one go i.e., when it's not too hot or too cold.

king132

Pointing is difficult to do properly. I've tried and made a complete hash of it - luckily it was a chimney, so out of sight and no one would really notice.

Why not just do all the prep work and rake out all the mortar ready for a bricky to come in on a day rate and just do the pointing?

Grab something like this: https://www.toolstation.com/brick-removing-mortar-raker/p71904?store=BV&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIltSUzsaO5AIVFODtCh2Y8QyLEAQYASABEgJkf_D_BwE

Goes onto an angle grinder. Do Not use an angle grinder disc for raking out old mortar or allow anyone you get in to use this method either.

Or if you did decide to have a go yourself there are plenty of youtube videos. If the mortar joints are big enough then maybe even buy a mortar gun off ebay.

DigForVictory

Pal is having their house lime repointed - it's very weather sensitive, apparently (that or the chaps are doing another job concurrently) but the big faff is the scaffolding to get secure access.
A sharply sloping garden is unhelpful...

FreeBear

If you are using lime mortar, a cool dry day is best. Hot and sunny, the mortar dries out too quick and cracks. Heavy rain, and the lime gets washed out. Also best to avoid days when the temperature is likely to fall below 5°C and/or freeze.

Robby1988

We’ll first problem I have found it getting hold of premixed lime mortars! You get looked at like an alien when you ask for it at builders merchants. Literally can’t find anywhere in reasonable driving distance that stocks the stuff, having to have some delivered on a pallet!

stuart45

What type of lime have you ordered?