Poor quality brick wall

danrv

tony3619 said:

Did you just remove loose mortar by hand and fill in the gaps? 

Yes, using a bolster chisel. Then I measure out the quantities using a yoghurt pot and mix a small amount of mortar. I add a little plasticiser too.
Doubt you’ll get it too strong if you stick to 5/1 or 6/1.

As I’m doing the whole wall, I work on a couple of rows at a time. Perps first then the beds.

EssexExile

Unless you're looking for something to do to pass the time, I'd leave it alone. It's not the best brickwork in the world but it's doing its job fine.

tony3619

danrv said:

tony3619 said:

Did you just remove loose mortar by hand and fill in the gaps? 

Yes, using a bolster chisel. Then I measure out the quantities using a yoghurt pot and mix a small amount of mortar. I add a little plasticiser too.
Doubt you’ll get it too strong if you stick to 5/1 or 6/1.

As I’m doing the whole wall, I work on a couple of rows at a time. Perps first then the beds.

Do you know how to match colour? My mortar is quite grey so would I use a grey type sand or is it  dyed?

danrv

tony3619 said:

Do you know how to match colour? My mortar is quite grey so would I use a grey type sand or is it  dyed?

I noticed the colour. I just bought builders sand as I knew that was the right type. When I tried a mix without the lime, it was a more grey colour. 
I added lime because the old mortar has it.

fenwick458

danrv said:

Not sure why there’s gaps in the mortar on a four year old wall.
If you can reach it ok, it’s not too difficult to do yourself. I’m currently repointing the side of my property. Mortar is over forty years old.

At a guess I'd say whoever did the original pointing was in a rush, standard for a modern new build unfortunately.
I was replacing some outside light fittings on a brand new new build, on the day the first owner got the keys.
As I was drilling into the brick with an SDS drill, the perps were just dropping out around the bricks. checked all over, it was all shoddy pointing. I'd say it was done in the middle of summer, the bricks were bone dry, and the mortar had already gone off 3 times and was knocked up again and whacked in at 2pm on a Friday afternoon

tony3619

fenwick458 said:

danrv said:

Not sure why there’s gaps in the mortar on a four year old wall.
If you can reach it ok, it’s not too difficult to do yourself. I’m currently repointing the side of my property. Mortar is over forty years old.

At a guess I'd say whoever did the original pointing was in a rush, standard for a modern new build unfortunately.
I was replacing some outside light fittings on a brand new new build, on the day the first owner got the keys.
As I was drilling into the brick with an SDS drill, the perps were just dropping out around the bricks. checked all over, it was all shoddy pointing. I'd say it was done in the middle of summer, the bricks were bone dry, and the mortar had already gone off 3 times and was knocked up again and whacked in at 2pm on a Friday afternoon

You definitely have a point here, on my wall I can clearly see where the builders have patched in areas with closely coloured mortar and also holes are appearing on the perps on many areas of the wall. Strange thing is the mortar is always coming away on the top right hand side of the perp joint so it must be a technique (or lack of) and some of them have voids that I can get a pin half way through the width of the brick  before hitting solid mortar! Apparently this is common on rushed site work as they leave a void in the middle of the perp to save time. Tip pointing I think it's called. 

I will sort it when the weather is better but I'm not sure if to attempt patching the holes myself or hiring a tradesman to rack out and repoint the whole wall...

stuart45

Make sure you rake out the joints properly, at least 20mm. Colour matching can be tricky, but if you knock up a few different samples and leave them to cure it can help. Taking an old piece of the original mortar and soaking it in water can give you some idea of what it looks like when first knocked up.
Dropping some in brick acid will leave you a sample of the original sand. 

Homer_home

Looking at the state of the brickwork I'd say whoever was running the line was blind.......

stuart45

Homer_home said:

Looking at the state of the brickwork I'd say whoever was running the line was blind.......

Not too unusual on many sites. Subbies are looking for fast trowels over quality. I remember as a youngster the first time I worked for a subbie he told me the key to making money when running the line was ' once you have pushed the brick in and tipped the joint, leave it, even if it's high or low.'
The Yanks took bricklaying to the limits using speed leads and not spreading out the beds. The bricklaying championships they hold each year are typical of their methods on non union housing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIZ-awA-bgU

danrv

Like a lot of things, they don’t built ‘em like they used to.
Not sure if this speed/quantity over quality is a common problem.
Sounds like the bricklayers are inexperienced and carefree of any possible repercussions.